1 March 10, 2026
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
MARCH 10, 2026
A regular meeting of the Santa Monica City Council was called to order by Mayor Torosis at 5:35 p.m., on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at City Council Chambers, 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA.
Roll Call: Present: Mayor Caroline Torosis
Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick (arrived at 6:42 p.m.)
Councilmember Lana Negrete
Councilmember Dan Hall
Councilmember Ellis Raskin
Councilmember Barry Snell
Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya
Also Present: City Manager Oliver Chi
Interim City Attorney Heidi von Tongeln
Assistant City Clerk Maria Dacanay-Wisner
CONVENE/PLEDGE On order of the Mayor, the City Council convened at 5:35 p.m. to hear the 5:30 p.m. regular meeting and the 5:35 p.m. concurrently, with all members present except Mayor Pro Tem Zwick. Councilmember Zernitskaya led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance.
STATEMENT OF
ACCOUNTABILITY
(LAND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT)
The City of Santa Monica Statement of Accountability (Land Acknowledgement) was read into the record by Councilmember Raskin.
LEVINE ACT
DISCLOSURE
No Councilmembers made disclosures regarding the Levine Act (Govt Code Section 84308).
AGENDA
MANAGEMENT
Motion by Councilmember Hall, seconded by Councilmember to Negrete to , and any
Adjournments after item 2.A. The motion was approved by the following voice vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Negrete, Hall, Raskin, Snell, Zernitskaya, Mayor Torosis
NOES: None
ABSENT: Mayor Pro Tem Zwick
PUBLIC INPUT FOR
GENERAL PUBLIC
Members of the public Denise Barton, Mike Feinstein, Yana Shmuliver, Anthony, Fred Larian, Jackson McNeill, Johnathan Foster, Matthew Moroz, Docusign Envelope ID: D1BDF40A-5FA1-46A1-9C70-CCBF08BBE502 2 March 10, 2026
COMMENT AND
SPECIAL AGENDA
ITEMS:
Brigid McBride, Laurence Cohen, Morgan Hunter Gross, Mike Montgomery and Anthony Jernigan commented on various local issues.
PROCLAMATIONS/
COMMENDATIONS/
SPECIAL AGENDA
ITEMS
2.A. Commendation: Rick Valte Retirement, was presented.
CITY MANAGER
REPORT
The City Manager Report was presented.
COUNCIL TRAVEL Council had no travel reports pursuant to AB 1234.
PUBLIC INPUT FOR
CONSENT CALENDAR
AND CLOSED SESSION
ONLY:
Members of the public Denise Barton commented on item 4.D. and Ivan Smason commented item 4.C.
Member of the public Denise Barton commented on item 5.A.
CONSENT CALENDAR: All items were considered and approved in one motion unless removed by a Councilmember for discussion.
Item 4.G. was pulled at the request of staff. Councilmember Hall recused himself from item 4.A. and removed item 4.C. from the Consent Calendar.
Motion by Councilmember Raskin, seconded by Councilmember Zernitskaya, to approve the Consent Calendar except for Item 4.A., 4.C., and
4.G., reading resolutions by title only and waiving further reading thereof.
The motion was approved by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Zernitskaya, Snell, Raskin, Hall, Negrete, Mayor Torosis
NOES: None
ABSENT: Mayor Pro Tem Zwick
REPLACEMENT
GROUNDWATER
SUPPLY WELL SM-14
4.B. Award Bid SP#2773 to Yellow Jacket Drilling Services, LLC, for the Construction of Replacement Groundwater Supply Well SM-14, was awarded.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15302 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (Replacement/Reconstruction);
Docusign Envelope ID: D1BDF40A-5FA1-46A1-9C70-CCBF08BBE502 3 March 10, 2026
2. Award Bid #SP2773 to Yellow Jacket Drilling Services, LLC for the drilling of replacement groundwater supply well SM-14 for the Public Works
3. Department; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute Agreement No. 11813 (CCS) with Yellow Jacket Drilling Services, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $2,100,000 (including a $281,325
contingency).
BENEFITS
ADMINISTRATION
SYSTEM
4.D. Award RFP to and Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate and enter into an Agreement with Businessolver for a Benefits Administration System, was awarded.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the City Council.
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines
2. Award RFP to Businessolver for a benefits administration system for the Human Resources Department;
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute Agreement No. 11814 (CCS) with Businessolver in the amount not to exceed $1,497,019 (including a 10% contingency) for a total amount not to exceed $1,646,721 over a five-year period with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
POLICIES, PRACTICES
AND PROCEDURES
4.E. Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2849 (CCS) to Amend Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 2.24, Purchasing System, to Modernize the City's Policies, Practices and Procedures, was approved.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Ordinance.
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
& LAND USE
FLEXIBILITY
4.F. Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2850 (CCS) to:
(1) Permanently Adopting Economic Recovery Interim Zoning Ordinance 2825 (CCS) and (2) Amending the Text of Article 9 Zoning and Planning of the Santa Monica Municipal Code to Promote Downtown and Citywide Areas by Streamlining, Simplifying, and Modifying Land Uses and Limitations, Updating Standards for Specific Uses and Activities, Including, But Not Limited to, Alcohol Permits and Review, Modifying Definitions, Adding Flexibility for Certain NonConforming Uses, Adjusting Standards Regarding the Applicability of Resource Recovery and Recycling Requirements and Trash Enclosure Dimensional Standards, and Making Other Minor Changes,
Docusign Envelope ID: D1BDF40A-5FA1-46A1-9C70-CCBF08BBE502 4 March 10, 2026
Corrections, Clarifications, and Clerical Amendments, was approved.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Ordinance.
