The policies around commissioning new work should create pathways to support emerging and underrepresented artists in receiving new commissions.
Throughout the Reframe process, we repeatedly heard the value of creating more opportunities for artists, especially artists from Santa Monica First Peoples, Black, Brown and Asian communities. A Tongva elder who participated in the Community Listening Workshop stressed that there should be artwork by Santa Monica First Peoples throughout the city, and the letter from the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians (Gabrieleno/Tongva) notes the opportunity to hire First Peoples artists.
The City should also commission new artwork on these themes of inclusion and representing other views of Santa Monica’s history in a location that is much more publicly visible than the City Hall lobby. While the City Hall lobby is an important and symbolic place to communicate belonging to many different groups of people, relatively few Santa Monicans come through that space on a regular basis. Many of the proposals for new artworks we received through the feedback activity felt that other locations outside of City Hall would be preferable for new artworks, because they felt new artwork should be located outdoors in highly accessible locations where many people gather, like the Pier or Third Street Promenade. Other respondents felt that new artwork should be in multiple locations or “everywhere” throughout the city. One suggested a kind of Santa Monica history “scavenger hunt” of connected artworks. Others stressed that artworks should be installed in locations that are significant for Indigenous Peoples and other communities of color, noting that the artwork should be where history happened. For more info on the artwork proposals in the feedback activity responses, see Appendix C.
This recommendation advances Santa Monica’s “Citywide Equity Work” by expanding the grants, commissions and creative support to under-resourced artists. For more information on the City of Santa Monica’s ongoing equity priorities, see the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Update shared with the Santa Monica City Council in July 2023.91
91 David White, City Manager, “Information Item: Diversity Equity and Inclusion Update for FY 2022-23” (City of Santa Monica, July 7, 2023).
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Recommendation 4:
Create additional educational materials about the mural Many believe that the mural can serve an educational purpose in telling fuller histories about Santa Monica, including histories of First Peoples, the Rancho period, Black, Brown, and Asian communities, and working-class folks in Santa Monica. In order to make good on this, the City should partner with a qualified educational institution. There was thoughtful discussion about using the panels as educational materials. All agreed that this would be a deep challenge and not something to be taken on lightly. Many felt that the City staff was ill-equipped to do this work and would need substantive partnerships with other institutions to make this meaningful. This is a good opportunity for Santa Monica to invest in the creative and scholarly development of First Peoples and Black folks. The curricula designed by the American Museum of Natural History for the Old New York diorama described in the case studies section are a good model for youth teaching guides.
Our framework, pedagogy and analysis of the data gathered throughout this process helped us articulate the below recommendations. We also found an extremely high level of agreement amongst the Working Circle that the City’s response should not be limited to actions related to the cultural sphere or the City Hall Lobby and that the City should act to materially address issues related to the exclusions seen in the mural. A large number of recommendations in this category found almost unanimous support from the Working Circle. The full list can be found in Appendix B, but the following five recommendations rose to the top as most critical. These recommendations echo the desires expressed by Gabrieleno/Tongva tribe’s formal letter (see Appendix D). “Centering the perspectives of First Peoples” and “doing something concrete, not just words” were highly rated values consistent with these recommendations.
The suggestions here are not prescriptive for future processes, but pathways to open up opportunities for continued work in this area as well as deal with community members’ immediate concerns. They are framed around a few specific areas:
• Equity in art & culture, art commissions, and other decision-making bodies that impact the livability of residents.
• Centering Indigenous communities in processes and representational practices in this recommended order: Santa Monica First Peoples, Los Angeles First Peoples, Native Americans, North American Indigenous Diaspora, Larger Indigenous Diaspora.
• Affordability and access for working-class people and people of color in Santa Monica.
Recommendation 5:
Expand DEI+ trainings for City staff
The City should build on actions taken since its Racial Equity Statement of 2020, which included the formation of an Office of Equity and Inclusion and the subsequent launch of an Equity Plan process. It should expand DEI training for all City staff. We understand that, since 2020, the City of Santa Monica has offered a number of trainings for City staff around implicit bias and racial equity in local government, interrupting microaggressions, and civility in the workplace with a focus on equity and inclusion. To be successful, future efforts should focus on implementation strategies and tools for staff that center the overlapping experiences, shared spaces and mutual accountability of underrepresented peoples.
Recommendations
for City of Santa
Monica to lead
beyond the mural
and new artwork
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We also encourage the City to continue to go deeper to develop staff capacities around cultural exchange, decoloniality and social justice. Training approaches that center building leadership around cultural exchange have significant transformative power. The Intercultural Leadership Institute’s approach to DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Belonging, etc.) proposes to invert current efforts that funnel underrepresented peoples into norms created and dominated by a white worldview. The approach challenges dominant social norms while honoring differences of histories, traditions and vocabulary. It develops leaders specifically within the arts & culture field to adeptly respond to significant changes that impact society, politics, the environment and the economy.
To follow this approach, Santa Monica should partner with practitioners who understand how to bridge different worldviews and support the creation of tools that hold communities together while strengthening each respective perspective.
One example of a useful framework is LA County Creative Strategist Anu Yadav’s “Healing Through Story” toolkit. The toolkit focuses on the power of story as an arts-based healing process that promotes wellbeing and connection. It highlights community-building methods for listening and facilitation and includes interviews with community groups on how we heal.92 Another helpful example, artEquity’s National Facilitator Training program is a two-weekend intensive retreat with a purpose: deep analysis and skills building paired with meaningful discourse on issues of inclusion, equity and the role of art makers. Participants attend cultural events, join a national cohort of colleagues in the field, and help sustain a national arts movement.
Recommendation 6:
Adopt a City-wide land/territory acknowledgment initiative Land Acknowledgements, although extremely important, can become diluted as these acknowledgments are the bare minimum of the protocols from which they originate. The recognition of place between Indigenous communities stems from the important practices between peoples to understand each other’s worldviews and often were paired with cultural exchanges, ceremonies and other important community-building functions.
It is important to understand the longstanding history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history.
Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense or historical context:
colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation.93
Santa Monica has an opportunity to adopt a City-wide land acknowledgment initiative that includes the actionable practices that often have been stripped from the original intentions of land acknowledgments. In one example of putting a land acknowledgment into action, in January 2022, Seattle launched its new Indigenous Advisory Council (IAC)94 to help advise its decision-makers on issues similar to those raised through Reframe. In another example, in Oct 2020, Minneapolis launched a truth and reconciliation process with a focus on Black and Indigenous residents.95 In developing this initiative, the City should involve 92 The “Healing Through Story” toolkit is available here: https://www.anuyadav.com/healing-through-story 93 Northwestern University, “About Land Acknowledgment,” Native American and Indigenous Initiatives (website), n.d., https://www.northwestern.edu/native-american-and-indigenous-peoples/about/Land%20 Acknowledgement.html.
94 Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, “Newly Formed Indigenous Advisory Council Now Accepting Applications for Members,” Front Porch (blog), January 25, 2022 95 Melissa Turtinen, “Minneapolis Will Create a Commision to Confront History of Racism,” Bring Me the News. (website), October 12, 2020.
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but not overtax local First Peoples. The recommendations in the letter from the Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians are a great place to start (Appendix D).
Recommendation 7:
Improve representation on Santa Monica committees
Some of the issues raised from the City Hall Mural could have been mitigated through a holistic process that included members of the communities excluded or misrepresented in the mural. As of the writing of this report, to our knowledge there are no First Peoples serving as part of the Arts Commission or Landmarks Commission. It is unclear if there are any self-identified Native Americans or Indigenous Peoples serving in these kinds of City roles.
Many of the issues across the country relating to the misrepresentation of peoples stems from systems that exclude marginalized communities. For Santa Monica to remedy these issues it should add First Peoples representatives to decision-making bodies such as the Airport, Landmarks, Arts and Planning Commissions among others as well as the Clean Beaches & Ocean Parcel Tax Citizens Oversight Committees, Metropolitan Water District and Urban Forest Task Force among similar bodies. One example of this approach is Seattle’s Indigenous Advisory Council, created in 2022 through a bill sponsored by a Council Member to help strengthen the City’s unique political relationship with tribal nations and to work to fulfill political, legal, and racial equity obligations to American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian people that reside in Seattle.
Recommendation 8:
Facilitate Land Back in Santa Monica
The movement to return land to First Peoples has been a decentralized effort across North America to reestablish Indigenous sovereignty, with political and economic control of their ancestral lands.96 These same efforts have also been replicated in New Zealand and Fiji. These efforts are distinct from efforts to provide reparations for descendants of enslaved people, but there are opportunities to bring Land Back efforts and reparations efforts into conversation.97 In Santa Monica, there have been discussions about providing a right to return for displaced groups, such as incarcerated Japanese Americans, African Americans removed by urban renewal, and working-class people of all backgrounds pushed out by gentrification. Land Back considerations have not yet been part of the discussion in Santa Monica, but they can be brought into conversation alongside, not at the expense of, these other considerations.
Land Back strategies shift from place to place because the federal relationships to Indigenous Nations varies—where some Tribes are federally recognized, others are simply state recognized and some lack any recognition at all. None of Los Angeles County’s six Tribes are federally recognized, and California has a much more severe and complicated history between First Peoples and the state than many of the other states in the union do with their First Peoples.
Given the economic power California has, this extremely large gap within the federal government’s responsibility to Indigenous Nations in the boundaries of the US presents an opportunity for counties like Los Angeles and cities such as Santa Monica to develop creative ways for First Peoples communities to practice 96 For more information, see “About the Land Back Movement” https://clockshop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Final_LandBack-2-sheeter-1.pdf 97 For more information, see “About the Reparations Movement” https://clockshop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/LB2-infosheet.pdf
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sovereignty and self-determination. Land transfers have taken place across the US with many burdening Tribes with the costs of remediation and other costs that at times are waived for corporations and nonprofits.
Santa Monica can be a leading example by partnering with First Peoples to create opportunities for their members to return home such as setting aside housing at the Santa Monica Airport redevelopment project. “Set Aside” housing has historically faced many barriers because many believe that this strategy isn’t possible using public funds.98 However, one example of how this has been achieved before is the Actors Fund’s new affordable housing development in Hollywood.99
Another example of creative opportunities for Land Back are temporary cultural easements that lead to a land transfer. One example of this is the new cultural easement at Yaangna Park, the site of the Serra statue toppling in 2020, that allows for the Tongva community to use that site as a space for cultural practices, art projects, cultural initiatives, etc. with the goal of transferring the land to develop a site of learning for and by First Peoples so they are better represented at the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the “Birthplace of Los Angeles.” Identifying unused sites as surplus land for potential land return is another. For example, the current surplus land designation of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium might enable consideration for Land Back.100 Recommendation 9:
Facilitate Kuruvungna Springs relationships
Open green space is an important facet of the well-being of communities and their members, as has been established by institutions such as the California Endowment. This is increasingly more important to First Peoples as their origin stories are connected to places such as Kuruvungna Springs. While it is not in the City of Santa Monica, Kuruvungna Springs is an important site for repair and sovereignty for Santa Monica First Peoples. The Tribe named the return of the land at Kuruvungna Springs from the Los Angeles Unified School District to the Tribe in their letter to Santa Monica. In addition, Kuruvungna Springs is connected to the City Hall mural in that one of the primary legends concerning the naming of the City appears to be the encounter between Spanish settlers and the Kuruvungna Springs—an event that many believe is centrally depicted in the mural.
Working Circle members also had a strong agreement about recommending this action, and there are many within the Santa Monica community who have developed strong connections to this cultural site. We recommend that the City of Santa Monica continue to build relationships with the Kuruvungna Springs Foundation and support their efforts to have the land transferred back to them.
In the meantime, the City of Santa Monica should explore how they can support the expansion of Kuruvungna Springs staffing and programs as an extension of Santa Monica cultural priorities.
98 A “Set Aside” policy is a requirement that developers keep a portion of new or rehabilitated units affordable to people with low incomes. 99 Anousha Sakoui, “Actors Fund Breaks Ground on Affordable Housing Project in Hollywood for Performing Arts Workers,” Los Angeles Times, February 11, 2021. 100 For more information about the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium designation as surplus land, see https:// www.santamonica.gov/blog/faqs-for-designation-of-the-civic-auditorium-as-surplus-land.
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Conclusion
We end this phase of the process heartened by the seriousness with which this community took the work. Representations matter. Civic art matters. The stories we tell about who we are, where we have been, and what we have done matter. Santa Monica’s people came out to participate in these events with great conviction. It is clear that people have a deep emotional connection to this issue—whether this is rooted in their trauma of past harms, their love for civic art and culture, their fear of censorship, a feeling of exclusion, or a fear of lost or distorted history.
We were encouraged by the ability of the Working Circle–a group picked to represent the full gamut of perspectives and community connections across this issue–could find large swaths of agreement and encouraged by the nuance and depth of what we heard from communities across the region.
The debate around the mural—whether it’s a valuable piece of art, a traumatic reminder of colonization and forced conversion, a beautiful representation of the history of Santa Monica, or a monument to white supremacy that creates a hostile civic and work environment—will never be completely resolved until the larger social contradictions that the mural represents are also resolved.
Producing programming that centers a First Peoples’ perspective, employing a citizen assembly, and facilitating meetings with a healing and trauma centered lens has allowed us to explore how to bring more equity to public art and also think about the relationship between artistic storytelling and larger social issues.
The two are linked and this project is an example of the incredible importance of their intimacy.
The mural and the controversy around it have created a rare and critical focal point of civic energy. The key is not to squander the moment and let it further perpetuate ill-will and distrust, but rather to use it to move towards equity, justice and a better Santa Monica. The mural has provided an incredible educational opportunity to reframe the conversation. As Jaime Cruz, professor at Santa Monica College states, “It’s important to understand that over the last several years specifically, monuments and plaques have come down. Christopher Columbus, among other people, have come down because of the counter story.
People have now become more aware, very empowered by what they learn.”101 The recommendations that surfaced from our process followed from the key values of centering First Peoples and taking productive action, not just offering platitudes. Santa Monica should take proactive steps to commission new works that foster belonging for BIPOC and working-class people, both within City Hall and other more highly trafficked locations. They should take ownership of past actions by producing highly visible interpretive panels that condemn white supremacy in connection with the City Hall mural. Just as important as these actions are actions that work to repair harm in the present day: developing better standards of representation, expanding DEI initiatives and staff training, initiating a land acknowledgement process, facilitating Land Back, and the preservation and improvement of sacred sites. The recommendations above provide longer-term pathways towards putting First Peoples at the center of Santa Monica’s equity project. These are the things that will allow Santa Monica to emerge from this stronger, at the forefront of national conversation and transformational change.
The recommendations that emerged from our process are clear and resounding.
Now the work of the City Council and Santa Monica’s civic institutions remains to implement them and lead the way forward.
101 Jaime Cruz, Interview with Meztli Projects, June 6, 2023.
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Meztli Projects facilitation team and report authors
Joel Garcia, Robin Garcia, Susannah Laramee Kidd and Rosten Woo Meztli Projects would like to thank all of the many people who contributed to Phase I of the Reframe: City Hall Mural project, especially all of the community members who attended public programs or community meetings and submitted a feedback activity response. We would also like to thank the following people and organizations for their contributions and support for this process.
Reframe Working Circle members
Tafari Alan, Brock Ramon Alvarado, Miguel Bravo, Lizette Hernandez, Bob Knight, Ruthann Lehrer, Kimberly Marshall, Mona Morales Recalde, Sharon Reyes, Emily Silver, Cathy Taylor, Paolo Velasco and Zora Zajicek Meztli Projects support
Alicia Bella, Kenneth Lopez, Khayra Mentado and Isaac Michael Ybarra City of Santa Monica Staff
Cultural Affairs
Sofia Klatzker, Manager; Shannon Daut, Former Manager; Naomi Okuyama, Public Art Supervisor
Planning
Stephanie Reich, Design and Historic Preservation Planner Human Services
Carla Fantozzi, Community Services Supervisor
Office of Equity and Inclusion
Lisa Parson, Manager; David Gardinier, Coordinator
Public Works
Amelia Feichtner, Capital Program Manager; Amber Richane, Acting Chief Operating Officer
Santa Monica Public Library
Erica Cuyugan, City Librarian; Cecilia Tovar, Assistant City Librarian; Jennifer Ulrich, Principal Librarian; Librarians Kathy Lo, Karen Reitz and Jeff Schwartz Event assistance
Miles Friesen, Alfonso Manzo, Lesley Ramirez and Kimberly Soo Credits and Acknowledgements
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City of Santa Monica Advisory Bodies
Santa Monica City Council Mural Ad Hoc Committee
Councilmembers Christine Parra and Oscar de la Torre
Santa Monica Arts Commission Mural Subcommittee
Public Art Committee Member Francois Bar and Arts Commissioners Michael Baroff, Kathleen Benjamin (Working Circle liaison), Janeen Jackson, Iao Katagiri and Deepa Subramanian
Santa Monica Landmarks Commission Mural Subcommittee
Commissioners Roger Genser (Working Circle liaison), Amy Green and Dolores Sloan
Public program speakers and facilitators
Prisms of Indigeneity
Walter Meyer, Art Department Chair, Santa Monica College Emily Silver, Director, Pete and Susan Barrett Gallery, Santa Monica College Matika Wilbur
Isaac Michael Ybarra
Sites of Memory
Kathleen Benjamin
David Kipen
Robbie Jones, Black Santa Monica Tours
Bob Ramirez, Kuruvungna Village Springs
Memory Work Today
idris brewster, Kinfolk Tech
Christine Wong Yap, artist
Community Listening Workshop
Anu Yadav, artist and facilitator
Other Histories of Santa Monica and the Bay District
Jaime Cruz, History Department, Santa Monica College
Carolyne Edwards, Co-founder, Quinn Research Center
Mona Morales Recalde, Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians Rob Schwenker, Executive Director, Santa Monica History Museum Anne Wallentine, Collections Manager/Curator, Santa Monica History Museum
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Individuals consulted for their expertise and advice
Annie Danis, PhD, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, Art and Archaeology Bill Deverell, PhD, Director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West Paul Farber, Monument Lab
Natalie D. McDonald, Living New Deal
Will South, PhD, art historian, Stanton Macdonald-Wright specialist John Thomas, Living New Deal
Alexander Tarr, PhD, A People’s Guide to the San Francisco Bay Area Sue Bell Yank, Clockshop, formerly 18th Street Art Center Samuel “Sandy” Zipp, PhD, Brown University, American Studies and Urban Studies Interviewees
Tafari Alan, student, Santa Monica College
Alex Aldana, Executive Director, Pico Youth & Family Center Margaret Bach, local historian, former member of the Santa Monica Landmarks Commission
Angie Behrns-Dorame (Gabrieleno/Tongva), Kuruvungna Springs Foundation Kathleen Benjamin, Belmar Art + History advisory group member Jamie Cruz, educator, historian
Gina DeBaca, artist, cultural worker
Mary (Terri) de la Pena, author, Marquez family descendant Bill Deverell, American West historian, USC professor & Director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West
Nina Fresco, board member, Santa Monica Conservancy; former chair of the Santa Monica Planning Commission
Jeremy Gonzalez (Gabrielino Kizh Nation), community member Paulina Sahagun, educator, artist
Elias Serna, Ph.D., M.F.A., artist, educator, professor, and board member, Pico Youth & Family Center
Will South, artist, art historian Stanton Macdonald-Wright Angel Villaseñor, former City of Santa Monica employee, community member Groups that sponsored listening sessions and events for their communities
Community Corporation of Santa Monica
CSU Puvungna (Long Beach) Pow Wow
Families Latinas Unidas, Parent Council, Virginia Avenue Park Pico Youth and Family Center
Santa Monica Area Interfaith Council
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica Conservancy
Santa Monica Human Relations Council
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
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Appendices
Appendix A: City Hall Mural Recent Historical Timeline
Appendix B: Working Circle Discussion and Development
of Values, Statements, and Recommendations
Appendix C: Engagement Details
Appendix D: Letters from Tribal Communities
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Appendix A: City Hall Mural Recent Historical Timeline
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As described above in the process section, we employed a “Working Circle” to create recommendations. Similar to a citizen jury, the Working Circle was made up of 13 individuals selected to represent a broad range of perspectives, life histories and community connections.
The Working Circle model pulled in people with connections to key Santa Monica communities to democratize knowledge and illuminate a diversity of community views. This was designed to be an intimate community group and over the course of Phase I of the project, Working Circle members engaged in open dialogue on civic history, representation and public art in Santa Monica.
Additionally, this group of folks connected to one another and gained new perspectives. Some members already knew each other, but this process offered each one an opportunity to connect using new tools and perspectives and to learn some new ideas and maybe unlearn others.
A major task of the Working Circle was to develop recommendations together.
All of the recommendations in this report were discussed and given priority by the Working Circle. The legitimacy of the Working Circle’s recommendations stems from the broadness of the group–everyday citizens from astonishingly diverse starting points–and the quality and the depth of their engagement and discussion. This truly diverse group was able to find extremely significant points of agreement through deep engagement. The Working Circle used a highly facilitated process similar to “Delphi Surveying’’ in which the group was given three rounds of anonymous surveys to develop and refine their statements and recommendations.
This appendix includes the details and results of the final rounds of surveying and discussion. Note that the survey tables below include 12 survey responses, because one Working Circle member stepped down from the Working Circle before the recommendations development process. The Working Circle liaisons to the Landmarks Commission and the Arts Commission did not attend any of the Working Circle meetings once we moved into the recommendations development phase to avoid having to recuse themselves from any matters that would come before their respective commissions. City of Santa Monica staff from Cultural Affairs, Planning and the Office of Equity and Inclusion attended the discussions around recommendations but did not fill out the surveys or prioritize actions.
Appendix B: Working Circle Discussion and Development
of Values, Statements, and Recommendations
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Values from the Working Circle
We felt it was important to ground the recommendations in a collectively articulated set of values. Based on the interviews, small group engagements and feedback survey responses, we drafted a list of Values statements that represented values (not positions or recommendations) that we heard from the public. The Working Circle anonymously voted on these values to highlight those they thought were very important for the City to uphold, somewhat important, not a priority, not important, or unsure. After each round of surveys, the Working Circle discussed the results and proposed changes.
The Working Circle members were unanimous in their belief that it is very or somewhat important for Santa Monica to:
• Center Santa Monica First Peoples in the City’s response to the mural. • Do something concrete, not just words.
Nearly unanimously, the group felt it was very or somewhat important to:
• Center working-class people and other people of color in the City’s response to the mural.
• Make sure visitors to City Hall know that the City understands the issues that people have with the mural.
• Make sure visitors to City Hall know that the City condemns the white supremacy worldview depicted in the mural.
• Make sure everyone who visits the Historic City Hall lobby feels welcome/ like they belong.
And about three quarters of the group felt it was very or somewhat important to:
• Attend to the people who feel harmed by the mural.
• Address the material consequences of colonialism and provide considerations including financial considerations to Santa Monica First Peoples.
• Protect future visitors to City Hall from the harm of seeing demeaning images.
• Create new opportunities for artists.
• Have the City response deal with other things in addition to the mural. • Generate meaningful public discussion and engagement around the mural.
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What do you feel is most important to address
in the City of Santa Monica's response to the mural?
Very
important
Somewhat
important
Not
sure
Not a
priority
Not
important at all
Centering Santa Monica First Peoples in the City's response to the mural 11 1 0 0 0 Doing something concrete, not just words 11 1 0 0 0
Centering working-class people and other people of color in the City's response to the mural
10 1 1 0 0
Making sure visitors to City Hall know that the City understands the issues that people have with the mural
10 1 0 0 1
Making sure visitors to City Hall know that the City condemns the white supremacy worldview depicted in the mural
10 1 0 0 1
Making sure everyone who visits the Historic City Hall lobby feels welcome/like they belong
9 2 1 0 0
Attending to the people who feel harmed by the mural 9 0 1 1 1 Addressing the material consequences of colonialism and providing considerations including financial considerations to Santa Monica First Peoples
9 0 1 0 2
Protecting future visitors to City Hall from the harm of seeing demeaning images
8 0 2 0 2
Creating new opportunities for artists 7 3 1 1 0
The City's response should deal with other things in addition to the mural 7 3 1 1 0 Generating meaningful public discussion and engagement around the mural
7 3 1 0 1
Centering other Indigenous Peoples in the City's response to the mural 7 0 2 2 1 Adding new artworks to the City Hall lobby 6 3 2 1 0
Adding new interpretive works to the City Hall lobby 6 2 2 1 1 Telling the story of the Mission period in a way that acknowledges the horror of the time
5 6 0 0 1
Telling the story of Santa Monica 4 0 2 4 2
Using City Hall Lobby as a teaching space 3 4 4 0 1
Representing the story of Santa Monica prior to 1769 3 4 2 1 2 Making sure the mural is viewable by everyone who comes to City Hall 3 0 1 4 4 Representing the story of Santa Monica between 1939 and 2023 2 2 3 4 1 Representing the story of Santa Monica between 1769 and 1848 2 3 0 5 2 Preserving the physical integrity of the mural as a historical artifact 2 1 2 2 5 The City's response should only deal with the mural 2 0 1 3 6 Representing the story of Santa Monica between 1848 and 1939 1 4 1 4 2 Telling the story of the Rancho period 1 3 0 6 2
Making City Hall beautiful 1 6 1 1 3
Helping the City of Santa Monica avoid scandal or controversy 1 2 0 4 5 Helping the City of Santa Monica save money 1 1 0 4 6
Protecting the artistic legacy of the artist Stanton Macdonald-Wright 1 1 0 1 9
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Statements About the Mural
Because one of the key issues in this process was the issue of interpretation, we thought it would be useful to have the group consider statements about the mural. What can be said to be true about the mural? We gathered statements (again, adapted from things we had heard through the interviews and feedback activity responses) and engaged the group in the same process of anonymous surveying.
The group had a somewhat more difficult time finding agreement here.
With the exception of one member, the group agreed that it was true and important that:
• People feel harmed by the mural.
More than 80% thought it was true and important that:
• Although the mural is representative of its time, it still problematic and • The mural’s location at City Hall is important to the way we think about it, • The mural is a dehumanizing portrayal of First Peoples, and • The mural is harmful.
More than 75% felt it was true and important that:
• The mural represents a white supremacy world view
And two thirds believed it was true and important that:
• The mural represents a classist view of the world
• The mural shows a misleading view of the history of Santa Monica • The mural is embarrassing
• The mural made them feel uncomfortable
False statements
Conversely, no one in the group believed these statements to be true:
• The mural makes me feel happy
• The mural is inspiring
Most of the working circle believed the following statements were false:
• The whiteness of the people in the mural is simply factual of Santa Monica in 1939 • There’s nothing wrong with the mural
• The mural is from the past and has no bearing on the present • The mural represents objective history
• This mural celebrates Santa Monica
• This mural represents Santa Monica in 1939 accurately • The mural was a neutral or positive portrayal of First Peoples
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Please respond to the following statements about the mural. True and important
True
but not
important
Not sure
if this is
true or
false
FALSE
People feel harmed by the mural 11 0 0 1
Although the mural is representative of its time, it still problematic 10 0 1 1 The mural’s location at City Hall is important to the way we think about it 10 1 0 1 The mural is a dehumanizing portrayal of First Peoples 10 0 0 2 The mural is harmful 10 0 0 2
The mural represents a white supremacy world view 9 1 0 2 The mural represents a classist view of the world 8 3 1 0 The mural shows a misleading view of the history of Santa Monica 8 0 2 2 The mural is embarrassing 8 1 1 2
The mural makes me feel uncomfortable 8 2 0 2
The mural could be used as a teaching tool 6 3 2 1
The mural needs interpretation 6 2 2 2
Mural would be more productive at another location 5 0 4 3 The mural represents Stanton Macdonald Wright’s values and worldview 3 5 3 1 The mural represents the mainstream viewpoint of history of its time 3 3 4 2 The mural is of historic significance 3 4 1 4
The mural condemns Santa Monica 3 0 2 7
The wealth of the people in the mural accurately represents Santa Monica at the time the mural was produced
2 0 4 6
The mural is beautiful 2 2 1 7
The whiteness of the people in the mural is simply factual of Santa Monica in 1939
2 0 1 9
There’s nothing wrong with the mural 2 0 0 10
This mural represents Santa Monica in 1939 aspirationally 1 4 4 3 The mural is from the past and has no bearing on the present 1 0 2 9 The mural represents objective history 1 1 1 9
This mural represents Santa Monica in 1939 accurately 1 0 2 9 This mural celebrates Santa Monica 1 0 2 9
The mural is a neutral portrayal of First Peoples 1 0 1 10 The mural is a positive portrayal of First Peoples 1 0 1 10 The mural represents an allegorical story of Santa Monica 0 3 3 6 The mural represents what Santa Monica stands for 0 1 4 7 The mural makes me feel happy 0 0 2 10
The mural is inspiring 0 0 1 11
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Packet Pg. 615 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 86
Recommended Actions from the Working Circle
Alongside the process of anonymous surveys about values and perceptions of the mural, the Working Circle generated a list of possible actions to be taken by the City of Santa Monica. To begin with, this list was unedited and broad and included actions having to do with the mural itself, the City Hall lobby and the underlying issues brought up by the mural. We then used anonymous surveys to rank this list and find the recommendations that found strongest agreement.
Since the list of possible actions was so lengthy, we grouped the survey questions into four areas: actions dealing with the mural, actions related to commissioning new artwork, recommendations about new artwork itself, and actions beyond the mural.
In the following charts, we include all of the responses for the actions surveys.
Some actions received only weak support from most Working Circle members; others were strongly recommended by some and strongly opposed by others.
Yet, we found an extremely high level of agreement amongst the Working Circle that the City’s response should not be limited to actions related to the mural or the City Hall lobby and that the City should act to materially address issues related to the exclusions seen in the mural. Centering the perspectives of First Peoples and doing something concrete were highly rated in the values survey, which is consistent with these recommendations.
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Packet Pg. 616 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 87
Actions Dealing with the Mural Recommend
- High
Priority
Recommend
- Low
Priority
No strong
feelings
either way
Recommend
Against
Strongly
Recommend
Against
Add interpretive panels written by an Indigenous person 9 1 1 0 1 Add interpretive panels that condemn colonization, forced religious conversion and white supremacy
9 1 0 0 2
Add interpretive panels that condemn the murals' portrayal of First Peoples
8 1 2 0 1
Add interpretive panels about atrocities and injustices committed towards Indigenous people
6 2 1 0 3
Move the murals: to a historical or cultural institution 5 3 1 0 3 Create educational and/or interpretative programming about the murals
4 5 1 1 1
Cover the murals: permanently 3 3 2 2 2
Move the murals: to storage 3 2 4 0 3
Add interpretive panels vetted by a committee 3 3 2 0 4 Add interpretive panels "explaining" or interpreting the artwork 2 3 1 3 3 Add interpretive panels vetted by a historian 2 1 4 1 4 Cover the murals: in a way that allows for temporary viewing (opaque curtain or scrim)
2 1 2 3 4
Move the murals: to a private location 2 0 3 2 5
Occasionally cover the murals on certain days (such as Indigenous People's Day)
2 0 0 2 8
Do nothing about these murals 2 0 0 1 9
Add interpretive panels that cover up portions of the mural 1 2 4 2 3 Add interpretive panels about the artistic process 1 1 2 4 4 Add interpretive panels about artist Stanton MacDonald Wright 1 1 3 2 5 Cover the murals: in a way that allows for artist engagement (transparent, clear acrylic)
1 2 2 2 5
Add interpretive panels about the WPA and New Deal artworks 1 3 0 1 7 Sell the murals 0 2 4 0 6
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Packet Pg. 617 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 88
Actions Related to Commissioning New Artwork Recommend - High
Priority
Recommend
- Low
Priority
No strong
feelings
either way
Recommend
Against
Strongly
Recommend
Against
New artwork should be created by: a member of Santa Monica First Peoples
10 1 1 0 0
Commission new work elsewhere in Santa Monica 9 1 2 0 0 Commission new work in the City Hall lobby 9 1 0 1 1
New artwork should be created by: an Indigenous person 9 2 1 0 0 New artwork should be created by: a person of color 6 4 2 0 0 New artwork should be created by: multiple artists 5 1 5 0 1 New artwork should be: permanent 5 3 3 1 0
The artist should: present to a special committee 5 3 3 1 0 Commission new work on the City Hall facade 4 4 1 0 3
New artwork should be created by: anyone in consultation with Santa Monica First Peoples
3 2 3 2 2
New artwork should be: installed for at least 10 years 3 3 5 1 0 The artist should: use a process typical of what Santa Monica presently does (present process and concept to Public Art Committee of Arts Commission)
3 4 4 1 0
Do not commission new artwork 2 1 0 0 9
New artwork should be: performance-based 2 2 6 1 1
New artwork should be: rotating temporary works 2 5 3 1 1 New artwork should be: installed for at least 1 year 1 4 5 0 2 The artist should: have total artistic freedom 1 5 3 1 2 New artwork should be created by: anyone 0 1 1 3 7
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Packet Pg. 618 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 89
New artwork should: Recommend
- High
Priority
Recommend
- Low
Priority
No strong
feelings
either way
Recommend
Against
Strongly
Recommend
Against
Deal with themes of Indigenous presence in Santa Monica 10 0 2 0 0 Be representative of all the races and ethnicities that have been and are part of Santa Monica
8 1 3 0 0
Deal with themes of African American presence in Santa Monica 8 0 4 0 0 Deal with themes of Belonging generally 8 1 2 1 0
Deal with themes of Mexican presence in Santa Monica 8 1 3 0 0 Deal with themes of Mexican-Indigenous (Yaqui, etc.) presence in Santa Monica
8 2 2 0 0
Present history from different perspectives and celebrate and reframe what is traditionally presented as "historically significant" 8 1 3 0 0
Deal with themes of Latinx presence in Santa Monica 8 0 3 0 1 Address the exclusions in the "recreation" mural -- Brown, Black, Asian, working people, unemployed people, poor people who were in Santa Monica in 1939
7 2 2 1 0
Be physical 7 1 4 0 0
Deal with themes of Asian presence in Santa Monica 7 1 4 0 0 Represent Santa Monica today 4 1 5 2 0
Deal with themes of history in Santa Monica 4 2 3 2 1
Specifically engage the Stanton MacDonald Wright mural 2 2 3 2 3 Be digital/augmented reality 2 1 3 1 5
Deal with themes of the Rancho period in Santa Monica 1 4 3 2 2 Be projected 1 1 6 1 3
Be non-figurative 0 3 5 3 1
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Packet Pg. 619 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 90
Actions Beyond the Mural and the City Hall Lobby Recommend - High
Priority
Recommend
- Low
Priority
No strong
feelings
either way
Recommend
Against
Strongly
Recommend
Against
Evaluate current artistic commissioning processes to ensure that they are more equitable and inclusive
12 0 0 0 0
Facilitate Kuruvungna Village Springs | Gabrielino-Tongva Springs Foundation and or Kuruvungna Springs Cultural Center & Museum via financial resources or support of land return
11 0 1 0 0
Formal land acknowledgment protocol for City of Santa Monica 11 0 1 0 0 Provide cultural sensitivity, cultural humility and anti-racism training for City officials and employees to promote a more inclusive and respectful working environment
11 1 0 0 0
Support ongoing public programming for Santa Monica histories not represented in the mural
11 1 0 0 0
Indigenous Cultural Celebrations: Regularly host Indigenous cultural celebrations and events to raise awareness about Indigenous heritage, history, and contributions to the city
10 0 2 0 0
Provide museum space to allow Santa Monica First Peoples to display about themselves or facilitate development of connections with existing organizations like the Santa Monica History Museum or historical society 10 0 2 0 0
Support educational programming about and led by Santa Monica First Peoples for City staff and the general public
10 0 2 0 0
Add a First Peoples representative to other important commissions such as Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment, Housing Commission, Urban Forest Task Force 10 0 2 0 0
Add a First Peoples representative to the Arts Commission 10 0 2 0 0 Public Apology: Issue a formal public apology for past actions that led to the displacement and suffering of Indigenous people, acknowledging past wrongs as part of the healing process
10 0 1 1 0
Allocate space in the airport redevelopment project to build a First Peoples Cultural Center and Museum
10 0 1 0 1
Consider ways to cede land in Santa Monica back to First Peoples 10 0 1 0 1 Incorporate the Tongva language and place names into Santa Monica infrastructure
10 0 1 0 1
Create a tribal liaison staff position at the City of Santa Monica 9 0 3 0 0 Evaluate areas where landscape can be cultivated by Native Plants and partner with tribal groups to allow for gathering
9 2 1 0 0
Add a First Peoples representative to the Landmarks Commission 9 0 3 0 0 Create expansive curricula about Santa Monica history for use in Santa Monica schools
9 1 2 0 0
Support ongoing public programming to empower Santa Monicans to archive and tell the history of Santa Monica
9 3 0 0 0
Allocate financial resources, such as a district tax, for Santa Monica First Peoples
9 0 2 0 1
Language Revitalization Programs: Support initiatives to revive and sustain Indigenous languages in Santa Monica, promoting cultural heritage preservation
8 1 3 0 0
Incorporate the Tongva language and place names into Santa Monica infrastructure
8 2 1 0 1
Identify and change street names to Tongva inspired names, ex; Kuruvungna Blvd
7 2 2 0 1
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Packet Pg. 620 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 91
Recommendations Prioritized by the Working Circle
In the end, the list of recommended actions that found substantial agreement was surprisingly long. In order to make sure we highlighted the most critical actions, in our last session we asked each member of the Working Circle to place stickers next to the recommendations they felt were the highest priority.
Each member had one red dot to place next to the action that they felt that the City must take, at all costs. This red dot sticker would count for two votes. Each member also received four green dots to place next to actions that they felt should be prioritized in addition. Each green dot would count for one vote. After the Working Circle members placed their dots, we concluded with a discussion to affirm the slate of recommendations and talk through some of the additional nuances of the prioritized actions. It’s important to note that four members of the Working Circle were absent for this final meeting. As a result, we went to great lengths to follow up and confirm the results with the absent members. The chart below shows the results of the prioritization exercise.
Clearly, the highest priority recommendation from the Working Circle was that the City should commission new work in the City Hall lobby. This artwork should be created by a member of Santa Monica First Peoples. It should present history from different perspectives and celebrate and reframe what is traditionally presented as “historically significant.” The Working Circle discussed the location of the new work at length. City Hall is a center of power and the new work needs to balance or redress the feeling of exclusion created by the existing mural.
The Working Circle also believed that the City should create interpretive panels that condemn colonization, forced religious conversion, white supremacy generally and the mural’s portrayal of First Peoples in particular. These panels should be written by an Indigenous person and should be at a scale that is unmissable for viewers of the mural. Educational and interpretive programming about the mural should support these panels.
The Working Circle was also clear that they did not feel that these actions would be sufficient. The top actions also include creating a formal Land Acknowledgement process for the City of Santa Monica. The priorities were less clear for other actions beyond the mural and the City Hall lobby, but the fact that so many received at least one vote in the prioritization process shows how important it was to the Working Circle that actions to address the harm of the mural accompany the City’s actions around the mural itself.
The Working Circle process did not always achieve total consensus, but frequently came close and did produce an overwhelming amount of agreement.
At the close of our work together, the direction was clear, the group ratified the results collectively, and we feel confident that the process produced a collective understanding of the way forward.
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Packet Pg. 621 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 92
Prioritized Actions Red Dot Green Dot Total
Commission new work in the City Hall lobby 5 10
Add interpretive panels that condemn colonization, forced religious conversion and white supremacy
1 1 3
Create educational and/or interpretative programming about the murals 1 1 3 New artwork should be created by: a member of Santa Monica First Peoples 3 3 Formal land acknowledgment protocol for City of Santa Monica 3 3 New artwork should: Present history from different perspectives and celebrate and reframe what is traditionally presented as "historically significant" 3 3
Commission new work elsewhere in Santa Monica 2 2
The artist should: use a process typical of what Santa Monica presently does (present process and concept to Public Art Committee of Arts Commission) 2 2
Provide cultural sensitivity, cultural humility and anti-racism training for City officials and employees to promote a more inclusive and respectful working environment 2 2
Allocate space in the airport redevelopment project to build a First Peoples Cultural Center and Museum
2 2
Consider ways to cede land in Santa Monica back to First Peoples 2 2 New artwork should: Address the exclusions in the "recreation" mural--Black, Brown, Asian, working people, unemployed people, poor people who were in Santa Monica in 1939 2 2
New artwork should: Deal with themes of Indigenous presence in Santa Monica 2 2 New artwork should be created by: anyone in consultation with Santa Monica First Peoples 1 1 New artwork should be created by: multiple artists 1 1
Add a First Peoples representative to other important commissions such as Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment, Housing Commission, Urban Forest Task Force
1 1
Evaluate current artistic commissioning processes to ensure that they are more equitable and inclusive
1 1
Facilitate Kuruvungna Village Springs | Gabrielino-Tongva Springs Foundation and or Kuruvungna Springs Cultural Center & Museum via financial resources or support of land return
1 1
Support ongoing public programming for Santa Monica histories not represented in the mural 1 1
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Packet Pg. 622 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 93
Engagement Overview
Phase I of the Reframe: City Hall Mural process engaged people approximately 1300 times from March 2023 to November 2023. The number of unique participants is likely smaller, considering that many people engaged with the process in multiple ways.
• 123 respondents to March 2022 survey distributed to Santa Monica residents and employees
• 100 youth participants in Summer 2022 Belonging in Santa Monica workshops with Glenna Avila
• 13 Working Circle members selected from 32 applications • Approximately 270 participants at 9 public events featuring 12 guest speakers or facilitators
• 15 interview participants
• Approximately 240 participants at 14 presentations or listening sessions with community groups
• At least 200 Feedback Activity sheets distributed at 5 additional community events
• 337 respondents to the Reframe: City Hall Mural Feedback Activity Community Listening Workshop
One of the public community listening sessions was a workshop focused on the wide diversity of thought around the mural at historic Santa Monica City Hall. The workshop was designed to develop participants’ empathetic listening skills. Critically acclaimed actress, writer and theater-based educator Anu Yadav led this workshop using a variety of large and small group exercises to surface values, questions, challenges and hopes and dreams about the mural. The group began to develop a long-list of possible actions regarding the mural and the issues presented by the mural. A summary of the responses gathered at this workshop is included here.
Values that participants brought into the workshop
• Connection
• Dignity
• Community
• Togetherness repair
• Listening
• Respect
• Visibility
• Loving kindness
• Unity
• Kindness
• Generosity
• Equality
• Transformation
• Fairness
• Seeing Indigenous people
• Honesty
Appendix C: Engagement Details
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Packet Pg. 623 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 94
Questions that participants had about the process
grouped by themes
How can the process be more authentic, generative, effective and healing? • How can we get more Natives/Chicanos involved in discussions? • Who decides on the progress of the mural project?
• Will the City take this truly seriously or are we doing all of this just for optics?
• Why do we waste time and money to answer the misknowledge and understanding of this mural?
• I’ve been to numerous community meetings and asked 5 separate City Managers what has changed because of community meetings, not one of them could come up with anything. Is this just an exercise to placate the masses or does it really matter?
• How can we come together to imagine a more just and inclusive future? • How can we learn to treat each other better?
How can we engage First Peoples and address the impact of colonialism? • How do the Tongva people want their story portrayed in art and around City Hall?
• What can I do as an uninvited guest to support Native folks in Los Angeles/ Santa Monica?
