At the top of Tuesday evening’s meeting, Council swung into action, commending the Santa Monica Little League "Angels"  Girls' Softball Team for defeating its Westside competitors, with a final victory over Culver City’s team in the Tournament of Champions.  

CONSENT CALENDAR  Among matters not requiring extensive discussion, Council approved contracts for several capital projects, including design and construction monitoring of a 1.3 mile bike path, adjacent pedestrian path and other street improvements along the Exposition rail right-of-way;  re-roofing of the aquarium building under the Santa Monica Pier, leased to Heal the Bay; and repairs on Yale Street to widen the existing parkway and preserve the existing tree canopy, funded largely by a resident-approved assessment.

Council also approved a professional services agreement with EcoMotion to help develop, market and prepare a business plan for the Community Energy Independence Initiative demonstration project, which will install energy efficiency measures in up to 50 residential, commercial and institutional buildings; and a contract modification with Gershman, Brickner and Bratton, Inc. to help the Solid Waste Division implement best practices and efficiency measures and prepare a request for proposal for service delivery alternatives. Council also approved a contract for grounds maintenance at Woodlawn Cemetery to fill personnel shortages, but requested that staff return with a policy discussion about contracting city services within the year, and prior to extending of this contract. 

Council also accepted $529,900 in federal grant funds from the Environmental Protection Agency to assess the city’s water storage needs and design replacement water mains; and $246,807 from the Department of Justice over a three-year period for a gang intervention program at Virginia Avenue Park, with the understanding that intensive community involvement occur as this program moves forward.

CLOSED SESSION SETTLEMENTS - Council approved a settlement in the case of Palisades Beach Property Owners Association v. the City of Santa Monica regarding the development of 415 PCH as a public beach club.  The City agreed to operating agreements limited to 10 years and 7 years for specific activities of the facility, to adopt a resolution specifying the facility’s operating conditions, and to include that the terms be included in its permit with the California Coastal Commission.  The city also agreed to use best efforts to have Caltrans place a traffic signal at the property.  In other matters, Council approved a settlement in the case of Barnard v. City, in which the city agreed to waive its costs and dismiss its appeal. Council also authorized a settlement in the case of Supino v. the City of Santa Monica, involving legal representation of the Bayside Board related to the Farmer’s Market litigation.

LIBRARY BOND ANNUAL ASSESSMENT -  Council adopted an ordinance setting the current year’s assessment rate for the 1990 and 2002 Library general obligation bonds, which helped fund the expansion and construction of the Main Library.

SHAPING THE FUTURE - Council tabled the introduction and first reading of an ordinance that would take the first step in codifying policies emerging from the city’s multi-year effort to revise the Land Use and Circulation Element.  After 18 speakers and three hours of questions and debate, Council agreed to continue its discussion of staff’s proposed ordinance, incorporating recommendations made by the Planning Commission, to the next meeting on September 26, with a potential second reading to occur on October 3. Under the proposed ordinance, preferred uses--such as projects that are certified historic resources, provide 100 percent affordable housing units, and other specific categories--would be guided by existing zoning regulations. Other projects that are permitted but do not advance key policies would be subject to modified development standards that reduce their density and scope.  Six of the city’s 35 zoning districts are recommended for changes.  Council also debated whether a LEED rating alone (certification by the U.S. Green Building Council under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System) should constitute “preferred” status and whether certain building details should be prohibited above the existing height limits in R2, R3 and R4 districts.

SUNSET PARK AND NORTH OF WILSHIRE STANDARDS -  Council held first reading of an ordinance that incorporates into the zoning code additional development standards and in some cases architectural review for Sunset Park and North of Wilshire areas of the R1 zoning district.  The ordinance would make permanent interim standards that have been developed over the last three years to reduce the allowable massing and bulk of new construction as a result of neighborhood concerns.

VILLAGE HOUSING IN THE CIVIC CENTER – Council authorized flexibility in the design of the housing component (the Village) of the Civic Center Specific Plan by allowing building heights up to 65 feet, which is 9 feet higher than currently allowed limits.  This massing flexibility would allow a sufficient building envelope to achieve the goal of 325 units while still producing creative building design.

APPOINTMENTS – Council continued appointments until the next meeting. Council rescinded the appointment of Jacob Samuel to the Arts Commission and considered a new appointment to the commission.

COUNCILMEMBER DISCUSSION ITEMS - Council voted to oppose the Governor’s signing of AB  2449 as amended, which could usurp local control over regulating plastic carry-out bags.  Council continued to the next meeting a resolution in support of Proposition 86, the Tobacco Tax Act of 2006, which would increase the tobacco tax and use the funds to reduce smoking and fund health care initiatives.  Council also directed staff to prepare an ordinance to amend the zoning code to increase the minimum lot sizes and dimensions on neighborhood streets of the R1 District, North of Montana, and to prepare the ordinance in advance of the comprehensive zoning ordinance update.

ADJOURNMENT AND NEXT MEETING -  The meeting was adjourned at 12:25 a.m. in memory of Phillip Whiting, who was a devoted Rotary Club member for 46 years; Gerald Condon, who wrote Beyond the Grave on family trust planning and was a member of the Recreation and Parks Commission; Deforrest “Moe” Most, a gymnast and unofficial ring master of the Santa Monica Muscle Beach in the 1940s; and Danny Mejia who was a native Santa Monican and served as a bilingual aide at John Adams Middle School.  The next regular meeting of the Santa Monica City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, September 12, 2006, beginning at 5:45 p.m. (although Council expects to take a half hour break at 6 p.m.) in the wheelchair-accessible Council Chamber at City Hall. Council meetings are aired live on CityTV Channel 16 and on the Netcast on the city's website and, for regularly scheduled meetings from 8 p.m. to midnight on KCRW 89.9 FM. 89.9 FM.

NOTE: This wrap-up is not an official record of Council action. The official record is posted by the City Clerk on this website at http://www.smgov.net/cityclerk/council/agendas/2006/ as soon as possible after the meeting. (Click on the September 12, 2006 agenda link.)