City Manager’s Office
Summer Heat Wave Safety Tips - During periods of extreme heat conditions, extra precaution should be taken to ensure the safety of older adults, infants and children, as well individuals who participate in outdoor activities or those who are sensitive to the heat. High temperatures mean an increased risk of heat exhaustion, heat cramps or sunstroke.
Los Angeles County Extreme Heat Cool Centers are available during periods of extreme heat. Dial 211 on your phone, visit your local county 211 website, or visit http://www.sce.com/coolcenter to find a location near you. The Culver City Senior Center is a Cooling Center and is from Noon to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Consider these tips from the L.A. County Department of Health to help you stay cool during a heat wave:
Tips to Beat the Heat
Drink plenty of water regularly and often, even if you do not feel thirsty. Do what you can to stay hydrated.
Stay indoors as much as possible and limit exposure to the sun. Consider spending the warmest part of the day in public buildings such as libraries, schools, movie theaters, shopping malls and other community facilities.
Check on family members, seniors, friends and neighbors and people with disabilities or those who may not have access to air conditioning and who spend much of their time alone.
Limit Your Exposure to the Sun
Avoid unnecessary sun exposure, wear a hat and use sunscreen.
Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings or louvers.
Dress in loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible.
Avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day. Use a buddy system when working in extreme heat and take frequent breaks. Infants and Children
Never leave children in closed vehicles. It is illegal to leave an infant or child unattended in a vehicle (California Vehicle Code Section 15620).
Infants and young children can get dehydrated very quickly. Make sure they are given plenty of cool water to drink.
Keep children indoors or shaded as much as possible and dress children in loose, lightweight, and light colored clothing.
Older Adults and Individuals with Chronic Medical Conditions
During peak heat hours stay in an air-conditioned area. If you do not have access to air conditioning in your home, visit public facilities such as cooling centers, shopping malls, parks, and libraries to stay cool.
Older adults and those on certain medications may not exhibit signs of dehydration until several hours after dehydration sets in. Stay hydrated by frequently drinking cool water.
Stay out of the sun if you do not need to be in it. While in the sun, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing with long sleeves and pants to protect against sun damage. Be sure to use sunscreen and sunglasses.
Pet Safety in Extreme Heat
Never leave a pet unattended in a vehicle, even with the windows ‘cracked’ or open.
Outdoor animals should be given plenty of shade and clean drinking water. Do not leave pets outside in the sun. Pets should not be left in a garage as garages can get very hot due to lack of ventilation and insulation.
If your pet spends time in the yard, make sure he or she has access to shade. Shaded trees, a covered patio or a cool spot under the porch can help keep your pet comfortable.
Community Development
Culver Crossroads Shopping Center (at Washington and Sepulveda Boulevards) – Staff has been working with the owner of Culver Crossroads to implement physical improvements to the shopping center to address issues related to deliveries and ingress/egress conflicts on the residential Commonwealth Avenue side of the Center. In order to alleviate traffic congestion and illegal turning movements for vehicles exiting the center onto Commonwealth Avenue, the Commonwealth driveway has been converted into a one-way ingress only driveway with a gate arm to ingress and to prevent egress from the driveway. The reconfigured driveway has also resulted in the addition of two parking spaces to the Center’s parking lot. In addition, the City has created a 24-hour 7 days a week loading zone on Sepulveda Boulevard in front of the shopping center in order to eliminate deliveries and loading on Commonwealth Avenue.
The Planning and Enforcement Services Divisions will continue to monitor the on-site parking and vehicular circulation as well as loading and delivery activities to ensure that they are not creating a nuisance.
Ingress driveway off of Commonwealth Avenue
Sepulveda Boulevard facing north at Washington Boulevard
Hayden Tract Spur – Construction of the Hayden Tract Spur Parking Lot Project commenced on April 11th. Work on the project is anticipated to be completed by July 15th. The progress on the project is continuing:
Photo of Hayden Tract Spur before construction work
Photo of Hayden Tract Spur Parking Lot Project during construction work.
Fire Department
CPR Event – The Culver City Fire Department hosted a successful Sidewalk CPR event on June 2nd. Firefighters were successful in training several passers-by. The American Heart Association’s Hands-Only CPR is cardiopulmonary resuscitation without mouth-to-mouth breaths and is recommended for use by citizens who see a teen or adult suddenly collapse. Immediately providing Hands-Only CPR to a cardiac arrest victim can double or even triple their chance of survival. To learn more about Hands-Only CPR, go to http://www.handsonlycpr.org. For more information on conventional CPR, or to find a CPR class near you, visit the American Heart Association at
http://www.heart.org or the American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org.
Strike Team – On June 4th, Culver City Fire Department’s Engines 1 and 2 were deployed with a strike team to assist at the “Old Fire” in Calabasas. The strike team was comprised of firefighters from Culver City, Santa Monica, and Beverly Hills Fire Departments. The team assisted with structure protection and returned to the City early the next day.