• How do we make sure that Native people feel respected in this process? • Can we agree to disagree and do what’s best for the folks most affected? • How can we center decolonizing narratives in the neoliberal and colonized matrix?
• While we wait/not expect the City to fully listen/support/repair, are there any Santa Monica residents here or anywhere who would return to their house to Tongva conservancy?
How can we tell/understand fuller histories?
• Know your town/city’s story
• What if the current murals area was turned into a museum showing the problematic history City Hall/the City lies on?
• ¿Por qué es tan difícil reconocer la historia de que este país está formado por todos las razas? [Why is it so difficult to recognize the history that this country is made up of all races?]
What is the function and power of art?
• What makes this one display of art capable of bringing light to a situation long misunderstood and ignored?
• Why is the content of public art so powerful?
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Packet Pg. 624 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 95
Challenges that participants saw in responding
to the mural grouped by themes
Understanding each other or working together
• Getting people to let go of their preconceived prejudices • Close-minded people who won’t facilitate sharing of public walls or spaces • Community members who are ignoring Indigenous perspectives • People are set in their position/perspective
• That enough white people (in City Hall power) will have enough courage to empathize with Indians
• Everyone understand everything a little differently than everyone else • Getting people with different understanding of the murals to respect various points of view
Dealing with ambiguity or plurality
• Justice in this situation? I don’t think it exists
• The attachment to a singular word vs. the approach to what constitutes “reality”
• People who do not wish to let go of the way the world has been (cannot imagine a world where settler colonialism isn’t the center and only story told) • Honoring all voices, history and perspectives in the next steps overcoming people’s certainty even when things are gray
• Rewrite your story
Understanding the process
• Why do you want to change the mosaic in City Hall?
• Stop misinformation
Creating real change
• How is Santa Monica dedicated to meaningful repair? Who benefits from these choices?
• The mural is still on Gabrielino/Tongva land where many Native people can’t afford to live (regardless of what it ends up looking like) • Seguir luchando contra el racismo, niveles economicos, y marginacion [Continue to fight against racism, economic levels, and marginalization.]
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Packet Pg. 625 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 96
What if…? questions and thoughts from participants
grouped by themes
Positive learnings from the process
• We could come to an agreement on the mural?
• We could better hear and understand each other?
• We get a legal breakdown of what’s really possible?
• The politics of the possible became our default?
Centering Indigenous or People of Color’s perspectives
• We included/centered Indigenous experience and feelings centered around representation in public space. What if we listened to them and their perspectives instead of centering our own?
• We could see from the place this causes the most pain and lead from there? • People understand the impact the images of the mural have on people of color?
• That the racist image of “Indians” is removed. –An Indian New artwork centering different people and narratives
• Should have more murals -by a Tongva elder
• We had larger positive art displays of more dignified portrayals of local Native folks?
• We create a new space to have one Indigenous artist to create artwork close to City Hall?
• We do or create a new mural at City Hall (outside wall of new City Hall):
rancho, Japanese villages, Tongva people?
• This provided space for Gabrieleno/Tongva visibility and art within Santa Monica?
• This process launched an Indigenous arts renaissance? • The mural contained positive representations of workers, Black or brown people, the women who worked at the Douglas airport?
• We maintain the mural at City Hall and have another art piece that tells a different story?
• White supremacy was not the only story that is allowed to be told? What if other stories could be at the center and could feel seen when you walk around the city?
• Que tal si enseñamos más nuestra ciudad diversa llena de historia lucha y colaboración? [How about showing more of our diverse city full of history, struggle and collaboration?]
Understanding the mural and its content
• We can use digital technology to interpret the murals and provide deeper understand of our cultural history?
• Recognize that art as art and not seeing it as something derogatory? • People understood the history of what’s portrayed: Father Crespi’s journals, naming the City of Santa Monica?
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Packet Pg. 626 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 97
The mural as learning tool
• The murals were recognized as an example of behavior that must not be repeated?
• We can use digital technology to interpret the murals and provide a deeper understanding of our cultural history?
• We move the mural to a place like a museum that preserves it but puts it in context with problematic histories?
• This mural proves the way for expansion into other topics necessary for all to understand?
Repair and systems change
• The whole story of Santa Monica was being taught in schools? • The City of Santa Monica transferred the airport to the Tongva Conservancy in 2028 for housing and repair?
• Santa Monica used resources and took steps to engage in meaningful repair for Native folks?
• The histories of colonialism were able to be shown/unearthed everywhere? • We saw the whole of City Hall as an archaeological site or art installation? • That City Hall recognized that Mexicans/Chicanos are Indians? • The City created a “physical” Land Acknowledgment?
• The City added Tongva artists to the City collection? • Kuruvungna Village was returned?
• The Kuruvungna bulletin was digitized?
• All staff and electeds have “Tongva history training”? Feedback Activity Responses Detail
A spreadsheet containing the complete dataset of responses received is available at www.santamonica.gov/reframe-city-hall-mural.
We received 337 responses to the feedback activity.
Digital Form 230
Paper Form 107
Spanish 7
Of the 337 responses, 276 or 82% of the respondents gave a valid zip code. The majority (74%) gave a Santa Monica zip code, with most of the rest (22%) giving a zip code in Los Angeles County.
Santa Monica 74%
Los Angeles County 226%
Other CA 3%
Other US 1%
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Packet Pg. 627 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 98
Demographics
Rather than ask multiple demographic survey questions, we asked one openended question where we asked respondents to tell us about themselves and what perspectives might have shaped their responses to the activity. About 30% (N=100) of respondents chose to share some aspect of their racial or ethnic identity.
Santa Monica First Peoples 9
Other Indigenous (North, Central,
and South Americas)
12 African/African-American/Black 6
Asian/Asian-American 10
Hispanic/Latino/a/e/x/Chicano/a 26
Iranian/Persian/Turkish-American 4
Person of Color/Brown 6
White 32
Respondents also chose to share many other aspects of their identities and experiences, especially in terms of how they relate to Santa Monica. We look a bit more closely at some of these groups of people and their responses in the “Feedback from Particular Constituencies” part of our report. • Multigenerational Santa Monica
resident
• Lifelong Santa Monica resident or
Born and raised here
• Longtime Santa Monica resident
• Santa Monica resident
• Born and raised in nearby Los
Angeles (Venice, Mar Vista, etc)
• Lifelong Los Angeles resident or
Born and raised in Los Angeles
• Displaced resident
• Work in Santa Monica
• Went to school in Santa Monica
• Business/property owner in Santa
Monica
• Santa Monica City employee
• Grade-schooler
• College student
• Educator/teacher
• Marquez family descendant
• Artist/art or art history major
• Historian/preservationist/history
major
• Santa Monica Conservancy
• Former SM City Commissioner
• Retired professionals
• Immigrant/child of immigrants
• Catholic/Jewish/Muslim
• LGBTQ+
Imagined New Artworks
We asked respondents to imagine an artwork to represent the history of Santa Monica and to tell us what it would look like or include. The responses were varied and rich, capable of filling multiple galleries with visions of Santa Monica past, present, and future. We offer a high level review of the themes in these responses, while noting that a deeper analysis is warranted. • An inclusive, multicultural vision of Santa Monica: Many respondents noted who was missing from the existing mural and proposed that new artwork would include all of these groups of people, such as Black, Brown, Asian, Hispanic, Indigenous, Muslim, Buddhist people; women and children; people of different income levels; workers, farmers, and businesses.
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Packet Pg. 628 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 99
Respondents also noted the hierarchy in the existing mural and proposed that new artwork would include all of these types of people on “an equal playing field” and the contributions to diverse groups of people to Santa Monica’s history and development. Some wanted representations of more modern aspects of what Santa Monica looks like today, including more inclusive and updated recreation activities or landmarks like the Santa Monica Pier. Some also mentioned that a new artwork should make people feel welcome in civic life in Santa Monica.
• Positive and accurate representations of Santa Monica First Peoples: Respondents also proposed artworks that would include fuller representations of Indigenous people, culture and history. There were many ideas for the direction of these artworks, which could include maps of significant places, dates for Indigenous history prior to colonization, or specific Tribal cultures and villages including Kuruvungna Springs. Some noted the importance of representing Indigenous people in the present or recent history. Others noted the importance of telling the true story of how colonization impacted Santa Monica First Peoples, even while still others noted that they wanted the truth to be told, but did not want violent images of colonization to be portrayed. Several respondents noted that an Indigenous artist should be commissioned for new artwork or that Santa Monica First Peoples should direct the content of new artwork.
• The natural landscape of Santa Monica: Some respondents really appreciate the oceans, beaches and mountains depicted in the existing mural; one even suggested that mural could be improved by removing all the figures. Others emphasized the native flora and fauna of the region that Santa Monica First Peoples were and are stewards of. These respondents suggested new artworks that would more directly feature these elements. • Inclusive processes for the development of new artwork: Some respondents expressed opinions on the media of new artwork or the processes by which it would be commissioned. They were interested in artists who would work with the community on development and making sure that the City asked for input broadly. Some were interested in how new artwork could be educational and could even include QR codes for further information, especially as it related to current information on Santa Monica First Peoples.
Artwork location
We also asked respondents where they would place their imaginary artwork. The following is an analysis of the themes in these responses, in which responses could count towards multiple themes.
• City Hall and environs (163 responses)
• The most frequent response to this question was that the new artwork should be at City Hall without specifying exactly where in the City Hall complex (54 responses).
• The next most frequent response was that the new artwork should be outside City Hall, with many people noting that City Hall is not open during the daytime and so that artwork inside is not accessible all of the time (27 responses).
• A very similar number of responses specifically suggested that the new artwork be in place of the existing mural (26 responses) or near the existing mural (21 responses).
• Another large number of respondents thought that the new artwork should be placed in Tongva Park, echoing those who thought it should be outside City Hall (20 responses).
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Packet Pg. 629 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 100
• Some other respondents specified that the mural should not be in the Historic City Hall, but in City Hall East (6 responses) or in the City Hall courtyard (4 responses).
• A handful of other respondents had specific ideas for where new artwork should go in City Hall 2nd floor, the entrance to the Council chamber, in the overhead space between the two existing mural panels (4 responses). • One respondent suggested that there should be a “land acknowledgment seal” placed next to the City Hall seal in the lobby, separately from and in addition to new artwork that would be placed elsewhere. • Other prominent locations in Santa Monica (60 responses) • Many other people felt that new artwork should be placed in an easily accessible or highly trafficked location outside of City Hall, like the Santa Monica Library (18), Santa Monica Pier (16), Third St Promenade (16), Annenberg Beach House (5), Bergamot (2), the Santa Monica Airport (2) or Civic Center (1).
• Multiple locations or everywhere (29 responses)
• Many people felt that there should be multiple new artworks spread throughout the City, like all City properties, exteriors of important buildings, on infrastructure like overpasses and underpasses, along the E line, along the 10 freeway or from downtown to Bergamot. One these responses imagined that these artworks would be connected by a scavenger hunt.
• Public spaces and parks in Santa Monica (18 responses) • Several other people indicated that they thought the new artwork should be in any easily accessible and high traffic location like a park or other non-commercial space (8 responses). Several others mentioned a specific park or outdoor public space like Palisades Park, the Millenium Wall, Wilshire and 26th, Douglas Park, Virginia Avenue Park, Lincoln Park, Ocean Park, along the beach (9 responses). One person specified that the artwork should not be at the Third St Promenade or the Pier. • Educational facilities (10 responses)
• Another collection of responses thought that the new artwork should be sited in an educational facility like Santa Monica College (5), Santa Monica High School (2), every or any school or library (2) or near a middle school (1).
• Sites of significance for the City or a particular group of people (9 responses) • A handful of respondents were interested in siting a new artwork in a location of significance, to enhance the meaning of the artwork. Some mentioned specific locations where they thought an artwork would be meaningful (5 responses): Inkwell Beach (2), Kuruvungna Springs, La Veinte or the Pico Neighborhood, 4th Street and Pico Boulevard. Some wanted the new artwork to be placed in consultation with or in sites significant for the Indigenous, Asian and Latinx communities (2), and some noted only that the artwork should be placed in a historically significant location, “where it represents what happened” (2).
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Packet Pg. 630 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 101
Some respondents interpreted this question to mean we were asking where they would place the existing mural. We analyzed the themes in these responses separately, since these responses spoke more specifically to actions around the existing mural.
• Keep it where it is in City Hall (19 responses)
• Move it outside of City Hall so that it is visible to more people (6 responses) • Move it to a museum or other location where it could have contextualization (Woodlawn Cemetery, Annenberg Beach House, Library, Bergamot, Santa Monica College) (8 responses)
• Remove from public view permanently, including burying in the ground in front of City Hall (5 responses)
• Do nothing or place it anywhere, because the money should be spent on something else (5 responses)
• Keep it where it is in City Hall, but modify it, add a plaque, or additional artwork (3 responses)
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Packet Pg. 631 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 102
Appendix D: Letters from Tribal Communities
Santa Monica City Council
Santa Monica, CA
February 25, 2023
To the City Leadership of Santa Monica,
It comes to our attention that the controversial mural is going to be once again displayed in City Hall due to the pressure by those ignorant of our people's painful history. Ironically the image portrayed is not one of historical accounts, but instead, an artist's conception based on which we and the State of California know as disturbingly inaccurate storytelling.
Conception is just that: an idea that is left to the interpretation of those who view it. So let us tell you how it is perceived and interpreted by those descendants whose ancestors were held in captivity at the supposed era this image depicts. While you may see my ancestors drinking water, we see slaves granted a drink while under guard. We see slaves being used for a water contamination test while the sword of the mounted conquistador pointed directly at the neck of the native as he condescendingly sits above, for it was those swords that struct down many of my ancestors who were unwilling to worship a foreign religion.
What you leaders need to ask yourselves is, "what if one is to replace the natives with black men, and Junipero Serra with a slave owner? Would it still be as appropriate? Would it still be acceptable art?” The answer is NO. Because it brings the same content to our minds as it would a black man if he were to see that imagery in a place where all men are supposed to be considered equal. Or if you can, imagine the Spaniard Soldiers replaced with any other military that had a history with the natives here and it would STILL be of negative connotations at ANY past historical level. We ask you to please reconsider your intentions to display this mural and have the common decency to think of those who this image offends and help move us forward not backwards.
Chairman Nicholas Rocha
Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation of Southern California
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Packet Pg. 632 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report 103
May 12, 2023
To Whom it May Concern:
The purpose of this email is to provide the Tribal response to the Santa Monica mural. Our tribe, the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians is the tribe immemorial of the Los Angeles and Orange County. We are Gabrieleno/Tongva and likely the Native Americans depicted in the mural.
We understand the mural has created conversation and varied views. To that point, the mural has proved to be a point of education. It has created conversation that extends beyond the First People of Los Angeles to also look at the lack of inclusivity the mural provides. We support education about our people and increased visibility of our ancestors and continued presence.
Rather than focus on the mural itself we view this as an opportunity to discuss additional education that can assist in promoting the awareness of our Tribe, history, and culture.
There are ways the Tribe can partner with the City Santa Monica, this is not an exhaustive list however it does present a few ideas to extend the conversation beyond the mural:
• Land Acknowledgement: We recommend the City adopts a Land Acknowledgement • Art: Hire First People Artists to create art
• Education: Partner with our Tribe for education about our people on our ancestral land • Land Back: Evaluate areas of the city that can be used for Land Back to the tribe, like the Santa Monica Airport
• Landscape: Evaluate areas where landscape can be cultivated by Native Plants and partner with our tribe to allow for gathering
• Historical Society: Create a connection with the First People and acknowledge our presence • Provide Museum Space to allow our people to display about our people • Kuruvungna Springs: Although it is owned to LAUSD, facilitate the land return to our tribe • Tribal Office Liaison: Create a staff position that allows for the city to thoughtfully consider the First People
Santa Monica specifically is a city that is committed to justice. This was exhibited with Bruce’s Beach.
Although our tribe does feel over looked in the reparations and lack of acknowledging the First People, it does provide hope of a moral conscious that can guide future conversations to create space and visibility for our people on our ancestral land.
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Packet Pg. 633 Attachment: Full Meztli Report with Recommendations - Final Report [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 1 The Reframe: City Hall Mural project emerged from protest and debates around the Stanton MacDonald-Wright mural in the lobby of Historic Santa Monica City Hall entitled History of Santa Monica and the Bay District. The mural has long been a point of controversy, but in 2015 a renewed effort brought public criticism for its depiction of First Peoples and settlers and its portrayal of 1930s Santa Monica as an affluent, all-white, predominantly male, center of leisure.
Starting the Process
The City of Santa Monica began work on addressing longstanding concerns around the WPA-era mural in the lobby of Historic City Hall with direction from the Arts Commission in 2018. This direction informed initial planning for the project and included a 5-point plan of committee work, programming, and funding for new artwork commissions to address the mural. These were:
Executive Summary
Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report
The City of Santa Monica Acknowledge + Reframe Together (Reframe) Initiative centers community voices with the aim of creating a more just and equitable Santa Monica. Through a deliberative and collaborative process, each Reframe project starts with community members who have been historically excluded from discourse about representation in civic spaces, especially communities of color. Reframe utilizes a combination of art, storytelling and deep community engagement, and results in the production of public art and civic memory projects.
This report is the culmination of Phase I of Reframe: City Hall Mural, summarizing the process of community engagement and subsequent community recommendations.
Background
The Working Circle meets at Historic Santa
Monica City Hall lobby, photo by Kenneth
Lopez, Metzli Projects, 2023
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Packet Pg. 634 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 2
1. Form a Mural Subcommittee. The Subcommittee will inform and guide the planning process managed by city staff (formed in November 2018.)
2. Issue an Art Bank call specifically requesting artworks that respond to Indigenous or other often overlooked histories of Santa Monica (resulting in the Lives that Bind exhibit in City Hall East.)
3. Coordinate a panel discussion series that will host open public dialogues with experts from diverse perspectives including Indigenous Peoples, History, and Art (executed by Meztli Projects as part of Phase I.)
4. Commission a temporary participatory artwork in City Hall to collect community voices (evolved into the Meztli Projects Phase I plan, lobby display and feedback activity.)
5. Informed by the community engagement and panels series, commission a permanent educational panel or other artistic interpretation at City Hall to recontextualize the Macdonald-Wright mural (part of the recommendations included in this report by Meztli Projects arising from the community engagement process of Phase I.)
City Council Direction
In the midst of the Arts Commission’s recontextualization work, Public Works Department staff received additional direction from the City Council in May 2021 to install a temporary scrim to cover the mural prior to the return to City Hall for in person, public meetings.
Simultaneously, the Arts Commission and Cultural Affairs were directed to initiate a community engagement and education process around the representations depicted in the mural, as well as “engaging an artist to recontextualize the mural with artwork that does not whitewash our past but rather celebrates the diverse history of Santa Monica’s people, culture and its renewed commitment to acknowledging the movement for equity, justice and respect for all.” The Mural Ad Hoc Committee was appointed by Council on September 28, 2021 to serve as liaisons to the Landmarks and Arts Commissions to help guide the process to recontextualize the mural. Following the community process and informed by community input, the Ad Hoc Committee was tasked to return to the full City Council with a set of recommendations for Council consideration (this report). The adopted recommendations would then inform an RFP to engage an artist or artist team to produce and install artistic recontextualization(s). This phase was overseen by the Arts Commission under its authority as custodians of the City’s public art collection.
In February 2022, Council directed staff to no longer install a temporary scrim over the Stanton Macdonald-Wright mural in the lobby and instead directed staff “to launch a process that engages and educates the community and results in the addition of artwork within the lobby to create a more inclusive and complete story of the City’s history and vision for the future” and directed staff to “explore the creation of a temporary lobby display around the themes that will be explored during the larger community education and engagement process.” Cultural Affairs contracted with consultants Meztli Projects in 2022 to design a City Hall Mural project Phase I to engage Santa Monica community members in conversations both in general around representation and belonging, and with the specific questions arising from the lobby mural.
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Packet Pg. 635 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 3 The Meztli Projects facilitation team is composed of four artists, curators, and researchers: Joel Garcia, Robin Garcia, Susannah Laramee Kidd and Rosten Woo.
Meztli was selected by the City for its novel approach and expertise in public art, qualitative research, experience working with Indigenous communities, expansive community engagement strategies, and most importantly, for its deep involvement in emerging conversations around authentic and new approaches to public memory and commemoration at a local, regional and national levels.
Meztli Projects’ approach to the work:
• A “Working Circle” focus group composed of 13 individuals with strong ties to very different parts of Santa Monica that committed to attend public programs as well as meet as a cohort to act as an advisory body and think tank for six months. At the end of this process, the Working Circle discussed actions that could be taken in response to the mural. Their discussions informed the recommendations in this report.
• A series of Public Programs on relevant themes including a bus tour of sites of memory; virtual and in-person panel discussions about art, civic memory and alternate histories of Santa Monica; a virtual tour of relevant educational resources, a reflective listening workshop, and a screening of the documentary Town Destroyer. Additionally, they created programming through the perspective of First Peoples as a starting point to engage issues of equity and inclusion.
• The creation and installation of lobby displays in Historic City Hall that explained the project and presented updates to City Hall visitors. • A Feedback Activity to survey members of the public about their perceptions of the mural and spark ideas for new public artworks. • Interviews and Small Group Engagements with a broad spectrum of individuals who have a stake in the mural conversation or have voiced opinions about it, subject matter experts, and local content experts. Meztli also visited existing community meetings and had one-on-one conversations with targeted constituencies.
Public Programs Working Circle
Convenes
Interviews & Small
Groups
Lobby Display &
Feedback Activity
Report
Over six months, the team produced 8+ public programs, conducted 14 interviews with key stakeholders, surveyed over 300 people across Santa Monica, and convened a Working Circle made up of 12 individuals with ties to distinct communities and diverse perspectives on Santa Monica’s history and public art.
The Working Circle engaged one another in an ongoing deep group process to learn together and ultimately develop and prioritize recommendations.
Method
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Packet Pg. 636 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 4 The Working Circle met a total of 13 times as a group – 4 of these were in person, with the rest taking place on Zoom. Working Circle members also attended the public programs when possible. Meetings were facilitated to create an environment that would allow trust to grow, make sure that all members felt that they had space to speak, and create a “brave” space where members ask difficult questions, and bring their authentic perspective. Meztli prioritized small group breakout discussions, as well as a “circle” format intended to make sure everyone had equal opportunity to speak.
The public programs explored themes of Indigeneity, art history, innovative civic memory projects, local sites of memory, alternative archives and public history projects based in Santa Monica, reflective listening and healing through story, and related controversies about public art and history. At each of these events, Meztli found an audience that was fully engaged by the topic and often eager to voice their opinions on the mural. Meztli was focused on expanding the conversation to engage a larger landscape of questions and concerns around inclusion, repair, civic memory, and public space.
Meztli also conducted extensive research using archival materials and interviews with content experts. The findings from each of these kinds of engagement can be found in the following report.
History of Santa Monica and the Bay District is a “petrachrome” (similar to terrazzo) mural installed on the interior walls of the lobby of Santa Monica’s City Hall building, designed by Stanton Macdonald-Wright, an American artist who spent his early years in Santa Monica. The mural was commissioned through the Works Progress Administration’s (WPA) Federal Art Project. Macdonald-Wright also acted as the administrator of the WPA project’s Southern California division, supervising numerous other artists and their projects. Macdonald-Wright’s mural was completed in 1939 along with the building itself. The City of Santa Monica owns the mural and it is part of the City’s public art collection. Santa Monica City Hall was landmarked in 1979 and the mural was mentioned in the designation. In 2011, the exterior of City Hall was given a supplemental landmark designation.
About the
Mural
Details of the mural “History of Santa Monica and the
Bay District” by Stanton Macdonald-Wright, 1939.
Southwest panel shown to the left,
Northwest panel shown to the right;
photos by Kenneth Lopez, Metzli Projects, 2023
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Packet Pg. 637 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 5 It appears Macdonald-Wright had no outside guidance or oversight over the content, considering the complete absence of archival materials relating to the mural. Typically, mural artists would be asked to submit drawings and sketches before being permitted to produce and install public projects. The City Hall mural has almost no paper trail, suggesting that Macdonald-Wright, because he was both artist and commissioner, did not submit any concepts, written descriptions, drawings, or plans to any oversight body.
Macdonald-Wright did speak explicitly about the mural in an interview about the objects, places, and figures in the southwest side: Rogers Field, automobile racing on San Vicente or Wilshire Blvd, the Douglas Building, Harry M.
Gorham, tennis players May Sutton and Tom Bundy, Will Rogers and his polo field, as well as the artist’s own dog.
There are no recorded descriptions of who or what Macdonald-Wright was intending to render on the northwest side of the mural. We can only speculate about who or what is depicted, outside of the mural’s general title: History of Santa Monica and the Bay District.
It is mostly agreed that the northwest panel includes depictions of a Franciscan monk (most likely Father Serra); a man with a helmet (possibly Gaspar de Portola); a figure on horseback (which could represent the Spanish period or an extension of the Portola expedition); waterfalls (perhaps Kuruvungna Springs); and the two figures on the bottom right, who are intended to be Indigenous people.
The largest point of interpretive contention is whether the overall scene presented is objectionable. Throughout this process, Meztli encountered three different major kinds of objections and three major defenses regarding the First Peoples’ portrayal.
Objections
1. The figures are showing deference/subservience to the conquerors. This portrayal is traumatic to survivors of generational violence because it depicts a triumphant moment of subjugation.
2. The figures are showing collaboration and goodwill towards their soonto-be oppressors. This portrayal is traumatic not only because it erases a history of extreme violence and cruelty but suggests that Native people welcomed it.
3. The figures are generally shown as less than the other white/Spanish figures and whether they are revered or vilified - they are not portrayed as real humans or on the same level as one another.
Defenses
1. The figures are shown in a way that honors Native people (because they relate to the earth, look strong, or their posture might reference East Asian figures such as bodhisattvas).
2. The figures are helpful because they acknowledge that people lived here before European invasion.
3. The figures are neutral and just happen to be in the higher/lower positions they are in because it makes a dynamic composition. The figures may or may not even be having an interaction.
These interpretations cannot be resolved definitively. While some viewers feel no offense at seeing these images, it is beyond debate that many other viewers most certainly do and feel very harmed by them.
Detail of the mural,
photo by Kenneth Lopez,
Metzli Projects, 2023
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Packet Pg. 638 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 6 Through a public feedback activity, Meztli had people engage directly with the mural images to understand not just how they interpreted the images, but also their emotional responses and attachments to the mural. They collected feedback activity responses from February 6, 2023, through May 10, 2023 and received 337 responses to the feedback activity.
The mural images are offensive, disturbing, or exclusionary. A majority of the respondents found one or both of the mural panels to be offensive, disturbing, or exclusionary. Overall, these respondents felt that the mural represented the hierarchies inherent in settler colonialism and white supremacy. In the northwest panels, they noted the lower position of the Native figures and the difference in detail in facial expressions and clothing between the European and Native figures. They reacted to the fact that the colonizing figures are shown facing the viewer in active positions (mid-stride). Many people read the images as representing the Native figures in a subservient position and noted that they appear to be faceless or turned away from the viewer.
In response to the southwest panels, respondents overwhelmingly noted the fact all the figures represented are white and appear to be upper class. Many noted that there is only one woman represented in either panel, and she also does not have facial detail. Children felt they were not adequately represented either.
Many respondents found this “recreation” panel to be the more problematic image in its representation of white elitism. Especially paired with the northwest panel and as a representation of “Santa Monica of the 1930s/present day,” it appears to suggest an erasure of both Indigenous people and anyone non-white in a contemporary Santa Monica.
The mural images are beautiful or valuable, but also contain troubling aspects that need addressing. Another, smaller group of respondents appreciated the mural for its artistic or historical significance, but also recognized that the images have significant flaws that require a response. Many of these respondents found the images beautiful, particularly the natural landscape depicted and how the images coordinate with the tile work and other architectural elements of the City Hall lobby. These respondents often placed a value on historic preservation, and some were aware of the New Deal origins of the artwork or other pieces by the artist. However, the concerns articulated by these respondents mirrored the concerns of the larger group of respondents who found the images particularly lacking in terms of Native representation and missing large groups of Santa Monicans.
The mural images are beautiful and there is nothing wrong with them. A roughly similarly sized group of respondents felt that the mural is perfect, and nothing needs to be done to address it. Many of these respondents provided less detail in their responses, but they have mostly positive or neutral interpretations of what is depicted in both panels. A few have negative interpretations but feel strongly that the images are still beautiful or valuable because of their historic significance. This group might have some minor suggestions about what is missing or how the images could be improved, but these suggestions, if they have them, are in the realm of “quibbles.” They are not offended by the mural. Quite the contrary, overall, the artwork makes these respondents feel happy or proud, and some have very strong attachments to the mural.
The mural images are neutral or negative, but as historical artifacts, they have little bearing on the present. Another roughly similarly sized group of respondents was somewhat indifferent about the artworks. Some of them interpreted the images as having negative or exclusionary elements, but they were not particularly concerned about the images. As historic images were created in the past, some felt that these images are either unrelatable or have little import for Summary of
Feedback
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Packet Pg. 639 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 7 today. Some felt that because they are historic images, they cannot or should not be changed.
The discussion about the mural is a distraction from other pressing issues in Santa Monica. A small number of respondents felt that the process of engagement around the mural was a waste of time and resources. They would have preferred that Santa Monica spent those resources addressing quality-of-life concerns and development pressures. Some of these respondents also expressed their strong attachment to the mural. Others were more indifferent or felt the mural had no bearing on the present.
While no group of such diverse people will ever agree on everything, there was substantial agreement about values among the Working Circle members and the following values helped drive the discussion about the recommendations in this report.
The Working Circle members were unanimous in their belief that Santa Monica should:
• Center Santa Monica First Peoples in the City’s response to the mural. • Do something concrete, not just words.
Nearly unanimously, the group felt it was important to:
• Center working class people and other people of color in the City’s response to the mural
• Make sure everyone who visits the historic City Hall lobby feels welcome/like they belong
• Make sure visitors to City Hall know that the City understands the issues that people have with the mural.
• Make sure visitors to City Hall know that the City condemns the white supremacy worldview depicted in the mural.
And more than three-quarters of the group felt it was important to:
• Address the material consequences of colonialism and provide considerations including financial considerations to Santa Monica First Peoples. • Protect future visitors to City Hall from the harm of seeing demeaning images.
• Create new opportunities for artists.
• Have the City response deal with other things in addition to the mural. • Generate meaningful public discussion and engagement around the mural.
The harm that this mural has caused is important and considerable, and removing or covering the mural would guard against continuing this harm.
However, removal or covering does not address the harm that has already been done. Therefore, the immediate and urgent focus should be on actions that move towards repair for the communities harmed, such as those we have laid out in these recommendations.
Our Working Circle discussions supported this direction, even though some in the Working Circle would still like to see the mural removed. Several Working Circle members reflected at the end of the process that they believed, knowing Shared Values
Note About Actions
to Remove or
Cover the Mural
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Packet Pg. 640 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 8 more about the histories represented in the mural and the history of the mural, that simply removing the mural would be letting the City “off the hook” for tacitly endorsing the images by letting them remain unaddressed for so long.
This was a concern that was echoed by some throughout our engagement process, including City of Santa Monica employees, feedback activity respondents, and interviewees.
Just as the Council reversed their decision to cover the mural so that the mural would be visible during the process of public engagement, continuing to leave the mural up and uncovered can provide further opportunities to engage and address the harm that mural has caused. However, leaving it up does create an ongoing risk of continued harm if no other actions are taken. As a result, the Working Circle members were in strong agreement that the City should NOT “do nothing” with the mural, nor should the City sell or cover it at this time.
In addition, Santa Monica First Peoples are clearly among the most impacted by this artwork, but the process to remove and or cover the mural was not initiated by them. When advocacy efforts such as these are not rooted in the community that faces the biggest impacts by any issue (in this case First Peoples), they are burdened with uncompensated emotional, cultural, and intellectual labor that responds to the issue raised within a frame that First Peoples did not help construct. Not removing the mural offers an opportunity for First Peoples to uplift these issues from their perspective so that the outcomes and futurity of their reflections are driven by them. Many of the recommendations in this report speak to the reparative actions community members signaled were of utmost importance and were possible while keeping the mural in place for the time being.
Therefore, the City should make clear commitments to addressing the mural, including reasons for leaving the mural on display. This could include taking full accountability for the mural, and making the lobby a space to publicly and clearly condemn the attitudes made manifest by the mural.
Recommendation 1:
Commission New Artwork in City Hall Lobby
This emerged as the highest priority. The art should present history from different perspectives and celebrate and reframe what is traditionally presented as “historically significant.” City Hall is a center of power, and the new work needs to balance or redress the exclusions exemplified in the existing mural.
The new work should address the exclusions in the southwest panels as well-- Brown, Black, Asian American, working-class people, unemployed people, and poor people who were in Santa Monica in 1939 and deal with themes of Indigenous presence in Santa Monica. The new work should create a welcoming environment for Indigenous people, working-class people, and people of color.
Recommendation 2:
Commission New Interpretive Panels
The City should create interpretive panels that condemn colonization, forced religious conversion, white supremacy generally, and the mural’s portrayal of First Peoples in particular. These panels should be written by an advisory group including an Indigenous person and other people of color and should be at a scale and placement that is unmissable for viewers of the mural, ideally installed in close visual proximity and in consultation with First Peoples.
Recommendations
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Packet Pg. 641 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 9 Recommendation 3:
Ensure that Santa Monica’s Public Art and Commemorative Landscape Centers Equity and Belonging
The Reframe: City Hall Mural process should be the beginning of a series of steps taken by the City of Santa Monica to revisit the policies and processes that govern public artwork and civic memory, including processes to support emerging and underrepresented artists in receiving new commissions. As part of this, the City should conduct a survey of the existing public art, monuments and sites of civic memory throughout Santa Monica, so that gaps and opportunities can be identified. The City should also commission new artwork on the theme of inclusion and representing other views of Santa Monica’s history in a location that is much more publicly visible and meaningful.
BEYOND THE MURAL AND NEW ARTWORK
There was an extremely high level of agreement amongst the Working Circle that the City’s response should not be limited to actions related to the cultural sphere or the City Hall Lobby and that the City should act to materially address issues related to the exclusions seen in the mural. Centering the perspectives of First Peoples and “doing something concrete” were highly rated values consistent with the following recommendations. Implementation of the following recom-mendations would require collaboration and resources and may be considered in the context of developing a citywide Equity Plan.
Recommendation 4:
Create additional educational materials about the mural Many believe that the mural can serve an educational purpose. All agreed that this would be a deep challenge and not something to be taken on lightly. Many felt that City staff are ill-equipped to do this work and would need substantive partnerships with other institutions to make this meaningful. This is a good opportunity for Santa Monica to invest in the creative and scholarly development of underrepresented communities.
Recommendation 5:
Expand DEI+ Trainings for City Staff
City should build on actions taken since its Racial Equity Statement of 2020, which included the formation of an Office of Equity and Inclusion and the subsequent launch of an Equity Plan process. It should expand DEI training for all City staff. To be successful, future efforts should focus on implementation strategies and tools for staff, moving away from a white worldview and centering the overlapping experiences, shared spaces and mutual accountability of under-represented peoples.
Recommendation 6:
Adopt a Citywide Land/Territory Acknowledgment Initiative Land Acknowledgements, although extremely important, can become diluted as these acknowledgments are the bare minimum of the protocols from which they originate. Santa Monica has an opportunity to adopt a city-wide land acknowledgment initiative that includes the actionable practices such as a new Indigenous Advisory Council (IAC) to help advise its decision-makers on issues similar to those raised through Reframe.
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Packet Pg. 642 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report, Executive Summary 10 Recommendation 7:
Improve Representation on Santa Monica Committees
As of the writing of this report there are no First Peoples serving as part of the Arts Commission or Landmarks Commission, among other bodies. Some of the issues raised from the City Hall Mural could have been mitigated if members of the communities excluded from and/or misrepresented in the mural had been included in these kinds of decision-making bodies.
Recommendation 8:
Facilitate Land Back in Santa Monica
There is an opportunity for Santa Monica to develop creative ways for First Peoples communities to practice sovereignty and self-determination. Santa Monica could partner with First Peoples to create opportunities for their members to return home.
Recommendation 9:
Facilitate Kuruvungna Springs Relationships
While not in Santa Monica, Working Circle members had strong agreement that the City of Santa Monica continue to build relationships with the Kuruvungna Springs Foundation and support their efforts to have the land transferred back to them.
The mural and the controversy around it have created a rare and critical focal point of civic energy. The key is not to squander the moment and let it further perpetuate ill-will and distrust, but rather to use it to move towards equity, justice, and a better Santa Monica. The mural has provided an incredible opportunity to reframe the conversation.
Authors
Meztli Projects Facilitation Team: Joel Garcia, Robin Garcia, Susannah Laramee Kidd and Rosten Woo
Reframe Working Circle Members
Tafari Alan, Brock Ramon Alvarado, Miguel Bravo, Lizette Hernandez, Bob Knight, Ruthann Lehrer, Kimberly Marshall, Mona Morales Recalde, Sharon Reyes, Emily Silver, Cathy Taylor, Paolo Velasco, and Zora Zajicek Santa Monica Arts Commission Mural Subcommittee
Public Art Committee Member Francois Bar and Arts Commissioners Michael Baroff, Kathleen Benjamin (Working Circle liaison), Janeen Jackson, Iao Katagiri and Deepa Subramanian
Santa Monica Landmarks Commission Mural Subcommittee
Commissioners Roger Genser (Working Circle liaison), Amy Green, and Dolores Sloan
Santa Monica City Council Mural Ad Hoc Committee
Councilmembers Christine Parra and Oscar de la Torre
Credits
City of
Santa Monica
Acknowledgements
Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I is a project of the City of Santa Monica.
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Packet Pg. 643 Attachment: Executive Summary of Meztli Report and Recommendations (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
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SUPPLEMENTAL DETERMINATION OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
LANDMARKS COMMISSION ESTABLISHING EXTERIOR CHARACTER DEFINING
FEATURES FOR THE CITY HALL SITE
I. PURPOSE
The Landmarks Commission hereby prepares and adopts a Supplemental Determination that identifies the contributing historic elements and features of the landscape and grounds surrounding Santa Monica City Hall (“City Hall”) relative to its status as a designated City Landmark.
II. REGULATORY SETTING
Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) Section 9.36.060(a) states that the Landmarks Commission shall have the power to “Designate Structures of Merit, Landmarks and Landmark Parcels, and to make any preliminary or supplemental designations, determinations, or decisions, as additions thereto, in order to effectuate the purposes” of Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 9.36. SMMC 9.36.120 (f) further states that the Landmarks Commission has the power to make preliminary or supplemental designations, determinations or decisions, as additions to its designation determinations.
III. HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND SETTING
The City Hall building dominates the broad, relatively symmetrical and formal landscape which visually supports the structure’s monumentality and prominence on the site. The building exterior is an example of the 1930s PWA Moderne style of architecture, which emphasized balanced massing, smooth lines, symmetrical fenestration, faceted corners, and the use of understated decorative elements. The architectural composition of City Hall consists of a three‐story central pavilion flanked by two‐and‐a‐half story symmetrical wings.
The building’s distinctive architectural features include the stepped and faceted mass, stylized vertical fluting, horizontal streamline detailing, a variety of decorative ornamental features and tile work. The foot print, scale, form, balanced massing, classical proportions and concrete masonry construction of the building are the primary architectural and design characteristics that have a direct relationship with the landscape setting. The projecting central pavilion, the L‐shaped wings to the north and south with recessed courts, a rear U‐shaped courtyard to the east, and the faceted treatment of the building’s corners, all directly influence the figure/ground relationship of the architecture with the surrounding landscape. Likewise, the site layout, design, and proportions of the various landscape components relates directly to the building’s footprint, scale, massing, design composition, and distinctive monumental architecture.
City Hall is oriented facing west toward Main Street and is situated in the center of a generally flat site which consists of approximately 6.24 acres. The existing setting for Santa Monica City Hall is defined by its open character and symmetrical organization which presently appears much as it did during the historic period of significance (1938‐1957). The City of Santa Monica Landmarks Commission
May 23, 2011 Meeting
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landscape setting is distinguished by an expansive front lawn that encompasses the majority of the western front of the site. The symmetrical layout of the sidewalks, planters and planting beds reinforces the architectural design of the PWA Moderne City Hall, and the original Palm tree plantings still enliven the west and south facades of the building and define the northern border of the site.
IV. CITY OF SANTA MONICA LANDMARKS COMMISSION ACTIONS
A. On October 16, 1979, the Landmarks Commission designated the structure and site known as Santa Monica City Hall as a City Landmark pursuant to Landmark Designation Criteria #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5 identified in SMMC Section 9.36.100. (Attachment A)
B. On January 9, 2011, the Landmarks Commission filed a request to supplement the Landmark designation of City Hall to identify exterior character defining features.
C. On May 9, 2011, the Landmarks Commission reviewed and considered the analysis presented in the “Character Defining Features Analysis – Santa Monica City Hall Landscape and Grounds”, prepared by PCR Services Corporation, dated April 2011, and conducted a public hearing in accordance with the requirements established by Santa Monica Municipal Code Section
9.36.120(f), and voted by motion to adopt this supplemental determination identifying and establishing the character defining features of the landscape and grounds surrounding City Hall.
V. ESTABLISHMENT OF CONTRIBUTING HISTORIC ELEMENTS AND FEATURES
OF THE LANDSCAPE AND GROUND SURROUNDING CITY HALL
The Landmarks Commission hereby determines that the following are the character defining features of the City Hall site:
A. Windmill Palms in the north and south gardens at front of City Hall; B. Concrete planters flanking the front entrance of City Hall; C. Dedication marker for City Hall;
D. Rectangular planting bed and brickwork in the center of the main entrance walkway;
E. Concrete curbs and brickwork flanking the main entrance walkway; F. Concrete sidewalks and brickwork throughout much of the site including the scoring pattern, proportions, textures, color and finish; G. Concrete entry steps and brickwork at the front, rear, and south side; H. Lawn areas (north and south) in the front of City Hall and at the southeast corner of the site;
I. Council Parking lot and design configuration, north of City Hall; J. Canary Island Date Palms (3) in the Council Parking lot area; K. Mexican Fan Palms (7) overlooking the Santa Monica Freeway and adjacent to the south elevation;
L. The steeply-graded terraced hill, adjacent to the Freeway and remnants of
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the retaining walls;
M. Foundation planting beds surrounding City Hall;
N. Flagpole;
O. Memorial Rose Garden and dedication marker; and
P. Symmetrical configuration of the landscape and hardscape elements at the front of City Hall
VI. RECORD OF DETERMINATION
I hereby certify that the above supplemental determination to its October 16, 1979 designation of City Hall as a City Landmark accurately reflects the determination of the Landmarks Commission of the City of Santa Monica on May 9, 2011 as determined by the following vote:
AYES: Bach, Fresco, Genser, Kaplan, Lehrer, Shari, Chair Berley ABSTAIN: none
ABSENT: none
NAYES: none
Respectfully Submitted
May 23, 2011
____________________________________
Ruth Shari, Chair Pro-Tem
Attest:
____________________________
Scott Albright, AICP
Landmarks Commission Secretary
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Packet Pg. 647 Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES ANALYSIS
SANTA MONICA CITY HALL
LANDSCAPE AND GROUNDS
1685 MAIN STREET
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
Prepared for
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street, Room 212
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Prepared by
Margarita J. Wuellner, Ph.D.
