City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: June 23, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.K
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Oliver Chi, City Manager, Office of Major Events
Subject: Adoption of Resolution and Approval of License agreement with SWISS XMAS INC., in connection with the use of the Santa Monica Pier Deck as a temporary event space for the Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier, from November 2, 2026 through January 15, 2027
Recommended Action
Staff recommend that the City Council:
1. Adopt findings of categorical exemptions pursuant to Section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing Facilities), Section 15303 (Class 3 - New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), Section 15304 (Minor Alterations to Land), and Section 15311 (Class 11 - Accessory Structures), Section 15323 (Normal Operations of Existing Facilities for Public Gathering), and Section 15061(b)(3) (common sense exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines for approval of the license agreement with SWISS XMAS INC., in connection with the use of the Santa Monica Pier Deck as a holiday market, from November 2. 2026 through January 15, 2027. as set forth in the staff report;
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a license agreement with SWISS XMAS INC., in connection with the use of the Santa Monica Pier Deck as a temporary event space for the Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier, from November 2, 2026 through January 15, 2027; and
3. Adopt a resolution authorizing an exemption from certain provisions of the Santa Monica Municipal Code to facilitate use of the Santa Monica Pier by SWISS XMAS INC., in accordance with the License Agreement during the Santa Monica Holiday Market, from November 2, 2026 through January 15, 2027.
Executive Summary
Santa Monica is entering a multi-year period of significant major event opportunities leading up to summer 2028. These events have the potential to support local 2 of 14
businesses, draw visitors, enhance international visibility, and further position Santa Monica as a premier coastal destination.
The proposed Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier would introduce an authentic Swiss holiday market experience to the Santa Monica Pier, blending Swiss craftsmanship, culinary offerings, and contemporary design with Santa Monica’s unique cultural character.
This report presents two actions for Council consideration:
• Approval of a license agreement with Swiss Xmas Inc. for use of the Santa Monica Pier to produce the Santa Monica Holiday Market from November 2, 2026, through January 15, 2027.
• Approval of targeted waivers of the Santa Monica Municipal Code necessary to accommodate temporary event activation on the Pier during the same period.
Discussion
License Agreement for Use of the Santa Monica Pier – Swiss Market Inc.
Swiss Xmas Inc. seeks to use the Santa Monica Pier (the “License Area”) to host a large-scale, European-inspired holiday market activation in connection with the 2026 winter season. Admission to the event will be a ticketed experience, priced at approximately $15 per person, with tickets required for entry to maintain optimal crowd control and capacity management within the License Area. Over the course of the multiweek activation, total attendance is anticipated to range between 250,000 and 400,000 total market attendees.
More specifically, Swiss Xmas Inc. seeks to license the Santa Monica Pier parking deck from November 2, 2026, through January 15, 2027, for the operation of the Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier. The proposed license agreement includes a fee 3 of 14
equal to the greater of a minimum guaranteed payment of $320,200 or 8% of net ticketing revenue.
In addition to financial benefits, the proposed activation provides a range of community-oriented commitments:
Social Impact and Inclusive Access
• Free Community Candlelight Concert: Fever will produce a free Candlelight Concert for the Santa Monica community in summer 2026, with the date and venue to be mutually determined to ensure alignment with City goals and operational needs.
• Nonprofit Ticket Allocation: Donation of 1,000 complimentary tickets to Santa Monica nonprofit organizations, with priority for groups serving under-resourced youth and foster families.
• Local Resident Access: Discounted or free admission windows for residents in Santa Monica ZIP codes 90401–90405.
• Senior Engagement: Collaboration with local senior centers to reduce holiday isolation, including free or discounted admission, senior-focused days and hours, and enhanced seating and accessibility.
Economic Equity and Local Business Support
• Local Vendor Priority: A weighted vendor-selection process that prioritizes Santa Monica businesses meeting operational criteria.
• Startup Stall: A rotating booth dedicated to first-time Santa Monica creators to support local entrepreneurship.
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• Pier Business Integration: Coordination with the Santa Monica Pier Lessees Association to ensure synergies with existing tenants, including priority booth opportunities, on-site promotion of permanent Pier establishments, and coupon distribution to drive traffic to participating businesses.
Environmental Stewardship
• Renewable Energy Use: Commitment to prioritizing hybrid solar generators as the primary lighting power source.
• Zero-Waste Approach: Elimination of single-use plastics and use of reusable food service items supported by a deposit-return system. • Coastal Protection: Partnership with Heal the Bay or a similar organization to sponsor a coastal cleanup day, with participating volunteers receiving discounted or complimentary admission.
Traffic and Transit Mitigation
o Transit Incentives: Collaboration with LA Metro and Big Blue Bus to promote the market as a transit-friendly destination. Guests presenting a TAP card or recent digital transit receipt will receive an admission discount to encourage transit use over driving.