Emergency Preparedness Training – The Department would like to thank staff from the City’s PRCS Department and Housing Division for attending a Family Assistance Center (FAC) Training this past week to better prepare them to serve our community. In the aftermath of a mass fatality incident (MFI) or mass casualty incident (MCI), families may seek assistance. The establishment of a FAC will provide victims’ families with the support and information they need.
Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department
Culver City Municipal Plunge – On June 13th, the Aquatics staff began teaching group swim lessons for swimmers of all ages. Our experienced instructors provide lessons for beginning up to advanced swimmers. Students are tested on the first day and assigned to the appropriate class for the remainder of the session. A maximum of 50 students are accepted per class, per session. When a class reaches maximum registration, a waiting list is created and interested swimmers are notified when space becomes available. Classes meet Monday – Friday for two-week sessions and the cost is $50 for residents and $60 for non-residents. Swim lessons run through August 5th. For more information on availability and to register online, please visit https://activenet020.active.com/culvercity.
Culver City Plunge Swim Meet – On Saturday, June 4th, the Culver City Municipal Plunge was the site of a fun novice-level swim meet. 40 youths ages 6 to 16 from Culver City and Manhattan Beach competed. This was a free event open to novice swim teams. This meet helps to prepare swimmers to participate in the Bay Area Municipal Athletic Association (BAMAA) meet held on July 30th and the Southern California Municipal Athletic Federation (SCMAF) meet on August 13th.
Veterans Memorial Complex Rental Operation – Upcoming public events: The Los Angeles County Arts Commission presents a Town Hall focused on its new Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative, held in Veterans Memorial Auditorium on June 18th at 10 am. Reservations for this free event may be made via http://www.artsequityla.com. Culver City Rock & Mineral Club’s Fiesta of Gems returns to Veterans Memorial Building on June 25th and 26th. More information
on this free event is available at http://culvercityrocks.org/fiesta.htm. The Culver City Chamber of Commerce presents Culver EXPO 2016 at Veterans Memorial Building on June 22nd. More information on this free event is available at http://www.culvercitychamber.com/events/details/culver-expo-2016-894.
Police Department
Special Olympics Torch Relay - On June 6th, members of the Police Department, including our Explorers, participated in this year’s Special Olympics Torch Relay. The runners ran approximately three miles and handed the torch off to runners representing the Los Angeles Police Department’s Southwest Division.
Studio Estates and Tellefson Park Neighborhood Watch Meeting - On June 8, 2016 Lieutenant Sam Agaiby held a Neighborhood Watch meeting combining both Tellefson Park and Studio Estates groups and discussed current crime trends, crime prevention tips and a K/9 demonstration.
FBI National Academy - On June 10th Lieutenant Jason Sims graduated from the FBI National Academy located in Quantico, Virginia. Lieutenant Sims participated in the 10-week academy where he attended classes and participated in physical fitness training. Jason’s class had 221 police managers from 40 states and 21 foreign countries. The FBI National Academy is recognized as one of the premier training for police executives in the area of leadership and academics.
Culver City Police Department Supports Explorer Participant – On June 10th, Sergeant Dan Sukal and Detective Toby Raya stopped by the Hamilton high school Graduation Ceremony to congratulate Explorer and graduate Dashawn Matthews, before he heads to California State University, Dominguez Hills in the fall. Dashawn has been an Explorer since January of this year and plans on pursuing a career in law enforcement when he graduates from college.
Public Works Department
Alley Maintenance & Clean-up - The Public Works Department will begin its annual alley maintenance and clean-up on July 11th, and it is expected to take approximately three months to complete the clean-up of all alleys in the City. The maintenance generally begins in the alleys in the western portion of the City and progresses through the eastern and southern portions during the three month period. The maintenance will include grading unpaved alleys, performing
weed abatement, picking up abandoned items, and filling potholes. The work will not include paving alleys.
Property owners with properties that are adjacent to public alleys received notices earlier this month through the City’s Code Enforcement Division requiring them to clear back vegetation that overhangs into the alleys, in an effort to help expedite the maintenance and cleaning.
Southern California Edison (SCE) Rotating Outages - SCE has announced that
its customers may experience rotating outages this summer due to the recent restricted operations of Southern California Gas Company’s Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility. SCE encourages the community to conserve energy use this summer and to sign up to receive Flex Alerts, which are voluntary calls for their customers to conserve electricity by going to http://www.flexalert.org/. For tips on how to
save electricity, please visit: http://insideedison.com/stories/sce-encourages-energy-conservation-this-summer.
Water Efficient Fixtures - As part of the City’s Water Conservation Plan, the water fixture retrofitting and replacement project was completed at 24 facilities. The project has reduced the City’s potable water use and included replacing 25 water-using urinals with waterless urinals, retrofitting 123 toilets with 1.6/1.1 gallons per flush dual-flush diaphragms (which provides individuals the ability to flush solid waste using 1.6 gallons and liquid waste using only 1.1 gallons of water), replacing or retrofitting 83 toilets, installing 52 low-flow shower heads and installing over 100 low-flow aerators on faucets.