PCR Services Corporation
233 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 130
Santa Monica, California 90401
April 2011
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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Location and Setting ................................................................................................................................................................ 2
1.2 Research and Survey Methods ............................................................................................................................................ 3
2.0 HISTORICAL CONTEXT............................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Santa Monica ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Ocean Park ................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
2.3 Transportation Improvements in Santa Monica .......................................................................................................... 8
2.4 City Beautiful Movement ..................................................................................................................................................... 10
2.5 Moderne Architecture .......................................................................................................................................................... 13
2.6 Landscape Architecture ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
2.7 Parks, Places and Spaces in Santa Monica .................................................................................................................... 15
2.7 Santa Monica City Hall: Building and Landscape ...................................................................................................... 17
2.8 Santa Monica City Hall Landscape: Events and Public Use ................................................................................... 23
3.0 CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES ANALYSIS....................................................................................................48 Existing Description ...................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Character Defining Features ...................................................................................................................................................... 50 APPENDIX A ‐ LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR SANTA MONICA CITY HALL
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List of Figures
Figure 1 Regional Location and Project Vicinity Map ............................................................................................................ 3 Figure 2 Assessors Tract Map .......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Figure 3 Site Map ................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Figure 4 Vicinity of City Hall in 1895 (Sanborn Map, Santa Monica, 1895, Sheet 10) ........................................... 25 Figure 5 Future City Hall site in 1918, showing former Olson Lumber Co. on future City Hall site with proposed Main Street to west, low land to north, and steep gulch to southeast (Sanborn Map, Santa Monica, 1918, Sheet 17) .................................................................................................................................... 26 Figure 6 View showing area of “low land” northeast of Colorado Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, with Pacific Electric car traveling west through arroyo; future City Hall site is on high land to south on right side of photo, and Patten & Davies Lumber Co. appears to north in background (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives) .................................................................................................................................. 27 Figure 7 City Hall site in 1950, showing Olympic Boulevard and Sears Roebuck Co. to north, Private Street to south, and Veteran’s Temporary Housing Project to west (Sanborn Map, Santa Monica, 1950, Sheet 17) .............................................................................................................................................................................. 28 Figure 8 City Hall under construction, November 16, 1939 (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives)29 Figure 9 City Hall, 1939, view to northeast, showing new concrete sidewalks, freshly planted concrete planters flanking the front entrance, and palm trees at north border of site (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives) ................................................................................................................................................ 30 Figure 10 City Hall, 1939, showing freshly sodded front lawn and concrete sidewalks; planters at front entrance are still empty; two palm trees appear northwest of the building; furnishings include wood benches along the main entrance walk and along the front of the building; an additional palm was located at the southwest corner of the lawn .................................................................................... 31 Figure 11 First Floor Plan, Santa Monica City Hall, August 4, 1939 (Donald B. Parkinson and J. M. Estep Associated Architects) .................................................................................................................................................... 32 Figure 12 Post Card, 1939, depicting New City Hall, Santa Monica, California (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives) ................................................................................................................................................................ 33 Figure 13 New City Hall, November 23, 1939, prior to dedication (Los Angeles Public Library) ....................... 34 Figure 14 City Hall Entrance, 1939, showing daisies in planting bed at front entrance, concrete planters flanking front entrance (still unplanted), and brick steps to entrance (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives) ................................................................................................................................................ 35 Figure 15 City Hall, 1940, showing palms planted along south elevation and at southeast corner of building, decorative foundation plantings in the rear courtyard, and palm tree was planted at northeast corner of the parking area north of the Jail (City of Santa Monica). ............................................................ 36 Figure 16 City Hall, ca. 1940, plantings at northwest corner of building (City of Santa Monica). ....................... 36 Figure 17 Historic appearance of Santa Monica City Hall, ca. 1940‐1941, after landscaping had been completed (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives) ............................................................................. 37 Figure 21 City Hall during the 1950s (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives) ............................................. 41 Figure 23 Aerial View, City Hall in 1975 (Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 1974‐1975) ..................................... 43 Figure 24 City Hall in 1975, view to north (Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 1974‐1975) ................................. 44 Figure 25 City Hall entrance, ca. 1982, before the installation of the succulent garden (Los Angeles Public Library) ................................................................................................................................................................................. 45 Figure 26 City Hall entrance, 1983 (Los Angeles Public Library) ..................................................................................... 46 Figure 28 Landscaping ........................................................................................................................................................................ 53 Figure 29 General view from northwest corner of site toward main entrance, view to southeast .................... 54 Figure 30 General view from southwest corner of site toward main entrance, view to northeast .................... 54 Figure 31 General view of main entrance, view to southeast ............................................................................................. 55 Figure 32 Veterans Rose Garden (1951) in original Planting Bed (1939), view to east ......................................... 55
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City of Santa Monica Santa Monica City Hall
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Figure 33 Planting Bed along north side of Main Entrance Walk, view to east ........................................................... 56 Figure 34 Planting Bed along south side of Main Entrance Walk, view to east .......................................................... 56 Figure 35 Intersection of Main Entrance Walk with sidewalk along Main Street, view to north ........................ 57 Figure 36 Entrance to City Hall, view to southeast ................................................................................................................. 57 Figure 37 Foundation plantings along south elevation, view to east .............................................................................. 58 Figure 38 Foundation plantings along west elevation, view to south ............................................................................. 59 Figure 39 Foundation plantings along west elevation, view to north ............................................................................. 59 Figure 40 Curved row of mature palms at northern border of site, view to northwest ......................................... 60 Figure 41 Mature palms and one tree at northeast corner of parking area, view to northeast ........................... 60 Figure 42 Remaining tree plantings at north entrance to lawn from parking lot, view to north ........................ 61 Figure 43 Mature exotic tree in North Garden, view to south ............................................................................................ 61 Figure 44 Ornamental tree plantings near parking area, view to northwest .............................................................. 62
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Packet Pg. 652 Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
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City of Santa Monica Santa Monica City Hall
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CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES ANALYSIS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This report presents the results of a character defining features survey and analysis of the landscape and grounds associated with Santa Monica City Hall, Santa Monica, California. This cultural landscape analysis was conducted by PCR Services at the request of the City of Santa Monica (City). The park site to the west across Main Street from City Hall is currently in design phase for the Palisades Garden Walk Project. This future park project also includes the landscape located on the front portion of the City Hall site. Because of the potential for the Palisades Garden Walk project to impact the landscape associated with the City Hall, PCR Services was asked to conduct a character‐defining features analysis to identify the contributing historic elements and features of the landscape and grounds surrounding City Hall. This analysis will be used by the City in their review of the proposed project design to ensure the Palisades Garden Walk/Town Square project is consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitation, Restoring, and Reconstructing Historic Buildings (the Standards), (Weeks and Grimmer, 1995).
The City Hall building and site at 1685 Main Street was designated City of Santa Monica Historic Landmark #10 in 1979. The property was designated under criteria 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the City’s Landmark Ordinance.
A copy of the designation is provided in Appendix A. The building symbolizes elements of the cultural, social, economic, and political history of the City because it has been the center of city government since 1939 and because it was constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). It has aesthetic value because of the notable exterior and interior tile work and the interior murals designed by Stanton McDonald‐Wright. It is associated with important historic personages and events in local history. It embodies the distinguishing architectural characteristics of the Classical Moderne style and is representative of the work of notable architects Donald B. Parkinson and J. M. Estep.
The property was formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 as the result of survey conducted for FEMA after the Northridge earthquake by Historic Resources Group (HRG) to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). By virtue of this determination, the City Hall was included in the California Register of Historical Resources. A historic structure report was prepared by HRG for Santa Monica City Hall in 2003 which identified the existing historic architectural features of the building and assessed their condition, but did not analyze the landscape.
The period of significance identified for Santa Monica City Hall in the historic structure report was 1938 to 1951, encompassing the design and construction campaign and extending to the date of last alteration, which assumed significance over time, and was close to the fifty year mark.1 According to the historic structure
report, the period of significance did not include additions and alterations after 1951 that have been determined non‐significant.2
To date, the period of significance and themes associated with the City Hall landscape have not been defined sufficiently to support a thorough and accurate character‐defining features analysis of the historic landscape.
1 Personal communication with Christy Johnson McAvoy, Historic Resources Group, March 14, 2011. 2 Historic Resources Group, Santa Monica City Hall, Historic Structure Report (January 17, 2003).
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The Section 106 survey and historic structure report used the National Register’s 50‐year threshold at the time of the survey, and the period of significance was broadly defined in the landmark designation due to the continuing importance of City Hall as the center of government and its association with significant personages. Based upon this information, the landscape generally has two periods of significance, 1939‐ 1940 for architecture, art and design, and “since 1939” for cultural, social and political history and historic personages as a part of City Hall. However, this period of significance is too broadly defined to support a thorough and accurate character‐defining features analysis of the City Hall landscape. Therefore, it was necessary to develop a historic context, identify the period of significance and themes associated with the landscape, and determine the historic appearance of landscape during the period of significance before an accurate character‐defining features analysis could be completed. The results of this research and analyses are presented below.
1.1 Location and Setting
The Santa Monica City Hall (City Hall) is located at 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, California (see Figure 1, Project Location Map). The City Hall faces Main Street to the west, and is bounded by 4th Street on the east, State Highway Route 10 on the north, and Olympic Drive on the south. City Hall is situated at the north corner of Lot 1, Block 3 of the Bandini Tract (Assessor’s ID 4290‐012‐902) (see Figure 2, Assessor’s Tract Map).
The City Hall is oriented facing west toward Main Street and is situated in the center of a generally flat site which consists of approximately 6.24 acres (see Figure 3, Site Map). The landscape setting for City Hall is distinguished by an expansive front lawn that encompasses the majority of the front part of the site. The main entrance to the site includes a large rose garden flanked by symmetrical entrance walks. Concrete sidewalks provide for pedestrian circulation across the City Hall site and around the building. Vehicular access is via drive ways at the northwest and southeast corners of the site, and vehicular circulation and parking is served by the Council parking area at the north end of City Hall and the alley that runs behind the building to the east. Existing landscape plantings include approximately 20 tall palms and a variety of trees, shrubs, succulents, and ornamental plantings. There are concrete planters flanking the main entrance to the building, and foundation plantings exist along the front and side elevations of the building. Tall Windmill Palms enliven the front façade of City Hall and a couple of Mexican Fan Palms punctuate the south facade.
The northern border of the site overlooking the Santa Monica Freeway (I‐10) is screened by a tall hedge and features a row of distinctive mature Mexican Fan Palms; and several tall Canary Island Date Palms mark the northeast corner of the site. The new City Police Headquarters is situated immediately behind City Hall to the east. The entrance at the south end of the building is beautified by a contemporary designed landscape featuring an infinity edge reflecting pool, cascade and lower pool. The southern border of the site features a contemporary landscape improvement and a recently updated streetscape along Olympic Drive. The park site for the Palisades Garden Walk Project is located to the west across Main Street from City Hall. The surrounding environment south of City Hall includes the Superior Court Building at 1725 Main and the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium (Landmark) at Main and Pico. Other notable structures in the vicinity include Main Street Bridge across the Santa Monica Freeway (Route 1) just north of City Hall; Sears Roebuck and Company (Landmark) situated across the freeway to the north; the McClure Tunnel over Route 1; and Santa Monica Pier (Landmark) to the northwest.
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Packet Pg. 655 Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
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Packet Pg. 656 Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
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Packet Pg. 657 Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) FIGURE
Source: Aerial Express, 2009; PCR Services Corporation, 2010. 0 200 400 Feet
Character Defining Features Analysis, Landscape and Grounds, Santa Monica City Hall, Santa Monica, California
Site Map
PROJECT SITE
3 Main Street
4th Street
Olympic Drive
Colorado Avenue
10 1
Ocean Avenue
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Packet Pg. 658 Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Character Defining Features Analysis April 2011
City of Santa Monica Santa Monica City Hall
PCR Services Corporation. 6
1.2 Research and Survey Methods
A pedestrian survey of the City Hall site was conducted on January 18, 2011 by Margarita J. Wuellner, Ph.D., Director of Historic Resources, PCR Services Corporation. The survey was conducted in accordance with the Office of Historic Preservation, Instructions for Recording Historical Resources (March 1995), J. Timothy and Genevieve P. Keller, “How to Evaluate and Nominate Designed Historic Landscapes,” National Register Bulletin 18 (U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1985), and Charles A. Birnbaum, ASLA, “Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planning, Treatment and Management of Historic Landscapes,” Preservation Briefs 36 (National Park Service, 1994). The site was physically examined to locate contributing landscape features remaining from the period of significance (1938‐1951) associated with Santa Monica City Hall. The Survey Area (Figure 3) included the City Hall site and immediate vicinity. The survey involved visual examination, photographic documentation in color 35mm digital photographs, and physical identification of existing landscape features. Notable plantings, landscape features and furnishings within the Survey Area are described in the landscape analysis and a list of character‐defining features is provided in Chapter 3.
Survey and research is essential before undertaking any project involving a historic landscape. Findings help to identify a landscape’s historic period of development and bring greater understanding of the associations and characteristics that make the landscape or history significant. Research findings provide a foundation to make educated decisions for work and can facilitate ongoing maintenance and management operations, interpretation and eventual compliance requirements.3 Historical research included review of the City
records on the local Landmark designation for City Hall, the Historic Structure Report for Santa Monica City Hall (2003), a reports and research associated with the City Hall Jail Retrofit project on file at PCR, review of historic maps and photographs in local library and City collections, and review of local newspapers and published histories. Research was conducted for the development of the historic context for the City Hall landscape and to document the historic appearance of the property, presented in Chapter 2. No historic planting plans were available from the City and building permits provide no information on landscape improvements. If more information is desired in the future about particular individual features, further research is recommended in City records (i.e. meeting minutes and budget appropriations) and the records of the City Forester, if available, for detailed information on specific landscape improvements.
Historic landscapes include residential gardens and community parks, scenic highways, rural communities, institutional grounds, cemeteries, battlefields and botanical gardens. They are composed of a number of character defining features which individually or collectively contribute to the landscape’s physical appearance as they have evolved over time. In addition to vegetation and topography, cultural landscapes may include water features such as ponds, streams and fountains; circulation features such as roads, paths, steps and walls; buildings; and furnishings, such as fences, benches, lights and sculptural objects. Most historic properties have a cultural landscape component that is integral to the significance of the resource. A historic property consists of all its cultural resources – landscapes, buildings, archaeological sites and collections.
Historic landscapes fall into several categories, designed landscapes, vernacular landscapes, historic sites, and ethnographic landscapes. A designed landscape, such as the City Hall site, is a landscape that was
3 Charles A. Birnbaum, ASLA, Preservation Briefs: 36, Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planning, Treatment and Management of Historic Landscapes, Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1994 (http://www.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/brief36.htm, accessed February 4, 2011).
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consciously designed or laid out by a landscape architect, master gardener, architect, or horticulturalist according to design principles, or an amateur gardener working in a recognized style or tradition. 4 Designed
historic landscapes are classified according to type. The landscape associated with City Hall can be classified as civic design.5
Contributing character‐defining landscape features identified on the City Hall site are those resources which are associated with the period of significance and retain integrity (location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association).
2.0 HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The existing landscape setting associated with the City Hall site is associated with several important historical themes developed below, including the history of the communities of Santa Monica and Ocean Park; Transportation Improvements in Santa Monica; the City Beautiful Movement; Moderne Architecture; Landscape Architecture; development of public Parks, Places and Spaces in Santa Monica; the Santa Monica City Hall: Building and Landscape; and the Santa Monica City Hall Landscape: Events and Public Use.
2.1 Santa Monica6
In 1875, the original town site of Santa Monica was surveyed, including all of the land extending from Colorado Street on the south to Montana Avenue on the north, and from 26th Street on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west. Between 1893 and the 1920s, the community operated as a tourist attraction, visited primarily by wealthy patrons. During this period, the areas located just outside of the incorporated city limits were semi‐rural in setting and typified by scattered residences. After the advent of the automobile in the 1920s, Santa Monica experienced a building boom, which included the development of the area known as Ocean Park, located to the south of the downtown commercial district.
During the 1880s, Santa Monica’s downtown commercial district consisted primarily of development along Second Street from Utah (Broadway) to about a half block north. By 1888, a hotel and theater occupied the northeast corner of Third Street and Broadway. In the 1890s, two of the City’s three most distinctive commercial buildings of the period were constructed along Third Street: the Keller Block (Carroll H. Brown, architect) which is still extant at the southwest corner of Broadway; the Bank of Santa Monica Building (demolished) at the southeast corner of Santa Monica Boulevard; and the Whitworth Block (altered) at 1460 Second Street.
The Central Business District developed early in the history of Santa Monica as the location of commercial businesses catering to both local residents and the City’s many visitors. Due to the rise of the Central Business District, the southern part of Santa Monica became the hub of activity. Today, Second Street and Third Street still comprise Santa Monica’s commercial core. It is roughly bounded by Wilshire Boulevard, Second Street, Colorado Avenue, Fourth Street south of Santa Monica Boulevard and Seventh Street north of
4 Ibid.
5 J. Timothy Keller, ASLA, and Genevieve P. Keller, National Register Bulletin 18, How to Evaluate and Nominate Designed Historic Landscapes, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1985, (http://www.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/ pdfs/nrb18.pdf, accessed February 4, 2011).
6 Portions of this section were adapted from the “Santa Monica Historical Resources Inventory 1985‐1986, Final Report, pp. 28‐59 and State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, Historic Resources Inventory Form Update, Central Business District and Third Street Promenade. Prepared by Tearnen, Bricker, and Field, 1998.
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Santa Monica Boulevard. Many buildings within the district are commercial, interspersed with residential uses. The most prevalent styles are those associated with the 1920s and 1930s, including: Spanish Colonial, Art Deco, and Classically‐influenced buildings. These buildings range from one to twelve stories in height and are clad in a variety of materials, such as stucco, brick, and concrete.
2.2 Ocean Park
Ocean Park was a seashore amusement center at the southerly limits of Santa Monica, part of which is within the corporate limits of Santa Monica, and the remainder of which lies in present‐day Venice, annexed to Los Angeles. Ocean Park developed somewhat independently from the rest of Santa Monica. Separated from the city’s commercial core by an arroyo, Ocean Park was initially oriented toward the beach. Within the city of Ocean Park, Abbot Kinney created his unique Venice resort, approximately a mile south of Santa Monica.7
Abbot Kinney and his associates erected a series of piers and other tourist attractions in the late 19th century. After the turn of the century, building activities in Ocean Park intensified. Recognizing that a rail link to Los Angeles would be the key to development of the area, in 1893 Kinney donated land for the right‐ of‐way and a depot for the Santa Fe railroad. The community took the name Ocean Park in 1895. The Ocean Park Pier was developed in 1898, with adjacent Pier Street as one of the area’s early commercial streets.8 Main Street became the commercial corridor of the developing Ocean Park community, servicing both permanent residents and visitors who lived in the cottages, bungalows, and courts that sprang up as far east as Lincoln and beyond. By the close of the teens, a substantial portion of Ocean Park was improved. By the 1930s, buildings occupied most of the available parcels in the area and older improvements were removed to provide space for newer development. Ocean Park assumed its modern identity during the 1930s as a year‐round community.9 This change shifted the focus of commercial centers from Pier Avenue to Main Street; and commercial establishments of the period appear to have catered to Ocean Park residents, rather than tourists.10 Ocean Park’s established pattern of small‐scale development continued in the post‐World War II era. Today, a multi‐layered and diverse historical legacy in terms of age, styles, and building types characterizes Ocean Park.11
2.3 Transportation Improvements in Santa Monica12
The Main Street Bridge was built to connect the downtown commercial core with the area to the south of the arroyo and is associated with early 20th century transportation improvements in the City of Santa Monica.
7 Charles Sumner Warren, Santa Monica Community Book, 1944, 35‐37. 8 Fred E. Basten, Santa Monica Bay: Paradise by the Sea: a Pictorial History of Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, Ocean Park, Pacific Palisades, Topanga & Malibu, Hennessey + Ingalls: Los Angeles, 1997. 9 Myers, William A., and Ira L. Swett. Trolleys to the Surf; The Story of the Los Angeles Pacific Railway. Glendale: Interurban Publications, Inc., 1976.
10 Leslie Heumann, “Department of Parks and Recreation series 523 form, 2000-2100 Blocks of Third Street District.” 11 Fred E. Basten, Santa Monica Bay: Paradise by the Sea: a Pictorial History of Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, Ocean Park, Pacific Palisades, Topanga & Malibu, Hennessey + Ingalls: Los Angeles, 1997. 12 Portions of this section were adapted from the “Historic Resources Technical Report Santa Monica Civic Center Specific Plan:
Historic Resources Survey, Evaluation, and Analysis of Project Impacts,” prepared by PCR Services Corporation for the City of Santa Monica, March 2004.
James W. Lunsford, The Ocean and the Sunset, The Hills and the Clouds: Looking at Santa Monica. 1983.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, City of Santa Monica.
Paula A. Scott, Santa Monica: A History on the Edge, Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
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The Bridge is noted for its role in providing increased connectivity, and in turn, development between the city’s commercial core and the Ocean Park neighborhood, known during the 1910s and 1920s as South Santa Monica. Members of both neighborhoods recognized the function of the Main Street Bridge as more than a transportation improvement; the Bridge initially had a symbolic role as an embodiment of civic unity. With the development of the Santa Monica City Hall starting in 1938, Main Street and the Main Street Bridge provided access to Santa Monica’s civic core.13
A deep arroyo, occupied today by the Santa Monica Freeway, once separated Santa Monica’s commercial district and the Ocean Park neighborhood. In the late 19th century, the arroyo functioned as a track bed for the Southern Pacific Railroad (SPRR) and the Pacific Electric Railway. While the immediate vicinity of the arroyo was sparsely populated, it was in proximity to the city’s earliest resorts. The Arcadia Hotel, circa 1887, was located nearby on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean to the south of present day Colorado Avenue until it was demolished in 1908.
The rapid growth of Santa Monica during the 1920s generated an increased need for transportation connectivity and the Main Street Bridge, circa 1926, created a link, via Main Street, between the city’s growing commercial core and Ocean Park. Upon completion, the Main Street Bridge extended Main Street across the arroyo. Traveling south, Main Street bisected the mostly vacant area owned by the SPRR until it reached the former Santa Fe Railroad’s right of way and a small residential pocket that occupied the southeast corner of the quadrant. From there, Main Street turned diagonally southwest to connect with the existing segment of Main Street in Ocean Park. The Bridge still occupies its original location despite numerous changes to its setting over the past eight decades.
The challenging topography from the Pacific Ocean inland to the vicinity of the Fourth Street Bridge created the need for a variety of permanent crossings since at least the 1890s. An 1891 Sanborn map depicts a thin north‐south bridge over the natural arroyo, occupied today by the Santa Monica Freeway. An elevated boardwalk that extended from the bridge provided access from the bluff to the beach and Arcadia Bath House below. By 1895, a more substantial wooden bridge in the same vicinity was built (Figure 4). This bridge, known as the Ocean Avenue Bridge, had three separate lanes for the passage of wagons, automobiles, and pedestrians. A period photo depicts the passage below the bridge just wide enough for a single train track.14 The wooden bridge was replaced by a concrete structure in 1902 (demolished 1934). By the late 1930s, with the former rail passage widened and converted to automobile use, the road below was known as Olympic Boulevard. Olympic Boulevard ran through the tunnel until it was rerouted in the 1960s. In 1966, the Santa Monica Freeway reached the Pacific Coast Highway via the tunnel (known today as the Mc Clure Tunnel). Throughout its history, the Main Street Bridge has spanned rail lines, Olympic Boulevard, and the Santa Monica Freeway.
13 “Historic Resources Technical Report Santa Monica Civic Center Specific Plan: Historic Resources Survey, Evaluation, and Analysis of Project Impacts,” prepared by PCR Services Corporation for the City of Santa Monica, March 2004. 14 Louise B. Gabriel, Santa Monica Historical Society Museum. Images of America: Early Santa Monica. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2006.
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2.4 City Beautiful Movement
The ideals of City Beautiful Movement were popular throughout the nation from the 1880s to 1920; the later City Beautiful continued into the 1930s and continued with a loss of purpose but with a remarkable consistency of technique into the 1940s. The City Beautiful Movement originated with the work of social reformers and visionary urban designers and planners who sought to ease squalid urban conditions with the construction of squares, boulevards, parks, and monumental public buildings. In the broadest sense, the City Beautiful Movement was political, for it demanded reorientation of public thought and action toward urban beauty. The environmental reorganization necessary for grand aesthetic achievements required an altered political structure, including state enabling legislation, new public institutions, and grants of power to private entities to build railroad stations and other semipublic buildings. The reorganized urban politics was remarkably flexible and encompassed both new and vitalized administrative agencies with expanded popular participation. The movement involved a politics of accommodation between the expert planning professional and the enlightened citizens on the board or commission that set the basic planning goals and oversaw construction.15
Chicago’s Daniel Burnham was a leading City Beautiful Movement proponent and the grand public works and architecture constructed for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago would serve as the inspiration for City Beautiful Movement proponents for decades afterwards. Urban plans often cited as exemplary of City Beautiful ideals include Washington, DC’s McMillan Plan (1901‐2), developed by a commission that included Daniel Burnham, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., Charles F. McKim and the Plan of Chicago, co‐authored by Daniel Burnham and Edward H. Bennett in 1909. City Beautiful Movement designers typically used stately architectural styles for buildings and public works, particularly Classical Revival and Beaux‐Arts, which are characterized by the use of detail, monumental columns, balustrades, statuary, and sculptured spandrels.16
The hallmark of the City Beautiful Movement was the civic center, the grouping of public and private buildings—city hall, municipal auditorium, public library, major financial institutions—in the heart of downtown. The civic center was intended to be a beautiful ensemble, grouping public buildings around a park, square, or intersection of radial streets in a manner that allowed for the visual delights of perspectives, open spaces, and the contrasts between buildings and their settings. The civic center was meant to serve as a powerful symbol of community, shared values and purpose. Its architectural motifs were echoed in school buildings, police stations, fire houses, park structures, and other municipal outposts throughout the cities that possessed them.17
In Santa Monica, the selection of a site for the first city hall was hotly contested during 1901 partly because of the old rivalry between the North and South sides of town. Sites at Third and Utah, and Fourth and
15 See Norman T. Newton, “City Beautiful Movement and City Planning,” in Design on the Land, the Development of Landscape Architecture, (Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1971), Chapter 29; and William H. Wilson, The City Beautiful Movement (Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1989). 16 The 1901 Plan for Washington, DC, The City Beautiful Movement, http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/CITYBEAUTIFUL/city.html.
Accessed February 9, 2009; John J‐G Blumenson, Identifying American Architecture: A Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms, 1600‐ 1945, (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1981).
17 Peter Dobkin Hall, “Setting, Landscape Architecture, and the Creation of Civic Space in the United States, 1790‐1920.” (John F.
Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, November 2006), http://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/phall/Civic_Space_WIP.pdf, accessed March 17, 2011.
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Oregon were considered and the latter was finally selected for the first city hall. Among the more important improvements of the early 1900s on the North side was the building of an Auditorium in 1901, in connection with the North Beach Bath house. The first city hall was dedicated March 19, 1903, built by H.X. Goetz, contractor at a cost of $38,000. Besides the new municipal offices, a public library was provided with pleasant quarters.18
However, it wasn’t until the two sides of the City were formally connected with the opening of the Main Street Bridge in 1926 celebrated by public ceremony, and the construction of the new City Hall in 1938‐39, that a centralized Civic Center began to take shape in Santa Monica. Completion and dedication of Santa Monica’s $250,000 post office and Federal Building in 1938 and initiation of work on a link in the Roosevelt Coast Highway south of Colorado Avenue were also important steps in the development of the municipality.19 For years the new City Hall site had been referred to as “no man’s land” because of its non‐developed acres in the heart of the city, and had been considered as a possible site for a Civic Center at some time in the future, but it was not until the efforts of the city officials, Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations were combined to aggressively seek a solution to the problem of acquisition and improvement, that any considerable steps were taken to bring the old dream into a new and vital reality. Construction of the new City Hall on the “no man’s land” not only served to “weld together the Santa Monica and Ocean Park sections of the city,” but “would at the same time develop surrounding properties and enhance valuations in a portion of the city that would otherwise be dormant and undeveloped for another decade or more.”20 When the new City Hall was dedicated on November 25, 1939, it represented “the fulfillment of a long‐ cherished municipal dream.”21 Over 5,000 persons thronged the City Hall lawn and another thousand occupied the speaker’s platform at the main entrance, including national, state and city officials, among them mayors and executives of many Southland cities who came to congratulate Santa Monica. Mayor Edmond S.
Gillette declared the new Civic Center would “weld all sections of the city into one community, eliminating old factional lines.”22 An illustrated map depicting the city in the Evening Outlook’s Souvenir Edition commemorating the newspaper’s 65th year of publication shows the “New City Hall and Civic Center” clearly labeled, indicating the public’s identification of the New City Hall with a new Civic Center had been successfully achieved.23
Completion of a $300,000 branch Courthouse and County Building in the Santa Monica Civic Center was observed by dedication ceremonies on July 27, 1951. The new building was dedicated to “justice and good government,” and hailed as a “symbol of democracy, a place where the people can go for a determination of their rights.” Mayor Russell K. Hart spoke for the Santa Monica City Council, which donated the building site.
The building was designed by architects Frederic C. Barienbrock and Robert Kliegman to harmonize with the architecture of the adjoining City Hall.24 Soon outgrowing its original needs, two‐story wing additions adding
18 Luther A. Ingersoll, Ingersoll’s century history, Santa Monica Bay cities (L.A. Ingersoll, 1908), 216‐225. 19 “Los Angeles County,” Los Angeles Times, Jan. 3, 1939, p. F6. 20 “S.M. City Government Housed in Fine Structure, Civic Center Plans Carried to Fruition During Past Years,” Evening Outlook, November 22, 1940, p. 22 top.
21 “City Hall Dedicated: State and Federal Officials Join in Santa Monica Ceremony,” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 26, 1939, p. B12. 22 Ibid.
23 Evening Outlook, November 22, 1940.
24 “Santa Monica Dedicates New County Building,” Los Angeles Times, July 28, 1951, p. A5.
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more than 90,000 square feet to the county building were officially authorized by the Board of Supervisors in January 1965.25
Across from the Civic Center along the west side of Main Street, Rand Corporation developed the $7 Million Rand Research Center building and campus during the early 1950s. Ground breaking ceremonies were held on November 21, 1951. Formerly the site of an emergency housing project for 152 veterans and their families, the eight‐acre site for the building was purchased from the City of Santa Monica for $250,000.26 The Rand complex was recently demolished (within the last decade) but several Palms and Magnolia trees which once beautified the Rand campus and parking area during the 1960s still appear to survive on the site.27 The Civic Center became fully established with the construction of the Civic Auditorium (1958) designed by Welton Becket and the addition of the County court building on Main Street during the 1950s. The multimillion‐dollar Santa Monica Civic Auditorium was designed to provide facilities for conventions, cultural, community, athletic, recreational, stage and operatic events. The focal point of the auditorium plan was the center line of Main Street, with landscaping and parking spaces ultimately to include virtually the entire southern end of the Civic Center bounded by Main Street, 4th Street and Pico Boulevard.28 A six‐day celebration marked the completion of the $2,900,000 Civic Auditorium on June 15, 1958, with actor Glenn Ford, Santa Monica High School Alumnus, as master of ceremonies, City Manager Randall M. Dorton, and Architect Welton Becket as speakers.29 In 1959, the Civic Center property was expanded west of the Civic Auditorium for automobile parking.30
As a part of the 1958 Civic Center improvements, 1.72 miles of Pacific Electric track were removed starting easterly of Lincoln Boulevard and continuing to Paloma Avenue in Venice, two blocks south of Rose Avenue.
Immediately after the tracks were removed, the City initiated a Civic Center access and beautification program which was completed in time for the opening of the new Civic Auditorium. A bus terminal, access roads and landscaping throughout the Civic Center boundaries was included in the beautification program.
Santa Monica appropriated $92,2330 for acquisition of the right of way north of Main Street to Pico Boulevard; another access road between 4th Street and Main was to be opened in order to expedite the flow of traffic.31 Also in 1958, bids were opened for the first phase of construction on what was to be Los Angeles’ most expensive freeway up until that time ($16,500,000 per mile)—the Santa Monica Freeway. Heretofore, the Hollywood Freeway held the record, costing as much as $10,000,000 a mile.32 By 1959, Santa Monica was well on its way to becoming one of the important convention cities in Southern California.33 By 1962, the skeleton of the Santa Monica Freeway was rapidly taking shape in West Los Angeles. Construction of the freeway from the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Soto Street to Olympic and Lincoln Boulevards near
25 “Courthouse Wings Accepted,” Los Angeles Times, Jan. 21, 1965, p. WS1. 26 “Ground Broken for Rand Center in Santa Monica,” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 22, 1951, p. A14. 27 “RAND ‘Thinks’ for Security,” Los Angeles Times, Dec. 16, 1962, p. WS1. 28 “Steps Advance for Extensive Civic Building,” Los Angeles Times, Feb. 19, 1956, p. E1. 29 “Santa Monica to Start Auditorium Fete Today,” Los Angeles Times, June 15, 1958, p. B2. 30 “Move Fails to Halt Center Expansion: Santa Monica Land Earmarked for Auto Park,” Los Angeles Times, Aug. 2, 1959, p. WS1. 31 “S.M. Civic Center To Be Improved,” Los Angeles Times, April 27, 1958, p. WS2. 32 “Santa Monica Freeway Will Be City’s Most Costly,” Los Angeles Times, Jan. 12, 1958, p. B1. 33 “Santa Monica Booming as Convention Center,” Evening Outlook, June 3, 1959, p. 23.
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the Santa Monica Civic Center was estimated to be a $200 million job (91.6% of the cost was footed by the federal government) which was expected to be complete in 1965.34
2.5 Moderne Architecture
Moderne, also referred to as Art Moderne, is a later derivation of the Art Deco style, emphasizing a modern or futuristic appearance. Unlike the Art Deco style, it often lacked ornamentation and featured a more classical, horizontal orientation. The Art Deco style traces its origins to the Paris Exposition des Arts Decoratifs of 1925 and prevailed until around 1935, when it was followed by “Streamline,” “Zigzag,” and “WPA” Moderne architecture, derivations characterized by monumental volume, strong geometric shapes, and stylized plant and animal motifs. Following the height of the Art Deco style in the early 1930s, Streamline and Zigzag Moderne architecture was an economic and stylistic response to the ravaging effects of the Great Depression. A new style was needed to express optimism and a bright look toward the future.
Moderne‐style structures continued to suggest modern values of movement and rejection of historic precedents, but with far less opulence and more restraint than the Art Deco style of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Streamline Moderne style architecture took its cue from the emerging field of industrial design and borrowed imagery from things swift and free – in particular, the ocean liner. The Streamline Moderne style reflects the national trends of the style which reached its height during the early 1940s and continued in use into the early 1950s. The Streamline Moderne style differed from the “High Art Modern Architecture” of the early 1930s in that it,
…continued to regard design as ‘styling’ and that architecture should represent or perform as an image rather than be a used as a space to radically change ones everyday life. The boosters of Streamline Moderne argued that their purpose was not to create an architecture that functioned in the same way as the ocean liner, airplane, or locomotive; rather, the buildings would symbolize those things and therefore remind one of the ‘modern’ future. 35
Notable examples of Art Deco/Moderne architecture in Santa Monica include Central Tower (1929), 1424 4th Street, designed by Eugene Durfee, Santa Monica’s first Deco skyscraper; the Bay Cities Guarantee (1929/30), 1225 Santa Monica Mall, double the height of the Central Tower, designed by Walker & Eisen; the Grand Central Market Building (1932), 1330 4th Street, also by Eugene Durfee; General Telephone (1937), 1314 7th Street, designed by Maurice Sasso, with a lobby featuring murals of New York and the great buildings of Europe; the Shangri‐La Apartments and Hotel (1939‐40), designed by William Foster and named for the mythical Tibetan mecca of James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon; and the Sears Building (1946), 302 Colorado, designed by Roland H. Crawford, which at the time of its construction contained the largest clear‐ span interior in the United States.36
The Works Progress Administration (WPA), a Depression‐era, New Deal program established in 1934, was designed to help localities by infusing funds for new construction projects, which in turn created new jobs.
Most of the WPA projects were for the construction of public buildings or infrastructure; however, the program also had an interesting element that provided employment for artists, musicians, and craftspersons.
34 “Santa Monica Freeway Taking Shape Rapidly,” Los Angeles Times, Dec. 23, 1962, p. C13. 35 Patrick Pascal, Kesling. Modern Structures Popularizing Modern Design in Southern California 1934‐1962, (Los Angeles: Balcony Press, 2002), 10.
36 “Santa Monica’s Art Deco Architecture,” ( Hollywood, California, Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, 1994).
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The primary goal of the WPA was to put people to work and most projects were designed to spend a majority of the funds on labor, not materials. Additionally, few projects used powered machinery in order to allow for hiring more men. Therefore, WPA buildings and structures in are marked by a high degree of craftsmanship, albeit untrained, provided by primarily unskilled labor. The quality of masonry work varies widely, undoubtedly reflecting not only different teams of workers, but also their growing skills in masonry techniques. The use of local materials in order to keep costs low is another hallmark of WPA projects. This resulted in some similarities of appearance within a region. WPA projects in Santa Monica were well designed, often by a prominent local architect or regional WPA engineer. The buildings were influenced both by local traditions and contemporary styles.
As applied to the WPA buildings of Santa Monica, the character‐defining features include flat roofs, smooth exterior surfaces, vertical or horizontal fenestration openings and linear building elements. Although horizontal lines are more typical of the Moderne style across the country, WPA Moderne buildings often feature grooved bands in an otherwise smooth concrete exterior surface. Rounded corners are also common.
WPA Moderne buildings differ from other examples of this general style in that they tend to be hand constructed rather than machine‐tooled. Metal details are rare except in the window frames. Windows typically are “stock” and not specifically designed for the building.
Santa Monica had its share of WPA projects, including the Santa Monica Post Office (1937), 1248 5th Street, designed by Neal. A. Malick and Robert D. Murray, featuring a regionally‐inspired wave motif at its base and reliefs of the eastern and western hemisphere above the entrances. Other WPA projects in Santa Monica included the upgrade and/or full replacement of several public school facilities, particularly those that were damaged from the Long Beach earthquake of 1933. School facilities that were either repaired or built included Madison Elementary School (1937), Franklin School (1937), Roosevelt School (1936), and Barnum Hall at Santa Monica High School (1938). Many of the interior spaces of the new buildings included public art pieces comprised of tiled mosaics, murals, and/or painted theatre curtains. Barnum Hall contains two murals, a fire curtain mural and a large mosaic. Both murals are associated with Stanton MacDonald‐Wright, an internationally recognized artist of the modern era, who was also a Santa Monica resident and associated with the federal arts projects from 1934 to 1943.
2.6 Landscape Architecture37
Landscape architecture embraces planning, design and management of the landscape. It is allied to architecture and town planning, and informed by geography, botany, ecology, and horticulture. The scope ranges from garden and park design to environmental assessment, derelict land reclamation, and landscape planning. The discipline has expanded from appreciating the visual qualities of picturesque architecture and landscape in the early 19th century to cover human settlement and people’s physical relationship with the land. This can be interpreted as a democratization of ideas, which began with private garden design and then applied to a wider constructed environment, for both public and private good.
It was the American architect Calvert Vaux (1824‐95) and the journalist Frederick Law Olmsted (1822‐1903) who first used the term “landscape architecture” for their new profession. Vaux was a former partner of Andrew Jackson Downing, and with Olmsted he won the competition for New York’s Central Park in 1858.
37 Summarized from Stanford Anderson and Colin St. John Wilson, The Oxford Companion to Architecture, Volume 1, (Oxford University Press, 2009).
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Olmsted, Vaux and Company went on to design parks, campuses, and housing estates in several cities in the 1860s and 1870s. With the growth of the North American city, large municipal park systems were developed. In 1881, Olmsted and his nephew, John Charles Olmsted, began a park system for Boston, linking Boston Commons and the Charles River to Franklin Park on the edge of the city, which became known as the Emerald Necklace.
At the turn of the century, designers were applying private park and garden ideas to public projects and involving elements of utility and infrastructure in their designs. On 4 January 1899, eleven landscape architects including Downing, Vaux, son of Calvert Vaux, met to form the American Society of Landscape Architects, and in 1900 the university course in landscape architecture at Harvard University was inaugurated with Olmsted’s son, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., as head. Further courses were established at Cornell (1904) and at the Department of Forestry at Berkeley (1913).
A key impetus for the growth of the profession has been legislation requiring landscape plans and the use of landscape architects, for which political lobbying has been central to its development, as first envisioned by Olmsted. For example, the establishment of the American National Park Service in 1917 led to a landscape architecture division under Charles P. Punchard, Jr. The Tennessee Valley Authority, established in 1933, employed landscape architects in the design of new towns; while the New Deal policies of the Roosevelt administration included the work of the Farm Security Commission landscape architects such as Garret Eckbo (1910‐2000), who planned new settlements for migrant workers.
Eckbo with Daniel Kiley (1912‐2004) and James C. Rose (1913‐91), were classmates at Harvard in 1937‐8, and together formed the ‘Harvard Revolution’ of the 1930s, which applied Modernism to landscape architecture, and emphasized space, asymmetry, site, functionality and social ideals of public good. Ideas such as the value of public parks and gardens, street beautification, garden cities, public access to sunshine and fresh air, and ideal national landscapes, were shared by ideologies of both left and right. They were influenced by public health concerns over diseases such as rickets and tuberculosis, and also concerned about providing unemployment relief through public works; concerns common to Berlin, Paris, London, New York and Los Angeles in the 1930s.
2.7 Parks, Places and Spaces in Santa Monica
The City of Santa Monica has a long and rich history of both public and private involvement in tree planting and the creation of public parks, places and spaces. One of the earliest tree plantings in the City of Santa Monica was the Moreton Bay Fig tree, planted on the grounds of the Miramar Hotel about 1890 by Santa Monica founder, Senator John P. Jones. The fig tree is one of the largest examples of its type in the state, and is a City of Santa Monica designated Landmark.
Palisades Park was the first officially designated public open space in the City. In 1892, the founder of Santa Monica, Senator John P. Jones and developer, Colonel Robert S. Baker donated the strip bordering the palisades from Colorado Avenue (previously Railroad Avenue) to Montana Avenue, to the City of Santa Monica on condition that the said strip be forever used as a public park. Five years later in 1897, the remaining bluff property from Montana Avenue north to Adelaide Drive was donated to the City by the Santa Monica Land and Water Company, of which Senator Jones was the Major Stockholder. Rows of eucalyptus and cypress trees bordering Ocean Avenue were the first plantings in the Park. Dirt pathways along the bluffs, down the center of the Park, and along Ocean Avenue, wound through wild grasses and brush.