Waiver Resolution
On April 14, 2026, City Council introduced for first reading, and adopted on second reading on April 28, 2026, an ordinance (“Major Special Events Ordinance”) to, among other things, amend certain provisions of the Santa Monica Municipal Code, to exempt certain special events from discrete Municipal Code requirements, or to authorize the City Manager to make exemptions, if the following findings are met:
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(1) Strict application of the Municipal Code would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships, which would frustrate the purposes of the event;
(2) The requested exemption is limited to the event period and is otherwise temporary in nature;
(3) The premises at which the event will be held will be restored to the original conditions in place prior to the requested exemption; (4) The proposed event is of extraordinary scope and will provide a significant benefit to the community, including, but not limited to, events that (a) generate significant indirect economic and community benefits; (b) attract both residents and visitors; and (c) promote Santa Monica on a regional, national, and global stage; and
(5) The permittee or licensee has agreed to implement best practices and provide adequate procedures to minimize and respond to event impacts; and
These targeted exemptions to the Santa Monica Municipal Code are necessary to accommodate certain special events including the Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier, becausethis event is extraordinary or unique in scope, scale, or benefit, and the Council deems the ordinance exemptions below necessary to facilitate these major events.
Waiver Resolution for the Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier A waiver resolution is necessary to implement the activities contemplated by the license agreement for the temporary use by Swiss Xmas Inc. of the Santa 6 of 14
Monica Pier parking deck from November 2, 2026 through January 15, 2027.
This waiver resolution is supported by the following findings:
FINDING 1: Strict application of the Santa Monica Municipal Code would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships, which would frustrate the purposes of the event.
i. Provisions in Santa Monica Municipal Code including, but not limited to 4.12.110,
4.12.120; Restrictions on demolition, excavation, grading, spray painting, construction, maintenance or repair of buildings, and Posting of Construction Signs:
The Swiss Winter Village on the Santa Monica Pier parking deck includes construction of temporary structures. The timeline/schedule for event load-in and load-out activities will require working outside of normal construction hours established in SMMC Section
4.12.110. Working within normal construction hours would extend the overall schedule for load-in and load-out. Working within normal construction hours would conflict with some of the operational parameters in place for vehicle access to the Pier that have been designed to maintain Pier business operations and visitor experience.
Event load-in and load-out activity on the Santa Monica Pier Deck will be conducted in accordance with City service needs, ongoing Pier Bridge replacement project construction, and Pier operational requirements. Event teams will be required to work with the City’s interdepartmental team to establish a construction management plan to minimize impacts to public access to the Pier, beach, and surrounding neighborhood, and to ensure safe circulation and construction operations. ii. Provisions in Santa Monica Municipal Chapter 4.12, Noise, including, but not limited to, Sections 4.12.025, 4.12.030, 4.12.040, 4.12.050, 4.12.060, 4.12.080, 4.12.100,
4.12.105, 4.12.110, 4.12.150:
The premise and goal of the Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier is to create a high-visibility seasonal holiday destination on the Pier featuring authentic cultural programming, local artisan markets, live performances, and continuous background 7 of 14
holiday music for a large public audience in an iconic setting. To maintain a fully immersive, world-class holiday atmosphere throughout the duration of the event's operating dates, this comprehensive experience is simply not feasible without a temporary waiver of the City’s existing noise provisions.
Pursuant to the License Agreement between Swiss Xmas Inc. and the City, the Licensee will be required to implement sound-mitigation and best audio practices to ensure a community-friendly acoustic environment, including:
● Inward-Facing Sound Array: Directing all background holiday music speakers strictly inward toward the interior of the market perimeter to focus sound within the event footprint and minimize external noise bleed.
● Conversational Volume Caps: Maintaining background holiday music at a controlled decibel level that is cleanly audible to event attendees but low enough to allow for normal, comfortable spoken conversation.
iii. Provisions in Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapters 4.68, Community Event, and Chapter 9.61, Signs, including but not limited to Sections 4.68.130, 9.61.140, and
9.61.230:
In line with the goals of this world-class event, and to adequately promote the largescale event in a short period of time, Swiss Xmas Inc. is seeking the ability to add temporary large- and small-scale branding at the Event site, including elements externally facing along the Pier deck. To ensure appropriate site management and pedestrian and traffic safety, Swiss Market Inc. will also need additional flexibility to provide wayfinding signage at various City locations to be determined by the City Manager.
Pursuant to the License Agreement, all temporary signage is limited to the Event period, and Swiss Xmas Inc. will coordinate with the City on placement and remove all signage and restore affected surfaces at the conclusion of the Event.
