‘Time had come’ for new planning chair, official says
The Santa Monica Planning Commission has a new leader.
Terry O’Day, 30, took the helm Wednesday, replacing veteran commissioner Kelly Olsen after a contentious 4-3 City Council vote Tuesday.
O’Day, part owner of a rental car company for vehicles that run on alternative energy, is a five-year resident of the Pico neighborhood.
“For the last five years of running this company, I think I’ve become myopically focused on the success of my start-up,” he said, adding that he began volunteering in his off-time by working with the Coalition for Clean Air last year.
O’Day said he has no set goals or plans walking into the four-year term, but hopes to streamline what have become some of the longest meetings at City Hall, often running into the early morning hours.
“It looks like the time commitment is pretty killer, but I’m open for it,” he said. “I think if we’re doing our work right we ought to be able to be efficient and direct. And once the community gels, we’ll have an understanding of how to make the work happen quickly — while still enabling everyone to have their voice heard.”
Kelly Olsen, previous commission chair, was forced out when O’Day received four of seven council votes. Olsen had earned mixed reactions from residents by heavily scrutinizing business and development interests in Santa Monica.
“He was not a particularly accommodating, flexible person,” said Dr. Mike Gruning, president of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. “The time had come. There was universal consensus in the business and residential community that it was time for change and obviously the council saw fit to do that.”
Olsen could not be reached for comment.
Councilmen Herb Katz nominated O’Day, who also picked up votes from Councilwoman Pam O’Connor, and Councilmen Bob Holbrook and Mike Feinstein. Mayor Richard Bloom, along with Councilmen Kevin McKeown and Ken Genser voted for Olsen.
The City Council also on Tuesday unanimously reappointed both Barbara Brown and Darrell Clarke to four-year terms on the commission.
O’Day said he doesn’t know Olsen but is looking forward to picking up where the former chair left off.
“I consider myself pretty open-minded,” said O’Day, who holds a degree in public policy. “Among my skills is I’m a good listener. So I am hoping to bring a balanced perspective to the issues.
216,“As a business owner I understand the challenges businesses face in our community. But also, as a resident, I’ve had direct experience with the negative effects that business can have on local residents.”
As to whether he will take the lead on some of Olsen’s issues, O’Day said he would wait to assess things for himself.
“I’m not opposed to having an audit of the planning department but it’s going to cost us money too, so I’d like to see some evidence that we need it,” he said. “I haven’t had an opportunity to dig into it yet.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 12, 2003. Read the original PDF.