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Historic engineering drawings indicate that Linda Vista Drive (now the California Incline Bridge) was completed during the first decade of the 1900s.38 In 1913, at the urging of Thomas W. Dudley (Mayor from 1911‐1916), the first plan of Palisades Park was proposed by landscape architect Le Grande. He proposed a formal European design, with walkways, planters, pergolas, fountains, and a brick wall to separate the park from the noise and dust of the street. However, the proposal for the brick wall failed as it was opposed by the Santa Monica Woman’s Club with the argument that it would eliminate the ocean views. 39 In 1915 the name of the Park was changed from Linda Vista Park (Spanish for “lovely view”) to Palisades Park. J. W.
Scott, builder of the Arcadia Hotel, contributed the funds for the planting of rows of eucalyptus and cypress trees bordering Ocean Avenue along the Park. In the early 1900s, the palisades were transformed into parkland. Improvements included wide walkways, new plantings, picturesque sunshades, and a rustic fence made of branches. Many of the early trees were provided by the new Park Commissioner, Edward H.
Sweetzer, who donated much of his salary toward the beautification of the landscape.40 A designated City Landmark, Palisades Park is a good example of the City Beautiful movement that incorporated some of the formal tenets of French Beaux‐Arts landscape style in the unity and harmony of its design, the axial layout, and the incorporation of key viewpoints.
Santa Monica contains several other parks, two of which also have historical associations. Lincoln Park (currently called Reed Park), like Palisades Park, was a gift of Senator Jones to the City. Located between Seventh and Eighth (now Lincoln) on Wilshire, the park is the site of the Miles Playhouse, a Santa Monica landmark designed by John Byers. Like Palisades Park, Reed Park was planted with eucalyptus trees in the early twentieth century. Douglas Park, at Chelsea and Wilshire, is known today for its lawn bowling facility.
The park also contains several reflecting pools near a shaded picnic area. The park is located on the former site of the Douglas Aircraft factory. In addition, parks throughout the city were planted during the first half of the twentieth century. Many of these tree plantings are still extant today.
An important place historically associated with Santa Monica is the Municipal Pier and Looff (Newcomb) Pier at the foot of Colorado Avenue, south of Palisades Park. The latest in the succession of pleasure piers and railroad wharves built in Santa Monica Bay, the present wood structure dates from 1921 and 1916 but has been substantially damaged in storms over the years and was subsequently rebuilt. The entrance is marked by a neon sign which forms an arch over a ramp extending from Colorado.
Other landscapes of note are the mature street trees lining many of Santa Monica’s residential streets and the median strips along San Vicente, Fourth Street and Adelaide Place. Street tree planting appears to have been part of City of Santa Monica planning beginning with the first subdivisions. As mentioned above, J. W. Scott financed the planting of eucalyptus trees along Ocean Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. Early photographs also show palms planted along Wilshire Boulevard in the 1920s. Other early tree plantings include the rows of windbreaks, usually eucalyptus, originally used to shield crops from wind. However, many of the existing street trees were part of the postwar urban redevelopment of Santa Monica. The 1956 City of Santa Monica Master Plan included a five‐year tree planting program that sought to infill trees on those streets that were not planted. The program was continued with the 1962 Public Works Master Plan that mapped existing rows of street trees and made recommendations for a planting schedule to add trees to the few remaining
38 Jones & Stokes, Finding of Effect for the California Incline Bridge, p. 7. 39 Lunsford, “The Ocean and the sunset, the hills and the clouds looking at Santa Monica,” p. 9. 40 Basten, Palisades Park Panorama, pp. 12‐13.
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treeless streets. In addition to the trees, vintage lampposts occur along streets and in parks at several locations throughout Santa Monica and contribute substantially to the ambience of the City.
2.7 Santa Monica City Hall: Building and Landscape
The existing Santa Monica City Hall replaced the first City Hall, a Mission Revival style building formerly located on the corner of Fourth Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. In 1901, Santa Monica voters approved a bond measure of $35,000 to construct the first City Hall and jail. The Fourth and Santa Monica site was purchased by the city for $4,800. Designed by H.X. Goetz, the hall was dedicated on March 19, 1903, and was welcomed warmly by the public. Despite a remodeling project completed in 1912, the first city hall was soon deemed incapable of supporting a growing city staff as Santa Monica continued to expand through the 1920s and 1930s. City officials developed plans to replace the original city hall with a new, larger structure in 1924, but these plans were not approved. In 1938, a citizen’s committee was formed to work on the planning and financing of a new city hall. Working with city officials and the Chamber of Commerce, the committee devised a creative way to fund the project, by sale of the first city hall ($168,000), application for a federal grant, and increase in taxes ($28,000). With a budget of approximately $370,000, the committee began to plan for construction.41
The new city hall was to be built on eight acres of land purchased from the Southern Pacific Railway Company, for an amount of $60,000. The plot was the site of the city’s former freight depot for 60 years,42 which because of its barren appearance, was known as “no man’s land.”43 Review of Sanborn Maps and historic photographs provide information on the topography, condition, and use of the site at the turn of the century. A 1918 Sanborn Map shows the location of proposed Main Street, low land south of Colorado and a steep gulch in the area of the future City Hall site (Figure 5). Patten & Davies Lumber Co. was located at the corner of Colorado Avenue and 4th Streets. An area of “low land” ran along Colorado Avenue and south of Patten & Davies Lumber Co. The future City Hall site was the area of ground between the “low land” and a “steep gulch,” which at the turn of the century was occupied by the Pacific Electric Railway Company’s Freight House, Olson Lumber Company sheds and yard, and a vacant motion picture studio. The Braun Bryant & Austin Asphalt Paving & Cement Contractors was located along the east side of the “steep gulch” near 4th Street. The area south of the future City Hall site was mostly vacant land at the time. The Pacific Planing Mill was located along 4th Street to the northeast. Commercial and residential development was concentrated along Ocean Avenue to the west and Pico Boulevard to the south. A 1920s photograph depicts the vicinity of the future City Hall site at the time (Figure 6). A 1950 Sanborn map shows the dramatic change that occurred in this area during the 1920s‐1940s, with the construction of Main Street Bridge, Olympic Boulevard and the Santa Monica City Hall. The triangle of land between Colorado Avenue and Olympic Boulevard had been occupied by Sears Roebuck & Company, and the Veteran’s Temporary Housing Project was located on the open land across Main Street west of City Hall (Figure 7).
The PWA Moderne‐style Santa Monica City Hall was designed in 1938 by prominent Los Angeles architects, Joseph M. Estep, and Donald B. Parkinson. The construction of the Santa Monica City Hall was begun in 1938 and completed in late 1939 by contractors, Campbell and Kelly, and totaled $168,000.44 The project was
41 Historic Resources Group, Santa Monica City Hall, Historic Structure Report (January 17, 2003). 42 Ibid.
43 “Santa Monica to Dedicate $370,000 City Hall Today,” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 25, 1939, p. 6. 44 12‐27‐1938, original permit for construction of City Hall, Permit No. B444, three stories, concrete exterior walls, and 132 rooms.
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largely funded by the federal government’s New Deal‐era Public Works Administration (PWA) program, with the remaining funds coming from city taxes and the property sale of the original City Hall on Fourth Street and Broadway. The application for the PWA grant was submitted in February, 1937.45 PWA projects commonly incorporated many building and design trades on each project, including masonry, woodwork, tile work and metalwork, sculpture and mural painting, in addition to employing artists and artisans who designed and constructed these decorative arts. Artist Stanton Macdonald‐Wright painted interior murals in the building and the Gladding McBean Company supplied the decorative tile.
Construction of the new city hall began in late 1938, continuing on through the summer and autumn of 1939.46 According to newspaper accounts of the time, removal of the Pacific Electric’s freight tracks from the new site for the Santa Monica City Hall delayed the excavation for the foundations of the new building. To speed the process, crews of men from the Pacific Electric worked overtime to raze the freight depot and loading platform from its foundations, and rip up the rails on the spur track. The north end of the new building covered much of the ground formerly occupied by the freight depot.47 Because of the topography of the site, extensive grading and site preparation was necessary, as is documented in historic photographs (Figure 8). Furthermore, the foundation preparations and construction process necessary to complete the reinforced concrete building were substantial. By late November, the building was complete and ready for dedication, with construction and engineering costs totaling approximately $297,000. Grading and landscaping costs were $12,484, less than five percent of the construction budget,48 with the primary effort going into the grading and preparation of the site for construction. It can be assumed from the construction budget and overall costs that there was little remaining funding available for landscaping the site. The building is constructed of reinforced concrete and occupies approximately 40,000 square feet. Historic photographs of City Hall shortly after completion in 1939 show the building fronted by a freshly sodded lawn and relatively austere grounds surrounding the structure (Figures 9 and 10). The existing concrete sidewalks had been installed, the planters at the front entrance were freshly planted, and palm trees were planted northwest of the building. Early furnishings included wood benches along the main entrance walk and along the front of the building; an additional palm was located at the southwest corner of the lawn. The Santa Monica City Hall was dedicated on November 24, 1939, under the democratic principles of “truth, liberty and tolerance,” which are stated in the dedication plaque imbedded in the pavement before the front steps of the building. The building’s completion was hailed as a victory for cooperative action, as well as the result of integrated efforts between residents, officials and the Federal government.
No original site plan or planting plan was found among the architectural plans obtained by PCR from the Parkinson Archives. However, the original building plans do show the concrete planters that flank the front entrance to the building and are still extant (Figure 11). A 1939 post card depicts an idealized view of Santa Monica City Hall at the time of its dedication (Figure 12). Historic photographs made shortly after the building was completed show an open landscape with a freshly sodded grass lawn and symmetrically laid out concrete sidewalks for pedestrian circulation, which is still extant. Prior to the building’s dedication, two tall Mexican Fan Palms were planted in the recessed court along the south elevation (Figure 13), which may have been moved from the Old City Hall. The palm trees, even the sod that once beautified the old city hall
45 “City Hall Dedicated: State and Federal Officials Join in Santa Monica Ceremony,” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 26, 1939, p. B12. 46 Historic Resources Group, Santa Monica City Hall, Historic Structure Report (January 17, 2003). 47 “Excavation for City Hall Delayed,” Evening Outlook, December 5, 1938. 48 Ibid.
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site were moved to the new civic center location.49 A 1939 photograph also depicts a large rectangular planting bed filled with a simple field of daisies at the front entrance to City Hall; the bed of daisies occupied the same location as the existing Rose Garden, and were presumably planted for the building’s dedication (Figure 14). It was reported at the time, “Today the site is being transformed into a park—a garden linking Santa Monica and Ocean Park.”50 Another article reported, “This building, finished only a few weeks ago, houses Santa Monica’s municipal government and marks the fruition of a dream of civic leaders for many years past—that the waste area formerly known as ‘no man’s land’ might be transferred into a beautiful civic center, now rapidly assuming form through clever landscaping.”51 Other early landscape plantings during 1940 included symmetrically laid out decorative foundation plantings (shrubs and hedges) as well as ornamental shrubs, trees and more palm trees (Figures 15, 16 and 17). Their location, scale and texture accentuated the classical symmetry and visual prominence of City Hall’s monumental architecture. In addition, there were decorative foundation plantings around the building in the rear courtyard (east) and around the Jail wing. Three Canary Island Date Palms were planted at the northeast corner of the parking area north of the Jail. Historic photographs also shows that landscape plantings and fencing were originally used to define the northern border of the site, including a curved row of Mexican Fan Palms (extant) and a concrete fence along the sidewalk from the corner of the site to the Main Street Bridge (removed). The two benches were symmetrically placed along the east side of the lateral front sidewalk. Two other benches were symmetrically placed along the main entrance walkway.
Over years as funds became available and the impetus to beautify the grounds of City Hall was felt among civic leaders and the community, various landscape improvements around the building were completed which have resulted in the landscape setting we see today. The first change occurred in 1951, when a rose garden was planted in front of the entrance as a memorial to local men killed in war. Dedicated on Armistice Day, 1951, the rose garden still provides a space for remembrance and reflection.52 Historic photographs show the 1950s appearance of the City Hall landscape (Figures 18‐21). The front façade of City Hall was articulated by two rows of five original Windmill Palms. Well manicured foundation hedges were planted between the Windmill Palms, and flanked the concrete planters at the front entrance. A widely spaced row of six manicured ornamental shrubs lined the lawn on the east side of the lateral front sidewalk at the front of the building. The front entrance was flanked by four Junipers, and the planting boxes also contained manicured low‐profile shrubs or hedges. The two original bench furnishings were still in place, symmetrically placed along the east side of the lateral front sidewalk. Two other original bench furnishings were symmetrically placed along the main entrance walkway, facing the rose garden. Narrow, linear planting beds containing symmetrically organized low‐profile ornamental plantings bordered the north and south lawns along the main entrance walk. Three features similar to bollards or posts appear to have been located temporarily at the west end of the rose garden, but are not clearly distinguishable in the historic photos (Figure 18). An ornamental tree was located at the northwest corner of the building. Three ornamental trees lined the lawn along the south side of the Council parking lot, and an additional ornamental tree was planted along the edge of the lawn north of the Council parking lot. A gracefully curving row of
49 “Ornate City Hall Turned Into Ghostly Ruins at Santa Monica,” Los Angeles Times, Jan. 6, 1939, p. 14. 50 “Santa Monica to Dedicate $370,000 City Hall Today,” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 25, 1939. 51 “S.M. City Government House in Fine Structure, Civic Center Plans Carried to Fruition During Past Years,” Evening Outlook, November 22, 1940, p. 22 top.
52 “CityHall War Memorial Dedication to Highlight Observance of Armistice Day,” Evening Outlook, November 8, 1951, p. 19.
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Mexican Fan Palms lined the brow of the hill overlooking Olympic Boulevard. The steeply‐graded hill was terraced with what appear to be retaining walls and planted with decorative annuals/perennials in a regularized pattern that included a well‐manicured centerpiece with the words “City Hall.” A sidewalk along Olympic Boulevard entered the City Hall site at its northeastern corner, providing access to the rear, east courtyard of the building. The Council parking lot was located at the building’s north court and featured three Canary Island Date Palms. There was an oval traffic circle in the rear east court and additional parking behind the building. The borders of the site were planted with lawns and improved with concrete sidewalks.
The south elevation featured two very tall Mexican Fan Palms.
A gift of friendship and appreciation was taking root in the Santa Monica City Hall gardens on November 29, 1955, after a thousand tulip bulbs from the Netherlands were planted there. The tulips, an entirely new strain, were named for the city by the donors, Piet van den Bleenhoven, local importer and Santa Monica resident, and his associates in Holland, the Bergers brothers of Lisne. Van den Bleenhoven explained that it all started at the end of World War II with the liberation of Holland from the Nazis. The Dutch people had a great feeling of appreciation toward America, and one such person was C. M. Bergers, a veteran bulb grower, who visited Santa Monica in 1944. He was so impressed with the climate and beauty of Santa Monica, that he named one of his outstanding novelties after the city. Permission for the naming was given by the City Council and after more years of development the first bulbs finally arrived. The flower was a bright cherry red and sturdier than previous varieties.53
Changes to the City Hall building have resulted in substantial alterations to the site and landscape on the east side (rear) of City Hall. In 1958 a major 27,000 square‐foot addition was attached to the rear of City Hall, between the Jail and the Fire Department wings. The addition was designed by J. Harold Melstrom to function as offices and expanded jail facilities for the Police Department.54 The three‐story brick masonry addition was connected to the north and south wings of the original building, obscuring the original east elevation of the building and demolishing original landscape features behind the building including the traffic oval; however, a 50‐by‐120‐foot courtyard was left between the wings between the original rear elevation and the new addition to the east.55 The Santa Monica Police Department moved into the new $438,00 City Hall Annex on June 3, 1959. The basement of the annex contained a pistol range, and the building contained new jail facilities to relieve the overcrowding which frequently existed at the old jail. The old jail facilities, however, remained in use.56 Additional remodeling of the police buildings occurred in 1966.57
A 1958 photo showing the front façade of City Hall (Figure 22) suggests the landscaping was also refurbished around this time, probably in conjunction with the overall Civic Center improvements. The narrow planting beds along the main entrance walk were taken out and replaced with an evenly‐spaced row of well‐ manicured small ornamental trees. The four original Junipers in the planting boxes flanking the front
53 “Dutch Friendship Tulips Will Beautify City Hall,” Evening Outlook, November 29, 1955, p. 11. 54 “$175,000 City Hall Addition Given Approval, Architect Authorized To Draw Up Plans,” Evening Outlook, April 24, 1957, p. 1. 55 “City Hall Building Plan Aired,” Evening Outlook, Sept. 11, 1957, p. 1‐2. 56 “Santa Monica Police Dept. Move Into New $438,000 City Hall Annex,” Evening Outlook, June 3, 1959, p. 23. 57 07‐23‐1958, Permit No. B24341, Architect: J.A Melstrom, Contractor: Cal‐Western Construction, Inc., addition of police building, three stories, masonry and concrete walls, concrete floor joists. 10‐21‐1966, Permit No. B38590, Architect: Santa Monica Department of Engineering, Contractor: Motz Engineering, remodeling of police buildings, removal and relocation of interior walls, electrical and plumbing work.
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entrance may also have been trimmed back or replaced at this time and two additional coniferous shrubs appearing to be Yews were introduced in the planters.
Esther McCoy lamented the Civic Center development’s impact on the City Hall landscape in 1962, “a small disaster went almost unnoticed at the very door of the Santa Monica council chambers. Gardens and old parking lots were ripped up and a continuous floor of asphalt was poured. This is what we got in place of the garden and old landscaped parking slots: 91 new spaces. In two or three years this will be inadequate. Then what?”58
Grace Heintz provides us with a narrative description of the landscape plantings on the City Hall site in 1976, in which she characterizes the appearance of the building and landscape at the time and provides specific information on the species and locations of the plantings:
Balanced symmetry is the keynote in plantings at the City Hall. Along the street curb in front grows a line of Podocarpus macrophylla var. maki. In the lawn north of the rear parking entrance, near the bridge over the freeway, stands a magnificent clump of Yucca elephantipes. A row of Washintgonia robusta (Mexican Fan Palm) lines the crest of the freeway cut. Farther back in the parking lot north of the building are 3 Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis). Three Carobs (Ceratonia siliqua) line the south side of the parking lot. A bunya‐bunya (Araucaria bidwillii) stands at the northwest corner of the building. Along the north wall are Yew pines (Podocarpus macrophylla), with Bird‐of‐Paradise (Strelitzia regiane) and a bank of Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa).
The western façade has matching quintets of Windmill Palms (Trachycarpus fortune), and four fine Hollywood Junipers (Juniperus chinensis ‘Kaizuka’) flank the main entrance, matched by an equally happy pair at the street end of the entrance walkway. Along the south face of the building are more Yew pines, compact trees with slender leaves four to five inches long; Bird‐of‐Paradise with conspicuous orange and blue flowers; New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax), with six‐foot sword‐line leaves; Green Dracena (Cordyline australis); and very tall Mexican Fan Palms. Carobs line the border of the parking lot, between the lot and the street are two elegant clumps of Senegal Date Palm (Phoenix reclinata) and a small Olive tree (Olea europea).59 Photographs in the City’s 1974‐1975 annual report (Figures 23 and 24) are a useful companion to the above description. The large exotic tree at the northwest corner of City Hall is the Bunya‐bunya (Araucaria bidwillii) described by Heintz and is estimated to be around 50 years old but was not part of original 1930s design. The Hollywood Junipers Heintz described at the Main Street end of the entrance walkway are depicted in the 1974‐1975 photographs. Based upon their appearance in the 1974‐1975 photos it is likely the Junipers were planted about 40 years ago and were not a part of the original 1930s design.60 A flag pole was installed in the rose garden prior to 1974‐1975. By this time, the narrow planting beds bordering the
58 Esther McCoy, “Santa Monica’s Inspiration Point—It’s at End of the Line,” Los Angeles Times, Oct. 28, 1962, p. 4. 59 George T. Hastings, Trees of Santa Monica, revised and rewritten by Grace Heintz (Santa Monica: Friends of the Santa Monica Library, 1976), 18.
60 A photograph showing a tree planting at city hall in 1949 on the north side by council parking shows the Bunya‐bunya was not yet planted at the time. The tree is estimated to be about 50 years of age by City staff. Personal communication, Randy Little, Public Landscape Staff to Scott Albright, Planning Staff, City of Santa Monica.
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main entrance walk had been replanted and the ca. 1958 ornamental trees removed from that location. Five Carob trees lined the lawn at southern edge of the site. The substantial 1958 additions to the east side of City Hall are depicted in Figure 23, along with the parking area expansion to the east in the location of the former lawn. A very large deciduous tree was located behind City Hall at the northeast corner of the addition. Three small ornamental trees lined the north edge of the expanded parking area. A manicured hedge existed at the brow of the hill overlooking the freeway in the location of the former Olympic Boulevard. The hedge followed the curved line created by the original Mexican Fan Palms at the crest of the hill, and the Canary Island Date Palms at the northeast corner of the Council parking area were still extant. There were plantings in the central court (east court) and along the south side of the building, but the types of plantings are not discernable from the photographs. The two tall Mexican Fan Palms along the south elevation and the ten Windmill Palms along the west elevation of City Hall continued to articulate the exterior facades. A row of street trees had been introduced along the west edge of Main Street side walk.
In 1977, another addition to the City Hall building was completed to accommodate police department expansion with a new locker room, sauna, and whirlpool. Concrete ramps were added to the front and rear entrances of the building to provide for disability access. 61 The North and South gardens along the front of City Hall were altered in 1982 with the creation of succulent gardens. Most of the plantings in the gardens along the front of City Hall were removed at the time with the exception of the Windmill palms (Figures 25, 26 and 27).62 The North Garden, situated along the front of the building north of the main entrance, was again replanted in 1992 with plants uniquely suited to Santa Monica’s soil and climate, creating an ideal habitat for indigenous birds, butterflies and other beneficial insects. According to the marker in the garden, it is a California‐friendly garden, requiring little water or fertilizer and only quarterly maintenance.
The rear 1958 and 1977 additions were later removed and a new separate, detached police headquarters building constructed behind City Hall in 2003. Thereafter, the historic appearance of the east elevation of City Hall was largely restored. The new 117,000 square foot Public Safety Building houses the police and fire departments as well as jail facilities. Contemporary in design, it is the first major facility in Santa Monica built with the intent of minimizing its lifecyle impact on the natural environment while providing for the health and comfort of the building’s occupants.63 It is interesting to note that during excavation for the new Public Safety Building, bulldozers hit a giant six‐foot‐square concrete box with a system of pipes running through and around it. Because of visible oil residue, city historians speculated the box may have held crude oil to power the old Southern Pacific Railroad steam engines at the Main Street and Colorado Avenue Depot during the 1920s and was left behind in the 1930s when the canyon was filled with dirt.64
61 9‐13‐1977, Permit No. B50200, Architect: Don M. Ramos, Contractor: Hal Summers, new locker room, sauna and whirlpool for police department, measures 52’2” x 21’9,” one –story, frame and stucco exterior walls, total floor area of 3,552 square feet. 06‐29‐1982, Permit No. 55207, Architect: Niver Engineering, Contractor: Hal Summers, addition to second floor of police department building.
07‐25‐1983, Permit No. 56047, Architect: City of Santa Monica Engineering Division, Contractor, B.P Kent Company Inc., construction of concrete ramp at north wing of the hallway in the main city hall building. 62 Personal communication, Scott Albright, Planning Department, City of Santa Monica. 63 http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Green_Building/Public_Safety_Building.aspx (accessed 2/3/2011); http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Greenbuilding/CaseStudies/Public/SMPubSafety.htm (accessed 2/3/2011); 64 “Striking oil, No It’s not a new well—construction crews building the new police station have uncovered a piece of Santa Monica history,” Our Times, December 12, 1999, p. 2.
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The southern border of the City Hall site features a recently completed contemporary landscape which appears to be associated with the new Public Safety facility and the recently improved streetscape along Olympic Drive. This contemporary landscape consists of a tall hedge at the south end of City Hall, wide swaths of succulent plantings, and a row of street trees along Olympic Drive.
ADA access improvements and reconfiguration of the entrances on the south elevation of the historic Jail are a part of the current Jail Retrofit project, and a new utility room to support the reuse of the historic Jail as a data center has recently been completed at the southeast corner of City Hall.
2.8 Santa Monica City Hall Landscape: Events and Public Use The dedication of the new Santa Monica City Hall took place on November 25, 1939, amidst great patriotic feeling and community pride in “the fulfillment of a long‐cherished municipal dream.” The total reported cost for the project announced at the dedication ceremony was $370,000. More than 5,000 persons thronged the “newly sodded lawn.” Numerous speakers including national, state and city officials and Southland executives occupied the speaker’s platform at the main entrance. Mayor Edmund S. Gillette declared the new Civic Center would “weld all sections of the city into one community,” and Kenneth Godwin, P.W.A. western director, reviewed the P.W.A. role in financing the project, beginning with the grant application in February, 1937. Dedication rituals were conducted by the Santa Monica Elks Lodge and the Santa Monica Bay Parlor of the Native Sons. The Elks Lodge presented an American Flag, and Sheriff Eugene Biscailuz presented a California Bear Flag on behalf of the Native Sons. The Native Sons also placed a plaque in front of the main entrance, dedicating the city hall “to the principles of truth, Liberty, and tolerance.”65 The Santa Monica Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented a flag, and the Veterans Service League conducted the flag raising ceremony. Program speakers included U.S. District Attorney Ben Harrison, J.F.T. O’Connor, former United States Comptroller, Leo Carillo, and former Representative John Dockweiler.66 Jimmy Wallington, master of ceremonies, introduced Donald Parkinson and Joseph M. Estep, architects; G. F. Campbell of the Campbell Kelly Co., contractors; Horatio W. Bishop, resident engineer for P.W.A.; Fred Jarbo, City Inspector; Representative Leland M. Ford; Sherriff Eugene Biscailuz; Oscar Hague; Mayor Bowron of Los Angeles; and Postmaster Phillip T. Hill of Santa Monica.67 A five‐day Fete to honor Santa Monica’s 75th birthday was held on July 12‐16, 1950. The opening ceremony took place on the City Hall steps where the Jubilee Queen, after disembarking from her helicopter at City Hall, was greeted by her court of ladies‐in‐waiting and city officials. A variety of public events were held throughout the city including a lifeguard rescue demonstration, the opening concert and coronation, world’s largest square dance, numerous displays and exhibits, street dancing and entertainment, a parade, a great variety of tournaments, a folk dance festival, a muscle beach athletic show, and several theatrical plays and musical concerts.68
Dedication of a Civic Center rose garden in memory of Santa Monica war dead and the traditional street corner taps ceremonies in tribute to the fallen war heroes highlighted Santa Monica’s observance of Armistice Day in November 1951. A feature of the rose garden program, sponsored by the Santa Monica Bay Chapter, Gold Star Mothers, was the public unveiling of a bronze marker in front of City Hall. A number of
65 “New City Hall Dedicated to Principles of Democracy and Americanism in Government,” Evening Outlook, November 25, 1939, p. 2. 66 “City Hall Dedicated: State and Federal Officials Join in Santa Monica Ceremony,” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 26, 1939, p. B12. 67 “Santa Monica to Dedicate $370,000 City Hall Today,” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 25, 1939, p. 6. 68 “Diamond Jubilee Celebration Starts Wednesday, Queen’s Arrival to Open Colorful Observance of City’s 75th Birthday,” Evening Outlook, July 8, 1950, p. 5.
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veterans organizations and civic officials were in attendance. Mayor Russell K. Hart spoke at the dedication, which included songs by mother‐singers and placing of flowers by veterans organizations in memory of the men and women who sacrificed their lives in defense of their country.69 Beginning in 1956, the City Council decreed that Santa Monica’s Christmas Flag should fly below the American and California state flags from the morning after the lighting of the Santa Monica Nativity Scenes until the end of the year. The original flag, a handmade replica of a 14th‐Century flag, was a gift of former resident, Actress Joan Wilcoxon and her husband Henry, who formerly staged Christmas plays at Miles Playhouse and later at the Civic Auditorium during the 1950s. Due to potential hazards to workmen, the flagpole was moved from atop the City Hall to the east lawn in the early 1970s.70 During the latter part of the twentieth century and continuing until the present time, the City Hall landscape has been the cultural and social center of city government. For example, in 1987 the city symbolically renamed the access roads around City Hall in honor of Santa Monica’s three sister cities: Fuji, Japan; Hamm, West Germany; and Mazatlan, Mexico. Large blue and white street signs were installed surrounding City hall, topped with the crests of the cities they honored, and under the city names the sister city connection was noted in smaller print. Mayor Pro Tempore Herb Katz officiated at the unveiling ceremony that was attended by 14 Fuji residents visiting Santa Monica through the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Monica Sister Cities Association.71
The continued social role of the landscape is documented in an article in the Outlook on June 22, 1989, which reported that a Santa Monica feeding program drawing more than 300 homeless people nightly was being transferred to the front lawn of City Hall from Palisades Park. The City’s role was to provide a public space for the program while a volunteer citizens group operated the feeding program.72 Again in 1994, the landscape served a social and political function as the location for a 10‐week sleep‐in on the City Hall lawn in demonstration against Santa Monica’s park closure law of 1993, which closed the city parks at night.73 Again more recently, the City Hall landscape was the location for another political demonstration. Several hundred high school students, university students, church groups and community members from all over Los Angeles county slept outside on the lawns of City Hall on behalf of the invisible children of northern Uganda who are abducted and forced to fight as soldiers.74
69 “City Hall War Memorial Dedication to Highlight Observance of Armistice,” Evening Outlook, November 8, 1951, p. 19. 70 “Christmas Flag to Fly Over SM City Hall,” Dec. 3, 1965, Evening Outlook, p. 25; “Christmas Flag Gets Relocated,” Evening Outlook, Dec. 18, 1972, p. 11
71 “Sister cities get sign of respect, SM renames City Hall access roads,” Evening Outlook, June 19, 1987, p. A3. 72 “SM Food Program Relocated, Meals to be Served on City Hall Lawn,” The Outlook, June 22, 1989, p. B1. 73 “Homeless end long City Hall protest,” The Outlook, August 26, 1993, p. B1. 74 “Camping Out for Invisible Children,” Santa Monica Mirror, May 4, 2006.
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Figure 4. Vicinity of City Hall in 1895 (Sanborn Map, Santa Monica, 1895, Sheet 10)
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Figure 5. Future City Hall site in 1918, showing former Olson Lumber Co. on future City Hall site with proposed Main Street to west, low land to north, and steep gulch to southeast (Sanborn Map, Santa Monica, 1918, Sheet 17)
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Figure 6. View showing area of “low land” northeast of Colorado Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, with Pacific Electric car traveling west through arroyo; future City Hall site is on high land to south on right side of photo, and Patten & Davies Lumber Co. appears to north in background (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives)
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Figure 7. City Hall site in 1950, showing Olympic Boulevard and Sears Roebuck Co. to north, Private Street to south, and Veteran’s Temporary Housing Project to west. (Sanborn Map, Santa Monica, 1950, Sheet 17)
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Figure 8. City Hall under construction, November 16, 1939 (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives)
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Figure 9. City Hall, 1939, view to northeast, showing new concrete sidewalks, freshly planted concrete planters flanking the front entrance, and palm trees at north border of site (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives)
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Figure 10. City Hall, 1939, showing freshly sodded front lawn and concrete sidewalks; planters at front entrance are still empty; two palm trees appear northwest of the building; furnishings include wood benches along the main entrance walk and along the front of the building; an additional palm was located at the southwest corner of the lawn
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Figure 11. First Floor Plan, Santa Monica City Hall, August 4, 1939 (Donald B. Parkinson and J. M. Estep Associated Architects)
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Figure 12. Post Card, 1939, depicting New City Hall, Santa Monica, California (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives)
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Figure 13. New City Hall, November 23, 1939, prior to dedication (Los Angeles Public Library)
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Figure 14. City Hall Entrance, 1939, showing daisies in planting bed at front entrance, concrete planters flanking front entrance (still unplanted), and brick steps to entrance (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives)
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Figure 15. City Hall, 1940, showing palms planted along south elevation and at southeast corner of building, decorative foundation plantings in the rear courtyard, and palm tree was planted at northeast corner of the parking area north of the Jail (City of Santa Monica).
Figure 16. City Hall, ca. 1940, plantings at northwest corner of building (City of Santa Monica).
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Figure 17. Historic appearance of Santa Monica City Hall, ca. 1940‐1941, after landscaping had been completed (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives)
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Figure 18. Santa Monica City Hall, February 6, 1956 (Fairchild Aerial Surveys)
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Figure 19. Santa Monica City Hall prior to 1958 alterations (Courtesy City of Santa Monica)
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Figure 20. City Hall during the 1950s (Courtesy City of Santa Monica)
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Figure 21. City Hall during the 1950s (Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives)
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Figure 22. City Hall, 1958, showing Rose Garden, front entrance and landscaping at the time (Santa Monica Public Library)
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Figure 23. Aerial View, City Hall in 1975 (Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 1974‐1975)
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Figure 24. City Hall in 1975, view to north (Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 1974‐1975)
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Figure 25. City Hall entrance, ca. 1982, before the installation of the succulent garden (Los Angeles Public Library)
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Figure 26. City Hall entrance, 1983 (Los Angeles Public Library)
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Figure 27. City Hall showing succulent gardens, view to south (Santa Monica Public Library)
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3.0 CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES ANALYSIS
The existing landscape setting associated with the City Hall site is associated with several important historical themes developed above, including the history of the communities of Santa Monica and Ocean Park; Transportation Improvements in Santa Monica; the City Beautiful Movement; Moderne Architecture; the work of notable architects Parkinson and Estep; Landscape Architecture; development of public Parks, Places and Spaces in Santa Monica; the design and construction history of Santa Monica City Hall: Building and Landscape; and the cultural and social history of Santa Monica City Hall Landscape: Events and Public Use. The landscape has two primary periods of significance, 1939‐1940 for architecture and design, and 1938‐1957 for cultural, social and political history and historic personages associated with the site. If we apply the National Register guidelines, the period of significance for architecture and design is 1939‐1940, and for history, 1939‐1961, due to the 50‐year threshold. The integrity of the pedestrian circulation system and layout is high. However, the integrity of the historic landscape has been impacted by alterations to the City Hall building and landscape beginning in 1958, as discussed above; therefore, the period of significance must be restricted to 1938‐1957. Under the National Register, later landscape improvements may attain significance under Criterion A for their association with history or events and may be evaluated for significance as contributing features once they reach the 50‐year threshold.
Existing Description
The City Hall building dominates the broad, relatively symmetrical and formal landscape which visually supports the structure’s monumentality and prominence on the site. The building exterior is an example of the 1930s PWA Moderne style of architecture, which emphasized balanced massing, smooth lines, symmetrical fenestration, faceted corners, and the use of understated decorative elements. The architectural composition of City Hall consists of a three‐story central pavilion flanked by two‐and‐a‐half story symmetrical wings. The building’s distinctive architectural features include the stepped and faceted mass, stylized vertical fluting, horizontal streamline detailing, a variety of decorative ornamental features and tile work. The foot print, scale, form, balanced massing, classical proportions and concrete masonry construction of the building are the primary architectural and design characteristics that have a direct relationship with the landscape setting. The projecting central pavilion, the L‐shaped wings to the north and south with recessed courts, a rear U‐shaped courtyard to the east, and the faceted treatment of the building’s corners, all directly influence the figure/ground relationship of the architecture with the surrounding landscape. Likewise, the site layout, design, and proportions of the various landscape components relates directly to the building’s footprint, scale, massing, design composition, and distinctive monumental architecture.
The City Hall is oriented facing west toward Main Street and is situated in the center of a generally flat site which consists of approximately 6.24 acres (Figures 3 and 28). The existing setting for Santa Monica City Hall is defined by its open character and symmetrical organization which presently appears much as it did during the historic period (1938‐1957). The landscape setting is distinguished by an expansive front lawn that encompasses the majority of the western front of the site. The symmetrical layout of the sidewalks, planters and planting beds reinforces the architectural design of the PWA Moderne City Hall, and the original Palm tree plantings still enliven the west and south facades of the building and define the northern border of the site.
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Original concrete sidewalks provide for pedestrian circulation across the City Hall site and around the building. The centrally located entrance walk provides pedestrian access to the main entrance of City Hall from Main Street. The entrance walk consists of two similar east‐to‐west sidewalks consisting of three rows of concrete squares each, with squares measuring approximately four feet square. The entrance walk intersects at its east and west ends with two sidewalks that cross the site from north to south, along Main Street on the west and the front of City Hall on the east. The entrance walk is bordered by original eight‐inch brick pavers laid in two rows flush with the surface of the side walk. The brick border runs along the outer edge of the entrance walk, curving outward at the west end of the walk; at the east end of the entrance walk the brick border continues across the sidewalk fronting City Hall and along the edge of the concrete planters at the front of the building to the brick entrance steps. A similar brick treatment borders the Planting Bed at Main Entrance. Additional sidewalks traverse the outer north and south edges of the front lawn, continue along the north and south elevations of City Hall, curving around the corners of the building and the recessed courts at the sides and at the back of the building. It appears the original sidewalks have been retained to a large extent. Where damage or deterioration has occurred or alterations were necessary, especially behind the building, the concrete squares have been largely replaced in kind. The integrity of the pedestrian circulation and layout is high.
Two concrete planters flank the main entrance to City Hall. The planters are original to the building and appear on the historic building plans and photographs. The concrete planter south of the entrance has been altered for a concrete ADA ramp. The integrity of the north planter is intact.
The main front entrance as well as the original secondary entrances on the side and rear elevations of the building are largely intact. The front entrance consists of concrete steps and a concrete landing with decorative brick edging. The secondary entrances have concrete steps and landings. The existing pipe railings at the entrances are not depicted in the historic photographs and appear to be later additions, and they are compatible with the architectural character of City Hall. The original Main Entrance and the majority of the original secondary entrances are largely intact, except for the addition of ADA ramps at the front and rear of the building.
Among the first plantings on the site were palm trees, which are still extant. Two Mexican Fan Palms were planted along the south elevation of the building in November 1939, and in a curved row at the northern border of the property. Windmill Palms were planted in 1939‐1940 along the foundation at the west front of the building. Canary Island Date Palms were planted at the northeast corner of the Council parking area.
Foundation plantings were first installed in 1939 after the building was completed. Initial plantings occurred in November and December for the City Hall dedication, and additional plantings were installed during the following year, as indicated in the historic photographs. Over the years as the plantings matured and tastes changed, the plantings and gardens were replaced. Comparison of the historic photographs with the existing conditions shows that most of the original plantings are no longer extant, with the exception of the original palms; however, the planting beds remain in their original locations and are contributing features.
The 1939 rectangular planting bed in the entrance walk is an original landscape feature of the City Hall site, as documented in the historic photographs. There is an original four‐inch concrete curb around the rectangular garden bed. The bed is surrounded by a rectangular grass border. There is an original six‐inch concrete curb around the grass border. Original eight‐inch brick pavers laid in two rows and flush with the
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surface of the side walk form a border around the outer edges of the concrete curb, bordering the entrance walk. The garden contains a relocated metal flagpole set in a concrete base. A row of regularly placed noncontributing concrete‐block stepping stones in the rose bed provide access from the grass border to the relocated flag pole. Noncontributing lighting fixtures in the planting bed light the flagpole at night.
There are two symmetrical planting beds that flank the main entrance walk at its outer north and south edges. They are long rectangular beds which retain original 1939 six‐inch concrete curbing along the edges of the entrance walk. However, the other edges of the planting beds are bordered with non‐original L‐ shaped concrete edging blocks. The planting beds contain symmetrically planted junipers which are non‐ contributing later additions. The other plantings are later replacements and are also noncontributing.
Ornamental tree plantings occurred during the 1940s along the sidewalks bordering the front lawn, however relatively few of these trees are still remaining today. Two Carob trees still exist in their original locations at the north entrance to the front lawn from the parking lot; one of the two trees appears to be an original planting while the other appears to be a later replacement. A large Bunya‐Bunya tree planted during the late 1950s or 1960s is located in the North Garden, at the northwest corner of the City Hall building; it was described by Grace Heintz in 1976 and was mature at that time. Other tree plantings appear to have occurred more recently along the border of the lawn surrounding the parking lot and are non‐contributing.
The main entrance features a large rose garden flanked by symmetrical entrance walks. Known as the Veterans Rose Garden (1951), this is a contributing landscape feature important for its historical associations with site and not as a design element. It contains 52 rose bushes regularly spaced in four rows with 13 bushes in each row. Two markers are located in the rose bed, symmetrically placed at each end of the rose garden: (1) the concrete marker at the east end of the rose bed has a bronze plaque upon which is inscribed the following words, “This Rose Garden is dedicated in loving memory of those men of our community who have given their lives in the service of our country. November 11, 1951. The Gold Star Mothers. The City of Santa Monica;” (2) the concrete marker at the west end of the rose bed has a concrete plaque upon which is inscribed these words, “Erected by the Sons of the Revolution in the State of California in memory of distinguished member Eugene Warren Biscailuz 1883‐1969 A Peace Officer for Los Angeles County For Half a Century Memorial Day 1970.” The second marker is a non‐contributing addition to the rose garden, reflecting the garden’s continued function as a community memorial in the 1970s.
Character Defining Features
The result of the landscape analysis is illustrated on Figure 28, which identifies existing contributing historic landscape features dating from between 1938‐1939 when the initial landscaping effort was completed for the City Hall dedication ceremony, and continuing through 1940 when most of the original improvements to the City Hall landscape were completed. Figure 28 also includes contributing landscape improvements made during the 1940s‐1950s, prior to the 1958 alteration of City Hall, which marks the end of the period of significance for the historic landscape. The fully developed historic appearance of the landscape is depicted on historic Figures 18 and 19, prior to the 1958 additions to City Hall. Since 1958, there have been two changes to the landscape which have attained significance and are contributing features. The first is the Bunya‐Bunya tree planted at the northwest corner of City Hall during the late 1950s or 1960s, described by Grace Heintz in her 1976 description of the gardens. The second is the flagpole, an original architectural feature which was relocated to the Veterans Rose Garden from the roof of City Hall during the 1970s.
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The front façade of City Hall is presently articulated by seven of ten original Windmill Palms (two are missing from the north garden and one from the south) planted there in 1939 [Map Key No. 1]. The original concrete planters flanking the front entrance of City Hall are extant, and they contain mature Junipers that appear to have been replanted there about 1958 (Figure 22) [Map Key No. 2]. The dedication marker for City Hall is located in the concrete pavement at the front of the building [Map Key No. 3].
The rectangular planting bed (1939) depicted in the historic photographs (Figure 14) is extant in the center of the main entrance walkway [Map Key No. 4]. To the north and south, original concrete curbs (1939) bordering the lawn remain extant [Map Key No. 5].
The original concrete sidewalks (1939) remain in the western portion of the site, in the north and south courts, and against the building on the interior of the rear east court [Map Key No. 6]. Original concrete steps provide a transition from the sidewalks to the building entrances [Map Key No. 7]. The original lawn areas laid out in 1939 remain extant in the western, northwestern, and southeastern portions of the site [Map Key No. 8]. The Council Parking lot located to the north of City Hall retains its original configuration at the building’s north court [Map Key No. 9]; however, the entrance driveway has been widened and the remainder of the original vehicular parking area and circulation formerly behind the building to the east has been substantially altered.
