Officials vow residents will still have a chance to make changes
Despite the objections of many residents, the city council voted Tuesday to proceed with a $120 million redevelopment project that will create a new civic center.
Nearly 50 residents asked the council to delay giving approval to the current version of the plan, which includes one athletic field and extends Olympic Boulevard through the civic center, which is where City Hall and the Santa Monica Courthouse are located on Main Street.
Residents had strongly argued last month for the inclusion of two fields, more cultural facilities and a small performing arts theater.
“This plan is disappointing,” said Santa Monica resident Jack Epps. “It lacks both creativity and imagination.”
Another resident said he was surprised at the city staff’s lack of response to residents’ suggestions.
“I am extremely frustrated at the staff report,” said Greg Spots, who sits on the city’s arts commission. “We were hoping to see some creative solutions to balancing the competing uses residents want, but instead we’re told changes can’t be made to the plan. Instead of working with us, all they did was argue against us.”
After nearly seven hours of deliberation, the council voted 4-2, to loosely follow the city staff’s recommendations. Mayor Mike Feinstein and Councilman Herb Katz voted against the plan, and Councilman Bob Holbrook left the meeting at 1 a.m. — an hour before the council took its formal vote.
Council members decided one athletic field should be included in the plan and located somewhere near the corner of Pico Boulevard and Fourth Street. They decided not to increase the number of affordable housing units from 300 to 550, as the city’s housing commission advised. And calls for moving parking underground were not heeded.
“This plan is disappointing. It lacks both creativity and imagination.” — — JACK EPPS Santa Monica resident
The only change made was rounding out a 90-degree angle formed by the intersection of Second Street and Main Street to allow automobile traffic to flow easier through the civic center.
Main Street business owners want the streets better connected to bring shoppers from downtown to their Ocean Park shops, but city officials want the sharp turns to remain to slow down motorists as they drive through the park-like setting.
“All we are suggesting to you is that there are simple ways on how to take the sharp turns out of this plan,” said Josh Needle, chair of the Main Street Merchants Association. “We are not for a speedway, just a parkway that isn’t confusing to people.”
Several council members said the plans are by no means final, adding that there would be multiple public hearings which would allow for changes.
The civic center, located on Main Street between Colorado Avenue and Pico Boulevard, is the city’s symbolic geographical point. It serves as an integral part of town because of its proximity to downtown, Santa Monica Place, Palisades Park, the Santa Monica Pier, the Ocean Park neighborhood and Main Street.
The city purchased the 11-acre site from the RAND Corporation in 2000 for $53 million with the intention of completely overhauling the civic center area so it would better connect to downtown Santa Monica.
Based on recommendations from a “working group,” which created the current proposal, the area would have a town square, a garden walk with botanical and sculpture gardens, plenty of open space and bicycle paths, as well as a child development facility and a revamped City Hall.
Originally the plan did not call for athletic fields, which outraged many coaches, parents, students and sports enthusiasts, who believe such amenities are necessary in the city’s civic area.
The Santa Monica-Malibu School District lobbied for fields to be included so their students, particularly from the adjacent Santa Monica High School campus, could use them.
City and school district officials have said they may enter a joint partnership to split the cost of the new field.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 25, 2002. Read the original PDF.