COUNCIL COUNTDOWN

(The following is a summation of what went on in the Santa Monica City Council chambers during the council’s meeting March 28, including a timeline, notable public comments and excerpts taken.)

TIMELINE:

5:55 p.m.: The City Council is called to order. Mayor Bob Holbrook, Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Shriver, and councilmembers Pam O’Connor, Herb Katz, Kevin McKeown and Richard Bloom are present.

5:57 p.m.: Public comment for consent items begins. There were three requests to speak.

6:03 p.m.: Public comment ends. Council approves a series of consent agenda items, except item 1-B — the purchase of 25 mobile computers for police cars from Motorola as part of the department’s wireless computer network. Councilman Shriver excused himself from voting on that item because out a conflict of interest, since he is working on a philanthropic deal with Motorola. Council then voted on the item without him, approving the contract, 5-0.

6:06 p.m.: Council moves into closed session.

7:24 p.m.: Closed session ends. Assistant City Attorney Joseph Lawrence reports that council agreed to settlements in two cases for a total of $125,000. One lawsuit had to do with the construction of park facilities, while the other involved a man who was injured while working out at Muscle Beach. He was awarded $75,000.

7:29 p.m.: On behalf of the council, Mayor Holbrook presents members of the Commission on the Status of Women with a proclamation congratulating the commission on 25 years of service and recognized March as Women’s History Month. The council also recognized youth from the Police Activities League, who, with the help of volunteer coaches, ran the Los Angeles Marathon earlier this month.

7:36 p.m.: Staff from the planning department presents a report on an interim ordinance modifying regulations related to automobile dealerships.

7:55 p.m.: Public comment begins on the ordinance. Councilman Katz, an architect who has designed several car dealerships and is married to an executive at W.I. Simonson Mercedes, assures one speaker that he does not have a conflict of interest.

8:05 p.m.: Auto dealerships issue is placed on hold so that the council can hear an update from homeless czar Ed Edelman on efforts, both locally and countywide, to end homelessness. In addition to the update, Kate Vernez of the City Manager’s office said efforts are underway to establish a community court in West Los Angeles and that she has been communicating with judges, the Westside Council of Governments and hospitals in the area. Mona Miyasato, who heads City Hall’s Homeless Services, said a program implemented to help those who have lived on the streets longest is working. She said the program has served 81 people in two years, with 41 living in permanent housing. Miyasato also introduced cards and referral guides to be distributed throughout the city as a resource for residents and businesses.

8:41 p.m.: Council votes to support legislation sponsored by State Sen. Gil Cedillo that seeks to address the issue of homelessness. Bills include increased penalties for drug sales near homeless shelters or rehabilitation centers, extending foster care to youth until they turn 21 years old, and establishing services that help homeless people in jail transition back into society.

8:47 p.m.: Council returns to the auto dealership ordinance, beginning with comments from the public.

9:38 p.m.: Public comments end. Council questions staff and makes modifications to the proposed ordinance.

11:40 p.m.: Council approves interim ordinance modifying regulations related to automobile dealerships, associated parking structures and storage lots. The council authorized auto dealers in the light industrial district, running from Memorial Park south to Fifth Street, between Colorado Avenue and Olympic Boulevard. Certain elements of the ordinance — including floor area of rooftop parking, permitting inventory parking in residential surface lots and limiting outdoor work in the light industrial zone, or M1 zone — will be reworked by staff for council consideration when the ordinance is extended, 60 days after final approval.

11:42 p.m.: Council votes to move discussion of analysis on the Childcare Linkage Program to the April 11 council meeting because of time constraints. Council votes unanimously to approve extending the interim ordinance modifying the city’s Density Bonus and Affordable Housing Incentives in accordance with the state law.

11:47 p.m.: Council convenes a joint meeting with the Redevelopment Agency and approves the refinancing of earthquake recovery bonds from 1999. The move is estimated to save the city $3.9 million over the length of the bonds.

11:50 p.m.: Council reconvenes regular meeting and extends by two years the appointment of Nancy Greenstein to the Vector Control Board. Other appointments were continued until another meeting.

11:51 p.m.: Public comment begins. There are two requests to speak.

11:55 p.m.: Council adjourns in memory of Thomas Garcia, retired employee of the water department and husband of finance department employee Donna Garcia, who died on March 20; Werner Simon Phillips, father of Risk Manager Tom Philllips, who died on March 4; and in memory of Carrie Phillips, a teacher at Turning Point school in Culver City, who was killed when a car struck her as she was walking students back to school from a nearby park.



BY THE NUMBERS
Time spent on the top three issues facing Santa Monicans, based on city surveys:

Homelessness: 42 minutes
Traffic: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Parking: 2 hours
Public Comments: 1 hour, 10 minutes
City Council/staff discussions: 3 hours and 37 minutes.



LET’S TALK CHIT
“Chits” (Public addressing City Council)
- “There was no enforcement. So I had to be out there at 2 in the morning looking like the crazy lady in a robe with the video camera.”
Resident Ruth Ann Shanley, who said she had to go to great lengths to get City Hall to understand there is a problem with auto dealers unloading cars on residential streets late at night, a violation. Shanley said it was only a few dealers and loves her neighbors, Volkswagen of Santa Monica.

- Joy Fulmer Incite: “I think one thing you’re not trying is giving people housing for like five days at a time, or 10 days here and there. Some homeless here went down to Inglewood and got 10 days, little Inglewood, poor Inglewood. I don’t know how they managed it, but they did it.”



QUOTE OF NOTE
Quote of Note: “This thing, is completely not my thing.”
Councilman Bobby Shriver, responding to a complaint from activist Jerry Rubin about a mailer distributed by Santa Monicans for Sensible Priorities, which singled out councilmen Bobby Shriver, Robert Holbrook and Herb Katz as leaders on the issue of homelessness, excluding other council members, who affiliated with Santa Monicans for Renters Rights.