The three Canary Island Date Palms planted in 1939 in the Council Parking area remain extant [Map Key No. 10]. Likewise, the gracefully curving row of five original Mexican Fan Palms still lines the brow of the hill overlooking the Santa Monica Freeway (previously Olympic Boulevard) [Map Key No. 11]; and two original Mexican Fan Palms are still located along the south elevation of the building [Map Key No. 11]. The steeply‐ graded hill to the north is still extant and remnants of the original terracing and retaining walls appear to be underneath the overgrowth [Map Key No. 12]; a new non‐contributing retaining wall/barrier has been constructed along the edge of the freeway and the northeast corner of the site has been reconfigured for the 4th Street Bridge and new Public Safety Building. One of three Carob trees that lined the lawn during the 1940s along the south side of the Council parking lot appears extant [Map Key 13].
Narrow, linear planting beds, ca. 1940s, containing relatively symmetrical non‐original low‐profile ornamental plantings border the north and south lawns along the original main entrance walk [Map Key 14].
The original planting beds at the foundations of City Hall still remain along the front of the building and in the side and rear courts [Map Key No. 15], although the majority of the existing plantings are later alterations after 1958. For example, the existing plantings in the north court, including the Giant Bird of Paradise, Junipers and Queen Palms, and the Queen Palms in corner of the rear east court were planted most likely during the 1970s and are non‐contributing. The foundation plantings along the south elevation and in the front north and south gardens are more non‐contributing recent alterations.
The relocated flagpole presently situated in the Veterans Rose Garden was moved from its original location on top of City Hall during the 1970s [Map Key No. 16].75 As such, it is a contributing feature associated with the City Hall building where it was originally located. The flagpole continued its original function after its
75 Due to potential hazards to workmen, the flagpole was moved from atop the City Hall to the east lawn in the early 1970s. “Christmas Flag Gets Relocated,” Evening Outlook, Dec. 18, 1972, p. 11.
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relocation to its present location. Therefore, the flagpole is an original contributing feature of City Hall that has retained its significance because it continued its original use after its relocation and remains associated with the City Hall property. The Veterans Rose Garden located in the 1939 planting bed in front of City Hall was dedicated in 1951 and contains a bronze marker commemorating the dedication [Map Key No. 17].
The curved hedgerow presently located on the brow of the hill in line with the Mexican Fan Palms appears to be in the same location as a hedge shown on Figure 18 [Map Key No. 18]. The Bunya‐Bunya tree located at the northwest corner of City Hall in the north garden was depicted in the 1975 aerial view (Figure 23) and described by Grace Heintz in 1976. Mature at the time, it was most likely planted sometime during the 1960s, after the 1958 improvements to City Hall [Map Key No. 19].
The original oval traffic circle in the rear east court was demolished in 1958 when the police department additions to City Hall were constructed. However, several segments of the pedestrian walkway and the entrance steps to the building, in rear east court still remain near the east elevation and were not demolished for the 1958 additions. The historic appearance of the building was restored sometime after the removal of the rear additions in 2003, probably around 2006 and the oval traffic circle was partially reconstructed at that time [Map Key No. 20], retaining the original segments of the pedestrian walkway and the entrance steps. Originally a key landscape feature, the courtyard oval retains some of its original elements and although it was partially demolished, it was later partially reconstructed in a manner that conveys the original design intent; therefore, this is a character‐defining feature.
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Packet Pg. 705 Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) FIGURE
Source: PCR Services Corporation, 2011.
0 70 140 Feet
Character Defining Features Analysis, Landscape and Grounds, Santa Monica City Hall, Santa Monica, California
Landscaping
X
Project Boundary
Main Street
4th Street
Olympic Drive
10 1
32 2
1 1
Map Key
1) 7 of 10 original Windmill Palms (1939)
2)Concrete Planters (1939) containing replacement Junipers (c. 1950s) 3) Dedication marker (1939)
4) Rectangular planting bed (1939)
5) Concrete curbs for linear planting beds (1939)
6) Sidewalks (1939)
7) Entrance steps (1939)
8) Lawn areas (1939)
9) Council Parking Lot (1939)
10) Canary Island Date Palms in parking lot (1939)
11) Mexican Fan Palms (1939)
12) Original terracing and retaining walls
13) Carob tree (1940s) and one replanted Carob tree
14) Linear planting beds (1940s)
15) Original planting beds (1939)
16) Flagpole (1939; relocated 1970s)
17) Veterans Rose Garden and dedication marker (1951)
18) Curved hedgerow at brow of hill (1950s)
19) Bunya-Bunya tree (c. 1950s-60s)
20) Oval traffic circle (partially reconstructed 2003)
15 15
15 1
1 1
1 1
6 7
8 8
9 11
11 11
11 11
10 10
13 13
11 11
14 14
15 15
17 19
16 4
18 5
5 12
6 6
6 6
6 6
6 6
10 8 20 7 7
7 7
11 28
6 6
6 8
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Figure 29. General view from northwest corner of site toward main entrance, view to southeast Figure 30. General view from southwest corner of site toward main entrance, view to northeast
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Figure 31. General view of main entrance, view to southeast Figure 32. Veterans Rose Garden (1951) in original Planting Bed (1939), view to east
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Figure 33. Planting Bed along north side of Main Entrance Walk, view to east Figure 34. Planting Bed along south side of Main Entrance Walk, view to east
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Figure 35. Intersection of Main Entrance Walk with sidewalk along Main Street, view to north Figure 36. Entrance to City Hall, view to southeast
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Figure 37. Foundation plantings along south elevation, view to east F
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Figure 38. Foundation plantings along west elevation, view to south Figure 39. Foundation plantings along west elevation, view to north
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Figure 40. Curved row of mature palms at northern border of site, view to northwest Figure 41. Mature palms and one tree at northeast corner of parking area, view to northeast
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Figure 42. Remaining tree plantings at north entrance to lawn from parking lot, view to north Figure 43. Mature exotic tree in North Garden, view to south
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Figure 44. Ornamental tree plantings near parking area, view to northwest
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Packet Pg. 715 Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
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APPENDIX A ‐ LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR SANTA MONICA CITY HALL
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Packet Pg. 716 Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
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Attachment: City Hall Historic Designation documents (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Santa Monica City Council
Santa Monica, CA
February 25, 2023
To the City Leadership of Santa Monica,
It comes to our attention that the controversial mural is going to be once again displayed in City Hall due to the pressure by those ignorant of our people's painful history. Ironically the image portrayed is not one of historical accounts, but instead, an artist's conception based on which we and the State of California know as disturbingly inaccurate storytelling.
Conception is just that: an idea that is left to the interpretation of those who view it. So let us tell you how it is perceived and interpreted by those descendants whose ancestors were held in captivity at the supposed era this image depicts. While you may see my ancestors drinking water, we see slaves granted a drink while under guard. We see slaves being used for a water contamination test while the sword of the mounted conquistador pointed directly at the neck of the native as he condescendingly sits above, for it was those swords that struct down many of my ancestors who were unwilling to worship a foreign religion.
What you leaders need to ask yourselves is, "what if one is to replace the natives with black men, and Junipero Serra with a slave owner? Would it still be as appropriate? Would it still be acceptable art?” The answer is NO. Because it brings the same content to our minds as it would a black man if he were to see that imagery in a place where all men are supposed to be considered equal. Or if you can, imagine the Spaniard Soldiers replaced with any other military that had a history with the natives here and it would STILL be of negative connotations at ANY past historical level. We ask you to please reconsider your intentions to display this mural and have the common decency to think of those who this image offends and help move us forward not backwards.
Chairman Nicholas Rocha
Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation of Southern California
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Packet Pg. 718 Attachment: 2.25.23 Letter from Gabrielino Shoshone Tribe (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) May 12, 2023
To Whom it May Concern:
The purpose of this email is to provide the Tribal response to the Santa Monica mural. Our tribe, the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians is the tribe immemorial of the Los Angeles and Orange County. We are Gabrieleno/Tongva and likely the Native Americans depicted in the mural.
We understand the mural has created conversation and varied views. To that point, the mural has proved to be a point of education. It has created conversation that extends beyond the First People of Los Angeles to also look at the lack of inclusivity the mural provides. We support education about our people and increased visibility of our ancestors and continued presence.
Rather than focus on the mural itself we view this as an opportunity to discuss additional education that can assist in promoting the awareness of our Tribe, history, and culture.
There are ways the Tribe can partner with the City Santa Monica, this is not an exhaustive list however it does present a few ideas to extend the conversation beyond the mural:
• Land Acknowledgement: We recommend the City adopts a Land Acknowledgement • Art: Hire First People Artists to create art
• Education: Partner with our Tribe for education about our people on our ancestral land • Land Back: Evaluate areas of the city that can be used for Land Back to the tribe, like the Santa Monica Airport
• Landscape: Evaluate areas where landscape can be cultivated by Native Plants and partner with our tribe to allow for gathering
• Historical Society: Create a connection with the First People and acknowledge our presence • Provide Museum Space to allow our people to display about our people • Kuruvungna Springs: Although it is owned to LAUSD, facilitate the land return to our tribe • Tribal Office Liaison: Create a staff position that allows for the city to thoughtfully consider the First People
Santa Monica specifically is a city that is committed to justice. This was exhibited with Bruce’s Beach.
Although our tribe does feel over looked in the reparations and lack of acknowledging the First People, it does provide hope of a moral conscious that can guide future conversations to create space and visibility for our people on our ancestral land.
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Packet Pg. 719 Attachment: 5.12.23 Letter from Gabrielino-Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall 1 David Yakobson
From: Judith Meister <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 3:33 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report - Item 11A
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I urge you to approve the Staff recommendation to accept all the recommendations of the Meztli Project report and authorize staff to begin implementation.
I had earlier urged the Council to not cover the City Hall lobby mural, and rather, begin an inclusive community process to address the issues raised about the content of the mural and find a solution that would retain the mural, explain its history, and identify ways to engage voices of First Peoples in the community.
The outcome of that process is Phase I, the Meztli report. This process took place over a year and is one of the more successful public processes that I have observed and participated in during my time as an employee and resident of Santa Monica. The consultant team took the time to engage the community in a thoughtful and reiterative process that built consensus slowly and has resulted in the first step of a larger process of healing and sharing.
I support all of the recommendations of the report and believe that authorizing staff to begin the process of commissioning a new artwork should happen immediately, as well as the work on developing interpretive panels for the mural. The commitment to follow through on all the recommendations is crucial to creating trust and allowing the community to move ahead to consider other issues raised during this process. The report provides a framework for what will be hard work. Please accept this challenge and provide the leadership needed to look back on our history, and welcome all voices to build a more inclusive present and future.
Thank you,
Judith Meister
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
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Packet Pg. 720 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 2 David Yakobson
From: sonja hernandez <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 12:52 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Sonja Hernandez, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Sonja Hernandez
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
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Packet Pg. 721 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 3 David Yakobson
From: Mike Bravo <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 12:36 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Yes on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project "
EXTERNAL
My name is Miguel Bravo, from Venice, CA.. and I am supporƟng a yes vote on agenda item #11 — Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report RecommendaƟons.
As a 5th generation Chicano of Purhepecha heritage, I am reaching out to express the significance of this issue to me on a personal level. As someone of Indigenous heritage, I have repeatedly encountered the gross misrepresentations of our culture across various institutional spaces such as art, government, education and media. These easily addressable issues have contributed to the psychological harm as well as high rates of suicide among Indigenous youth.
I am in full agreement with the recommendations outlined in the report. It places focus on healing and reparative actions essential for bridging the current state of Santa Monica with its values, which starkly contrast with the outdated ideals depicted in the mural—a portrayal rooted in white supremacist perspectives. It is imperative that as a community, we strive to rectify the injustices inflicted upon First Peoples. The recent release of the "We Are Still Here" report by the county underscores the urgent need for acknowledgment and action regarding past, present, and ongoing harms against local tribes.
I urge the city council to vote YES and join the ranks of other cities and institutions nationwide in taking meaningful steps towards creating a more inclusive society that genuinely supports and uplifts Amerindian First Peoples.
Thank you.
Miguel Bravo
Venice, CA
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 722 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 4 David Yakobson
From: Zora Zajicek <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 12:28 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Culture
Subject: Reframe: City Hall Mural Project
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Zora, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Zora
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 723 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 1 David Yakobson
From: paulina sahagun <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 11:54 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Santa Monica Mural Reframe Project
EXTERNAL
To the Santa Monica City Council,
The Reframe : City Hall Mural report has provided many opinions on the mural by Stanton W. Mcdonald.
I understand that this is only the first phase of the project, as of now the mural will not be taken down. However as this process continues it’s removal will still be considered.
For the second phase I expect this process to move quickly to stop the perpetual emotional assault and the historical inaccuracies directed toward our Native People of the Los Angeles Basin and other Mesoamerican Indigenous descendants.
This is an opportunity for the city to lead the way toward the implementation of a DEI training for the city staff, that truly supports and promotes the termination of structural racism.
Paulina Sahagun
Removed from Santa Monica by 10 Freeway
Theater Artist Educator
Santa Monica Community Volunteer
Films on Santa Monica:
“90404 Changing”
“We Were All Here”
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 724 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 2 David Yakobson
From: liana rios <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 11:42 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Recommendation 8: Facilitate Land Back in Santa Monica
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Liana, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #8: Facilitate Land Back in Santa Monica.
This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Liana
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 725 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 1 David Yakobson
From: Alexandria Ybarra <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 11:33 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Public comment concerning city hall mural
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Alexandria, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Alexandria
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 726 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 2 David Yakobson
From: angel villasenor <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 11:17 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Public Comment Item 11
EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
First and foremost I'd like to thank the REFRAME team for their work. They were methodical, intentional and culturally grounded which is refreshing.
Although I still strongly believe that the mural needs to be removed for all the points raised in the comprehensive 106 pg report, I do support the recommendations outlined. We definitely need an educational component around colonialism and the embodied advantages and disadvantages it produces for all nonwhite groups in America, especially the Native American community.
We need to fund and create 'anti-colonial projects of resistance' (art, and media- based interventions advocating and celebrating the collective identities and insurgent histories of particular peoples of color appeared all in the effort to express and invent emancipatory concepts of racial/national identity) which are expressed to help raise and expand consciousness by highlighting the counter stories of resilience and selfdetermination by nonwhite groups in America.
The current murals highlight what sociologist Michael Omi and Howard Winant would call White Racial Nationalism, which according to them, means the following:
"white racial nationalism both built and fractured the United States. It unified whites across tremendous chasms of class and culture/ethnicity, precisely because it allowed them to claim their whiteness, sometimes with ease and sometimes only after passing through extended “probationary” periods. The racial cleavages we see in the nation are the products of the exploitative and exclusionist commitments of the white nation: its deracination (uprooting) of the indigenous inhabitants of North America; its capture, killing, transport in chains, and enslavement of millions of Africans; its conquest of adjacent territories and its relegation of their inhabitants to lesser status; and its massive dependence on immigration, mostly on the part of people not considered (or not yet considered) white. Thence cometh the divided and hierarchical peoplehood, the stratified and conflictual nation, the United States of America." (1986) The recommendations will allow us to truly begin the work of disrupting and educating our community around the legacy of colonialism and their continued effects in our City and institutions.
In community,
Angel Villasenor
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 727 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 3 David Yakobson
From: Cheyenne Green <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 11:16 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Written Comment
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Cheyenne, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Cheyenne
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 728 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 4 David Yakobson
From: Batisse Le Tenoux <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 11:15 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Written Comment 02/2024
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Batisse Le Tenoux, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Batisse Le Tenoux
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 729 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 5 David Yakobson
From: Jay Lamars <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 11:06 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Public Comment
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Jay Lamars, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Jay Lamars
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 730 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 6 David Yakobson
From: Isaac michael Ybarra <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 10:35 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Agenda item #11
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Isaac Michael Ybarra, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Isaac Michael Ybarra
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 731 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 7 David Yakobson
From: Danielle Mayen <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 10:28 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: In Support of Agenda Item #11
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is (NAME), and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Danielle Mayen
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 732 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 1 David Yakobson
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 8:10 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: council meeting Feb 13, 2024 item 11A murals From: jim gerstley <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 3:48 AM
To: Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Christine Parra <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>; Council Mailbox <[email protected]> Subject: council meeting Feb 13, 2024 item 11A murals
EXTERNAL
I disagree with the Metzli findings.
The message to me is the murals reflect badly on the conquerors, not the indigenous people, because of how badly the conquerors treated the latter. A total lack of tolerance; forcing their religion on the conquered, turning them into slaves, stealing their land, and a lack of understanding and appreciation of the native American culture that existed prior to the arrival of the conquerors.
Lets not change history to beautify it. Let's use the history to learn its lessons. It could even lead to discussions on the morality of what was done to the indigenous people; possible alternative interactions; what else should be done now to enable the native culture and to teach tolerance of cultures we don't understand.
And it isn't limited to Santa Monica or even California. Throughout the US, native American treaties have been broken by white men and the indigenous people forced off their land to less desirable areas.
Today we enjoy the land we stole from the indigenous people, while subjugating them and leaving them with very little. It's a sad commentary on our history and on our values, but still it is the history of the interaction of the whites and the natives throughout the US. Let's learn from it.
Thank you
Jim Gerstley
Santa Monica CA
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 733 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 2 David Yakobson
From: Gil Leib <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 5:40 AM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Gil Leib
601
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 734 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 3 David Yakobson
From: Miriam Faugno <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 1:38 AM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Miriam Faugno
Playa del Rey, CA
90293
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 735 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 4 David Yakobson
From: Thomasine Rogas <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 5:34 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 11A
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support all nine recommendations of the Meztli Projects Report regarding the City Hall Mural. I am hoping that you will do the same at your February 13 meeting.
Thank you for your service to our city.
Thomasine Rogas
Cell: (310) 913-3671
[email protected]
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 736 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 5 David Yakobson
From: Lucy Padilla <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 5:20 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Council:
Support the report because it’s art and it shares
our history. It also is a great source if not
immediate reminder to not repeat our mistakes!
Best regards,
Lucy Padilla
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 737 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 6 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 4:07 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
We have read the Meztli report and support all 9 recommendations. We encourage each of you to give it a YES vote.
Thank you. Bill and Carolyne Edwards
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 738 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 7 David Yakobson
From: Charlotte Wolter <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 3:46 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
I believe this well-researched and -reviewed report and the actions that it recommends are the nest solution for the murals at City Hall.
Charlotte Wolter
927 18th Street, Apt. A
Santa Monica, California
90403
Home: 310-597-4040
Mobile: 310-663-3699
[email protected]
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 739 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 8 David Yakobson
From: Frankie Fleming <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 3:27 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Culture
Subject: Submitting public comment: Acknowledge + Reframe Together (Reframe) Initiative Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Frankie Fleming, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as a guest residing in Tovaangar, I have witnessed the heavy impacts as a result of the gross misrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples across the many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous Peoples have led to the highest rates of suicide among young Indigenous people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values that are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, that center a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because cities must do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous Peoples.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Frankie Fleming
--
Frankie Fleming | Manager of Education and Community Engagement [email protected] | c. 213 631 8844 / o. 323 341 4195
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
OXY ARTS | Occidental College
4757 York Blvd | Los Angeles, California 90042
oxy.edu/oxy-arts | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter OXY ARTS occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Tongva people [what is land acknowledgment?] Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 740 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 9 David Yakobson
From: Debra Scacco <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 3:05 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: In favor of mural recommendations
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Debra Scacco, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as a guest residing in Tovaangar, I have witnessed the heavy impacts as a result of the gross misrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples across the many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous Peoples have led to the highest rates of suicide among young Indigenous people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values that are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, that center a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because cities must do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous Peoples.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Debra Scacco
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Debra Scacco
+1 310 699-5724
DebraScacco.com
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 741 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 10 David Yakobson
From: Xavier Mota
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 2:03 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: SM Arts Commission letter of support for Meztli Projects' recommendations re Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report
Attachments: SMAC letter to City Council re Metzli Projects recommendations.pdf Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
From: Naomi Okuyama <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2024 2:43 PM
To: Xavier Mota <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: SM Arts Commission letter of support for Meztli Projects' recommendations re Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report
Looks like it went to Council Mailbox…
Naomi
From: Mary-Elizabeth Michaels <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, December 26, 2023 1:40 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Cc: Sofia Klatzker <[email protected]>; Laurie Yehia <[email protected]>; David White <[email protected]>; Susan Cline <[email protected]>; Jenny Rogers <[email protected]>; Lisa Parson <[email protected]>; Naomi Okuyama <[email protected]>
Subject: SM Arts Commission letter of support for Meztli Projects' recommendations re Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, Councilmember Davis, Councilmember de la Torre, Councilmember Parra, Councilmember Torosis and Councilmember Zwick, Please find below and attached a letter sent on behalf of the Santa Monica Arts Commission regarding that body's full support of the recommendations drafted by Meztli Projects as part of Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
Best,
Mary-Elizabeth
Mary-Elizabeth Michaels
Chair, Art Commissioner, City of Santa Monica
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 742 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 11 ___________________
December 26, 2023
The Honorable Phil Brock and
Members of the Santa Monica City Council
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Dear Mayor Brock and Councilmembers,
On behalf of Santa Monica's Arts Commission, this letter is to advise the City Council regarding the recommendations drafted by Meztli Projects as part of Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report.
The Arts Commission recognizes that art is a powerful means of communication that can be perceived from a multitude of individual and societal perspectives and fully appreciate that when people come to City Hall to conduct business that they should feel that they will be treated respectfully, fairly and equitability regardless of their socio-economic status or ethnic heritage. Thus, we strongly support and affirm the importance of the process the City undertook to engage with community regarding the continued display of the Stanton Macdonald-Wright murals in Santa Monica City Hall.
We think that Metzli Projects conducted a successful community engagement process to assess the range of people’s perceptions of and attitudes about the City Hall Mural. To that end, the Commission voted unanimously, at the December 12, 2023 meeting, to support the adoption of the recommendations drafted by Meztli Projects as part of Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report.
While the Commission supports all of the recommendations, we fully endorse and advocate for the implementation of Recommendations 1 to 4 as they directly address the Arts Commission’s area of responsibility: in this case, expanding the City’s diversity of public artwork and educational resources to contextualize interpretations of the Mural’s imagery and history. Recommendations 1 to 4 also fall within the purview of and further engagement would be overseen by Cultural Affairs. We also support the remaining recommendations, which would be led by Equity and Inclusion.
The Arts Commission fully endorses the recommendations in Meztli Projects Phase I Report for Reframe: City Hall Mural and re-commits to participating in the process to ensure that the priorities of the arts community are kept in mind as the plan moves forward to implementation.
Thank you for your consideration.
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Packet Pg. 743 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 12 Sincerely,
Mary-Elizabeth Michaels Laurie Yehia
Chair, Santa Monica Arts Commission Vice Chair, Santa Monica Arts Commission Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 744 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) December 26, 2023
The Honorable Phil Brock and
Members of the Santa Monica City Council
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Dear Mayor Brock and Councilmembers,
On behalf of Santa Monica's Arts Commission, this letter is to advise the City Council regarding the recommendations drafted by Meztli Projects as part of Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report.
The Arts Commission recognizes that art is a powerful means of communication that can be perceived from a multitude of individual and societal perspectives and fully appreciate that when people come to City Hall to conduct business that they should feel that they will be treated respectfully, fairly and equitability regardless of their socio-economic status or ethnic heritage. Thus, we strongly support and affirm the importance of the process the City undertook to engage with community regarding the continued display of the Stanton Macdonald-Wright murals in Santa Monica City Hall.
We think that Metzli Projects conducted a successful community engagement process to assess the range of people’s perceptions of and attitudes about the City Hall Mural. To that end, the Commission voted unanimously, at the December 12, 2023 meeting, to support the adoption of the recommendations drafted by Meztli Projects as part of Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase I Report.
While the Commission supports all of the recommendations, we fully endorse and advocate for the implementation of Recommendations 1 to 4 as they directly address the Arts Commission’s area of responsibility: in this case, expanding the City’s diversity of public artwork and educational resources to contextualize interpretations of the Mural’s imagery and history. Recommendations 1 to 4 also fall within the purview of and further engagement would be overseen by Cultural Affairs. We also support the remaining recommendations, which would be led by Equity and Inclusion.
The Arts Commission fully endorses the recommendations in Meztli Projects Phase I Report for Reframe:
City Hall Mural and re-commits to participating in the process to ensure that the priorities of the arts community are kept in mind as the plan moves forward to implementation.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mary Elizabeth Michaels Laurie Yehia
Mary-Elizabeth Michaels Laurie Yehia
Chair, Santa Monica Arts Commission Vice Chair, Santa Monica Arts Commission cc: David White, City Manager
Susan Cline, Assistant City Manager
Jenny Rogers, Director, RAD
Lisa Parson, Equity and Inclusion Manager
Santa Monica Arts Commission
Mary-Elizabeth Michaels, Chair
Laurie Yehia, Vice Chair
Michael Baroff
Kathleen Benjamin
Michelle Edgar
Federico Galavis
Staci Griesbach
Michael James Masucci
Deepa Subramanian
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Packet Pg. 745 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 13 David Yakobson
From: Katie Janss <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 2:00 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Support for “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.”
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Katie Janss, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” As a guest residing in Tovaangar and as a volunteer at The Chapter House, an Indigenous arts and community space based on this land, I have witnessed first-hand the heavy impacts as a result of the gross misrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples across the many facets of society; for example, sports mascots, art, school curriculums, film, and TV. These false representations of Indigenous Peoples have led to the highest rates of suicide among Indigenous youth, as well as high rates of poverty, unemployment, and poor academic performance. These representations perpetuate inaccurate and damaging stereotypes about Indigenous Peoples to non-Indigenous Peoples.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to heal the Santa Monica of today. The city’s values are vastly different from the ideals reflected in the mural, which center a white supremacist view of the city and society. Cities must do better in repairing the harms done to Indigenous Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous Peoples. Santa Monica has a unique opportunity to set an example that many more cities across the nation can follow.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join the cities across the Nation that have already taken first steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures Indigenous Peoples.
Sincerely,
Katie Janss
--
Katie Janss | Director of Operations
The Chapter House
m: +626.348.6402
The Chapter House recognizes all land that is claimed by the United States is Indigenous land. The land I occupy is home to the Tongva people, the original stewards of this territory in the so-called Los Angeles Basin, who exist here today. To learn more about whose land you occupy, please visit https://native-land.ca/.
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 746 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 14 David Yakobson
From: Khayra Mentado <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 1:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Public Comments for Agenda Number 11
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
My name is Khayra Shakibah Mentado, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.” This issue is important to me because, as an Indigenous person, I have experienced the gross misrepresentation of us in many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous people have led to the highest rates of suicide for young people.
I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values which are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, which centers a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because as a city we need to do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous people.
I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.
With Gratitude,
Khayra Mentado
--
Khayra Shakibah Mentado (They/She)
Sent from the unceded Gabrieleno Tongva lands
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Packet Pg. 747 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 15 David Yakobson
From: Diane Citron <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 1:54 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
I support the Meztli recommendaƟons regarding the beauƟful painƟngs depicƟng historical events in our city's history.
Thank you
Diane Citron
Mid-city
Sent from my iPhone
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Packet Pg. 748 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 16 David Yakobson
From: Mary Patricia Dougherty <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 1:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Ms. Mary Patricia Dougherty
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 749 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 17 David Yakobson
From: Caroline Kanner <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 1:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Culture
Subject: Aprove Item 11
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,My name is Caroline Kanner, and I am submitting a public comment supporting a yes vote on agenda item #11, “Approval of the Reframe: City Hall Mural Project Phase I Report Recommendations.”This issue is important to me because, as a guest residing in Tovaangar, I have witnessed the heavy impacts as a result of the gross misrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples across the many facets of society, for example, art, school curriculums, film, and TV, among other areas of life. These false representations of Indigenous Peoples have led to the highest rates of suicide among young Indigenous people.I fully support the recommendations in the report as they focus on the healing and reparative efforts needed to bridge the Santa Monica of today, the city’s values that are vastly different than the ideals reflected in the mural, that center a white supremacist view of the city and society, and because cities must do much better in repairing the harms done to First Peoples. Most recently, the county released the “We Are Still Here,” A Report on Past, Present, and Ongoing Harms Against Local Tribes detailing the long list of injustices our cities and county have inflicted on Indigenous Peoples.I encourage the city council to vote yes and join other cities across the Nation in taking steps to build a more inclusive society that equitably supports and nurtures First Peoples.Thank you,Sincerely,Caroline Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 750 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 18 David Yakobson
From: Susan McCarthy <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 1:06 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Meztli Recommendations 11A
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Council Members: Please direct staff to implement all of the recommendations recommended in Meztli's final report. They stem from a thoughtful, inclusive process and they reflect a nuanced approach to the issues Meztli was engaged to explore and address.
Thank you for your service to our community.
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 751 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 19 David Yakobson
From: Chris Van Hook <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 12:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 752 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 20 David Yakobson
From: Mario Fonda-Bonardi <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 12:19 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Reframe: City Hall Mural (agenda item #11A)
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Council members,
I’m writing to you in support of the upcoming Reframe: City Hall Mural (agenda item #11A).
This item has been widely studied by the Working Group and the Meztli Project's report has created 9 recommendations, While all are a valid, I would like to highlight three for your specific consideration and or earliest implementation:
1. Commission New Artwork for the City Hall Lobby and Courtyard: this would reintroduce the lost historical voices of our original inhabitants.
2. Commission new interpretive panels: this would promote education and context about the murals.
9. Facilitate Kuruvungna Springs relationships: this would link us both back to the historical oral roots of our name and forward to the problem that all peoples have faced and will face in the West: the availability of water.
Your support for this agenda item is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA
[email protected]
310-699-0374
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 753 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 21 David Yakobson
From: Jo Baxter <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 11:37 AM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Sent from my iPad
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 754 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 22 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 11:12 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Meztle
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
I am in agreement with the item on February 13th agenda 11a Sent from AOL on Android
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Packet Pg. 755 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 23 David Yakobson
From: Catherine Azimi <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 10:45 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Please Support the Meztli Report and Recommendations Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. Please vote to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
It is clear that these murals cause harm to members of the Indigenous community and others. The Meztli Recommendations stand to address this harm in a significant and structural way that goes far beyond performative statements of support and land acknowledgement. I believe in earned hope, meaning that we possess the collective ability to overcome structural racism, violent conflict and climate change IF we are collectively willing to address those who have and are being harmed in our society. This is the right thing to do and a path to healing which we urgently need.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue. Therefore it is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Catherine Azimi
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 756 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 24 David Yakobson
From: Kristina von Hoffmann <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2024 8:46 PM
To: [email protected]; councilmtgitems
Subject: I Support Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kristina von Hoffmann
Resident of 28th St, Santa Monica
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 757 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 25 David Yakobson
From: Gil Leib <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2024 12:58 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: I Support Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Gil Leib
601 California Ave. Apt. 104
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 758 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 26 David Yakobson
From: Susan Leary <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2024 11:32 AM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Thanks
Susan Leary’s
Sent from my iPad
Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 759 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 27 David Yakobson
From: Bruria Finkel <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2024 4:47 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: The murals at City Hall
Attachments: Bruria Finkel ltr Meztli Report.docx
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
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Packet Pg. 760 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
Bruria Finkel 1225 Hill Street Santa Monica Ca 90405
Phone: 310-251-4299
Website: bruriaFinkel.com
Feb. 13, 2024, Item 11A
For Mayor Phil Brock and City Council Members
My name is Bruria Finkel I have lived in Santa Monic more then 65 years.
I have been deeply involved volunteering my time to the city by being one of the founders of the “Arts Commission” in 1982 served for 15 years. Elected to Rent “Control Bord “ in 1993 for 7 years and sitting on the “Downtown Bord“ (DTSM) for 8 years until 2022.
My four children attended the school system, and my husband David Finkel has a long and fuller CV than mine of his time volunteering for the City of Santa Monica.
I am happy to send you my comments on the City Hall Murals.
This has been a process over a span of time that some will find helpful, and some will find it a waste of time and waste of money.
I Believe I attended every public session that was held on this subject and learned some new information but none of it convinced me to change my mind.
Artworks should never be removed because of someone’s feelings imposed on by the artwork. Since art can look at life as it is through the artists renderings.
Art works gain significance in time, Historic art works are always up for new or other interpretations, it seems to me that none of the interpretations I heard during the meetings really addressed the fact that the mural was conceived to address the first meeting of our indigenous people with the Spaniards in California.
misinterpretation of time can create a problem.
Here we can enlarge the story of the first people and talk about history after the first meeting with the Spaniards and the American Pilgrims that was brutal and irresponsive and disrespectful to the belief systems the original people had.
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Packet Pg. 761 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) History tells us that what seems insignificant at its time is important to understand and allow an opportunity to gain information and education on what these murals are telling us.
The City Hall murals were created in 1937 at a time of great change in our country and the idea of Art inclusion into communities was a way to both teach and address the history of our country and envision the future. The WPA was that moment in time when the Federal government assigned and paid artists to create these murals and other works were created like the Saint Monica statue in our Palisades Park and many works of art which our schools had displayed in the classrooms.
On the right on your page
When you look at this Mural there are 5 persons who represent a symbol of that time (l-r) Standing priest and a Spaniard solder in front of them the Indigenous people who are showing them the water source is good to the touch and one drinks the water.
In the distant on the person on the horse is the future: the coming of Rancheros owners, of the land, will occupy the area and their children and grandchildren of both groups are still here with us today.
The scenery is done with great care and good knowledge of the place, the spring flowing down the cliffs.
On your left on your page
The artist depicts the symbols of his time Horsemen and 2 tennis players to signify the activities of the time when he lived and worked in Santa Monica.
To this day sports are the activities people engage in here.
The future: the artist symbolizes with the child who plays with a wooden plane and the dog. At the very top of the mural a plane in flight and the boats in the bay (I saw the boats in the bay in 1959 when I came to Santa Monica , unfortunately were destroyed by the 100-year storm in the 1980’s, we should try to bring it back).
Not only sailing and sports activities were always symbolized Santa Monica it is the main activities at the beach and our parks today.
I encourage you not to disturb the serenity of this wonderful entrance to City Hall and try to interfere with what is present for almost 100 years. There are many opportunities around city hall, in the space between the Government buildings to Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 762 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) excite the imagination for a good artwork that will tell the story of our time with an eye to the future.
Bruria Finkel
Santa Monica
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Packet Pg. 763 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 28 David Yakobson
From: Kaitlin Drisko <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2024 3:47 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Tom Cleys
Subject: 2/13/2024 Item 11A - SM Conservancy Letter of Support for City Hall murals - Meztli Recommendations
Attachments: 2024-02-13 Ltr City Hall Murals-Meztli Report SM Conservancy.pdf Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Attached please find our letter of support for the Meztli Report recommendations for the City Hall murals.
Kaitlin Drisko
Executive Director
Santa Monica Conservancy
[email protected]
mobile: 310.948.5311
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Packet Pg. 764 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) P.O. BOX 653
SANTA MONICA, CA 90406
310-496-3146
www.smconservancy.org
February 13, 2024
Item 11A
Mayor Brock and Councilmembers,
The Santa Monica Conservancy has been engaged in discussions and education regarding the City Hall murals for many years. We were invited to join the Acknowledge + Reframe initiative led by Meztli Projects as members of the Working Circle. Two of our Board members were part of the Working Circle: Ruthann Lehrer, who served three terms on the Landmarks Commission; and Sharon Reyes, seventh generation descendant of Ysidro Reyes, co-owner of Rancho Boca de Santa Monica, whose name is inscribed on the text panel adjacent to the History mural.
The Conservancy supports the nine recommendations in the Meztli Report and would like to share with you some thoughts on moving forward. We’re commenting on those recommendations that interface with the Conservancy’s mission and role in Santa Monica.
Recommendation 1: Create New Murals in City Hall Lobby.
The historic murals can serve as a touchstone for a contemporary response centered on cultural and social groups who were not represented in the 1939 depictions. The City Hall lobby is not only a location reflecting civic authority but is also an artistic environment that conveys the best of the New Deal Federal art programs. In addition to the large scale petrachrome murals, this environment consists of colorful geometric tile by the renowned firm of Gladding McBean; decorative terrazzo floors; geometric metal railings and overall coloristic harmonies, all unified as a vision of New Deal Modernism. We hope that the new murals will respect this historic art environment and maintain visual harmony. It may be appropriate to include the Landmarks Commission in an advisory role to help navigate the integration and compatibility of the new murals into its historic environment. While the City Hall lobby as a whole is not officially designated as historic, artistic compatibility between new and old will signal a positive dialogue instead of conflict.
Recommendation 2: Commission New Interpretive Panels
Regarding the History mural panel, we strongly support the creation of new interpretive panels that reflects the perspective and voice of the Gabrielino/Tongva people, the Indigenous group that was impacted by the arrival of Spanish colonialists in this area, setting in motion centuries of displacement, oppression and even genocide. This traumatic story is regrettably part of our Santa Monica and California history. The Gabrielino/Tongva community should take the lead in deciding how their story is presented to the public.
But there is more to interpret that is important for public understanding:
§ Why are these murals there? What was the historic context and the artist’s intentions? § The image of the Kuruvungna Springs links the historic Portola Expedition to the recent reclamation of the site by Gabrielino/Tongva people, who have made it a focal point to revitalize and share their cultural heritage through the Kuruvungna Springs Foundation.
The springs image connotes a message about survival, rebirth and pride of the Gabrielino/Tongva.
§ The history of the Mexican ranchos and their displacement, loss of land and community.
While the Recreation panel depicts activities of the dominant white culture, the artist’s intentions are documented and should be presented as part of the interpretation. However, the Item 11.A.
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Packet Pg. 765 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 2 opportunity exists to respond to these portrayals by depicting recreation and leisure among people of color and the working class in new public artwork.
The Santa Monica Conservancy, having done considerable research into these topics, hopes to participate in the development of the new interpretive panels.
Recommendation 4: Create Additional Educational Materials About the Mural This recommendation was one of the reasons for City Council’s interest in launching the Acknowledge + Reframe initiative, as the themes inherent in the mural narrations are rich sources for educational exploration.
We see this recommendation as an adjunct to Recommendation 2 and would like to offer the services of the Santa Monica Conservancy in implementing this task. We are currently collaborating with the Santa Monica Unified School District on a number of projects, including curriculum relating to history and research, and project-based-learning. Education is a fundamental part of our mission and we believe we can contribute to this goal.
As an example, the Conservancy is embarking on site-specific projects that recognize the history, people and places important to African-Americans and the Mexican presence in our City, and their displacement due to freeway construction and redevelopment.
Conclusion:
The Metzli Report marks an important milestone in a long journey of public engagement with the historic public art in City Hall. It has been challenging and emotional for many. There was extensive public outreach and debate during this process. Considering the complexities and numerous stakeholders, the Meztli Projects Acknowledge + Reframe process and the final recommendations are notable achievements.
The Conservancy is enthusiastic and motivated by the opportunities emerging with the Meztli Report recommendations for Phase I, and we hope to play a constructive role in their future implementation during Phase II.
Thank you,
Tom Cleys, President
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 766 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 29 David Yakobson
From: Margaret Bach <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2024 12:14 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda item !!A -- Reframe City Hall Mural Phase 1 Report Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
To the Santa Monica City Council,
I have both watched and participated in the comprehensive reframe process with regard to the City Hall murals. The process has been exemplary -- a community process at its best -- and warrants the full support of the City Council.
Santa Monica has joined many other communities in grappling with complex cultural and historical issues that are raised in public art works, and I am gratified to see the broad consensus that has emerged from our process reflected in the Meztli Projects' report.
I urge you to adopt the recommendations contained in the report, which calls for retention of the historic WPA-era murals, with the addition of additional public art and interpretative programs and bring new levels of reconciliation between our present and our past.
Sincerely,
Margaret Bach
Former Landmarks Commissioner
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 767 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 30 David Yakobson
From: Mary Jo Stirling <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2024 11:31 AM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mary Jo Stirling
310-995-9708
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 768 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 31 David Yakobson
From: Achee Stevenson <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2024 10:30 AM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe:
City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Achée Stevenson
E: [email protected]
T: 310-428-5574
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 769 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 32 David Yakobson
From: Robin Venturelli <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2024 7:18 AM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
I urge you to accept the recommendation of the Mezti Report in full and to direct City Staff to begin implementation. It is important to me that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Thank you
Robin Venturelli
Santa Monica Conservancy Volunteer at the ACBH
RO B I N VEN TU R E L L I | MUSIC, TRAVEL, PHILANTHROPY, MERRIMENT To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.
Phone: (310) 383-2323
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Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 770 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 33 David Yakobson
From: Mary Ann Hays <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2024 4:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Santa Monica Conservancy
Subject: I Support Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendaƟons presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendaƟons and to direct City Staff to begin implementaƟon.
These recommendaƟons are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughƞul, and acƟonable soluƟons to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportuniƟes to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collecƟve histories are all potenƟal themes for interpretaƟon, educaƟon, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendaƟons be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and RecommendaƟons.
Thank you for your consideraƟon.
Mary Ann Hays
534 21st Street
Santa Monica, CA 90402
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 771 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 34 David Yakobson
From: Jo Baxter <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2024 4:08 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Sent from my iPad
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 772 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 35 David Yakobson
From: Kathy Knight <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2024 11:58 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report Re: City Hall Mural Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members:
I want to let you know that I support the Meztli Report, including all nine recommendaƟons.
I like it because it does not call for removal of the artworks. Instead it recommends development of interpreƟve informaƟon and educaƟonal programs around the murals.
I like the murals and think they are very important.
Thank you,
Kathy Knight
Sunset Park Resident
[email protected]
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 773 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 36 David Yakobson
From: Randall Klarin <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2024 11:26 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Hall Mural
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
I support the Meztli recommendaƟons.
Randall Klarin
RW Klarin
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 774 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 37 David Yakobson
From: mmoody <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2024 8:46 AM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe:
City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Sally Hibbard
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 775 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 38 David Yakobson
From: Edgar Sernas
Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2024 7:42 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Call to Action! Tell City Council You Support Meztli Projects’ Reframe: City Hall Mural Recommendations
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
Edgar Sernas
Staff Assistant III – Records & Election Svcs
(310) 458-8211 x5782
santamonica.gov
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Subscribe to City of Santa Monica Email Updates
From: Santa Monica Conservancy <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 5:30 PM
To: Clerk Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Call to Action! Tell City Council You Support Meztli Projects’ Reframe: City Hall Mural Recommendations
EXTERNAL
Send Your Letter In Time for the 2/13 City Council Meeting Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 776 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 39 Call to Action!
View as Webpage
Tell City Council You Support Meztli Projects’
Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase 1
Report & Recommendations
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 777 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 40 Image: Page 1 of Meztli Projects' Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase 1 Report. Credit: Meztli Projects.
Read the full Report here.
On February 13, City Council will review and vote to accept the recommendations (see full list below) contained within Meztli Projects' Reframe: City Hall Mural Phase 1 Report, and to direct City Staff to start the implementation phase of the project. Santa Monica Cultural Affairs and Meztli Projects worked together to develop and execute Phase 1 of the project, which focused on intensive community engagement to “consider the meaning, impact and potential responses to the WPA-era mural History of Santa Monica and the Bay District in Santa Monica's City Hall,” according to the project statement.
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 778 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 41 We endorse Meztli’s report, including all nine recommendations, and urge you to do the same by voicing your support directly to council before next Tuesday’s meeting. Taken in full, the report does not call for removal of the artworks, rather it recommends development of interpretative information and educational programs around the murals themselves, and that the murals be used as a springboard for exploring urgent issues of repair, inclusive representation in public art and restorative justice. Read the Meztli Report here.