FINDING 2: The premises at which the Community Event will be held will be restored to the original conditions in place prior to the requested exemption. 8 of 14
Pursuant to the License Agreement between Swiss Xmas Inc. and the City, Swiss Xmas Inc. shall restore the premises and return them to the City in the same condition in which it was prior to Swiss Xmas Inc.’s use of the premises, including a full clean-up, removal of all litter, equipment, and personal property, etc.
FINDING 3: The requested exemptions are limited to the event period and are otherwise temporary in nature.
The Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier is a seasonal event, including load-in, public activation, and load-out, spanning November 2026 through January 2027. Public activation shall run continuously every day from November 27, 2026, through January 3, 2027, inclusive of all federal and seasonal holidays.
Pursuant to the License Agreement, the daily public operational hours of the event shall be as follows: Monday – Sunday: 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm; provided, however, that public operating hours on New Year's Eve (December 31, 2026) may be extended to no later than 1:30 a.m. PST on January 1, 2027.
FINDING 4: The proposed event is of extraordinary scope and will provide a significant benefit to the community.
The Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier will attract local residents and international visitors alike, will generate significant indirect economic and community benefits, and will promote Santa Monica on a national and global stage.
Economic Benefits from the Event
The City of Santa Monica will experience the following economic benefits from the Event:
● General Economic Benefits
○ Direct local job creation, labor income, and sustained economic output within the city associated with the multi-week setup, daily holiday operations, and winter takedown phases.
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○ Prioritized creative and culinary curation establishing dedicated space and placement priority for local Santa Monica artists, craftspeople, and food and beverage vendors, ensuring hyper-local talent is spotlighted throughout the holiday fair.
○ Targeted economic integration achieved by giving existing Santa Monica Pier merchants first notice of holiday booth availability and preferential leasing rates, alongside active cross-promotional campaigns to drive event traffic directly into permanent Pier businesses.
○ Induced economic stimulus driven by the household spending of local workers, alongside the massive influx of retail and food-and-beverage revenue generated by an estimated 250,000 to 400,000 Event attendees spending capital on the Pier and throughout the city.
○ Amplified tourism marketing exposure leveraging Swiss Market Inc.’s media networks to promote Santa Monica to millions of potential regional and international seasonal visitors.
● Tax Revenue Benefits The City of Santa Monica will experience substantial municipal tax revenue inflows resulting directly and indirectly from the authorization and operation of the Event, including:
○ Direct Municipal Sales Tax Revenue: Promotion of robust retail activity generating sales on all taxable transactions and concession sales within the market perimeter. Generates millions of dollars in cumulative, highyield consumer transactions to directly benefit the City’s General Fund and critical local municipal initiatives (Measure Y and Measure GSH) via Santa Monica’s designated 2.00% direct statutory tax allocation. ○ Incidental Employee Spending Multipliers: Induced sales tax and Business License Tax revenues stemming from localized spending by regional production crews, site laborers, and seasonal employees on food, retail, and services within the surrounding downtown commercial corridors during the multi-week build, run, and strike windows.
○ City-Wide Visitor Spending Impacts: Indirect sales tax and Business License Tax revenues generated by regional and out-of-town visitors utilizing the Downtown area and surrounding municipal zones for 10 of 14
secondary dining, hospitality, and retail shopping. Utilizing the City’s historical visitor spending benchmarks of approximately $47.00 per person per day for daytrip and overnight tourists, the Event’s projected baseline of 250,000 to 400,000 total attendees is anticipated to stimulate significant secondary economic activity throughout the local business community. ○ Transient Occupancy Tax Revenue: Targeted room-night tax revenue generated for the City’s general fund from overnight hotel stays by Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier’s core out-of-town travel team, select management staff, and specialized external production consultants utilizing Santa Monica lodging during the event's operation. ○ Municipal Parking Tax Revenue: Net additional parking tax revenues collected via the City’s standard parking tax rate, generated by the influx of attendee vehicles utilizing the nearby parking lots and adjacent municipal parking structures.
FINDING 5: The permittee or licensee has agreed to implement best practices and provide adequate procedures to minimize and respond to event impacts.
Swiss Xmas Inc. has agreed to implement best practices and adequate procedures to minimize and respond to impacts from the Event. With respect to noise, Swiss Xmas Inc.’s best practices and procedures include, but are not limited to, the strategic siting and architectural design of the Event to naturally control sound propagation based upon advanced audio engineering standards for outdoor public spaces. Swiss Xmas Inc. will be required to implement strict audio management protocols, including:
● Distributed Low-Impact Sound Array: Utilization of numerous smaller, localized, low-wattage sound sources distributed throughout the market footprints rather than centralized, high-power speaker stacks, ensuring background holiday music remains localized and prevents long-distance sound propagation. ● Active Decibel Monitoring & Tenant Boundary Calibration: Continuous monitoring of ambient sound levels at designated perimeter locations, specifically including the property lines of existing Pier tenants, with the operational mandate 11 of 14
to actively recalibrate sound system parameters to immediately mitigate any acoustic issues if they arise.
