CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
AUGUST 12, 2025
A regular meeting of the Santa Monica City Council was called to order by Mayor Negrete at 5 :41 p.m., on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at City Council Chambers, 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, and at a teleconference site located at 1685 Main Street, Room 209, Santa Monica, California 90401, and a teleconference site located at Hilton Cabo Azul Los Cabos, Paseo Malecon SN, Lote 11 Fonatur, San Jose del Cabo, 23400, Mexico.
Roll Call: Present:
Also Present:
CONVENE/PLEDGE
STATEMENT OF
ACCOUNT ABILITY
(LAND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT)
Mayor Lana Negrete
Mayor Pro Tern Caroline Torosis
Councilmember Jesse Zwick
Councilmember Dan Hall
Councilmember Ellis Raskin
Councilmember Barry Snell (arrived remotely at 5:47 p.m.) Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya
City Manager Oliver Chi
City Attorney Douglas Sloan
City Clerk Nikima S. Newsome
On order of the Mayor, the City Council convened at 5 :41 p.m., with all members present except Councilmember Snell. Councilmember Zernitskaya led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The City of Santa Monica is located on the land of Tovangaar. With great respect, the City acknowledges the Gabrielefio/Tongva as the First People of this ancestral and unceded territory of Kuruvungna, a village that we know as Santa Monica. We honor their elders, past and present, and the Gabrielefio descendants who are part of the Gabrielefio /Tongva tribes.
We recognize that these peoples are still here, and as settlers and kuyam (guests), we recognize our responsibility and obligation to care for their land in partnership with them. The City of Santa Monica commits to work in partnership with the Gabrielefio/Tongva people to uplift their voices and visibility on their ancestral land.
The City of Santa Monica Statement of Accountability (Land Acknowledgement) was read into the record by Councilmember Zemitskaya.
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LEVINE ACT
DISCLOSURE
AGENDA
MANAGEMENT
PUBLIC INPUT FOR
GENERAL PUBLIC
COMMENT AND
SPECIAL AGENDA
ITEMS:
(Councilmember Snell
arrived at 5:47 p.m.)
PROCLAMATIONS/
COMMENDATIONS/
SPECIAL AGENDA
ITEMS
PUBLIC INPUT FOR
CONSENT CALENDAR
AND CLOSED SESSION
ONLY:
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Pursuant to the Levine Act (Govt Code Section 84308), any party to a permit, license, contract, or other entitlement before the Council is required to disclose on the record any contribution, including aggregated contributions, of more than $500 made by the party or the party's agents within the preceding 12 months to any City official.
Participants and agents are requested to make this disclosure as well.
The disclosure must include the name of the party, participant, or agent, and any other person making the contribution; the name of the recipient, the amount of the contribution, and the date the contribution was made.
No Councilmembers recused from any items pursuant to the Levine Act.
Motion by Mayor Negrete. seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Torosis, to suspend Council rules 6(h) and (g) to permit public comment on continued items. The motion passed by a vote of 6-0 with Councilmember Snell absent from the vote.
Members of the public Jerry Rubin, Johnathan Foster, Dylan Moore, Denise Barton, Christine Parra, Harvey Eder, Catalina Langen, Josh, and John Berry commented on various local issues.
No members of the public commented on Special Agenda items.
2.A. Recognition of Outgoing Board & Commission Members, was rescheduled to the September 9, 2025, Council meeting
2.B. SMFD Awards, was presented.
Member of the public Eve Lopez commented on Closed Session items.
Members of the public Britney Guzman, Denise Barton, Mark Borensteim, Josh, Heather Thomason, Richard Hilton, and Heather Thomason (on behalf of Karen Croner) commented on consent calendar items.
All items were considered and approved in one motion unless removed by a Councilmember for discussion.
At the request of City Manager Chi, Item 4.E. was removed from the Consent Calendar for administrative reasons.
At the request of Councilmember Hall, Item 4.G. was removed from the Consent Calendar.
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