Send Message
Meztli’s Report reflects their year-long process as the city’s public engagement consultant, including intensive outreach and debate in which the Conservancy played an active role. Feedback from hundreds of people including, “local First Peoples, Marquez family descendants, students, young adults, local educators, conservationists, the Santa Monica Arts and Landmarks Commissions, city employees and others who work and live in Santa Monica,” helped shape the report (City Press Release, November 9, 2024).
Again, please take a moment to tell City Council they should accept the recommendations in full and direct City Staff to begin implementation.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Public comment can also be made in person before the item (11A) is called via the kiosk in the lobby of City Hall at 1685 Main Street in Santa Monica. Read the full agenda here.
Below are some suggested talking points, but it’s always better to use your own voice. Your letter should be addressed
to [email protected], and should reference the agenda item 11A. Please bcc [email protected] in your email.
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 779 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 42 Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether.
These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Send Message
List of Recommendations (See page 66 of the Report)
1. Commission New Artwork in City Hall Lobby
2. Commission New Interpretive Panels
3. Ensure that Santa Monica’s Public Art and Commemorative Landscape Center Equity and Belonging
4. Create Additional Educational Materials About the Mural Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 780 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 43 5. Expand DEI+ Trainings for City Staff
6. Adopt a Citywide Land/Territory Acknowledgment Initiative
7. Improve Representation on Santa Monica Committees
8. Facilitate Land Back in Santa Monica
9. Facilitate Kuruvungna Springs Relationships
The Conservancy anticipates our continuing participation in implementation of the next phase of this project, which will be managed by the Department Cultural Affairs for numbers 1-4, and by the Office of DEI for numbers 5-9.
Santa Monica Conservancy
www.smconservancy.org
[email protected]
310-496-3146
Stay connected!
Santa Monica Conservancy | 2520 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405 Unsubscribe [email protected]
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Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 781 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 44 David Yakobson
From: Cynni Murphy <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2024 6:14 AM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
As an archivist and former Image Archives Librarian with the Santa Monica Public Library. I support educational interpretive panels being installed to explain the historic murals in City Hall. I do not support the removal of the murals. They are a part of history themselves created with funds from the WPA (Works Progress Administration) in the 1930s and should be seen in the context of their time. They were painted by an important American artist, Stanton MacDonald-Wright whose murals chronicled American history, industry and arts. The murals he painted for the Santa Monica Public Library Main Library in 1935 (also WPA) were stored by the Smithsonian Institution for more than 40 years until they could be returned to the new Main Library for its opening in 2006 demonstrating their national relevance and the relevance of his work to the history of American Art. The City Hall murals are part of that same canon.
--
Cynthia C. Murphy
[email protected]
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 782 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 45 David Yakobson
From: Cheryl Downey <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 10:19 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Please move this report's recommendation forward!
Thank you, Cheryl Downey, Proud Citizen of Santa Monica Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 783 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 46 David Yakobson
From: clint burdette <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:08 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Reframe: City Hall Mural
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Clinton Burdette
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 784 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 47 David Yakobson
From: Cristi Walden <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 8:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
I wholeheartedly support the Meztli report recommendations.
Please vote to implement them.
Cristi Walden
Cristi Walden
To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. 1420 Anderson Ln - Physical Address
5299 Shoreline Dr - Mailing Address
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 964 1643 - Office
(805) 868 8654 - Mobile
seacrestnursery.com
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 785 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 48 David Yakobson
From: suzanne Verge <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 6:17 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support the Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Verge
Sent by my rotary phone via carrier pigeon so please excuse any typos or grammar errors Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 786 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 49 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 5:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: I Support Meztli Report re agenda item 11A
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Re agenda item 11A
Dear Councilmembers,
This is an exciting project and I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Flo Selfman
[email protected]
I live in West LA but lived in Santa Monica with my parents back in the '60s and '70s. My parents owned a small bbq restaurant at 424 Wilshire, across from Zucky's, from 1961-65. It was called Jordan's (my dad didn't change the name when he bought it) and it was written up numerous times in the SM Outlook and the Independent by David Sheehan ("The Lamplighter") and Nelson Hughes, who called it "the little U.N." because of its often international clienteled, including flight crews from the French airline who stayed at the Miramar. My dad would cook special food for them; they came in as a big group after closing time.
I bought a brick with my parents' names and the restaurant name and years; it's on the brick fence on Main St., down at the bottom. Santa Monica history is so important, especially with all the construction that tears down parts of our history.
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 787 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 50 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 5:50 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 788 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 51 David Yakobson
From: Jenny Lipson <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 5:45 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: I Support Meztli Report
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I support the recommendations presented in Meztli Projects’ Report, developed during Phase 1 of Reframe: City Hall Mural. I urge you to accept all nine recommendations and to direct City Staff to begin implementation.
These recommendations are the product of significant community engagement and present a set of informed, thoughtful, and actionable solutions to a complex issue.
It is important that the murals not be covered but remain visible for public understanding and learning. As Meztli notes in their report, "removing the mural obscures the systems that made the mural possible." The images reflect the history of Santa Monica and are opportunities to address the lived experiences and histories of Indigenous people, and others who have been excluded from the imagery altogether. These collective histories are all potential themes for interpretation, education, and future public art.
It is important that the recommendations be accepted together, to retain the integrity of the full report and the public process that informed it.
Again, please support Meztli’s Report and Recommendations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jenny Lipson
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 789 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 52 David Yakobson
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 3:12 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Support for City Hall Mural Recommendations - 11a Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
From: MEYER_WALTER <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 6, 2024 9:34 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; Clerk Mailbox <[email protected]> Cc: Naomi Okuyama <[email protected]>; SILVER_EMILY <[email protected]>; Mary-Elizabeth Michaels <[email protected]>; Laurie Yehia <[email protected]> Subject: Support for City Hall Mural Recommendations
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council Members,
I have read the Reframe: City Hall mural Phase I report and wanted to voice my support for the recommendations.
As the chair of the Art Department of Santa Monica College, the recommendations demonstrate a prioritization of marginalized voices that is so important in the equity work we are pursuing and the report is a great example for our faculty and students in handling difficult, sensitive and important conversations while also providing a way forward that balances the needs/desires of multiple and at times conflicting constituencies and values.
As the former chair of the Public Art Committee and Vice Chair of the Arts Commission for Santa Monica, I am proud of the City’s willingness to take on this project and invest in finding solutions forward. Particularly, Recommendation 3 which provides the arts commission guidelines to center equity and belonging.
As a longtime resident and parent whose three children went k-12 through our public school system, I am impressed with the recommendations to expand voices with new artwork, new didactic panels to provide more context and education for our citizens and facilitating Land Back initiatives.
I will not be able to attend the council meeting, but I am readily available to discuss the matter in greater detail via phone or zoom.
Thank you for your service to our City and I appreciate all the good things that you do for our community! All the BEst,
Walter
Walter J. Meyer
smc.edu/resources
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 790 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 53 Department Chair- Art
Center for Art History and the Digital Humanities
Support the SMC Art Department Here!
Office- ART 216
310.434.8266
Finance Director- Art Historians of Southern California My goal as chair of the art department is to serve students and close equity gaps while placing art & its history at the center of all things SMC.
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 791 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 54 David Yakobson
From: Robert Knight <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 1:00 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fwd: City Hall Murals :: Letter of Support for Reframe Recommendations Attachments: City Hall Murals_Robert Knight_Letter of Support_20240207x.pdf Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
EXTERNAL
Please enter the attached letter into the Public Record for the City Council February 13 meeting, for the item regarding the City Hall Murals.
Thank you, Bob Knight
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Robert Knight <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, Feb 7, 2024 at 12:54 PM
Subject: City Hall Murals :: Letter of Support for Reframe Recommendations To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]> Please find attached my Letter of Support for the City Hall Murals Reframe Recommendations.
Thank you,
Bob Knight
1815 Washington Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-948-5309
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 792 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 793 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 55 David Yakobson
From: Clerk Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, February 6, 2024 4:52 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Support for City Hall Mural Recommendations Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
From: MEYER_WALTER <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 6, 2024 9:34 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; Clerk Mailbox <[email protected]> Cc: Naomi Okuyama <[email protected]>; SILVER_EMILY <[email protected]>; Mary-Elizabeth Michaels <[email protected]>; Laurie Yehia <[email protected]> Subject: Support for City Hall Mural Recommendations
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council Members,
I have read the Reframe: City Hall mural Phase I report and wanted to voice my support for the recommendations.
As the chair of the Art Department of Santa Monica College, the recommendations demonstrate a prioritization of marginalized voices that is so important in the equity work we are pursuing and the report is a great example for our faculty and students in handling diƯicult, sensitive and important conversations while also providing a way forward that balances the needs/desires of multiple and at times conflicting constituencies and values.
As the former chair of the Public Art Committee and Vice Chair of the Arts Commission for Santa Monica, I am proud of the City’s willingness to take on this project and invest in finding solutions forward. Particularly, Recommendation 3 which provides the arts commission guidelines to center equity and belonging.
As a longtime resident and parent whose three children went k-12 through our public school system, I am impressed with the recommendations to expand voices with new artwork, new didactic panels to provide more context and education for our citizens and facilitating Land Back initiatives.
I will not be able to attend the council meeting, but I am readily available to discuss the matter in greater detail via phone or zoom.
Thank you for your service to our City and I appreciate all the good things that you do for our community! All the BEst,
Walter
Walter J. Meyer
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 794 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 56 smc.edu/resources
Department Chair- Art
Center for Art History and the Digital Humanities
Support the SMC Art Department Here!
Office- ART 216
310.434.8266
Finance Director- Art Historians of Southern California My goal as chair of the art department is to serve students and close equity gaps while placing art & its history at the center of all things SMC.
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 11.A.
February 13, 2024
11.A.i
Packet Pg. 795 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall
Mural Project
Phase I Report
February 13, 2024
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 796 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) AGENDA
• Review the Recommended
Actions from Staff
• Discuss the Community
Process
• Discuss Proposed
Implementation Priorities
2 Purpose of Tonight’s Meeting
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 797 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
1.Review and accept the
report’s community
recommendations presented
by Meztli Projects
2.Direct City Staff to begin the
implementation phase of the
Reframe: City Hall Mural
project, starting with planning
for the 9 recommendations
included in the report.
3 Recommended Actions
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 798 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Meztli
Projects
4 Community Engagement
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 799 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) • Content
Phase I: City Hall Mural Project, Facilitators
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 800 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Engagement
Approach
6 City Hall Mural Community Engagement
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 801 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Public
Engagement
7 City Hall Mural Community Engagement
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 802 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Working Circle
8 City Hall Mural Community Engagement
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 803 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 9 • 123 respondents to March 2022 survey
• 100 youth participants in Summer 2022
Belonging in Santa Monica
• 13 Working Circle members selected from 32
applications
• Approximately 270 participants at 9 public
events featuring 12 guest speakers
• 15 interview participants
• Approximately 240 participants at 14
presentations or listening sessions
• 200 Feedback Activity sheets distributed at 5
additional community events
• 337 respondents to the Reframe: City Hall Mural
Feedback Activity
City Hall Mural Community Engagement
Public
Engagement
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 804 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 10 About the Mural - Perspectives
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 805 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) It reminds me not only how unwelcome
my history is in the story this place
wants to talk about itself, but also how
the real experiences of my family and
friends need to be made invisible to
make this story make sense. It reminds
me that City Hall is not accountable to
me at all, which I think is a relatively
true fact about the way that Santa
Monica city governance behaves.
Unfortunately, this mural’s revisionist
histories tell some actual truths about
it.
The beauty of Santa Monica’s coastline
shows through time, connecting us to
this place and to people who have come
before us. I am intrigued to learn more
about the water portrayed in different
ways - the rivers, the waterfalls, and the
engagement of the birds, horses and
people with water. Technically I am
intrigued by the tile formations of the
mural itself - the horizontal and vertical
lines - I’ve read about petrachrome and
would like to know more about how the
artist created this
About the Mural - Perspectives
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 806 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 12 About the Mural - Perspectives
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 807 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 13 Phase I: Mural-based Recommendations
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 808 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 14 Phase I: Equity-based Recommendations
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 809 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
1. Commission New Artwork(s) in City Hall Lobby
2. Commission New Interpretive Panels
3. Ensure that Santa Monica’s Public Art &
Commemorative Landscape Centers Equity and
Belonging
4. Create additional educational materials about
the mural
5. Expand DEI+ Trainings for City Staff
6. Adopt a Citywide Land/Territory
Acknowledgment Initiative
7. Improve Representation on Santa Monica
Committees
8. Facilitate Land Back in Santa Monica
9. Facilitate Kuruvungna Springs Relationships
15 Phase I: Recommendations
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 810 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) New Artwork Placement Considerations
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 811 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) 17 Anticipated Initial Implementation Timeline
March 2024
Develop process for:
New artwork
commissions
Interpretive and
education material
creation and
Other priorities
June 2024
RFPs released to
further community
engagement around
new artwork for the
lobby.
manage process to
synthesize input from
community
stakeholders
June-Aug 2024
Selection and
Procurement process
for new artworks and
panels
Develop RFP for
citywide cultural
assessment
Aug 24-Aug 25
Implementation of art
project(s) approved by
the Arts Commission
and
Implementation of the
Interpretive panel
production.
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 812 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
1.Review and accept the
report’s community
recommendations presented
by Meztli Projects
2.Direct City Staff to begin the
implementation phase of the
Reframe: City Hall Mural
project, starting with planning
for the 9 recommendations
included in the report.
18 Recommended Actions
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 813 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Reframe: City Hall
Mural Project Phase I
Report
THANK YOU!
Questions?
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 814 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals)
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 815 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Blank slide, extra content behind around engagement
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 816 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) The artist and muralist Glenna Avila
was commissioned to lead workshops
with local elementary, middle and high
school youth.
Students discussed the artworks at
Historic City Hall and City Hall East and
considered questions about
representation and belonging.
The result is a collection of original
artworks reflecting young people’s
thoughts on their home and
communities.
22 Youth Poster Project, Summer 2022
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 817 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) This precursor event took place at
photographer Matika Wilbur's Project 562:
Changing the way we see Native
America" exhibit at SMC's Barrett Gallery.
The event focused on the multiplicity of Native
and Indigenous voices, and the setting, which
showcased contemporary people from a
variety of tribes around the country, was a
strong affirmation of this theme.
The event sparked deep conversation, aired
differing viewpoints and tensions, and raised
important issues around the representation of
Indigenous Peoples in public space.
23 Prisms of Indigeneity, December 2022
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 818 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) A tour through of three
significant places in Santa
Monica history: City Hall,
Historic Belmar Park, and
Kuruvungna Springs.
Accompanied by a
discussion of how we
address memory in
public space.
24 Sites of Memory Tour, February 2023
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 819 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) A virtual workshop and walk
through of the public
feedback activity,
accompanied
by background resources for
considering the MacdonaldWright mural. Presented in
partnership with the Santa
Monica Public Library.
25 What do you see here? February 2023
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 820 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) New approaches to telling
stories about the places we
live, featuring technologist
and storyteller idris brewster
and artist Christine Wong Yap.
Presented in partnership
with the Santa Monica Public
Library.
26 Memory Work Today, March 2023
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 821 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Small group work
with facilitator Anu
Yadav for community
members to share
their diverse views on
the Santa Monica City
Hall Mural.
27 Community Listening Workshop, April 2023
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 822 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) An opportunity for all to
stop by the Historic City
Hall lobby, view the
mural and give feedback.
28 City Hall Mural Open House, May 2023
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 823 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) A dive into the histories of the
communities and locales not
represented in the mural.
Speakers were: Mona Morales
Recalde, enrolled member of the
Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel Band
of Mission Indians; Jaime Cruz, lifelong
resident of Santa Monica’s Pico
neighborhood and history professor at
Santa Monica College; and Carolyne
Edwards of the Quinn Research
Center.
Presented in conjunction with the
Santa Monica History Museum.
29 Other Histories of Santa Monica, June 2023
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 824 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) Screening of a documentary
about the WPA-era murals at
George Washington High
School in San Francisco, with
facilitated discussion by
Meztli Projects. Presented in
conjunction with the Santa
Monica Public Library.
30 Screening of Town Destroyer, July 2023
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 825 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) A second open house event
at City Hall, where attendees
viewed the
Recommendations that
arose from the Phase I
process. A forum for
the sharing of thoughts
and informal conversations.
31 Open House and Mixer, November 2023
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 826 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) • 123 respondents to March 2022 survey distributed to
Santa Monica residents and employees
• 100 youth participants in Summer 2022 Belonging in
Santa Monica workshops with Glenna Avila
• Approximately 270 participants at 9 public events
featuring 12 guest speakers/facilitators
• Approximately 240 participants at 14 presentations or listening sessions with community groups
• 337 respondents to the Reframe: City Hall
Mural Feedback Activity
• At least 200 Feedback Activity sheets distributed at 5 additional community events
• 13 Working Circle members selected from
32 applications
• 15 interview participants
• 9 mass email newsletters
• Many SaMoNews and City social media mentions
• Press coverage from SMDP, SM Mirror, Spectrum
NewsTwo City blog posts
32 Communications about the Project
11.A.j
Packet Pg. 827 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (5982 : Report and Recommendation for City Hall Murals) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: February 13, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.A
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Councilmember Davis and Councilmember de la Torre that the Council approve a resolution of the City Council of the City of Santa Monica opposing the Governor’s proposed cut of $33.2 Million from the $35 Million budget for the Market Match Program and urging the Governor to maintain all safety net programs including the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP), in the 2024/25 state budget.
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Resolution Opposing Market Match Cuts
B. Written Comments
16.A
Packet Pg. 828
1 City Council Meeting: February 13, 2024 Santa Monica, California RESOLUTION NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA OPPOSING THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL TO CUT $33.2 MILLION OF THE $35
MILLION BUDGET FOR THE MARKET MATCH PROGRAM AND URGING THE
GOVERNOR TO MAINTAIN ALL SAFETY NET PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE
CALIFORNIA NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (CNIP) IN THE STATE BUDGET WHEREAS, on January 10, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state is facing a $37.9 billion shortfall and released his 2024-25 budget proposal which proposes a drastic cut of $33.2 million from the current $35 million budget for the Market Match program (also known as the California Nutrition Incentive Program or CNIP); and WHEREAS, Market Match draws down 1:1 federal matching dollars, supporting economic development in California's struggling rural areas, and its cuts would dismantle a decade-long partnership and critical infrastructure; and WHEREAS, Market Match is a vital program that matches EBT/CalFresh shoppers' purchases at farmers markets, providing dollar-for-dollar incentive dollars to purchase locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables, supporting low-income shoppers, helping local farmers, and strengthening farmers markets; and WHEREAS, Market Match has been successfully operating at the Saturday Pico Farmers Market since 2014 and at the Sunday Main Street Farmers Market since January 2023, contributing significantly to the redemption of $84,270 by 40 farmers between the two markets last year; and
16.A.a
Packet Pg. 829 Attachment: Resolution Opposing Market Match Cuts (6249 : Opposing Cuts from Market Match Program) 2 WHEREAS, the loss of Market Match funding is expected to have a negative impact on low-income shoppers, local farmers, and success of community markets, drawing in new customers, and retaining vendors; and
WHEREAS, the Market Match funding was included in the joint versions of the 2023/2024 budget and signed by the governor at $35 million last year; and WHEREAS, Market Match is a vital program that helps low-income California families access fresh fruits and vegetables by matching Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for California-grown fresh produce, safeguarding against food insecurity and advancing health equity; and
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council hereby opposes the Governor's proposed cut of $33.2 million from the $35 million budget for the Market Match program and expresses concern about the potential negative impact on low-income shoppers, local farmers, and the success of community markets.
SECTION 2. The City Council hereby Urges the Governor to maintain ALL safety net programs, including the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP), in the state budget for the well-being of California families, farmers and the economy.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect. The City Clerk shall further transmit a copy of this resolution to the Governor, Chairs of the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees, Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur
16.A.a
Packet Pg. 830 Attachment: Resolution Opposing Market Match Cuts (6249 : Opposing Cuts from Market Match Program) 3 and any other appropriate authorities to emphasize the City of Santa Monica's strong opposition to the proposed cuts and support for vital programs such as Market Match and CNIP.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
Douglas Sloan, City Attorney
16.A.a
Packet Pg. 831 Attachment: Resolution Opposing Market Match Cuts (6249 : Opposing Cuts from Market Match Program) 1 David Yakobson
From: Cynthia Rose <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 2:22 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Council Mailbox; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock; Christine Parra; David White Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Support Item 16A Resolution to Oppose
Attachments: 2024-02 SaMoSSA Support Item 16A.pdf
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council
Please see the attached support letter from the Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance enthusiastically supporting the item 16A resolution to oppose the Governor's proposed budget cuts to the Market Match Program. --
Cynthia Rose & Cris Gutierrez
Co-Chairs
Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance
SaMoSafeStreets.org
Item 16.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.A.
February 13, 2024
16.A.b
Packet Pg. 832 Attachment: Written Comments (6249 : Opposing Cuts from Market Match Program) February 13, 2024
RE: Support Item 16A Resolution to Oppose Governor’s proposed cuts to Market Match Program Dear Santa Monica City Council Members:
The Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance enthusiastically supports the item 16A resolution proposed by Council Members Davis and de la Torre for the City to oppose the Governor's cut of $33.2 Million – a cut of 94% – from the Market Match Program budget, which helps provide fresh food for vulnerable children and families. The proposed cut in the Governor’s budget would essentially eliminate the critical services the program currently provides.
This food nourishment measure, along with all the support provided by the California Nutrition Incentive Program, is crucial for a healthy California population. We strongly recommend that the Council approve the resolution.
To balance the California budget by depriving families of food assistance is unconscionable. Why the Governor’s budget would include such a slashing of funds that would result in families having less food security is shocking. In fact, the severe cut undermines the call of the Center for Disease Control. Its report Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child sets forth the components of healthy living and healthy learning. In short, “Public health and education serve the same children often in the same settings.”
We trust that the Council will affirm its conscientiousness in sustaining the wellbeing of our local community along with neighborhoods throughout the state and approve the resolution to oppose the Governor's proposed cut to the Market Match Program.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Rose Cris Gutierrez
Co-Chair, Santa Monica Safe Street Alliance Co-Chair, Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance SaMoSafeStreets.org
Item 16.A.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.A.
February 13, 2024
16.A.b
Packet Pg. 833 Attachment: Written Comments (6249 : Opposing Cuts from Market Match Program) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: February 13, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.B
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Councilmember Zwick and Mayor Brock that the City Manager and City Attorney review the City’s laws and regulations regarding the abatement of public nuisances, and propose revisions that include additional definitions of what constitutes a public nuisance, including but not limited to frequent response and/or Calls for Service from SMPD to a real property or its adjacent area that are meaningfully and substantially disproportionate to the average number for a property of a similar size and character.
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Written Comments
16.B
Packet Pg. 834
1 David Yakobson
From: Brian Sweeney <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 1:03 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra
Cc: Council Mailbox; David White; Douglas Sloan
Subject: Letter from Brian Sweeney in Support of Tonight's Agenda Item 16-B Re: Proposed Calls for Service Statute
Attachments: DOJ Report on Calls for Service at Nuisance Motels.pdf
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Brock and City Council members,
My name is Brian Sweeney, and I live on Oak Street with my wife and three small children in Sunset Park. I am writing in enthusiastic support of Councilman Zwick and Mayor Brock's request for the City Manager and City Attorney to review and propose revisions to the City's nuisance laws, including supplementing the City's existing code with a Calls for Service approach to nuisance identification and abatement. I am a graduate of Yale Law School, but none of the foregoing is intended as legal advice; instead, I am writing in a personal capacity.
While the City already has a powerful local nuisance ordinance (see, e.g., Section 13.06 of our municipal code) and the benefit of various state laws, such as the Drug Abatement Act, the Red Light Abatement Act, and the Public Nuisance Laws, other Southern California cities do have even more robust programs for abating public nuisances. The City of Los Angeles, for example, has its Citywide Nuisance Abatement program, a formal partnership between LAPD and the L.A. City Attorney for identifying and then using legal action to abate criminal, nuisance, and other dangerous activity at problem properties. For more info, see here:
http://www.lacp.org/2003-Articles-Main/CNAPprogram.html.
More recently, building off of best practices recommendations from the U.S. Department of Justice and Arizona State University's Center for Problem-Oriented Policing (see attached report), other California cities, such as El Cajon, Costa Mesa, Chula Vista, Long Beach, and others, have adopted a Calls for Service-based approach for some classes of property. The logic is straightforward: if a property places an outsized burden on police, fire, code enforcement, or other municipal services, then the property owner must fix the underlying issues or otherwise close and/or sell the property to a more responsible owner. The City of Chula Vista has a particularly effective program, as spelled out in its municipal code and described here: https://www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/police-department/licenses-andpermits/hotelmotelpermittooperate/hmbackgroundinformation.
While I think Chula Vista's ordinance may offer a template for a similar ordinance in our City, I also want to highlight and recommend some ways such a statute could be tailored to best serve Santa Monica based on my own research and personal experience:
1. Record-keeping:
At the moment, our publicly-available calls for service data (available at https://data.santamonica.gov/dataset/police-calls-for-service) are recorded by block or intersection, not by specific address. While I believe that's for understandable privacy reasons, any Calls for Service statute should require that the Office of Emergency Management and/or SMPD continue to record or, if they're not already, start recording specific addresses which would make the statute easier to enforce against problem properties.
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
16.B.a
Packet Pg. 835 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 2 2. "Tracing":
Practically speaking, some issues emanating from a problem property may result in calls for service at a nearby block or intersection, not the exact block/intersection of the problem property. For this reason, the City of Chula Vista counts any call that can be "traced" to a problem property--a fight that spills out from one place to the other, for example--against that property for the purposes of tabulating calls for service. That requirement is essential for effective enforcement and for the City to gain an accurate picture of a given problem.
3. Calls for Service (CFS)/Room/Year Ratio:
Considering one class of property, the DOJ report explains: "Motels should be able to maintain annual CFS/room ratios of less than 1.0; action should be taken against those that do not keep calls at or below this level." To elaborate, this would mean that if a motel had 30 rooms, it would be "allowed" only 30 calls in a given year before, according to DOJ, the City must take action.
However, it is important to note that many other municipalities require action at even lower CFS/room/year ratios. In Chula Vista, it's 0.5 CFS/room/year. What's most important is that Santa Monica selects an effective CFS ratio for any class of property it chooses to regulate.
4. Identification of Problem Properties and Possible Referral to the City Attorney:
The burden of identifying problem properties must not fall on City residents. Inevitably, that approach would lead to inequity in enforcement; communities that are better resourced will be better able to lodge legitimate complaints and thus compel City action. Currently, those in our less well-resourced neighborhoods are not only more likely to bear the brunt of ongoing nuisances but also to be met with the City's failure to act.
The beauty of a Calls for Service statute, if properly enforced, is that it takes out the guesswork as to what properties require action and thus eliminates this inequity, but only if SMPD, the City Attorney, and/or a joint task force between the two is required to use the CFS data to identify these problem properties. Any CFS statue should thus spell out exactly who in the City will be responsible for tabulating CFS data.
Please note that, wherever that responsibility is lodged, this should be not a huge additional burden; it only requires a few hours of work with some very simple spreadsheet manipulation from existing City data.
If it is lodged with SMPD, SMPD must report those properties to the City Attorney for possible action, because, as the DOJ report explains, "continually arresting offenders at problem properties" is ineffective (see pg. 38).
5. Required Reporting to City Council:
Whether in an open or closed session, SMPD and the City Attorney should be required to report regularly (perhaps annually) to City Council on the worst offending locations in the City and what steps are being taken or could be taken to abate those problems.*
For some locations, I am sure the problems will be an inevitable result of their downtown or beachfront locations and thus won't require an abatement action. However, I know from my own experiences that these data will be illuminating regarding problems that have been allowed to fester without a proactive or systematic approach.
This is why a CFS statute, with a regular reporting requirement, offers an effective way to improve public safety without expending new police resources. In fact, this approach can help free up police, fire, and other City resources that nuisance properties are consuming.
*Note that this also should not be a large additional burden, as this kind of analysis should be happening anyway for effective deployment of public safety resources.
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
16.B.a
Packet Pg. 836 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 3 6. Remedies at Problem Properties:
One other strength of a Calls for Service statute is that it puts the burden on reforming the property on the person or entity best situated to do so: the property owner. While some CFS statutes will offer time for the owner to reform, it is essential that the ordinance also allow the "hammer" of property closure and/or receivership--not only to properly align the owner's incentives but also to enable an effective solution when an owner persists in allowing criminal, nuisance, and other dangerous activity.
For instance, in Chula Vista, if a property owner fails to abate, the City will revoke the property's conditional use permit for a minimum of three years.
7. Fencing:
In the event a property is closed, any CFS statute should require that the offending owner pay for adequate fencing and/or other remedial measures to ensure that, while the property is vacant, it does not continue to attract the same or similar nuisance activity.
------------------------------------------------------------ I apologize for not being able to make tonight's meeting, but thank you again to Councilman Zwick, Mayor Brock, and all City Council members for considering this agenda item. I truly believe a Calls for Service statute would offer a tremendous opportunity to improve public safety while saving significant City resources that can be redirected more effectively.
Best wishes,
Brian Sweeney
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Packet Pg. 837 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
Problem-Oriented Guides for Police
Problem-Specific Guides Series No. 30
Disorder at Budget
Motels
by Karin Schmerler
www.cops.usdoj.gov
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Packet Pg. 838 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) www.PopCenter.org
Center for Problem-Oriented Policing
Got a Problem? We’ve got answers!
Log onto the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing website at www.popcenter.org for a wealth of information to help you deal more effectively with crime and disorder in your community, including:
• Web-enhanced versions of all currently available Guides • Interactive training exercises
• On-line access to research and police practices
• On-line problem analysis module
Designed for police and those who work with them to
address community problems, www.popcenter.org is a great resource in problem-oriented policing.
Supported by the Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services, U.S. Department of Justice.
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Packet Pg. 839 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Problem-Oriented Guides for Police
Problem-Specific Guides Series
Guide No. 30
Disorder at Budget
Motels
Karin Schmerler
This project was supported by cooperative agreement
#2002CKWX0003 by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. Department of Justice.
www.cops.usdoj.gov
ISBN: 1-932582-41-X
January 2005
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Packet Pg. 840 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 841 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) About the Problem-Specific Guides Series i
About the Problem-Specific Guides Series
The Problem-Specific Guides summarize knowledge about
how police can reduce the harm caused by specific crime and disorder problems. They are guides to prevention and to improving the overall response to incidents, not to
investigating offenses or handling specific incidents. The guides are written for police–of whatever rank or
assignment–who must address the specific problem the
guides cover. The guides will be most useful to officers who
• Understand basic problem-oriented policing
principles and methods. The guides are not primers in
problem-oriented policing. They deal only briefly with
the initial decision to focus on a particular problem,
methods to analyze the problem, and means to assess
the results of a problem-oriented policing project. They are designed to help police decide how best to analyze
and address a problem they have already identified. (An assessment guide has been produced as a companion to
this series and the COPS Office has also published an
introductory guide to problem analysis. For those who
want to learn more about the principles and methods of
problem-oriented policing, the assessment and analysis
guides, along with other recommended readings, are
listed at the back of this guide.)
• Can look at a problem in depth. Depending on the
complexity of the problem, you should be prepared to
spend perhaps weeks, or even months, analyzing and
responding to it. Carefully studying a problem before
responding helps you design the right strategy, one that is most likely to work in your community. You should
not blindly adopt the responses others have used; you
must decide whether they are appropriate to your local
situation. What is true in one place may not be true
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Packet Pg. 842 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) ii Disorder at Budget Motels
elsewhere; what works in one place may not work
everywhere.
• Are willing to consider new ways of doing police
business. The guides describe responses that other
police departments have used or that researchers have
tested. While not all of these responses will be
appropriate to your particular problem, they should help give a broader view of the kinds of things you could do.
You may think you cannot implement some of these
responses in your jurisdiction, but perhaps you can. In many places, when police have discovered a more
effective response, they have succeeded in having laws
and policies changed, improving the response to the
problem.
• Understand the value and the limits of research
knowledge. For some types of problems, a lot of useful
research is available to the police; for other problems, little is available. Accordingly, some guides in this series
summarize existing research whereas other guides illustrate the need for more research on that particular problem.
Regardless, research has not provided definitive answers to all the questions you might have about the problem. The research may help get you started in designing your own responses, but it cannot tell you exactly what to do. This will depend greatly on the particular nature of your local problem. In the interest of keeping the guides readable, not every piece of relevant research has been cited, nor has every point been attributed to its sources. To have done so would have overwhelmed and distracted the reader. The
references listed at the end of each guide are those drawn on most heavily; they are not a complete bibliography of research on the subject.
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Packet Pg. 843 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) About the Problem-Specific Guides Series iii
• Are willing to work with other community agencies
to find effective solutions to the problem. The police
alone cannot implement many of the responses
discussed in the guides. They must frequently implement them in partnership with other responsible private and
public entities. An effective problem-solver must know
how to forge genuine partnerships with others and be
prepared to invest considerable effort in making these
partnerships work.
These guides have drawn on research findings and police practices in the United States, the United Kingdom,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and
Scandinavia. Even though laws, customs and police
practices vary from country to country, it is apparent that the police everywhere experience common problems. In a
world that is becoming increasingly interconnected, it is important that police be aware of research and successful practices beyond the borders of their own countries.
The COPS Office and the authors encourage you to
provide feedback on this guide and to report on your own agency's experiences dealing with a similar problem. Your agency may have effectively addressed a problem using
responses not considered in these guides and your
experiences and knowledge could benefit others. This
information will be used to update the guides. If you wish to provide feedback and share your experiences it should be sent via e-mail to [email protected].
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Packet Pg. 844 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) iv Disorder at Budget Motels
For more information about problem-oriented policing,
visit the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing online at www.popcenter.org or via the COPS website at
www.cops.usdoj.gov. This website offers free online access to:
• the Problem-Specific Guides series,
• the companion Response Guides and Problem-Solving Tools series,
• instructional information about problem-oriented policing and related topics,
• an interactive training exercise,
• online access to important police research and practices,
and
• on-line problem analysis module.
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Packet Pg. 845 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Acknowledgments v
Acknowledgments
The Problem-Oriented Guides for Police are very much a
collaborative effort. While each guide has a primary
author, other project team members, COPS Office staff
and anonymous peer reviewers contributed to each guide
by proposing text, recommending research and offering
suggestions on matters of format and style.
The principal project team developing the guide series
comprised Herman Goldstein, professor emeritus,
University of Wisconsin Law School; Ronald V. Clarke,
professor of criminal justice, Rutgers University; John E.
Eck, professor of criminal justice, University of
Cincinnati; Michael S. Scott, clinical assistant professor, University of Wisconsin Law School; Rana Sampson,
police consultant, San Diego; and Deborah Lamm Weisel,
director of police research, North Carolina State
University.
Karin Schmerler, Rita Varano, Nancy Leach and Cynthia
Pappas oversaw the project for the COPS Office. Suzanne Fregly edited the guide. Research for the guides was
conducted at the Criminal Justice Library at Rutgers
University under the direction of Phyllis Schultze.
The project team also wishes to acknowledge the members of the San Diego, National City and Savannah police
departments who provided feedback on the guides' format and style in the early stages of the project, as well as the line police officers, police executives and researchers who peer reviewed each guide.
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Packet Pg. 846 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) vi Disorder at Budget Motels
The author also acknowledges the support and assistance of members of the Chula Vista (California) Police
Department in developing this guide: Chief Rick
Emerson; Administrative Services Manager Ed Chew;
Lieutenants Don Hunter and Roxana Kennedy; Sergeants
David Eisenberg and Bruce Theisen; Agents Mark Jones,
Tony Puyot, and Rusty Rea; and Officers Scott Schneider, David Edwards, Brandi King, David Oyos, Chris Penwell,
and Wayne Wooten.
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Packet Pg. 847 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Contents vii
Contents
About the Problem-Specific Guides Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Factors Contributing to Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Motel Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Motel Layout and Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Motel Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Motel Clientele . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Understanding Your Local Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Asking the Right Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Calls for Service and Crime Incidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Motel Management Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Property Condition and Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Victims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Offenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Current Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Measuring Your Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
General Principles for an Effective Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Specific Responses to Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Deterring/Screening Problem Guests and Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Managing Problem Guests and Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Changing the Physical Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Fostering Responsibility Among Motel Owners and Managers for
Maintaining Safe Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Establishing and Enforcing Regulations and Penalties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Responses With Limited Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
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Appendix: Summary of Responses to Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Recommended Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
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Packet Pg. 849 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 1
The Problem of Disorder at Budget
Motels
This guide begins by describing the problem of disorder at budget motels, and reviewing factors that contribute to it.† It then identifies a series of questions to help you analyze your local problem. Finally, it reviews responses to the problem, and what is known about them from evaluative
research and police practice.
A wide variety of problems occur at budget motels,
including
• disturbances,††
• domestic violence,
• theft,
• auto theft and theft from autos,†††
• public drinking,
• vandalism,
• prostitution,
• drug dealing and use,
• fights,
• clandestine drug-lab operations,††††
• sexual assault, and
• robbery.
Many of these problems can be reduced through better
motel management, design, and regulation.
† Temporary overnight lodging falls
into two general categories: motels
and hotels. At motels, guests
(registered room occupants) and
visitors (people who enter the
grounds but are not registered
guests) can directly access rooms
without having to enter the motel
lobby or main building. At hotels,
guests and visitors must pass
through the front lobby or enter the
building through an outside door
and an interior corridor to get to the
rooms.
†† An analysis of motel calls for
service in Chula Vista, California,
found that the most typical citizen
call was about a disturbance of
some sort. A significant portion
involved guests who wouldn't leave
or pay (Morris 2003).
††† For further information, see
Thefts of and From Cars in Parking
Facilities, Guide No. 10 in this series.
†††† For further information, see
Clandestine Drug Labs, Guide No. 16
in this series.
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Packet Pg. 850 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 2 Disorder at Budget Motels
In a number of communities, certain motels generate
significant numbers of service calls and consume
inordinate levels of police resources. Problem motels are frequently hot spots for both nuisance activity and more serious incidents, such as robbery and sexual assault. In addition, problem motels inhibit nearby economic
redevelopment1 and reduce the number of safe, clean
lodging units available for tourists and travelers.
Factors Contributing to Disorder at Budget Motels
Understanding the factors that contribute to your problem will help you frame your own local analysis questions,
determine good effectiveness measures, recognize key
intervention points, and select appropriate responses.
The very nature of overnight lodging makes it conducive to crime and disorder. Motels and hotels house people
only temporarily, often in commercial areas with high
crime rates. Because budget motels offer low rates, accept cash, and often have a relatively unrestricted environment, local residents with illicit or antisocial intentions find them particularly attractive. Drug sales, prostitution, loud parties, and other activities can often be undertaken at motels with less risk than at private residences. Motel guests have little motivation to report drug dealing and prostitution because they have no long-term stake in the motel. In addition, motel managers often have a limited opportunity to get to know the backgrounds of the people on their premises. Finally, in municipalities that lack the resources to provide motel oversight, motel managers have little incentive to accept responsibility for problems.
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Packet Pg. 851 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 3
Motels attract crime, in that people inclined to commit it† are drawn to them because their conditions and
reputations are favorable for doing so.2 Poorly managed motels also enable crime by attracting offenders to a
location with weak oversight.3
† In Chula Vista, an estimated 21
percent of guests and visitors at
several problem motels were on
probation or parole, compared with
less than 2 percent of California's
overall adult population (Theisen
2002a).
Motel Economics
In 2002, the lodging industry posted revenues of more
than $102 billion.4
In general, lodging establishments that charge nightly rates of less than $60 fall under the budget category. However, both the price and the amenities at budget motels can vary greatly.†† Room rates–even for the same motel chain–differ significantly by location, season, and day of week. The upscale budget motels (which account for 25 percent of
all U.S. lodging units) are typically chain motels, some of which cater to business travelers and tourists and offer fitness centers, complimentary breakfasts, and premium
movie channels. Low-end budget motels (13 percent of all U.S. lodging) are typically independent properties that charge $20 to $45 per night, and may not offer any
amenities except for cable movies.
While some low-end motels offer safe, clean lodging (and some high-end motels do not), low-end motels are more
likely to experience crime and disorder problems. A study of Chula Vista motels by California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), found that low room rates were
strongly correlated with higher call-for-service rates.6 Compared with motels that charged from $41 to $60 a
night, those that charged $40 or less per night had twice the number of service calls per room, and more than twoand-a-half times the number of arrests per room.7 †† Some motels in the rural
Southwest have nightly rates of less
than $20; in these markets, motels
with nightly rates of $35 are highend. In contrast, low-end budget motels in major metropolitan areas
generally charge between $30 and
$45 a night, and high-end budget
motels may charge up to $80 a night.
The rates quoted in this guide do
not apply to all motels, but are
included to give you a general idea
of the cost of budget lodging.
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Cheap motels did not always pose crime and disorder
problems. In the 1930s and 1940s, individually owned and operated motels offered travelers an eclectic, economical array of relatively safe lodging options. In the 1950s, corporations such as Holiday Inn and Howard Johnson
sought to capitalize on the growing national travel market by offering consumers brand-name, standardized lodging.
The interstate highways built in the 1950s and 1960s
favored the chains by essentially rerouting motorists away from the older, independent establishments, many of
which were located along aging roads that ran parallel to– but were difficult to access from–the new interstates.8 In some cases, major motel chains built their properties right at the interstate exits; motorists seeking independent
motels had to bypass the chains and venture farther from the interstate to find them.
Steve Morris
In an effort to attract customers, older motels such as this urban Arizona establishment offer rock-bottom
prices for longer term guests, essentially creating lowincome housing.
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The smaller, non-chain motels had difficulty competing
with the large national chains under these circumstances.
To survive economically, they began catering to the lower end of the market; some turned into adult motels,† while others served as housing for low-income people. Unable
to afford upkeep, many of the formerly quaint motels
deteriorated and became havens for crime and disorder.†† Unsightly and crime-prone motels can inhibit economic
growth in the surrounding areas.
† The definition of "adult motels"
varies from one jurisdiction to the
next, but they often rent rooms by
the hour and advertise the
availability of in-room pornographic
movies.
†† There is evidence that drug
dealers sometimes operate out of
financially strained motels and
apartment complexes because the
property managers are unlikely to
have the will or resources to stop
them (Eck 1995b).
Motel Layout and Features
Originally built to accommodate the adventurous traveler of the 1930s and 1940s, motels were marketed as driverfriendly-motorists could drive right up to their rooms. 9,††† Ironically, what was originally a selling point is now one of the most detrimental aspects of motels, from a crime
prevention standpoint. Direct access to rooms allows
problem guests and visitors to come and go without being seen by motel personnel. Regardless of size,†††† motels with unimpeded pedestrian and vehicle access to rooms can be difficult to manage, and may have a relatively high number of service calls if they serve a risky clientele.
††† The word "motel" is derived
from the words "motorist" and
"hotel" (Roadside Architecture
2002).
†††† More than half of the 41,000
lodging establishments in the United
States have between 15 and 75
rooms. The majority of these
properties are likely motels, although
some larger motels may have up to
200 rooms (American Hotel &
Lodging Association 2003).