● Strict Inward-Facing Audio Orientation: Situating all amplified background sound equipment and the limited performance setups (restricted to a maximum of one to two directional speakers per performance area) to face slightly downward and strictly inward toward the interior center of the market perimeter, avoiding any external or landward noise bleed.
With 15 years of international experience successfully operating traditional holiday markets worldwide, Swiss Xmas Inc. and its technical production partners are uniquely positioned to optimize on-site holiday atmosphere and guest immersion while maintaining a strictly minimized off-site acoustic footprint.
Environmental Review
The Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier event is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing Facilities), Section 15303 (Class 3 - New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), Section 15311 (Class 11 - Accessory Structures), and Section 15323 (Normal Operations of Existing Facilities for Public Gathering) of the CEQA Guidelines. The Swiss Xmas Inc. event is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing Facilities), Section 15303 (Class 3 - New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), Section 15304 (Minor Alterations to Land), Section 15311 (Class 11 - Accessory Structures), and Section 15323 (Normal Operations of Existing Facilities for Public Gathering) of the CEQA Guidelines.
Section 15301 of CEQA Guidelines exempts the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency's determination.
The Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier event is a 74-day special event that would take place on the existing Santa Monica Pier and would not expand the existing Pier structure. Therefore, the event is exempt under Section 15301. 12 of 14
Section 15303 of CEQA Guidelines exempts the construction and location of limited numbers of new small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. Projects that fall into this class of exemption include accessory (appurtenant) structures including garages, carports, patios, swimming pools, and fences. The Swiss Winter Village - Santa Monica Pier event would include the installation of temporary equipment and facilities that would be accessory structures to the existing Santa Monica Pier. These accessory structures would be temporary in nature. The Swiss Xmas Inc. event may entail use of tents or temporary structures which would be restored upon completion of the event; Therefore, the event is exempt under Section 15303.
Section 15304 of CEQA Guidelines exempts minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes. This includes minor temporary use of land having negligible or no permanent effects on the environment. The Swiss Xmas Inc. events is temporary in nature and would not have substantial permanent effects on the environment.
These areas would be restored to original condition after the events conclude.
Therefore, this event is exempt under Section 15304.
Section 15311 of CEQA Guidelines exempts the construction, or placement of minor structures accessory to (appurtenant to) existing commercial, industrial, or institutional facilities. Projects that fall into this class of exemption include construction, or placement of minor structures accessory to (appurtenant to) existing commercial, industrial, or institutional facilities, including but not limited to: (c) Placement of seasonal or temporary use items such as lifeguard towers, mobile food units, portable restrooms, or similar items in generally the same locations from time to time in publicly owned parks, stadiums, or other facilities designed for public use.
The Swiss Xmas Inc. event would include the installation of temporary equipment 13 of 14
and facilities that would be accessory structures to the existing Santa Monica Pier.
Therefore, the event is exempt under Section 15311.
Section 15323 of CEQA Guidelines exempts normal operations of existing facilities for public gatherings for which the facilities were designed, where there is a past history of the facility being used for the same or similar kind of purpose. "Past history" shall mean that the same or similar kind of activity has been occurring for at least three years and that there is a reasonable expectation that the future occurrence of the activity would not represent a change in the operation of the facility. The existing Santa Monica Pier has been regularly utilized for special events and activities for more than thirty-five years, including the Twilight Concert Series, the Off the Hook Seafood Festival, Pier 360, and the LA Opera at the Beach. The Camera Obscura building and Annenberg Beach House have also hosted special events. Therefore, this event is considered normal operations and uses under Section 15323.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
The recommended actions are structured to provide full cost recovery and are not expected to require City subsidy. Each proposed license agreement includes license fees, deposits, and other event-related payments to cover the City’s costs, including planning, permitting, public safety coordination, inspections, coastal coordination, operational oversight, and site restoration.
Deposits will be collected, as appropriate, to fund upfront and ongoing City costs, including consultant support for regulatory review such as California Coastal Commission coordination. Deposits will be held in a deposit account, and as expenses are incurred, the deposit balance will be reduced and revenue recognized in account 01200016.415490.
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The proposed events may also generate indirect economic benefits through increased hotel occupancy, visitor spending, and local business activity, although those effects are not reflected as direct budgeted City revenue in this report.
No immediate appropriation or budget action is required. Any future budget adjustments related to the timing of revenues, expenditures, or departmental work programs will be brought forward through future budget actions, as needed.
Prepared By: Aaron Orozco, Major Events Manager
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. RESO-Swiss Winter Village Exemption 2026.06.23
B. Levine Act Disclosure Form signed MB
C. OAKS INITIATIVE FORM signed MB