Transportation Department
Operator of the Year – At the June 13th City Council meeting, Bus Operator Jonathan Culbert was honored as the recipient of the 2015 Earl Barr Culver CityBus “Operator of the Year” Award. Mr. Culbert achieved this award by being in full compliance with all City and Departmental rules and regulations and maintaining an excellent safety and attendance record. Mr. Culbert was previously named the Operator of the Quarter for the First and Second Quarter for 2011, the Second and Fourth Quarters for 2013 and the Third Quarter for 2015. He has served with the City of Culver City as a Bus Operator for approximately six (6) years.
Distinguished Operator of the Year – At the June 13th City Council meeting, Bus Operator Steve Sanceri was honored as the recipient of the 2015 Culver CityBus “Distinguished Operator of the Year” Award. The award acknowledges his unmatched performance, outstanding safety, attendance, punctuality and customer service record. The award also acknowledges his past Bus Operator of the Year Awards. He has previously been named the Operator of the Quarter in 2011, 2014 and 2015; and he was honored as a recipient of the Earl Barr Culver CityBus “Operator of the Year” Award for 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008. A truly distinguished employee, Mr. Sanceri has been the recipient of the Culver CityBus “Distinguished Operator of the Year” Award since its inception in 2009. Mr. Sanceri has served as an Operator for 15 years and shares that this is the best job he’s ever had!
Dump the Pump - Culver CityBus celebrated the nationwide Dump the Pump Day by offering FREE rides to all passengers on June 16th. Dump the Pump Day was started by the American Public Transportation Association in June 2006, when gas prices reached their highest levels at that time ($3 per gallon). Dump the Pump places emphasis on public transportation nationwide as a travel option that saves money, is great for the environment, and improves overall traffic circulation for all!
State Approves Transportation Application - The Transportation Department has been awarded $56,805 in Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) funds through the State’s Cap & Trade program. The LCTOP is one of several funding sources that are part of the Transit, Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program established by Senate Bill 862 in 2014. The LCTOP draws proceeds from the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Fund to support transit agencies in their efforts to increase transit ridership and meet the statewide GHG reduction goals identified in multiple California legislative actions, including AB32. Culver CityBus will utilize these funds toward the operation of its Line 6 Rapid bus service which traverses the 12.5-mile route along Sepulveda Boulevard, from UCLA at the north to the Metro Green Line Station located southeast of LAX. Project requirements include transit service which benefits the disadvantaged communities identified along this corridor. The service provided by Culver CityBus Line 6 Rapid reduces GHG by approximately 736 metric tons
of CO2 annually.
I-10/Robertson/National Area Multimodal Circulation Improvement Project - The Project includes planning, preliminary engineering and design, and environmental analyses of a package of improvements to the I-10 Freeway/Robertson Boulevard on/off-ramps and arterials streets in the area. It is anticipated that the Project will
result in a number of near-, mid-, and long-term transportation improvement projects that will improve the access to and the operation of the I-10 Freeway. This project will improve traffic safety and circulation conditions for all modes of transportation in the area and to the Exposition Light Rail Culver City Station.
City of Los Angeles awarded the contract for the project study to Michael Baker International in November 2015. The Project began in January 2016, with participation from LA, Culver City and Caltrans staff. The project is currently in the feasibility study stage and is anticipated to go through project initiation documents and the environmental impact review process in the next four years.
Bus Stop Relocations Community Meetings - The City Council has approved the implementation of a Bus Signal Priority System (BSP) that will improve the efficiency of bus service by providing traffic signal priority to buses at signalized intersections along their routes in Culver City by extending the green time a few seconds, a Culver City bus running late may catch up to the schedule. As part of the BSP Project, 35 existing nearside bus stops are recommended to be relocated to the far side of the intersection. This relocation is necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the BSP System. The relocation away from nearside will provide the opportunity to regain some parking spaces, in most instances, in the nearside, and will also cause the loss of some parking spaces in the new far side.
Three Community meetings will be held on Saturday, June 25th, 2016. They will be “Open House” style – you may come in at any time during the scheduled time. The purpose of the community meetings is to provide information on the bus stop relocations, answer questions about specific locations, and receive input from the public. The input received will be communicated to the City Council at its regularly scheduled meeting of August 8th at 7 pm, in the Mike Balkman Council Chambers.
WHERE: City Hall – Dan Patacchia Conference Room at 9770 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232.
WHEN: Saturday, June 25, 2016, at 10 – 11 am; 1 – 2 pm; and 4 – 5 pm. Depending on attendance, staff will remain available beyond the scheduled time to be sure all questions are addressed.
MORE INFORMATION: If you have questions or comments regarding this topic, please contact staff, as follows: By phone at (310) 253-5634. Please leave a message and your call will be returned; or by e-mail at traffic.engineering@culvercity.org.
Reader Comments(0)