Motel Personnel
Unlike hotels, many motels have a small staff. In some
cases, the same individual who owns the motel also
manages it and works the front desk. A midsize budget
motel generally has an owner, a manager, one or more
front desk clerks, several housekeepers, and, sometimes, a security guard, typically on contract. Upper-end and larger budget motels usually have additional staff that fill these roles.
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Packet Pg. 854 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 6 Disorder at Budget Motels
Karin Schmerler
Drive-up motel rooms allow unrestricted and
anonymous access to guest quarters at any hour of day
or night.
Although there are notable exceptions, family-operated
motels tend to have higher calls-for-service-per-room
(CFS/room) ratios than chain motels. The CSUSB study
found that family-operated motels' CFS/room ratios were 60 percent higher than those at non-family-operated
motels.10 As of 2000, approximately 60 percent of hotels and motels were chain lodgings, and 40 percent were
independently owned and operated.11
Motel Clientele
At a typical lodging establishment, 80 percent of the
guests are tourists, business travelers, or meeting or
convention attendees. The remaining 20 percent have
other reasons for staying, including personal reasons and special events.12 By contrast, at budget motels with crime and disorder problems, it is not unusual to find that 80 percent or more of the guests are local residents staying Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 855 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 7
for personal reasons, and just 20 percent of the guests are tourists or business travelers. There is some indication that motels experience a "tipping point" with respect to
clientele. If a motel rents out rooms to enough problem guests, then more problem guests–and fewer legitimate
guests–will be attracted to that motel. In some cases, just one problem guest can discourage legitimate guests from renting rooms.13
A number of motels cater predominantly to local clients with a wide variety of reasons for renting budget rooms.
Low-income workers sometimes seek long-term housing at
motels rather than apartments, because motels do not
require a first and last month's deposit and let guests "pay as they go." People living day-to-day may be able to pay $38 a night for a motel room (with an average monthly total of more than $1,100), but unable to pay $500 all at once for an apartment. Motels also offer free furnishings, as well as cable television, electricity, and a telephone.14 People lacking steady jobs also rent motel rooms nightly, short term, or long term, for the same reasons.†
Seasonal or short-term laborers, such as migrant and
construction workers, also rent budget motel rooms, for anywhere from several weeks to several months.†† In some cases, government agencies that subsidize housing refer specific groups of people to motels. For example, the
agencies sometimes provide public-assistance recipients and parolees with housing vouchers they can use at motels.
† In Anaheim, California, where the
typical apartment costs $1,200 a
month, an estimated 2,000 of the
city's 310,000 residents lived in
motels full time before the city
enacted long-term rental restrictions
on the properties (Hill and
Associated Press 2000).
†† Seasonal laborers staying at
motels for long periods can create
ready markets for prostitution and
drugs; if the laborers are paid in
cash and do not use banks, they are
particularly vulnerable to robbery or
room burglary.
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Packet Pg. 856 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 8 Disorder at Budget Motels
A considerable number of budget-motel users seek rooms
for criminal or nuisance purposes. Prostitutes and their customers rent rooms to secure safe, cheap places to
conduct business; drug dealers use motels to contact
buyers and make transactions; smugglers use motels as way stations for people they've smuggled into the country; and partiers rent rooms to get away from their usual
environment, drink alcohol or use drugs, and generally
behave in ways that are less acceptable at home.
The Calls-for-Service-per-Room Ratio: A Common Denominator Using a calls-for-service-per-room (CSF/room) ratio allows for a standardized comparison of problem levels across motels of different sizes. The ratio is computed by dividing a motel's total number of calls for service in a 1-year period by the number of rooms at the motel. For example:
87 CFS / 39 rooms = 2.2 CFS/room
52 CFS / 12 rooms = 4.3 CFS/room
You can use both citizen- and officer-initiated calls to calculate CFS/room ratios–either independently, for different perspectives on motel problems, or together, for total CFS/room ratios. To download an Excel spreadsheet you can use to calculate CFS/room ratios, see http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels
Regardless of their motivation for frequenting motels,
guests and visitors who live within 30 miles of a motel tend to be higher-risk clients and cause more problems
than tourists or business travelers. The probation rates of problem-motel guests and visitors who provided local
addresses to Chula Vista officers were 13 times those of Item 16.B.
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California's general adult population. In contrast, no
tourists questioned at the same motels indicated they were on probation or parole.15 In addition, the CSUSB study
found that the percentage of local guests staying at a
motel was positively correlated with the motel's
CFS/room ratio; in other words, the higher the number of local guests, the higher the number of CFS/room.16
Long-term† guests also pose risks for motels. The CSUSB study found that the average length of stay at a motel was strongly correlated with citizen-initiated CFS/room ratios:
the longer the average stay, the higher the citizen-initiated CFS/room ratio.17 Because they are designed to
accommodate short-term guests, motel rooms are not
typically stocked with cleaning products such as
disinfectants, rags, dusters, mops, and vacuum cleaners, and can quickly deteriorate without frequent housekeeping and maintenance–services that low-end motels do not
generally provide.18 Problem long-term guests are also
difficult to remove from motels. In many jurisdictions, motel guests are considered legal tenants after 28 days of renting, and managers must have them evicted if they
want them to leave.
Prostitutes are among the riskiest clients motels serve. The CSUSB report found that motels that reported having
problems with prostitution in the prior month had very
high average CFS/room ratios compared with motels that
reported other serious problems, including drug sales.
Due to the number of people that pass through a motel
on a given night, and the need to quickly make decisions on nightly rentals, managers cannot conduct the type of lengthy background checks on would-be guests that are
typically done on prospective apartment renters. In
† A person who stays seven or more
days at a motel can be considered a
long-term guest. In some
jurisdictions, making weekly
payments for motel rooms
constitutes tenancy (Campbell
DeLong Resources Inc. and
Portland Police Bureau 1999).
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addition, if business is down or motels have trouble
attracting legitimate guests due to substandard facilities, staff might rent to suspicious guests to maintain cash flow.
They also may have difficulty turning down undesirable
guests during slow seasons.
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Understanding Your Local Problem
The information provided above is only a generalized
description of disorder at budget motels. You must
combine the basic facts with a more specific
understanding of your local problem. Analyzing the local problem carefully will help you design a more effective response strategy.
Asking the Right Questions
The following are some critical questions you should ask in analyzing your particular problem of disorder at budget motels, even if the answers are not always readily available.
Your answers to these and other questions will help you choose the most appropriate set of responses later on.
Calls for Service and Crime Incidents
• How many citizen- and police-initiated service calls
does your agency handle at budget motels each year?
Has the volume of the two types of calls changed over
time?
• What is the nature of the service calls and crime
incidents at budget motels? Do certain types of calls
and crimes occur more frequently at some properties?
• What is the annual CFS/room ratio† for each motel?
Do the ratios vary significantly among similarly priced properties in the same neighborhood? (See
http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels for an example of
how these ratios can vary considerably, even among
motels in the same several-block area.
† Annual budget-motel CFS/room
ratios that include both citizen- and
police-initiated calls generally range
from 0.25 to 2.0, but some
communities have properties–
especially non-chain motels–with
ratios of 11.0 or higher.
See
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http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels to obtain a chart
template you can use to show the difference in
CFS/room ratios for motels in your own jurisdiction.)
• For what types of crimes have police made arrests at
motels? Are certain types of arrests–especially drug or prostitution arrests–more common at some properties?
• What crime and disorder problems have motels
experienced but not reported?
Motel Management Practices
• What specific management practices are in place at lowpriced motels with annual CFS/room ratios below 1.0? Above 1.0? (Good management practices are described
in the "Responses" section below. To download a copy
of a survey you can use to interview motel managers,
see http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels.)
• Have CFS/room ratios changed over time, particularly
with a change in property management?
• Who owns the motel? Is it independently operated, part of a franchise, or corporately owned? Does the owner
have other properties? Obtaining information about a
motel’s owner(s) and managers, as well as any other
parties who have an interest in the motel (such as
mortgage holders, ground-lease holders, and insurers),
is critical to reducing problems at the motel. Property profiles, commonly known as “lot books,” list all
parties with a financial interest in a motel. Lot books can often be obtained through city clerks who
frequently contract with title search companies for this product. Professional skip-tracing search engines can
supplement lot-book research by providing owner
contact information, as well as information about tax
liens on the property and civil suits against the
owner(s).
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• Is the motel's business license up to date?
• How viable is the motel from a business perspective?
How much money did the motel take in last year, and
what was the average occupancy rate?†
• How willing is the owner/manager to take
responsibility for motel problems, and to work with
police to address them?
• Are there some security measures the manager would
like to implement, but cannot due to cost, company
policy, or zoning, planning, or fire code restrictions? • How many motels rent to guests for more than 30
consecutive days? How many and what percentage of
current guests in each motel are long-term tenants?
† Local government finance
departments can estimate gross
receipts through transient occupancy
taxes paid. The national average
occupancy rate for overnight lodging
was 64 percent in 2000, 60 percent
in 2001, and 59 percent in 2002 and
2003 (American Hotel & Lodging
Association 2004). A motel with 40
rooms, an occupancy rate of 60
percent, and an average nightly rate
of $50 would have yearly gross
receipts of $438,000 (40 rooms x 0.6
occupancy x $50 rate x 365 days).
Property Condition and Layout
• What is the general condition of the motel's rooms?
Do they meet minimum standards of cleanliness, safety,
and functionality?
• What is the general condition of the motel's exterior? Is it well landscaped and maintained?
• How many entrances and exits are there to the motel
grounds? Does all foot and vehicle traffic have to pass by the front office to access rooms or public areas,
such as the pool? Are both vehicle and pedestrian
access impeded by hedging or some other barrier? Is
there a fence around the property's perimeter, or is
access controlled via a gate or other means?
• How many entrances and exits are there to the motel
building itself ? Is access to the building limited by card keys or some other means? How quickly are card keys
reprogrammed (e.g., immediately upon checkout, the
day after checkout)?
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• Are there certain smaller areas/blind spots (nooks,
hallways, parking lot sections, rooms at the back of the motel, etc.) that are particularly conducive to problem behaviors?
Victims
• How concerned about problem motels are local
business employees, residents, and other people who
frequent the area? What problems have they seen or
experienced? How concerned are motel employees and
long-term tenants about problems at the properties?
• How many employees and long-term tenants have been
victimized by problem guests, and in what ways?
• How much have problem motels lost due to theft of
motel property from rooms, vandalism, and unpaid
rentals?
Offenders
• What percentage of the guests at individual motels live within 30 miles of them? What reasons do local guests
or visitors give for frequenting the motels?
• What are the probation/parole rates of guests at
problem motels compared with those of guests at
motels with low CFS/room ratios and those of the
general population?
• What percentage of arrestees at individual motels live within 30 miles of them? What reasons do problem
guests (e.g., those who have been arrested or are on
probation or parole) give for frequenting the motels
with high CFS/room ratios? What do they find
appealing about those motels? (See
http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels to download a
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copy of a motel-user survey you can use to estimate
user probation and parole rates, as well as provide
insights into what attracts problem guests and visitors to specific motels.)
Current Responses
• How does the police department currently address
motel problems? How effective have the responses
been over the long term?
• How are other local government agencies–such as code
enforcement, community development, health and
sanitation, planning and zoning, city attorney's office, fire, and finance–addressing motel problems?
• What existing laws, ordinances, or regulations foster or constrain the ability of police and other city agencies to effectively address problems at budget motels?
• Are financial lending institutions that hold notes on the motels aware of the problems, and if so, what actions,
if any, have they taken to improve the situation?
Measuring Your Effectiveness
Measurement allows you to determine to what degree your efforts have succeeded, and suggests how you might
modify your responses if they are not producing the
intended results. You should take measures of your
problem before you implement responses, to determine how serious the problem is, and after you implement them, to determine whether they have been effective. All measures should be taken in both the target area and the
surrounding area. (For more detailed guidance on
measuring effectiveness, see the companion guide to this series, Assessing Responses to Problems: An Introductory Guide for Police Problem-Solvers.)
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The following are potentially useful measures of the
effectiveness of responses to disorder at budget motels:
• fewer citizen-initiated calls for service per room, for each property;†
• fewer crime incidents at motels;
• less-serious crime incidents at motels;
• fewer citizen-initiated calls for service and crime
incidents in areas adjacent to problem motels;
• reduced police time spent at motels;††
• reduced concern about problem motels among
neighboring businesses, residents, and others with a
stake in reducing the problems;
• reduced levels of visible disorder, such as loitering and graffiti, at problem motels;
• increased tourist occupancy and decreased local
occupancy at motels; and
• increased number of motel rooms that meet minimum
standards of cleanliness, safety, and functionality.
† Although citizen-initiated calls
(primarily those from motel
employees) may increase during the
transitional period–when a motel is
improving management procedures
and changing its reputation–they
should ultimately decrease as the
motel becomes more able to prevent
and handle problems.
†† Officer-initiated calls should
decrease once the motels improve
their management practices and/or
control access to the property.
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Budget Motels
Your analysis of your local problem should give you a
better understanding of the factors contributing to it.
Once you have analyzed your local problem and
established a baseline for measuring effectiveness, you should consider possible responses to address the
problem.
The following response strategies provide a foundation of ideas for addressing your particular motel-disorder
problem. These strategies are drawn from a variety of
research studies and police reports. Several of these
strategies may apply to your community's problem. It is critical that you tailor responses to local circumstances, and that you can justify each response based on reliable analysis. In most cases, an effective strategy will involve implementing several different responses. Law
enforcement responses alone are seldom effective in
reducing or solving the problem. Do not limit yourself to considering what police can do: give careful consideration to who else in your community shares responsibility for the problem and can help police better respond to it.
General Principles for an Effective Strategy
1. Enlisting community support to address the
problem. Changing the way motels do business requires
the support of local elected officials; government agencies that can regulate overnight lodging establishments;
business associations, such as the Chamber of Commerce
and convention and visitors bureaus; and, to some extent, the motels themselves. These various parties should be
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provided with detailed information about the nature and extent of motel problems before recommending any
changes.† Well-funded regional and national motel chains may try to influence local politicians before they have all the facts, and small-business owners–even ones who
manage enterprises that border on the criminal–can be a powerful local constituency for elected officials.
Neighboring businesses, residents, and users of the areas near problem motels can help make the case for change.
† Taking elected officials and local
business leaders on tours of problem
motels can be an effective way of
alerting them to specific issues.
2. Obtaining cooperation from motel owners and
managers. Voluntary compliance with good motel
management practices is possible to obtain from a
segment of motels, and there are several natural incentives for managers to reduce problems at their properties.
Legitimate motel owners have a financial interest in
reducing crime and disorder problems–especially those
that involve a potential loss of revenue, such as guests who damage rooms or refuse to pay.††
†† At least 35 percent of Chula Vista
motel managers indicated they had
experienced the following problems in
the prior month: theft, guest's refusal to
leave, loud party, suspected drug dealing,
and vandalism/graffiti (Bichler, Christie,
and McCord 2003). Improved
management practices can reduce the
likelihood such problems will occur.
Safe, well-run,
attractive motels can charge higher rates and maintain or increase annual revenue. Some managers would genuinely
like to reduce the number of problem guests and visitors at their motels, but lack the necessary financial resources or knowledge about effective crime prevention measures at motels. (To download a copy of a management practices
checklist you can provide to motel managers, see
http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels.) Independent
motels, in particular, may not have the resources to make significant environmental changes, but they can make a
number of management changes at little cost. National
chains have more resources at their disposal and are highly capable of running safe motels, if they choose to do so.
You can prioritize problem motels with uncooperative
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Packet Pg. 867 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 19 managers or owners by CSF/room ratios, total number of
citizen- and officer-initiated service calls, and community complaints. Uncooperative motels will have different
leverage points. National budget chains may want to avoid negative publicity. Absentee motel owners may be
persuaded to make changes that will reduce their exposure to liability or the likelihood of significant property
damage.† Motel owners or managers involved in criminal
activity at their motel can be forced to sell their business or radically change their business practices if they have been charged with or convicted of a crime. However,
some motels may change the way they do business only
under the threat of nuisance abatement or new local laws governing motel operations.
† Motel managers in Sandy City,
Utah, were convinced that it was in
their interest to prevent drug dealers
from setting up methamphetamine
labs in their motel rooms when
informed that the cost of cleaning
up and rebuilding a motel room
after a drug lab explosion could be
as high as $25,000 (Thompson
1999).
Regulating Management Practices Through CFS/Room Ratios The city of Tukwila, Washington, requires motels to implement specific responses based on their yearly CFS/room ratios. All motels fall in one of three tiers established by the city: (1) less than or equal to 0.25 CFS/room/year; (2) 0.26 CFS/room/year to 1.0 CFS/room/year; and (3) more than 1.0 CFS/room/year. Motels and hotels in the tier with the fewest service calls do not have to make any changes. Motels in the middle tier must have a staff member on the property 24 hours a day, maintain a surveillance camera in the lobby at all times, and participate in a crime prevention assessment. Motels in the highest service-call tier must implement the middle-tier requirements, as well as submit employee names to the police department for background checks, train employees in proper management practices, install cameras in parking lots, implement crime-prevention-through-environmental-design recommendations, and make a number of other changes. Since being passed in the summer of 2000, police there report the initiative has reduced service calls by approximately 60 percent at motels with annual CFS/room ratios of more than 1.0.
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3. Establishing and enforcing minimum motel
functionality and security standards. All motels should comply with appropriate housing and building codes, and meet minimum security standards established through a
combination of court decisions, legislation, and
assessments by lodging managers.†
† All agree that deadbolts,
peepholes, door chains, solid doors
and frames, and room telephones
constitute basic security measures
that all motels should have in
place. As far as liability goes, the
absence of these measures is
considered evidence of unsafe
lodging. Motels with established
crime problems have also been
expected to employ adequate
numbers of security guards, install
closed-circuit television (CCTV) in
problem areas, and secure slidingglass doors with bars (Slepian 2002).
4. Establishing crime-and-disorder performance
standards and goals. As noted earlier, CFS/room ratios
vary significantly, even among comparable motels in
comparable neighborhoods. Motels with low CFS/room
ratios set a natural baseline for what can be accomplished at similar properties. Motels should be able to maintain annual CFS/room ratios of less than 1.0††; action should be taken against those that do not keep calls at or below this level. Incentives for reaching performance goals, such as city-sponsored signage, community development funds, or other enticements, may be offered to motels that
maintain annual CFS/room ratios of 0.5 or less.†††
†† In some communities, a ratio of
0.5 may be excessive, however,
compared to other motels in the
area.
††† Performance standards are not
intended to discourage motel staff
or others from calling the police in
an emergency. Police should
conduct a quick door-to-door
tenant survey if they suspect a
manager is training tenants not to
call them. Motel managers facing a
performance standard may argue
that it is their right to call the
police, and they should not be
penalized for being proactive.
However, if a motel chooses to
cater to a high-risk clientele and
has a high number of calls for
service, the management should
completely control access to the
property. The management may
also need to hire adequate security,
both to handle repeat nuisance
calls that should not require a
police response, and to prevent
more-serious incidents from
occurring. If a motel cannot afford
access-control measures and
private security (if necessary), it
should stop catering to a high-risk
clientele.
Both
research and successful crime-reduction projects at motels and other residential properties have shown that motel
personnel–especially managers and owners–can effectively control crime and disorder on their properties through
proper management practices.19 Managers and owners have the greatest ability to ensure that their properties do not attract problem guests and visitors. However, many
managers and owners are under the false impression that only police enforcement can reduce the problems at their motels, and rely primarily on local police to keep the
order. Police agencies should avoid becoming de facto
security services for motels for two reasons: traditional enforcement tactics are not particularly effective at
reducing motel problems, and cities should not routinely subsidize the security operations of a for-profit industry.
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desired results, the motel may have grounds to argue
against abatement or other enforcement actions designed to reduce problems.20
Specific Responses to Disorder at Budget Motels
Deterring/Screening Problem Guests and Visitors
5. Requiring all adult guests and visitors† to present
government-issued photo ID at the front desk
immediately upon arrival. An ID requirement reduces
the perception of anonymity at motels, reinforces personal accountability for behavior, and provides police with
important information should a crime occur–all reducing the motel's appeal to problem guests and visitors. At
minimum, front desk clerks should collect the following information from both guests and visitors:
• full name,
• home address,
• home telephone number,
• date of birth,
• government ID number and ID type,
• state and country of ID issuance,
• time of arrival, and
• number of assigned or visited room.
Desk clerks at motels with high CFS/room ratios should
also collect the following from registered
guests:
• name, address, and phone number of their employer,
and
• name and telephone number of an emergency contact.21
† Like guests, visitors should be
directed to the front desk by the
security staff or the property design
(e.g., fencing that prohibits
unimpeded motel access, walkways
that lead directly to the front office).
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Clerks should complete the guests' registration cards
according to information verbally provided by the guests, then ensure the photo IDs contain the same information.
Clerks should also visually verify and record guests' and visitors' license plate numbers, and issue corresponding parking permits that limit stays.22 Staff should record all guest and visitor information on a government-approved
registration form readily accessible to police and other city officials who need to review occupancy levels, such as
finance department personnel.
6. Requiring that guests and visitors be at least 21
years old to rent or visit a room, unless accompanied
by a parent or legal guardian. Minors are at particular risk of sexual assault or statutory rape at motels; age limitations on guests and visitors can help prevent these crimes. Maintaining a strict 21-or-older policy for both guests and visitors can also prevent underage drinking in motel rooms.
7. Maintaining and enforcing "no rent" and "no
trespass" lists. Motel managers should retain the names and other registration information of people who have
been arrested on the property, have caused a disturbance, have necessitated a call to police, are prohibited from renting at the motel as a result of a temporary restraining order or parole/probation conditions, or did not follow motel rules during rental. Motel management should ban
such people from the property for a set period, typically six months to a year. You should consult legal counsel
about the particular legal requirements of enforcing such bans in your jurisdiction.
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8. Limiting visitors and contact between strangers.
Motels should prohibit visitors between 10 p.m. and 6
a.m.; people on the property between those hours should be guests or staff only. At particularly problematic motels, management may want to prohibit visitors entirely. In
addition, motels should limit the number of unrelated
guests to one or two per room, thus discouraging parties and underage drinking.23 Front desk clerks should refuse to connect callers to rooms if the callers do not know the guests' full names.24 Implementing and enforcing all of these policies can reduce a motel's appeal to prostitutes and drug dealers.
9. Prominently posting notices and signs that clearly
outline appropriate guest and visitor behavior, as well as the sanctions that will be levied against violators.25 Sample rules include the following:
• No illegal activity (including drug use/sales,
prostitution, and underage drinking) is allowed on the
premises. If such activity is suspected, the management will notify the police and ask guests to leave the
property, without a refund.
• Room doors must be kept closed at all times.
• No loitering is allowed on the premises.
• No public drinking is allowed.
• Playing loud music is not allowed.
• Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• All visitors must check in at the front desk.
• Guest rooms may not be used for private parties.
• Parking passes must be displayed in all vehicles parked in the lot, or they will be towed at the owners' expense. • The management shares registration information with
local police.
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Karin Schmerler
Posted signs, clearly stating the rules of the motel, can dissuade guests from engaging in illegal activities.
10. Guaranteeing payment from high-risk guests.
Motels that have experienced problems with guests who
won't pay or leave can require a two-night cash deposit or a credit card imprint at check-in. This policy can help ensure that motels receive compensation for all rentals, as well as cover any losses or damages that may occur.
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11. Refusing to rent to known or suspected prostitutes, gang members, or drug dealers,† or to anyone clearly
intoxicated or under the influence of illicit
substances. Motel staff have the right to refuse service to anyone, as long as they do not discriminate against a
protected class in making room rental decisions. (To
download a list of criminal indicators that can be posted at the front desk for easy clerk reference, see
http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels.) Woodbury,
Minnesota, officers provide motels with detailed telephone listings of local escort services so motel clerks can crossreference outgoing and incoming calls to rooms occupied by suspected prostitutes.26 National City, California, police obtained temporary restraining orders that barred known prostitutes from certain motels.27 Motels may want to
consider charging for outgoing local telephone calls, which can discourage motel use by guests who plan to make a lot of local calls.28
12. Implementing clear check-in policies, and training
clerks in their use. Clerks should provide guests and
visitors with a copy of the "house rules." If the motel is experiencing serious problems, clerks should require guests and visitors to read and sign a form. Clerks should also ask guests why they are renting a room, how many visitors they expect, and how long they are staying. If guests
indicate they will be staying seven days or more, motel managers should conduct more extensive screenings,
which may involve credit, employment, and prior landlord reference checks.29 Night clerks, who are often recent
hires, may need additional training in guest screening and motel security procedures.30
† Prostitutes are often well-known
to motel clerks, gang members may
have gang-related tattoos, and drug
dealers may have previously raised
suspicion by making numerous brief
phone calls from their rooms during
prior motel stays. Based on a review
of motel arrests, Sandy City officers
developed a profile of people buying
and selling drugs at the properties.
The typical arrestee used
methamphetamine, was between the
ages of 18 and 35, provided a local
address, and paid in cash at lowpriced motels or used a fraudulent credit card at moderately priced
motels. The arrestees also generally
checked into motels in pairs and
without luggage, and made and
received numerous local phone calls
(Thompson 1999).
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13. Reinforcing formal and informal social controls
over problem guests. Police can inform those who
oversee problem guests, such as military command staff
and employers of seasonal laborers, about motels that
experience relatively high levels of crime and disorder.
The military can make problem properties "off limits" to personnel.31 Police should provide oversight officials with details on the types of problems experienced at the
motels, and, if applicable, inform them that there are plans to conduct enforcement operations at the properties, as well as change how they are run, so they are more
restrictive with respect to photo ID requirements, visitor prohibitions, public drinking, and noise policies. Probation agencies can also set probation and/or parole conditions that prohibit offenders from frequenting specific motels with histories of drug problems and other criminal
activity.32
Managing Problem Guests and Visitors
14. Assigning potential problem guests to rooms near
the front office or with high natural surveillance. Some motel managers routinely rent suspicious guests rooms
near the front office, so they can better monitor their behavior. Rooms that face a busy street can also provide natural surveillance of problem guests and their visitors.
15. Employing well-trained, uniformed, on-site
security guards, with clear expectations regarding
duties. Security guards should regularly and randomly
patrol motel grounds and contact people who are loitering or behaving suspiciously. On large properties, guards
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Packet Pg. 875 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 27 should patrol on bicycle; on smaller properties, guards should be on foot. On all properties, they should carry professional two-way radios.33 They should pay attention to problem areas; enforce no-trespass lists; photograph
trespassers and provide pictures to police and other motel staff; check for vehicles without parking permits and for other lot violations, and knock on the appropriate guests' doors to have them correct the violations; and generally enforce all house rules regarding noise levels, visitors, etc.
Guards should not fraternize with guests or visitors.
16. Prohibiting "back-in" parking. Some motel guests
who engage in illicit activity back into motel parking
spaces to make it harder for others to get their license plate numbers,† and easier for them to leave quickly, if necessary. Prohibiting such parking will make the motel less attractive to those with criminal intentions.
17. Inspecting the rooms of guests who refuse maid
service or behave suspiciously after check-in. Guests
who have no luggage but anticipate an extended stay, bring a lot of luggage into a room for a one-night stay, or make and receive many local phone calls may be involved in
producing methamphetamine.34 If motel managers suspect
drugs are being produced or sold, or find drug
paraphernalia, they should call the police, who can inspect the room for evidence of illicit activity. You should
consult with legal counsel about the laws governing police searches of motel rooms in your jurisdiction.
† Approximately 20 states do
not require vehicles to display
a front license plate.
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Packet Pg. 876 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 28 Disorder at Budget Motels
Changing the Physical Environment
18. Limiting access to the property. A key feature of a safe motel is its ability to control who has direct access to guest rooms and other parts of the property.† Motels can limit access in a variety of ways, including the use of perimeter fencing, electronic gates, security guards,35 and a property design that requires all foot and vehicle traffic to pass by the front office.36 Some motels have converted
exterior corridors to interior corridors to control access.
At a notorious airport motel in Oakland, California,
security guards function as a human barrier to those trying to access motel rooms. They send guests to the front desk to register, and ask potential visitors for the full name and room number of the person they want to visit. If visitors can provide this information as it appears on the room
rosters the guards have, the guards send them to the front desk to register; if they cannot, the guards ask them to leave. Service calls have dropped by 59 percent since this practice, along with a series of other changes, was
implemented.37
† The two most frequent problems
experienced by Chula Vista motel
managers were (1) too many people
in a room (65 percent of managers
reported experiencing this problem
in the previous month), and (2)
unauthorized guests/visitors in
rooms (57 percent of managers)
(Bichler, Christie, and McCord
2003). Controlling direct access to
rooms can substantially reduce both
problems.
A Charlotte, North Carolina, motel that
erected a fence to eliminate non-motel foot traffic
Karin Schmerler
This motel fenced an unnecessary entrance/exit to reduce "pullthrough" traffic.
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Packet Pg. 877 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 29 increased the motel residents' perception of safety, and along with the eviction of a problem tenant and
improvements in the registration process, reduced service calls by more than 60 percent.38
19. Installing and monitoring CCTV. Closed-circuit
television (CCTV) cameras at the property entrance(s), in the lobby, in the parking lot, in the pool area, at building entrances and exits, and at other problem locations can help motel staff better monitor the entire property. To address an increase in armed robberies at Marriott's
higher-end budget motels (Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, and Courtyard) in the mid-1990s, Marriott installed a basic CCTV system in the lobby of more than 80 percent of
them. Robbery rates at those motels fell 43 percent the first year after they installed CCTV, and an additional 33 percent the first nine months of the next year. Color
monitors were found to be most effective. In addition,
motels that installed the monitors in locations visible from outside the motel experienced a more dramatic decline in robberies than those that did not. Finally, contrary to Marriott's expectations, legitimate customers did not voice concerns about the monitors.39 For it to be effective and not cause undue liability, CCTV must be monitored, which can be time-consuming and tedious.
20. Installing adequate lighting, and improving the
visibility at blind corners with mirrors. Uniform
lighting of at least one foot-candle† for the entire site is recommended; walkways, room entrances, and stairs
should be more brightly lit. Three to five foot-candles of lighting are recommended for building entrances.40
Motion-detector lighting can be an additional safeguard in problem areas.
† A foot-candle is a unit of
measurement of light per square
foot of surface space. Inexpensive
light meters can be used to
determine the lighting level at a
specific location.
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Packet Pg. 878 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 30 Disorder at Budget Motels
21. Landscaping and maintaining the property in a
way that minimizes crime opportunities and
maximizes the perception of ownership. Simply
planting and maintaining a low-growth flower garden can signal to problem guests that the property is well-cared-for and unlikely to be suitable for illegal activity. Abandoned vehicles, furniture, and appliances, graffiti, and other signs of neglect should quickly be removed. Pay phones used by problem guests should be altered or removed. You should consult someone trained in the principles of crime
prevention through environmental design (CPTED)† for
specific recommendations.
† For more information on CPTED
principles, see the International
CPTED Association's website, at
http://www.cpted.net/default.html.
22. Establishing redesign and property improvement
incentives. Areas slated for redevelopment can be
rezoned to encourage property improvements that both
reduce crime opportunities and improve aesthetics. For
example, in Sarasota, Florida, owners of aging motels and other structures built before the current building code was adopted had little incentive to significantly upgrade their properties, as doing so would require full code compliance.
To encourage property improvements, the city exempted
motel owners in a specially designated redevelopment zone from meeting the code requirements, as long as the
proposed upgrades met the overall goals for the zone: to create "…a safe and attractive environment…"41 Cities can also offer low-interest loans or tax credits for major
renovations that would allow motels to increase room
rates or incorporate CPTED principles into the property design.
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Packet Pg. 879 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 31 Fostering Responsibility Among Motel Owners† and
Managers for Maintaining Safe Lodging
23. Informing owners and managers about problems
on site. Any time police make a drug or prostitution
arrest on motel property, they should send a letter to the owner, manager, and any other parties with a financial
interest in the property (such as mortgage holders),
informing them of the arrest and the consequences to the motel–such as abatement–if the activity continues.†† The letter should request that the motel owner meet with
police and/or city legal staff to explain how he or she plans to address the problem.††† Once a year,†††† police should forward each motel a listing of arrests, crime
incidents, and service calls that occurred at the property during the prior year, along with an indication of how the motel's activity level compares with that of similar motels.
The annual report should inform managers of their
potential exposure to civil liability if they fail to maintain safe properties.††††† Police may also want to consider
conducting checks of all registered guests and visitors at problem motels for outstanding warrants, and notifying
motel managers and owners of the results (arrests, drugs seized, etc.). Legal advice on conducting such checks is recommended.
† It is important to inform and work
with problem-motel owners as well
as managers, because managers may
not have the authority to make
changes that could result in a loss of
rental revenue (Clarke and BichlerRobinson 1998).
†† In a number of states and
municipalities, properties where drug
dealing or other nuisance behavior,
such as prostitution (laws vary),
occurs can be closed or otherwise
ordered to cease operation.
††† An evaluation of a San Diego
effort to reduce drug dealing by
contacting property owners found
that those who both received a letter
from the police about the illegal
activity and participated in a followup meeting experienced a 60 percent reduction in reported crime (Eck
1998).
†††† Problem motels may more
frequently require information on
arrests, crimes, and service calls. As
part of an intensive effort to reduce
problems at a Fresno, California,
property, an officer personally
contacted the owner and manager
each time police made an arrest or
executed a search warrant at the
property (Fresno 1998).
††††† Some courts have held that
the burden is on motel management
to assess the need for security
measures, based on the foreseeability
of crime problems at the property.
Aspects of foreseeability include the
nature and volume of previous
crimes at the property, the crime rate
of the surrounding neighborhood,
guests who commit crime(s), a
property design that facilitates crime,
the number of calls about suspicious
people, and a high visitor-to-guest
ratio (Slepian 2002).
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Packet Pg. 880 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 32 Disorder at Budget Motels
24. Requiring that a manager be on the property at all
times. Problems at motels occur at all hours; managers
must be available at all times to address the concerns that will inevitably arise during nonbusiness hours. Some motel managers live in their motels. As a general proposition, residential property managers are more likely to employ management practices that will reduce crime and maintain order if the property is also their home.42
25. Encouraging owners to sign "good neighbor
agreements." Good neighbor agreements may be
required for particularly problematic motels. These
detailed, signed agreements between motel owners and the police ensure that motels are implementing acceptable
management practices appropriate to the property.43
26. Offering employee training programs. Such
programs should cover practices that will aid motel
employees in reducing crime, improving business
operations, and complying with local laws. Police can
provide specific guidelines on conducting background
checks on prospective employees, screening guests and
visitors, recognizing suspicious activity (such as
methamphetamine lab operations), reducing crime
opportunities through environmental design, knowing
when to call the police, and handling disturbances or
crimes such as robberies. Additional topics of interest to motel managers may include crime prevention measures
that directly affect motel finances, such as recognizing counterfeit payment methods.44 It is also important to
educate motel owners about their potential legal liability if they do not operate safe establishments.45 (Motel managers and owners interested in reducing problems at their
properties should see Crime Prevention in Overnight Lodging,a Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 881 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 33 short manual developed specifically for motel managers, at http://www.popcenter.org/Problems/Supplemental_Mater
ial/Prostitution/CDRI_CP_ONL.pdf.)46
Establishing and Enforcing Regulations and Penalties
27. Limiting occupancy to no more than 28 days in a
90-day period, and evicting problem tenants. A
number of jurisdictions have prohibited motels from
housing people on a long term basis–typically for more
than a month at a time–citing health and safety reasons.† If motels cannot be prohibited from housing long-term
residents, they should implement more rigorous screening procedures and operate their businesses as landlords,
rather than managers.†† Established motel tenants involved in illegal activity should be evicted under existing landlordtenant laws.††† The arrest and subsequent eviction of managers and several long-term problem residents of a
Fresno motel resulted in a 70 percent decrease in the
average number of service calls per month.47
† In justifying its 30-day stay limit at
motels, Buena Park, California,
indicated that the lack of ongoing
maintenance and maid service at
long-stay motels rapidly creates
substandard conditions in most, if
not all, of the rooms.
†† For further information about
effective rental-property
management, see Campbell (2000).
††† An evaluation of effective drug
abatement efforts found that
problem-tenant eviction enabled a
large majority of properties to
essentially eliminate drug problems
and avoid abatement (Davis and
Lurigio 1998).
28. Conducting regulatory inspections and audits.
Regulatory inspections and audits can help ensure that
properties comply with relevant fire, building, zoning, property maintenance, and health and safety codes, as well as tax laws. Oakland, California's Specialized Multiagency Response Team routinely inspects nuisance properties,
including motels, to ensure compliance with housing, fire, and safety codes. Properties not in compliance may be
sued using civil laws. An evaluation found that this
approach was more effective at reducing drug problems in and around targeted properties than traditional
enforcement efforts.48 Involving tax authorities can prove particularly effective in encouraging motels to change their business practices.††††
†††† In California, the Franchise Tax
Board can eliminate tax deductions
if a property does not comply with
housing codes.
Fresno police requested that the city
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Packet Pg. 882 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 34 Disorder at Budget Motels
revoke a problem motel's rooming tax permit on the
grounds the motel was violating a municipal code that
prohibited allowing unlawful activity on the property;
ultimately, the threat of this action forced the owners to sell the motel.49
Adele Sidock
Because many independent motels were built more
than 50 years ago and owners tend to limit
investment in the properties, a number will exhibit
moderate to severe code violations.
29. Implementing licensing requirements for lodging
establishments, including minimum security,
sanitation, and management standards. In Stockton,
California, motels must meet minimum standards to obtain a permit to operate. Among other things, permit
applicants must demonstrate that the property fully
complies with all applicable building, fire, and health codes; that service calls to the property have not been "excessive," as determined by the police chief; that the premise is governed by a management plan that addresses cleaning schedules and property maintenance; and that the property manager has not been involved in criminal
activity for at least five years†
† The CSUSB study of Chula Vista
motels found that only 19 percent of
motels that were not family-owned
conducted criminal records checks
on motel employees.
and has completed a motelmanagement training course co-taught by the police, fire, Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 883 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 35 code enforcement, and environmental health departments, and the local hotel/motel association.50,† During 2002, the program's first year of operation, 12 of the city's 59
motels were shut down because they failed to comply with the new requirements. Oakland, California, requires that all motel rooms be secured with deadbolt locks and meet minimum standards regarding conditions and furnishings, as well as linen and mattress cleanliness.51 Motel practices and standards can also be regulated through conditionaluse permits, particularly when motel ownership changes hands.
30. Enacting special regulations for adult motels.†† To make it more difficult for prostitutes to operate out of motels, a number of cities have passed laws prohibiting motels from renting rooms on an hourly or half-night
basis. Other jurisdictions have established definitions of adult motels to limit where they can be located and to
regulate their operations.
† For a copy of the Stockton
ordinance, see
http://www.stocktongov.com/SMC
/Chapter07/Ch07PartIVDiv02.htm.
†† Sugarland, Texas, has defined
adult motels as those that (1) offer
public accommodations with CCTV,
films, videos, slides, or photos
characterized by an emphasis on
specified sexual activities; (2) and
post a sign visible from the street
advertising such material; (3) or
offer a sleeping room for rent for
less than 10 hours; (4) or allow a
tenant or occupant of a sleeping
room to sub-rent the room for less
than 10 hours.
31. Requiring a performance bond††† or other changes
at a property in exchange for continued business
operation.
††† A performance bond guarantees
that the terms of an agreement will
be met or the injured party will be
financially compensated.
Oakland police and city officials required a
prominent national budget chain to take out a $250,000
performance bond in return for continued operation of a problem motel. The motel had well-documented problems
of prostitution and drug sales, and a service-call level substantially above that of neighboring chain motels.
Rather than forfeit the $250,000 bond to the city, the
motel improved its management practices, hired 24-hour
security guards to control access to the property,
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Packet Pg. 884 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 36 Disorder at Budget Motels
prohibited visitors between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and
instituted a series of other management changes. These
changes reduced service calls to the property by 59
percent† seven months after the agreement was reached,
and pushed the motel's service-call levels down to those of neighboring chain motels, a key stipulation of the
agreement. National City officers required a series of
changes in return for the continued operation of a motel whose owners had been cited for violating the California state penal code sections that prohibit room rental to
known prostitutes.†† Requiring a performance bond or
other changes at a property provides a certain degree of leverage with the property owner. In the case of the
Oakland airport motel, the adverse publicity of a drug
abatement lawsuit provided the necessary leverage for the company to take out the performance bond. In National
City, misdemeanor charges that put the owners on
probation for one year gave officers the means for
requiring management changes.
† This call reduction was achieved
with virtually no police enforcement
action. Just one search warrant was
served, and several arrests made.
†† To prove that the motel was
violating the penal code, National
City officers paid an hourly rate for
rooms and then brought known
street prostitutes to the motel,
making it clear that they were doing
so to have sex in exchange for
money. Violation of the penal code
provisions enabled officers to obtain
a search warrant for the property,
which revealed separate
bookkeeping practices and tax
violations (National City Police
Department 2002).
32. Seeking cost recovery for excessive city time spent at problem motels. If police can establish that they have, out of necessity, spent an inordinate amount of time at problem motels, they can request reimbursement for that time. Oakland police recovered more than $35,000 for
time spent surveilling the budget motel that took out the $250,000 performance bond.52
33. Closing the property. Problem motels can be closed
using a variety of approaches, including nuisance or drug abatement,††† failure to meet legally mandated operation standards, amortization,†††† eminent domain,†††††
††† In 1999, the University of
California, Berkeley, estimated it
would cost the city of Oakland
approximately $18,000 in legal and
administrative costs to close a motel
under the state drug nuisanceabatement statute, but only an estimated $1,300 to close the motel
if it constituted a public nuisance
under the same statute (Amato et al.
1999).
†††† Amortization is a means of
terminating a nonconforming use by
allowing investors to recoup their
investment over a reasonable period,
which may range from a few months
to several years.
††††† Eminent domain is the
government's ability to take
possession of private property for
the public good, usually by
providing fair compensation to the
owner.
and
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Packet Pg. 885 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 37 imminent hazard.† Although it can be a lengthy process
and is not without costs, property closure (or the threat of property closure) may be the only way to effectively
address problems at the worst motels. In the case of
abatement, civil penalties that accrue to the local
government may help offset property-closure costs.
Abatement laws vary by state, and the process can be
complicated; legal assistance and full consideration of the benefits and potential pitfalls of the process are a must.†† (You can find a full discussion of closure options, their costs and benefits, and their appropriate use, given local crime conditions and the level of effort motel managers make to improve the property, at
http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels.) Once a property is closed, the government can demolish it, sell it, or convert it to permanent housing or some other lawful use.53
† An imminent hazard is a structure
that is at risk of causing immediate
or impending harm to the occupants
or their property.
†† In weak real-estate markets, for
example, a property that is closed or
acquired through abatement may
have significant tear-down or
conversion costs that could inhibit
future property development.
Aaron Anderson
Documenting drug and weapon seizures at motels is crucial to making the case for abatement.
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34. Using asset forfeiture or seizure. Although not
widely used because the target property's value is often low,54 asset forfeiture of motel property has been
attempted on several occasions. The Maricopa County,
Arizona, Attorney's Office sought to reduce problems at a motel using state statutes that provide for property seizure if a criminal nuisance is not abated.55 In 1998, the U.S.
