The following is a summation of what went on in Santa Monica Council Chambers during the City Council’s Tuesday, August 9, meeting, including a timeline, notable public comments and excerpts taken.
TIMELINE: 5:45 p.m. - Council opens meeting, approves consent agenda and goes into closed session. 7:50 p.m. - Council returns from closed session, with Richard Bloom, Bob Holbrook, Herb Katz, Ken Genser and Bobby Shriver present. 7:55 to 8 p.m. - Public comment; Pro se thanks City Manager Susan McCarthy for her service and wishes her a bon voyage in retirement. 8 to 8:04 p.m. - Council, with Mayor Pro Tem Katz at the helm, passes ordinances regarding a new marathon route, parking structure driveways; also, updating the building, energy and plumbing codes. 8:05 to 8:09 p.m. - An existing code allowing “existing commercial and industrial uses with valid conditional use permit to remain, subject to a new conditional use permit,” a settlement intended to satisfy City Hall and a property owner which may have otherwise ended up in court. 8:10 p.m. - Introduction and first reading of interim hedge ordinance. 8:11 to 8:15 p.m. - Hedge ordinance public comment; Joe Natoli discusses the Farmers’ Market tragedy and hedges; Jerry Rubin said he thought the hedge issue was going to be a “rights’ issue” and was disappointed elected officials decided to go ahead with an ordinance that attempts to regulate people’s hedges. 8:15 p.m. - Councilman Ken Genser asks when people can call City Hall to complain about hedges, in light of the updated ordinance; staff tells him “at the end of the month.” 8:17 p.m. - Interim hedge ordinance unanimously approved. 8:18 p.m. - Staff reads report on new state density bonus law and how it might effect Santa Monica neighborhood development. 8:20 p.m. - Public comment on density bonus law; Joy Fullmer discusses Sen. Sheila Kuehl’s proposed health care plan and why she thinks the city should sell its affordable housing because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. 8:23 p.m. - Council discusses density bonus law; members take turns asking questions about ramifications of the new law and mention they would like to keep Santa Monica building heights and feel in tact. 8:34 p.m. - Wastewater bond debt re-structuring discussed and approved. 8:37 p.m. - City Attorney Marsha Moutrie asks the council to allow her office to draft an ordinance so that free commercial products can only be distributed on the pier and Promenade. 8:39 p.m. - Public comment portion of the city attorney’s request; Joy Fullmer talks about the benefits of the homeless getting free shampoo; Jerry Rubin gives the ordinance parameters the go ahead, indicating it seems reasonable; Joe Natoli discusses how the council is putting a “target” on tourists backs by giving Bayside the power to help regulate the proposed ordinance. 8:43 p.m. - Public comment ends and Councilman Ken Genser reassures his faith in Bayside being able to handle aspects of the proposed ordinance, permission to draft approved. 8:44 p.m. - Discussion of concept plan for redevelopment of hotel at 1327 to 1337 Ocean Ave.; council weighs in and approves the appropriateness of development agreement for the site, which will include the preservation of two buildings on property, as well as a public courtyard. 8:56 p.m. - Request of Linda Rider for council to act on day laborers standing on the corner of 11th Street and Olympic Boulevard; the city manager, relaying what City Hall has done in the past to try to address the issue, says she will look further into solutions. 9:12 p.m. - Councilman Bobby Shriver tries to advance his request for City Hall to not fill vacant positions in code compliance, on the grounds money might be better used elsewhere (such as a day-laborer center, see above); Councilmen Genser and Bloom interject, mostly on grounds they were un-prepared for a full-blown discussion and want more staff information; issue is bumped to the next full council meeting, expected some time in September, with one of four positions to be filled meanwhile to bring staff to most recent levels. 9:35 p.m. - Commission vacancies discussed, one appointment is made, others bumped. 9:42 p.m. - Councilman Herb Katz discusses he and the Mayor Pam O’Connor’s proposal to create an ad hoc committee with the mayor and mayor to be, Councilman Bob Holbrook, regarding plans to find a new city manager. 9:44 p.m. - City attorney discusses closed-session items; two settlements were approved, one for $75,000 and the other for $229,191.84. 9:46 p.m. - Public comment; M. Ross, a regular commentator at the council meeting’s in recent weeks, said he will be one of those “testifying” against City Hall regarding the Farmers’ Market tragedy. 9:50 p.m. - Council meeting adjourned
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 11, 2005. Read the original PDF.