MINUTES 4.G. City Council - Regular Meeting - Feb 24, 2026 5:30 PM, was pulled at the request of staff.
MINUTES 4.H City Council - Special Meeting - Feb 28, 2026 9:00 AM was approved.
POET LAUREATE 4.C. Appointment of Jay Baldwin as the Poet Laureate for the 2026- 2028 Program Year, was presented.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines; and
2. the 2026-2028 Program Year and adopt Resolution No. 11740 (CCS).
Motion by Councilmember Hall, seconded by Councilmember Zernitskaya to approve the recommendation with direction to amend the resolution and program requiring City Council approval and defer appointments to the Library Department. Motion to amend by Councilmember Raskin to continue recognizing Poet Laureates at Council meetings. The maker and seconder found the amendment friendly. The motion was approved by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Negrete, Hall, Raskin, Snell, Zernitskaya, Mayor Torosis
NOES: None
ABSENT: Mayor Pro Tem Zwick
RECYCLABLE
MATERIALS
PROCESSING SERVICES
(Councilmember Hall left the
dais at 6:37 p.m.)
4.A. Award RFP# 452 to Potential Industries, Inc for Recyclable Material Processing Services, was presented.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemptions pursuant to Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities) and 15308 (Class 8 Actions for Protection of Environment) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
Docusign Envelope ID: D1BDF40A-5FA1-46A1-9C70-CCBF08BBE502 5 March 10, 2026
2. Award RFP# 452 to Potential Industries, Inc. for the processing and Department; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute Agreement No. 11812 (CCS) with Potential Industries, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $3,337,952 (including a $865,395 contingency for five years, with one-additional five-year renewal option in the amount of $3,884,000, on the same terms and conditions) for a total amount not to exceed $7,221,952 over a 10-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Motion by Councilmember Negrete, seconded by Councilmember Snell, to approve the recommendation. The motion was approved by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Zernitskaya, Snell, Raskin, Negrete, Mayor Torosis
NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmember Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Zwick
CLOSED SESSIONS
(Councilmember Hall
returned to the dais at 6:39
p.m.)
(Mayor Pro Tem Zwick
arrived at 6:42 p.m.)
On order of the Mayor, the City Council recessed at 6:40 p.m., to consider Closed Sessions and returned at 8:24 p.m., with all members present, to report the following:
5.A. Conference with legal counsel - existing litigation - Gov. Code § 54956.9(d)(1): - John U.N.B. Doe, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 23STCV12746; John Doe 1, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 23STCV15009; Hector Orozco v. John Doe: Does 1-2; LASC # 23SMCV03120; John JPC Doe v. Doe City, et al.; LASC # 23STCV22020; John AD Doe, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 23STCV26548; John CW Doe, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 23STCV29623; John Doe (A.G.) v. Santa Monica Police Activities League, et al; LASC # 23SMCV06066; John GA DOE, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV06484; John U.L.W. Doe, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV06768; Joseph Garcia v. Santa Monica Police Activities League, et al.; LASC # 24SMCV01368; John Doe 15, et al. v.
City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV07647; John Doe 18, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV0239; John RR Doe, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV09398; John Doe 33, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV15580; John Doe 48 v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV15420; John Doe 49 v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV19296; John DD Doe v. City, et al.; LASC # 24SMCV04421; Jane EB Doe, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV24146; John Doe (V.D.) v. Santa Monica Police Activities League, et al.; LASC # 24SMCV05049; John Doe (D.F.) v. Santa Monica Police Activities League, et al.; LASC # 24SMCV05050; John Doe (D.G.) v. Santa Monica Police Activities League, et al.; LASC # 24SMCV05051; Jane Doe 13, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV27233; John AM Doe, Docusign Envelope ID: D1BDF40A-5FA1-46A1-9C70-CCBF08BBE502 6 March 10, 2026
et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV28433; John Doe v. City, et al.; LASC # 24SMCV05527; John Doe 53 v. City, et al.; LASC # 24STCV31763; John Doe (Y.M.) v. Santa Monica Police Activities League, et al.; LASC # 24SMCV06355; Jane Doe 16, et al. v. a Public Entity, et al.; LASC # 25STCV02235; John Doe 62, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 25STCV04414; John Doe 23 v. City, et al.; LASC # 25STCV05850; John Doe (E.B.) v. Santa Monica Police Activities League, et al.; LASC # 25STCV06354; Jane PB Doe, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 25STCV06880; John Doe 67 v. City, et al.; LASC # 25STCV10142; John Doe 68 v. City, et al.; LASC # 25STCV12089; John Doe 69, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 25STCV14031; John OR Doe, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 25STCV16251; John RD Doe, et al. v. City, et al.; LASC # 25STCV24158
The City Attorney advised this matter was heard with no reportable action taken.
5.B. Conference with legal counsel - existing litigation - Gov. Code § 54956.9(d)(1): City v. ICSOP, et al.; OCSC # 30-2022-01261243 The City Attorney advised this matter was heard with no reportable action taken.
5.C. Conference with real estate negotiator - Gov. Code § 54956.8; property: 256 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California; City negotiator: Oliver Chi, City Manager; owner of record: City of Santa Monica; persons to be negotiated with: Sean Ahaus, California Roadhouse, Inc., a California corporation d.b.a. California Roadhouse; under negotiation: price and terms of payment for lease The City Attorney advised this matter was heard with no reportable action taken.
ADJOURNMENT On order of the Mayor, the City Council meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
Maria Dacanay-Wisner Caroline Torosis
Assistant City Clerk Mayor
Docusign Envelope ID: D1BDF40A-5FA1-46A1-9C70-CCBF08BBE502