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Council Member Dan O'Brien will lead the Culver City City Council in 2025 after being unanimously selected for the position by fellow City Council Members on December 9, 2024. City Council Members also voted unanimously for Council Member Freddy Puza to serve as Vice Mayor. Mayor O'Brien spoke to the standing-room-only crowd in the Mike Balkman Council Chambers: "I am truly honored to be your Mayor for the coming year. Although it is largely ceremonial, I know how important it is to represent...
At the November 14 meeting of the City Council rejected a proposal to begin outreach to religious, agnostic, and atheist groups. The "Culver City Area Interfaith Alliance Cooperation Circle" ("Alliance") , which is currently inactive, was a community-based cooperation circle that, before the pandemic, worked to foster understanding, cooperation, and unity among diverse religious traditions, activities, events and organizations in Culver City and the local area. The Alliance was led by and...
Monday night October 28 the Culver City Council voted 3-to approve Advertising kiosks on city rights-of-way. Vice Mayor Dan O'Brien, Councilmen Albert Vera, Göran Eriksson on voted in favor of the plan. Councilman Freddy Puza vote against the proposal while Mayor Yasmine Imani McMorrin abstained. IKE Smart City is the nationwide leader in smart city kiosks offering a wide variety of public benefits. Since launching in 2015, we have successfully deployed IKE networks in 20 cities, making IKE...
Honorary City Historian Appointed The City Council voted to appoint Hope Parrish as the honorary City Historian. Parrish is a retired property master who worked in the entertainment industry for many years. When she retired in 2017, she became President of the Culver City Historical Society (CCHS). Parrish loves history, research and her hometown, Culver City. Her work has been to continue to grow the CCHS and carry-on the work of those that came before her in the organization. She hopes that...
At its meeting on Monday evening, the City Council approved and selected a vendor for an interactive digital kiosk program with commercial advertising (Program) along City sidewalks and public right-of-way. In addition, the City Council voted to form an ad hoc subcommittee to work with City staff and the selected vendor to negotiate the terms of an agreement. Vice Mayor Dan O'Brien and Council Member Albert Vera Jr. were selected to lead the subcommittee. Of the two vendors to have submitted...
After years of fighting to limit signage at local stores on Monday night the city will consider an Interactive Digital Kiosk Program with Commercial Advertising, along City Sidewalks and Public Right-of-Way (Program), Including Consideration of Submitted Responses to the City's Request for Proposals for a Potential Vendor for the Program; (2) If Desired, Approval of an Agreement with the Selected Vendor for the Program; (3) If Desired, Creation of a City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee for the Purpo...
City officials are considering doubling down on what some councilmember consider environmentally conscious policies, including bans on everything from plastic drink bottles to astroturf. The city will soon begin surveying residents and business owners to gauge interest on prohibiting single-use plastic carryout bags, single-use plastic beverage bottles, the use and sale of balloons, public smoking and the use of astroturf, according to city officials. The effort stems from an April proposal by B...
Five years in the making, the City Council approved the General Plan 2045 and Zoning Code Updates The General Plan establishes the City's long-term vision to guide how the city will develop for the next 20 years. The General Plan update kicked off in 2019 and was developed through a robust community outreach process including over 50 public meetings, 14 community pop-up informational events, 18 General Plan Advisory meetings, 20 Technical Advisory Community Meetings, 13 Planning Commission and...
The City of Culver City is seeking input from the community on what it should do with the City-owned property at 11029 Washington Boulevard, which it purchased in 2023. On Monday, City Council approved the community outreach plans, as well as the proposed art project led by Artist Laureate Katy Krantz. Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Vice Mayor Dan O'Brien, and Council Members Goran Eriksson and Freddy Puza all voted in favor of the motion. Council Member Albert Vera was absent for Monday's...
Following a public hearing, City Council unanimously approved a five-year agreement with Verra Mobility for an amount not-to-exceed $4,554,000. The City's Automated Enforcement Program using red light cameras to capture violators as they drive their vehicles through an intersection after the traffic signal has turned red began in 1998. It is currently in place at 12 intersections. Data has shown the Automated Enforcement Program to be successful at reducing the number of drivers running red...
At the city council meeting on Monday, August 12, the council will hold a discussion and direction regarding a potential new bicycle and pedestrian ramp and pathway connecting Ince boulevard to Ballona creek....
To ensure public safety during City Council meetings, beginning Monday, August 12th, all persons entering the Mike Balkman Council Chambers during a City Council meeting must pass through a security screening, including a metal detector and bag inspection. Please plan your arrival time to the meeting accordingly. Firearms, knives, weapons (such as pepper spray, tasers, batons, etc.), and signs larger than 18 x 24 inches are prohibited from City Council Chambers and no one with any of these...