Attorney in Houston sought to use federal drug assetforfeiture laws to seize a motel that was the site of drug sales, prostitution, and other serious crimes, despite the fact that the owners did not actively participate in the crimes. Ultimately, the U.S. Attorney did not pursue the forfeiture case because the motel owners agreed to make a number of changes in motel operations.
Responses With Limited Effectiveness
35. Continually arresting offenders at problem
properties. A number of police departments have made
little impact on motel problems using only traditional
tactics.56 Albuquerque, New Mexico, police arrested more than 20 people at a particularly problematic motel during the summer of 1997, but by February 1998, they were
again making a lot of arrests there, for drugs and
prostitution. It was not until the property was abated as a nuisance in 1999 that the problems there declined.57
National City officers found that the impact of "john"
stings (arrests of prostitution customers) were short-lived and did not address the underlying cause of the problem:
poor property management. They routinely conducted
prostitution stings in the area of a problem motel for four years before concluding that these efforts were not
effective over the long term.58 In addition, research on the impact of drug enforcement efforts at apartment
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Packet Pg. 887 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 39 complexes and drug houses has found little evidence that traditional tactics are effective in these settings.59 At motels with poor guest screening and management, police face a seemingly limitless supply of offenders not deterred by periodic enforcement efforts.
36. Conducting field interviews of people at problem
motels, and traffic stops of vehicles leaving them;
scheduling extra police patrols of problem motels. In
Chula Vista, a 91 percent increase in officer-initiated activity in 2001–primarily field interviews, traffic stops, and knock-and-talks–yielded just a 6 percent reduction in citizen-initiated calls for service that year. A 23 percent reduction in officer-initiated activity in 2002 corresponded with a 10 percent reduction in citizen-initiated calls that year. There appeared to be no relationship between the
level of police-initiated activity and the level of citizen calls for assistance.60 Police did not inform motels about the increased enforcement activity. A subsequent analysis of 48 months of call data to the Chula Vista motel with the most service calls found that there was a very weak and statistically insignificant relationship between police enforcement activity and citizen-initiated calls.
37. Implementing Crime-Free Hotel/Motel programs.
A spin-off of the Crime-Free Multi-Housing program, this initiative involves certifying properties as "crime-free" if the managers have completed the requisite training courses and the properties conform to general CPTED principles.
Although a number of aspects of the Crime-Free
Hotel/Motel (CFHM) program are effective strategies and recommended in this guide, the program itself has
limitations. As currently structured, the CFHM program
requires police or other city officials to spend a significant Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 888 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 40 Disorder at Budget Motels
amount of time helping motels go through the three-phase process to become certified crime-free properties. Motels that participate in the program often see a reduction in service calls, but participation is voluntary, and problem motels frequently opt out.† Turnover at motels can also hamper the program, as new personnel have to be trained in CFHM principles.61
† In Mesa, Arizona, where the
CFHM concept was developed and
implemented in 1997, the majority
of motels did not participate in the
CFHM program as of July 2001.
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Packet Pg. 889 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Appendix 41
Appendix: Summary of Responses to Disorder at
Budget Motels
The table below summarizes the responses to disorder at budget motels, the mechanism by which they are intended to work, the conditions under which they ought to work
best, and some factors you should consider before
implementing a particular response. It is critical that you tailor responses to local circumstances, and that you can justify each response based on reliable analysis. In most cases, an effective strategy will involve implementing
several different responses. Law enforcement responses
alone are seldom effective in reducing or solving the
problem.
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations General Principles for an Effective Strategy
1. 17 Enlisting
community
support to
address the
problem
Establishes joint
ownership of
the problem and
a solid
foundation for
change
…there is
sufficient public
interest in and
political support
for addressing the
problem
A local business
association, such
as the Chamber
of Commerce,
may be best
positioned to
take the lead in
enlisting and
maintaining
community
support
2. 18 Obtaining
cooperation
from motel
owners and
managers
Limits the need
to regulate
changes in
business
practices
…the needs and
opinions of
motel managers
and owners are
sought early in
the problemsolving process
Not all motels
are interested in
changing the way
they do business;
these
establishments
will require a
different
approach
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Packet Pg. 890 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 42 Disorder at Budget Motels
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations
3. 20 Establishing and
enforcing
minimum motel
functionality and
security
standards
Restricts the
operation of
motels to those
that can provide
accommodations
that meet basic
standards
…pertinent city
and county
agencies, such as
code
enforcement, the
attorney's office,
and the health
department can
provide
assistance
May require years
to implement, as
well as significant
political support
and ongoing
resources for
implementation
4. 20 Establishing
crime-and- disorder
performance
standards and
goals
Shifts the
responsibility for
safety to those
most able to
improve
conditions–
motel operators
…a number of
motels already
maintain annual
CFS/room ratios
of less than 1.0
May require years
to implement, as
well as significant
political support
Specific Responses to Disorder at Budget
Deterring/Screening Problem Guests and Visitors
Motels
5. 21 Requiring all
adult guests and
visitors to
present
governmentissued photo ID
at the front desk
immediately
upon arrival
Creates a record
of motel users
for police
purposes; can
help screen out
those who do
not wish to be
identified by
motel personnel
…front desk
clerks
consistently
adhere to
information
collection
requirements and
refuse to allow
access to people
without proper
IDs
A guest/visitor log
is most useful to
police if the
information is
legibly recorded
on a standardized
form, or, if
possible, entered
into a
standardized
computer database
6. 22 Requiring that
guests and
visitors be at
least 21 years
old, unless
accompanied by
a parent or legal
guardian
Denies minors
access to a place
to drink alcohol;
helps prevent
minors from
being sexually
assaulted in a
motel room
… front desk
clerks
consistently
refuse to allow
unaccompanied
minors on the
premises and a
large number of
problem guests
are under 21
Can be difficult to
implement
without perimeter
control
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Packet Pg. 891 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Appendix 43
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations
7. 22 Maintaining and
enforcing "no
rent" and "no
trespass" lists
Prevents onetime problem
motel users from
becoming repeat
motel users
…both visitors
and guests are
required to
present photo
ID to enter the
property
Requires good
record-keeping on
the part of motels
and perimeter
control
8. 23 Limiting
visitors and
contact between
strangers
Inhibits parties;
reduces the
opportunity for
illicit
transactions
between
strangers
…motels can
control both
pedestrian and
vehicle access to
the property
Controlling the
perimeter may be
costly
9. 23 Prominently
posting notices
and signs that
clearly outline
appropriate
guest and
visitor behavior,
as well as the
sanctions that
will be levied
against violators
Sets rules for
motel users'
behavior;
removes excuses
regarding the
consequences of
violations
…guests and
visitors read the
notices, and
management
enforces the
rules
Motels with lower
CFS/room ratios
may not want or
need explicit rules
prohibiting
prostitution and
drug use
10. 24 Guaranteeing
payment from
high-risk guests
Gives motel staff
leverage over
guests who won't
leave or pay;
helps screen
guests who can't
afford a room
…guests' credit
cards are
legitimate
Not all motel
customers will
have credit cards;
in these cases,
motels can require
multi-night
deposits well in
advance of
departure dates
11. 25 Refusing to rent
to known or
suspected
prostitutes,
gang members,
or drug dealers,
or to anyone
clearly
intoxicated or
under the
influence of
illicit substances
Denies motel
access to
extremely highrisk guests and
visitors
…clerks can
identify high-risk
guests,
management
supports denying
them access, and
the motel can
either replace
them with lowrisk guests or
absorb the
resulting shortterm loss of
revenue
Clerks cannot
discriminate
against people who
would like to rent
rooms based on
their race, religion,
gender, or other
protected
characteristics
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Response
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12. 25 Implementing
clear check-in
policies, and
training clerks
in their use
Standardizing
and formalizing
check-in
procedures aids
clerks in
consistently
screening out
problem guests
…clerk turnover
is relatively low,
or key
information is
provided to new
clerks, in written
form
Managers may
need to
periodically check
on adherence to
check-in
procedures and
standards
13. 26 Reinforcing
formal and
informal social
controls over
problem guests
People who have
influence over
problem guests
limit their ability
to frequent the
premises, or they
require
improvements in
behavior
…problem
motels are
patronized by
significant
numbers of
people who can
be influenced
(parolees/
probationers,
military
personnel,
college students,
or seasonal
laborers)
Parolees/
probationers may
have difficulty
finding other
housing that meets
their needs
Managing Problem Guests and Visitors
14. 26 Assigning
potential
problem guests
to rooms near
the front office
or with high
natural
surveillance
Increases the
guests' risk of
getting caught
engaging in
problem
behaviors
…such rooms
are not booked
when suspicious
guests arrive
This response
should be used in
only a few
borderline cases at
any one time; if a
clerk or manager
does not feel
comfortable
renting to a
person, they
should not
proceed with
check-in
15. 26 Employing
well-trained,
uniformed, onsite security
guards, with
clear
expectations
regarding duties
Provides
significant
oversight of the
property
…guards go
beyond
patrolling and
proactively use
all the tools at
their disposal to
keep order on
the property
Involves a
substantial cost to
the motel
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Response
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16. 27 Prohibiting
"back-in"
parking
Reduces motels'
appeal to
criminals; gives
guards an
opportunity to
engage violators
…motels are
located in or
near states that
do not require a
front license
plate
Signs prohibiting
this practice must
be posted; guests
may not
understand the
restriction
17. 27 Inspecting the
rooms of
guests who
refuse maid
service or
behave
suspiciously
after check-in
Limits the
amount of time
guests have total
control over the
use of rooms
…motels employ
security guards
or other staff
who are trained
in recognizing
drug
paraphernalia
Situations
involving
suspected
clandestine drug
labs or sales are
dangerous, and
police involvement
is recommended
Changing the Physical Environment
18. 28 Limiting access
to the property
Problem guests
and visitors can
be screened out
at the front desk
…direct room
access or use of
the property by
people not
associated with
the motel is a
source of the
problem
Involves a cost to
the motel; police
and other
emergency
personnel must
have access to the
property
19. 29 Installing and
monitoring
CCTV
Increases the
risk offenders
will get caught
engaging in illicit
or undesirable
behavior
…the motel has
only a few
identifiable
problem areas
Involves a cost to
the motel
20. 29 Installing
adequate
lighting, and
improving the
visibility at
blind corners
with mirrors
Increases the
risk offenders
will be detected
…problems
occur at night
and in the
motel's public
areas
Involves a cost to
the motel
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21. 30 Landscaping
and maintaining
the property in
a way that
minimizes
crime
opportunities
and maximizes
the perception
of ownership
Sends the
message that the
location is
unsuitable for
criminal activity
…it is done in
conjunction with
access control,
and strict guest
and visitor
screening
Involves a cost to
the motel
22. 30 Establishing
redesign and
property
improvement
incentives
Provides motel
owners with
resources or
benefits for
upgrading
properties or
improving their
security features
…motels are
interested in
serving a
legitimate
clientele, but lack
the resources to
attract legitimate
customers
May involve a cost
to the jurisdiction
and/or the motel
Fostering Responsibility Among Motel Owners and Managers for Maintaining Safe Lodging
23. 31 Informing
owners and
managers about
problems on
site
Removes excuses
on the part of
owners and
managers
…the problem
motels are
concerned about
their reputation
or the threat of
abatement
Requires ongoing
staff support to
forward crime-anddisorder statistics
to motels and
conduct follow-up
meetings
24. 32 Requiring that a
manager be on
the property at
all times
Ensures that the
property will
have 24-hour
oversight
…a manager can
live in the motel
Involves a cost to
the motel
25. 32 Encouraging
owners to sign
"good neighbor
agreements"
Creates a formal
record of
specific
management
practices agreed
to by a problem
motel
…the agreedupon practices
can be easily
monitored
The consequences
of violating the
agreement should
be spelled out
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Response
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26. 32 Offering
employee
training
programs
Provides
employees with
information that
can help them
run safe motels;
ensures
employees are
aware of
pertinent
regulations
…training
sessions are
required and
offer
information that
will help prevent
fraud,
establishment of
drug labs, theft,
vandalism,
robbery, and
other crimes that
adversely affect
motel finances
and employees
Requires ongoing
staff support to
develop,
coordinate, and
conduct the
training
Establishing and Enforcing Regulations and Penalties
27. 33 Limiting
occupancy to
no more than
28 days in a 90-
day period, and
evicting
problem tenants
Prevents
occupants from
becoming legal
tenants at motels
not designed for
long-term stays;
removes
problem guests
…guests staying
longer than
seven days
undergo morethorough
screening
procedures, such
as credit and
reference checks
Guests who need
long-term housing
but can afford or
obtain only motel
lodging may cycle
in and out of
multiple motels
over a period of
months
28. 33 Conducting
regulatory
inspections and
audits
Ensures that
buildings meet
codes designed
to protect guests
and visitors
…city/county
agencies
coordinate
efforts
Requires ongoing
staff support to
coordinate and
conduct
inspections/audits
29. 34 Implementing
licensing
requirements
for lodging
establishments,
including
minimum
security,
sanitation, and
management
standards
Ensures that
motels meet
minimum
standards of
operation
specifically
developed for
overnight
lodging
establishments
…a significant
number of a
jurisdiction's
motels operate in
a substandard
way
Requires
significant political
support to be
instituted, as well
as ongoing
resources to
manage the
licensing program
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Response
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30. 35 Enacting special
regulations for
adult motels
Targets those
motels most
likely to generate
a high number
of service calls
by limiting their
operations in
various ways
…problems at
the motels stem
from
prostitution, and
compliance with
regulations can
be easily
monitored
Exemptions may
need to be made
for legitimate
hourly rentals such
as those for
corporate
hospitality suites
31. 35 Requiring a
performance
bond or other
changes at the
property in
exchange for
continued
business
operation
Gives police
financial leverage
over problem
motels
…problem
motels have
sufficient
resources and
incentive to take
out a bond
Requires legal
support and clear
evidence of
significant
problems at a
property
32. 36 Seeking cost
recovery for
excessive city
time spent at
problem motels
Jurisdictions
calculate the
value of officer
or other staff
time required to
address
problems at a
motel
…one or two
motels are
extreme outliers
with respect to
calls-for-service
ratios
May require legal
action
33. 36 Closing the
property
Problem motels
can no longer
operate
…motel owners
have actively
allowed crime to
occur on the
property
Can be expensive
and timeconsuming; must
have the support
of city or county
legal staff; all legal
property owners
must be accurately
identified, which
can be a challenge
34. 38 Using asset
forfeiture or
seizure
Jurisdictions
assume
ownership of
property used
for illicit
purposes
…the property
can be relatively
easily sold or
converted to
other uses
Faces legal
challenges
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Response
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35. 38 Continually
arresting
offenders at
problem
properties
Intended to
remove problem
guests from
motels and deter
them from
returning
…arrests are
used to build a
case against
owners regarding
poor guest
screening
Except for casebuilding, this is not
shown to be an
effective use of
officer time
36. 39 Conducting
field interviews
of people at
problem motels,
and traffic
stops of
vehicles leaving
them;
scheduling extra
police patrols
of problem
motels
Intended to
deter problem
guests from
frequenting
motels
…the measures
are used to
better
understand what
attracts problem
guests to the
motels
Except for datagathering, this is
not shown to be
an effective use of
officer time
37. 39 Implementing
Crime-Free
Hotel/Motel
programs
Intended to
promote
voluntary
compliance with
good
management
practices
Focuses on
process rather than
outcomes
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Packet Pg. 899 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Endnotes 51
Endnotes
1 Plaster and Carter (1993).
2 Brantingham and Brantingham (1995).
3 Brantingham and Brantingham (1995).
4 American Hotel & Lodging Association (2004).
5 American Hotel & Lodging Association (2004).
6 Bichler, Christie, and McCord (2003).
7 Eisenberg, Plouffe, and Schmerler (2002).
8 Postcard History of Motels (2002).
9 Postcard History of Motels (2002).
10 Bichler, Christie, and McCord (2003).
11 Working for America Institute (2003).
12 American Hotel & Lodging Association (2004).
13 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police
Bureau (1999). 14 Smallwood (2000).
15 Theisen (2002).
16 Bichler, Christie, and McCord (2003).
17 Bichler, Christie, and McCord (2003).
18 Palmer (2002).
19 Eck (1998); Clarke and Bichler-Robinson (1998);
National City Police Department (2002); CharlotteMecklenburg Police Department (1998). 20 Gardiner and Crawford (2003). 21 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police
Bureau (1999). 22 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police Bureau (1999). 23 University of Minnesota (2000).
24 Gardiner and Crawford (2003).
25 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police
Bureau (1999). 26 Woodbury Police Department (2001).
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Packet Pg. 900 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 52 Disorder at Budget Motels
27 National City Police Department (2002).
28 Schneider (2003).
29 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police
Bureau (1999). 30 Beaudry and Brandt (1998).
31 Theisen (2002b).
32 Stevens (2002).
33 Kohr (1991).
34 Thompson (1999).
35 Gardiner and Crawford (2003).
36 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police
Bureau (1999). 37 Oakland Police Department (2003).
38 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (1998).
39 Anderson (1999).
40 Kohr (1991).
41 Plaster and Carter (1993).
42 Felson (1998).
43 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police
Bureau (1999). 44 Twin Falls Police Department (1999).
45 Slepian (2002).
46 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police
Bureau (1999). 47 Fresno Police Department (2001).
48 Mazerolle, Roehl, and Kadleck (1998).
49 Fresno Police Department (1998).
50 City of Stockton (2001).
51 City of Oakland (1999).
52 Gardiner and Crawford (2003).
53 Amato et al. (1999).
54 Davis and Lurigio (1998).
55 Yuma Police Department (1998).
56 Yuma Police Department (1998); Fresno Police
Department (2001); Fresno Police Department (1998).
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Packet Pg. 901 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Endnotes 53
57 Smallwood (2000).
58 National City Police Department (2002).
59 Davis and Lurigio (1998).
60 Brookover and Morris (2003).
61 Thomason (2003); Gregor (2003).
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Packet Pg. 903 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) References 55
References
Amato, G., B. Kilmer, N. Kinghorn, and M. Zafary (1999). "Hotels, Motels, and Crime in Oakland." Report
submitted by the Richard & Rhoda Goldman School
of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, to the City of Oakland.
American Hotel & Lodging Association (2004).
http://www.ahma.com
Anderson, T. (1999). "No Room for Crime." Security
Management 43(12):22–23.
Asian American Hotel Owners Association (2004).
http://www.aahoa.com
Beaudry, M., and H. Brandt (1998). "Suite Security."
Security Management 42(1):73, 75–76.
Bichler, G., J. Christie, and E. McCord (2003). "Chula
Vista Motel Evaluation Project." Interim report
submitted to the Chula Vista Police Department.
Brantingham, P., and P. Brantingham (1995). "Criminality of Place: Crime Generators and Crime Attractors."
European Journal of Criminal Policy and Research 3:5–26.
Brookover, B., and S. Morris (2003). Analysis of Chula
Vista Police Department calls-for-service data from
2000 through 2002.
Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 904 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 56 Disorder at Budget Motels
Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. (2000). Keeping Illegal
Activity Out of Rental Property: A Police Guide for
Establishing Landlord Training Programs. Washington,
D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice
Assistance.
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/148656.pdf
Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police
Bureau (1999). Crime Prevention in Overnight Lodging: A Guide to Preventing Drug Activity, Prostitution, and Other Illegal Behavior in Hotels and Motels. Portland, Ore.: City of Portland.
http://www.cdri.com/Reports/CDRICPONL.pdf
Campbell, J. (2002). Telephone interview with author, Dec.
13. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (1998).
"Independence Lodge." Submission for the Herman
Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented
Policing.
City of Oakland (1999). Municipal Code, Chap. 8.03.
http://bpc.iserver.net/codes/oakland/
City of Stockton (2001). Municipal Code, Chapter 7, Part IV, Division 2.
http://www.stocktongov.com/SMC/Chapter07/Ch07_
PartIV_Div02.htm
City of Tukwila (2000). Ordinance No. 1918.
http://www.mrsc.org/Ords/T8o1918.aspx
Clarke, R., and G. Bichler-Robertson (1998). "Place
Managers, Slumlords, and Crime in Low-Rent
Apartment Buildings." Security Journal 11(1):11–19.
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Packet Pg. 905 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) References 57
Davis, R., and A. Lurigio (1998). "Civil Abatement as a Tool for Controlling Drug Dealing in Rental
Properties." Security Journal 11(1):45–50.
Eck, J. (1998). "Preventing Crime by Controlling Drug
Dealing on Private Rental Property." Security Journal
11(1):37-43.
(1995a). "Examining Routine Activity Theory: A
Review of Two Books." Justice Quarterly 12:783–797.
(1995b). "A General Model of the Geography of
Illicit Retail Marketplaces." In J. Eck and D. Weisburd
(eds.), Crime Prevention Studies, Vol. 4. Monsey, N.Y.:
Criminal Justice Press.
Eisenberg, D., N. Plouffe, and K. Schmerler (2002).
"Interim Report: Chula Vista Motel Project."
Felson, M. (1998). "Crime Prevention, Apartments, and
the Larger Ecosystem." Security Journal 11:61–63.
Fresno Police Department (2001). "The Fresno Inn."
Submission for the Herman Goldstein Award for
Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.
(1998). "The Big Star Motel." Submission for the
Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in ProblemOriented Policing.
Gardiner, B., and R. Crawford (2003). Personal interview with author, Jan. 3.
Gregor, L. (2003). E-mail to author, dated Feb. 12.
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Packet Pg. 906 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 58 Disorder at Budget Motels
Hill, J., and Associated Press (2000). "High California Rents Push Working Poor to Cheap Motels."
www.CNN.com, Oct. 30.
Kohr, R. (1991). "Mastering the Challenge of Securing a Budget Motel." Security Management 35(12):33–34,
39–40.
Mazerolle, L., J. Roehl, and C. Kadleck (1998).
"Controlling Social Disorder Using Civil Remedies:
Results From a Randomized Field Experiment in
Oakland, California." In R. Clarke (ed.), Crime
Prevention Studies, Vol. 9. Monsey, N.Y.: Criminal Justice Press.
Morris, S. (2003). Temporal analysis of Chula Vista's 2003 calls-for-service data.
National City Police Department (2002). "Paradise Motel Community Improvement Project." Submission for the
Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in ProblemOriented Policing.
Oakland Police Department (2003). "The Oakland Airport
Motel." Submission to the Herman Goldstein Award
for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.
Palmer, G. (2002). Letter to D. Rowlands Jr., dated June
18. Plaster, S., and S. Carter (1993). Planning for Prevention:
Sarasota, Florida's Approach to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. Tallahassee, Fla.: Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute.
Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 907 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) References 59
Postcard History of Motels (2002).
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/wooda/card.html
Roadside Architecture (2002). http://www.wtvzone.com/moe/moesboomerabilia/page15.html Schneider, S. (2003). Personal interview with author, May 9.
Slepian, C. (2002). Developing and Managing a Hotel/Motel Residence Security Program. New York: Foreseeable Risk
Analysis Center.
http://www.frac.com/lodgings/intro.asp
Smallwood, S. (2000). "Special Project: Central Avenue
Motels." ABQ Journal, Sept. 3–5.
http://www.abqjournal.com/motels
Smith Travel Research (2003). "Smith Travel Research
Announces Full Year 2002 U.S. Lodging Industry
Results." Press release, Jan. 24.
(2001). "STR Says 2000 Occupancy, RevPAR Both
Increased for U.S. Hoteliers." Press release, Jan. 22.
Stevens, P. (2002). Training conducted at the Chula Vista Police Department, Nov. 8.
Theisen, B. (2002a). Analysis of Motel User Survey data collected by the Chula Vista Police Department.
(2002b). Personal interview with author, Nov. 1.
Thomason, T. (2003). E-mail to author, dated Feb. 15.
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Packet Pg. 908 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 60 Disorder at Budget Motels
Thompson, J. (1999). "Preventing Clandestine Labs." Law and Order 47(10):137–140.
Twin Falls Police Department (1999). "Narcotic
Detection/Criminal Apprehension Through
Enforcement and Education." Submission for the
Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in ProblemOriented Policing.
University of Minnesota, Alcohol Epidemiology Program
(2000). "What Hotels and Motels Can Do."
http://www.epi.umn.edu/alcohol/policy/hotels.html
Woodbury Police Department (2001). "Creating
Relationships and Safe Hotels." Submission for the
Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in ProblemOriented Policing.
Working for America Institute (2003). "U.S. Hotels and
Their Workers: Room for Improvement."
http://www.workingforamerica.org
Yuma Police Department (1998). "Tropicana Motel."
Submission for the Herman Goldstein Award for
Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.
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Packet Pg. 909 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) About the Author 61
About the Author
Karin Schmerler
Karin Schmerler is a public safety analyst with the Chula Vista (California) Police Department. In this capacity, she has researched a variety of citywide and neighborhood-level crime and disorder problems, including auto theft, traffic collisions, and school bullying.
Prior to working for the Chula Vista Police Department, she spent six years as a social science analyst at the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice, and seven years as a researcher at the Police Executive Research Forum. Schmerler is an author of Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide to Reducing Crime and Disorder through Problem-Solving Partnerships, and a co-author of "Primary Data Collection: A Problem-Solving Necessity." She holds a bachelor's degree in public policy studies from Duke University.
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Packet Pg. 911 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Recommended Readings 63
Recommended Readings
• A Police Guide to Surveying Citizens and Their
Environments, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 1993. This
guide offers a practical introduction for police practitioners to two types of surveys that police find useful: surveying public opinion and surveying the physical environment. It provides guidance on whether and how to conduct costeffective surveys. • Assessing Responses to Problems: An
Introductory Guide for Police Problem-Solvers, by
John E. Eck (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of
Community Oriented Policing Services, 2001). This guide is a companion to the Problem-Oriented Guides for Police series. It provides basic guidance to measuring and assessing
problem-oriented policing efforts.
• Conducting Community Surveys, by Deborah Weisel
(Bureau of Justice Statistics and Office of Community
Oriented Policing Services, 1999). This guide, along with accompanying computer software, provides practical, basic pointers for police in conducting community surveys. The document is also available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs.
• Crime Prevention Studies, edited by Ronald V. Clarke
(Criminal Justice Press, 1993, et seq.). This is a series of volumes of applied and theoretical research on reducing opportunities for crime. Many chapters are evaluations of initiatives to reduce specific crime and disorder problems.
Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 912 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 64 Disorder at Budget Motels
• Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing:The 1999
Herman Goldstein Award Winners. This document
produced by the National Institute of Justice in
collaboration with the Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services and the Police Executive Research Forum provides detailed reports of the best submissions to the annual award program that recognizes exemplary problemoriented responses to various community problems. A similar publication is available for the award winners from subsequent years. The documents are also available at
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij.
• Not Rocket Science? Problem-Solving and Crime
Reduction, by Tim Read and Nick Tilley (Home Office
Crime Reduction Research Series, 2000). Identifies and
describes the factors that make problem-solving effective or ineffective as it is being practiced in police forces in England and Wales.
• Opportunity Makes the Thief: Practical Theory for
Crime Prevention, by Marcus Felson and Ronald V.
Clarke (Home Office Police Research Series, Paper No. 98, 1998). Explains how crime theories such as routine activity theory, rational choice theory and crime pattern theory have practical implications for the police in their efforts to prevent crime.
• Problem Analysis in Policing, by Rachel Boba (Police
Foundation, 2003). Introduces and defines problem
analysis and provides guidance on how problem analysis
can be integrated and institutionalized into modern
policing practices.
Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 913 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Recommended Readings 65
• Problem-Oriented Policing, by Herman Goldstein
(McGraw-Hill, 1990, and Temple University Press, 1990).
Explains the principles and methods of problem-oriented policing, provides examples of it in practice, and discusses how a police agency can implement the concept.
• Problem-Oriented Policing and Crime
Prevention, by Anthony A. Braga (Criminal Justice
Press, 2003). Provides a through review of significant
policing research about problem places, high-activity
offenders, and repeat victims, with a focus on the
applicability of those findings to problem-oriented
policing. Explains how police departments can facilitate problem-oriented policing by improving crime analysis,
measuring performance, and securing productive
partnerships.
• Problem-Oriented Policing: Reflections on the
First 20 Years, by Michael S. Scott (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2000). Describes how the most critical elements of
Herman Goldstein's problem-oriented policing model have developed in practice over its 20-year history, and proposes future directions for problem-oriented policing. The report is also available at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
• Problem-Solving: Problem-Oriented Policing in
Newport News, by John E. Eck and William Spelman
(Police Executive Research Forum, 1987). Explains the
rationale behind problem-oriented policing and the
problem-solving process, and provides examples of
effective problem-solving in one agency.
Item 16.B.
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16.B.a
Packet Pg. 914 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 66 Disorder at Budget Motels
• Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide to Reducing Crime
and Disorder Through Problem-Solving
Partnerships by Karin Schmerler, Matt Perkins, Scott
Phillips, Tammy Rinehart and Meg Townsend. (U.S.
Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services, 1998) (also available at
www.cops.usdoj.gov). Provides a brief introduction to
problem-solving, basic information on the SARA model
and detailed suggestions about the problem-solving process. • Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Case
Studies, Second Edition, edited by Ronald V. Clarke
(Harrow and Heston, 1997). Explains the principles and
methods of situational crime prevention, and presents over 20 case studies of effective crime prevention initiatives. • Tackling Crime and Other Public-Safety Problems:
Case Studies in Problem-Solving, by Rana Sampson
and Michael S. Scott (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2000) (also available at www.cops.usdoj.gov). Presents case studies of effective police problem-solving on 18 types of crime and disorder problems.
• Using Analysis for Problem-Solving: A Guidebook
for Law Enforcement, by Timothy S. Bynum (U.S.
Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services, 2001). Provides an introduction for
police to analyzing problems within the context of
problem-oriented policing.
• Using Research: A Primer for Law Enforcement
Managers, Second Edition, by John E. Eck and Nancy G.
LaVigne (Police Executive Research Forum, 1994). Explains many of the basics of research as it applies to police
management and problem-solving.
Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 915 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 67
Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police
Problem-Specific Guides series:
1. Assaults in and Around Bars. Michael S. Scott. 2001.
ISBN: 1-932582-00-2
2. Street Prostitution. Michael S. Scott. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-01-0
3. Speeding in Residential Areas. Michael S. Scott. 2001.
ISBN: 1-932582-02-9
4. Drug Dealing in Privately Owned Apartment Complexes.
Rana Sampson. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-03-7
5. False Burglar Alarms. Rana Sampson. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-04-5
6. Disorderly Youth in Public Places. Michael S. Scott. 2001.
ISBN: 1-932582-05-3
7. Loud Car Stereos. Michael S. Scott. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-06-1
8. Robbery at Automated Teller Machines. Michael S. Scott. 2001.
ISBN: 1-932582-07-X
9. Graffiti. Deborah Lamm Weisel. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-08-8
10. Thefts of and From Cars in Parking Facilities. Ronald V.
Clarke. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-09-6
11. Shoplifting. Ronald V. Clarke. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-10-X
12. Bullying in Schools. Rana Sampson. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-11-8
13. Panhandling. Michael S. Scott. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-12-6
14. Rave Parties. Michael S. Scott. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-13-4
15. Burglary of Retail Establishments. Ronald V. Clarke. 2002.
ISBN: 1-932582-14-2
16. Clandestine Drug Labs. Michael S. Scott. 2002.
ISBN: 1-932582-15-0
17. Acquaintance Rape of College Students. Rana Sampson. 2002.
ISBN: 1-932582-16-9
18. Burglary of Single-Family Houses. Deborah Lamm Weisel. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-17-7
19. Misuse and Abuse of 911. Rana Sampson. 2002.
ISBN: 1-932582-18-5
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Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 916 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 68 Disorder at Budget Motels
20. Financial Crimes Against the Elderly.
Kelly Dedel Johnson. 2003. ISBN: 1-932582-22-3
21. Check and Card Fraud. Graeme R. Newman. 2003.
ISBN: 1-932582-27-4
22. Stalking. The National Center for Victims of Crime. 2004.
ISBN: 1-932582-30-4
23. Gun Violence Among Serious Young Offenders. Anthony A.
Braga. 2004. ISBN: 1-932582-31-2
24. Prescription Fraud. Julie Wartell and Nancy G. La Vigne. 2004.
ISBN: 1-932582-33-9
25. Identity Theft. Graeme R. Newman. 2004. ISBN: 1-932582-35-3
26. Crimes Against Tourists. Ronald W. Glensor and Kenneth J. Peak. 2004. ISBN: 1-932582-36-3
27. Underage Drinking. Kelly Dedel Johnson. 2004. ISBN: 1-932582-39-8
28. Street Racing. Kenneth J. Peak and Ronald W. Glensor. 2004.
ISBN: 1-932582-42-8
29. Cruising. Kenneth J. Peak and Ronald W. Glensor. 2005.
ISBN: 1-932582-43-6
30. Disorder at Budget Motels. Karin Schmerler. 2005.
ISBN: 1-932582-41-X
Response Guides series:
• The Benefits and Consequences of Police Crackdowns.
Michael S. Scott. 2003. ISBN: 1-932582-24-X
• Closing Streets and Alleys to Reduce Crime: Should You Go Down This Road? Ronald V. Clarke. 2004. ISBN: 1-932582-41-X Problem-Solving Tools series:
• Assessing Responses to Problems: An Introductory Guide for Police Problem-Solvers. John E. Eck. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-19-3 Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 917 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 69
Upcoming Problem-Oriented Guides for Police
Problem-Specific Guides
Domestic Violence
Mentally Ill Persons
Robbery of Taxi Drivers
Student Party Disturbances on College Campuses
Vandalism and Break-Ins at Schools
Bomb Threats in Schools
Drug Dealing in Open-Air Markets
Illicit Sexual Activity in Public Places
Drunk Driving
Bank Robbery
Witness Intimidation
Drive-by Shootings
Runaway Juveniles
Exploitation of Trafficked Women
Disorderly Day Laborers in Public Places
Child Pornography
Crowd Control at Stadiums and Other Entertainment Venues Traffic Congestion Around Schools
Problem-Solving Tools
Analyzing Repeat Victimization
Using Offender Interviews to Inform Police Problem-Solving Risky Facilities
Response Guides
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 918 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) 70 Disorder at Budget Motels
Other Related COPS Office Publications
• Using Analysis for Problem-Solving: A Guidebook
for Law Enforcement. Timothy S. Bynum.
• Problem-Oriented Policing: Reflections on the First
20 Years. Michael S. Scott. 2001.
• Tackling Crime and Other Public-Safety Problems:
Case Studies in Problem-Solving. Rana Sampson and
Michael S. Scott. 2000.
• Community Policing, Community Justice, and
Restorative Justice: Exploring the Links for the
Delivery of a Balanced Approach to Public Safety.
Caroline G. Nicholl. 1999.
• Toolbox for Implementing Restorative Justice and
Advancing Community Policing. Caroline G. Nicholl.
2000.
• Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide to Reducing
Crime and Disorder Through Problem-Solving
Partnerships. Karin Schmerler, Matt Perkins, Scott
Phillips, Tammy Rinehart and Meg Townsend. 1998.
• Bringing Victims into Community Policing. The
National Center for Victims of Crime and the Police
Foundation. 2002.
• Call Management and Community Policing. Tom
McEwen, Deborah Spence, Russell Wolff, Julie Wartell
and Barbara Webster. 2003.
• Crime Analysis in America. Timothy C. O’Shea and
Keith Nicholls. 2003.
• Problem Analysis in Policing. Rachel Boba. 2003.
• Reducing Theft at Construction Sites: Lessons
From a Problem-Oriented Project. Ronald V. Clarke
and Herman Goldstein. 2003.
• The COPS Collaboration Toolkit: How to Build,
Fix, and Sustain Productive Partnerships. Gwen O.
Briscoe, Anna T. Laszlo and Tammy A. Rinehart.
2001.
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Packet Pg. 919 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Appendix 71
• The Law Enforcement Tech Guide: How to plan,
purchase and manage technology (successfully!).
Kelly J. Harris and William H. Romesburg. 2002.
• Theft From Cars in Center City Parking
Facilities - A Case Study. Ronald V. Clarke and
Herman Goldstein. 2003.
For more information about the Problem-Oriented Guides for Police series and other COPS Office publications, please call the COPS Office Response Center at 800.421.6770 or visit COPS Online at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
Item 16.B.
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Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 920 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
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16.B.a
Packet Pg. 921 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) FOR MORE INFORMATION:
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
1100 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20530
To obtain details on COPS programs, call the
COPS Office Response Center at 800.421.6770
Visit COPS Online at the address listed below.
e10042574
ISBN: 1-932582-41-X
Updated Date: January 25, 2005
Item 16.B.
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Packet Pg. 922 Attachment: Written Comments (6252 : Abatement of Public Nuisances) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: February 13, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.C
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Councilmember Davis and Councilmember Torosis that the City Council authorize use of travel funds to cover the costs (registration fees and travel expenses) of participating in the Vienna Social Housing Field Study program from April 14, 2024 - April 20, 2024. Vienna is considered one of the most livable and most importantly, affordable cities in the world and cities committed to creating housing opportunities for all are participating in this program.
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Lessons From a Renters? Utopia - The New York Times
B. Vienna Social Housing Field Study - Curriculum - GPLA
16.C
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Packet Pg. 941 Attachment: Lessons From a Renters? Utopia - The New York Times (6258 : Travel Budget for CM Davis and CM Torosis)
16.C.b
Packet Pg. 942 Attachment: Vienna Social Housing Field Study - Curriculum - GPLA (6258 : Travel Budget for CM Davis and CM Torosis)
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Packet Pg. 943 Attachment: Vienna Social Housing Field Study - Curriculum - GPLA (6258 : Travel Budget for CM Davis and CM Torosis)
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Packet Pg. 948 Attachment: Vienna Social Housing Field Study - Curriculum - GPLA (6258 : Travel Budget for CM Davis and CM Torosis)
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Packet Pg. 949 Attachment: Vienna Social Housing Field Study - Curriculum - GPLA (6258 : Travel Budget for CM Davis and CM Torosis)
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Packet Pg. 950 Attachment: Vienna Social Housing Field Study - Curriculum - GPLA (6258 : Travel Budget for CM Davis and CM Torosis)
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16.C.b
Packet Pg. 953 Attachment: Vienna Social Housing Field Study - Curriculum - GPLA (6258 : Travel Budget for CM Davis and CM Torosis) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: February 13, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.D
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Councilmember de la Torre and Councilmember Zwick that that the City Council direct the City Manager to create an economic support program to ensure that the Bergamot Station Arts Center is thriving and continues to be a leading arts and cultural hub. In developing this financial incentive program for Bergamot, the City Manager is being asked to consider alternatives such as, but not limited to, investing in tenant improvements to create smaller spaces that are more affordable in an effort to attract new tenants and retain existing tenants, allocating additional City funding to help reduce property management fees that are currently borne by the tenants, helping tenants access technical assistance to support business operations, and, to the extent resources allow, consider limited economic supports based on demonstrated need for tenants that receive technical assistance to support and sustain business operations.
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Written Comments
16.D
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Packet Pg. 974 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 2] (6259 : Economic Support Program for Bergamot Station Arts Center) 1 David Yakobson
From: Cynthia Rose <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 2:19 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Council Mailbox; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock; Christine Parra; David White Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Support for Item 16D Bergamot Economic Support Program Attachments: 2024-02 SaMoSSA Support Item 16D.pdf
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council and City Manager
Please see the attached support letter from the Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance supporting Council's direction to the City Manger in item 16D to create an economic support program for Bergamot Arts Center. --
Cynthia Rose & Cris Gutierrez
Co-Chairs
Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance
SaMoSafeStreets.org
Item 16.D.
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Packet Pg. 975 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 2] (6259 : Economic Support Program for Bergamot Station Arts Center) February 13, 2024
RE: Support Item 16D Support Bergamot Economic Support Program Dear Santa Monica City Council Members:
The Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance firmly supports the direction to the City Manager in Item 16D to create an economic support program for the vitality of the Bergamot Station Arts Center. Bringing into play innovative means of generating opportunities for additional affordable spaces for new tenants to add funds to this hub and heart of Santa Monica’s art realm is a wonderful commitment.
Bergamot has long proven to be a cultural gem, welcoming artists and audiences to be invigorated, enjoying experiences that stretch open the mind, feed consciousness and engage the community with craft and creativity. An economic support program for Bergamot would catalyze all kinds of possibilities to keep the arts alive in Santa Monica for our community to appreciate and be enriched for today and for future generations.
We trust that the Council will affirm its support of the Bergamot Art complex and its invaluable contribution to our community and the region.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Rose Cris Gutierrez
Co-Chair, Santa Monica Safe Street Alliance Co-Chair, Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance SaMoSafeStreets.org
Item 16.D.
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Item 16.D.
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Packet Pg. 976 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 2] (6259 : Economic Support Program for Bergamot Station Arts Center) 1 David Yakobson
From: Bruria Finkel <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 4:34 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Bergamot Art Center
Attachments: Doc3.docx
Item 16.D.
February 13, 2024
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Packet Pg. 977 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 2] (6259 : Economic Support Program for Bergamot Station Arts Center) [email protected]
Santa Monica, CA |
3102514299
Website: bruriafinkel.com
2.12.24 Dear Mayor and council members
About Bergamot Art Center
My name is Bruria Finkel I have lived in Santa Monic more then 65 years.
I have been deeply involved volunteering my time to the city by being one of the founders of the “Arts Commission” in 1982 served for 15 years. Elected to Rent “Control Bord “in 1993 for 7 years and set on the “Downtown Bord” (DTSM) for 8 years until 2022 .
Yes, I support the requests that are being presented to the City Council by the galleries at Bergamot Art Center.
I have been receiving many requests to support this item on your agenda and I would like to inform some of you in a few words and tell you of the early times of Bergamot Art Center.
Bergamot was created for the Arts the business of selling art in this city, at that time we hoped that we could also create Artist’s studios for working artists, but the Gallerists thought that it would be ab unfair competition for their business.
We directed our attention to the Airport and helped to Create the Artists’ studios Spaces that will be Artists’ studios creating art and will not compete with the Gallery business and will allow the artist to be able to do their own programing and business with collectors. This solution has worked for almost 25 years.
The City Council agreed to have 41% of the land in the South side of the Airport
Dedicated to working artist studious, the first was created by Sherry Frumkin/ Yossi Govrin.
Item 16.D.
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Packet Pg. 978 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 2] (6259 : Economic Support Program for Bergamot Station Arts Center) Who Created the Artists’ studios by transforming a large old Hanger to some of the best studio’s spaces in Los Angeles and functioned for 15 years well and cooperated well for the city event and the artist’s needs.
Three years ago, 18 street received the City contract to run the place and changed the Name to 18 street studios.
In general, we do not necessarily recommend support for private enter- prize in the arts, At the start the galleries were only subsidized by low rents since they all functioned as private enterprises, the spaces were never Ideal there was no heaters or air-condition.
The city engaged itself in a competition among developers to recommend away to create an art center that will also be able to house the Santa Monica Museum.
This is a long story, and I can tell you more about it if you wish.
Bergamot is an essential part of the program of supporting the arts in the city and many of the galleries cannot afford to partake with the Freeze Event or other Art-fairs events since they are very costly and the need for the community around Bergamot was and is still essential to keep as an art center.
Glad you are extending Freeze the contract it will help the city they spend good money here at restaurant hotels etc...
Support the Arts and our artists, to nurture the soul of Santa Monica.
Bruria Finkel
Santa Monica Ca
Item 16.D.
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