To ensure public safety during City Council meetings, beginning tonight Monday, August 12th, all persons entering the Mike Balkman Council Chambers during a City Council meeting must pass through a security screening, including a metal detector and bag inspection. Please plan your arrival time to the meeting accordingly. Firearms, knives, weapons (such as pepper spray, tasers, batons, etc.), and signs larger than 18 x 24 inches are prohibited from City Council Chambers and no one with any of...
Culver City Public Works Department will study on two projects that would provide a potential bridge and bicycle and pedestrian ramp to the Ballona Creek. City Council unanimously approved directing staff to move forward with the studies. The potential new bicycle and pedestrian ramp and pathway connecting Ince Boulevard to Ballona Creek. For the public to reach Ince Boulevard, an easement across the private property located at 8680 Hayden Place would need to be created. The potential bicycle...
The City is moving toward adding interactive digital wayfinding kiosks, but there are still many steps ahead before they become a reality in the Heart of Screenland. The City Council approved adoption of an ordinance that will allow these kiosks on public property on a 3 to 2 vote. Vice Mayor Dan O'Brien and Council Members Goran Eriksson and Albert Vera, Jr. voted in favor. Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin and Council Member Freddy Puza abstained from the vote. The next step will be a request for...
Update on City's Homeless Efforts at this Week's Meeting The Culver City Police Department provided a presentation on Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO). A GVRO is a civil court order requested by law-enforcement officers and select civilians, such as immediate family members, employers, or co-worker, when a person poses a danger to themselves or others. It prohibits controlling, possessing, purchasing, or receiving firearms, ammunition, and magazines. When used properly, a GVRO is one of...
The City Council made dozens of appointments across 12 Commissions, Boards, and Committees. In total, 105 applications were received. At the beginning of June, the City Council held a Special Meeting to conduct interviews of all CBC applicants. The following people were appointed: • Civil Service Commission – Chi Ming Gong • Cultural Affairs Commission – Damon Willick • Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission – Marci Baun • Planning Commission – Jackson Brissette • Advisory Comm...
On Monday, the City Council approved the City of Culver City's annual budget for $382.2 million for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, which begins July 1st. The City's budget anticipates $330.9 million in revenue. The City's General Fund revenues are expected to increase in this upcoming fiscal year, to an estimated amount of $170.2 million, driven primarily by increased business license tax receipts. Ongoing General Fund expenditures total $175.9 million exceeding projected revenue by $5.7 million. The...
In a 4 to 1 vote, the City Council approved conceptual plans for the Better Overland and Safer Fox Hills Project. Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Vice Mayor O'Brien, and Council Members Vera Jr. and Puza voted in favor of the motion. Council Member Eriksson abstained. City staff will now pursue grant funding for the Project. The Project's goals are to improve travel for everyone, including those who use a wheelchair, walk, bike, take transit, or drive. It begins at the intersection of Overland...
City Council Weighs Use of Former Gun Shop On Tuesday, the City Council discussed the direction on determining the future use of the former Martin B. Retting gun shop, which the City purchased in September. Since the acquisition, the building was vacated in January and its exterior was then repainted by the City. A mural project, which was completed by the City's Artist Laureate Katy Krantz, added vibrant new artwork to the site. More than a dozen community members spoke, suggesting various...
Renaming a local alleyway after martial arts icon Bruce Lee, proposal did not meet the city's stringent requirements for commemorative street naming and the council rejected the proposal. The Asian World Film Festival's bid to change "A Street" to "Bruce Lee Alley" hit a wall as the council stood firm on policies such as 20 years of local service, and 75% resident petition support, among others, which the group has yet to fulfill, according to official city reports. The city expressed their...
City Council Approves New Signage at Culver Steps City Council met on Monday, March 11. The City Council unanimously approved two static monument signs highlighting businesses located within the Culver Steps promenade. The Steps Owner has offered to donate the one-time capital cost of the fabrication and installation, which will cost approximately $95,000 for the fabrication of two static signs. The total costs would also include installation of the signs, which are estimated to be $20,000. The...
The City Council received another update from Tevis Barnes, Director of Housing and Human Services, on Culver City's homelessness emergency. Barnes spoke about the recent Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. While numbers were not yet released, Barnes noted the number of individuals on the streets in Culver City were lower than previous years. Since the Homelessness Emergency was ratified by the City Council in January 2023, the City has dedicated over $15 million address homelessness for Fiscal...
The City Council did not take action on providing a letter of support to "Bike Culver City" for its grant application, though Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin and Council Member Freddy Puza offered support after reading through the grant request and requirements. That application is for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Go Human Community Streets Program. According to the SCAG website, the program aims to "build street-level community resiliency and increase the safety of...
The City Council received an update on the Draft General Plan and Zoning Code Framework from Planning and Development Director Mark Muenzer and his staff. The General Plan Update was initiated in 2019 and is planned for completion in Fall 2024. The process, which was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and staff vacancies, studied existing conditions to identify issues and opportunities to be addressed by the Plan. An extensive community outreach and visioning program resulted in the project's Vis...
