City Council Meeting Summary, November 11, 2024

Published on November 15, 2024

Photo of City Council proclaiming Veterans Day is November 11th

City Council Approves Legislative and Policy Platform, Fox Hills Project Moves Forward, Does Not Take Action on Becoming a ‘Climate Emergency City’

Fox Hills Mixed-Use Residential & Commercial Project Approved

Following a public hearing, the City Council approved for a mixed-use residential and commercial development project in the Fox Hills neighborhood to move forward. The 2.23-acre project at 5700 Hannum Avenue and Buckingham Parkway will include 309 residential units and 5,600 square feet of commercial space. Plans include 27 very-low-income affordable units. Developers state the 6-story project creates a vibrant transition between commercial uses to the north and west, and residential uses to the east for neighbors and pedestrians by providing new retail, open space, and housing at street level. There are 428 vehicle parking spaces. The Project also contains 92 bicycle spaces: 11 short-term and 81 long-term. Full details of the project plan can be viewed on the City’s website.

Mayor McMorrin and Council Member Puza recused themselves from the item on the agenda. Vice Mayor O’Brien and Council Members Vera Jr. and Eriksson voted in favor of the motions for the project to move forward.

Legislative and Policy Platform Approved

The City Council approved the Legislative and Policy Platform (LPP) that guides the City’s positions on state and federal legislation. The LPP state’s the City’s positions on legislative issues it faces and provides the process by which its interests can be protected or promoted at the state and federal levels. The LPP also allows the City to respond quickly to issues that could directly impact the City as a municipal organization, and to reach out to legislators to assist the City in communicating its interests.

Vice Mayor Dan O’Brien and Council Members Albert Vera Jr. and Goran Eriksson voted in favor of the LPP. Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin and Council Member Freddy Puza voted against.

The approved resolution and the LPP that follows it is available for review in full on the City’s website.

No Action Taken on Becoming a ‘Climate Emergency City’

 The City Council did not take action on becoming a Climate Emergency City and a C40 Cities member. C40 Cities is a global network of nearly 96 large cities throughout the world, including Los Angeles, that are united in action to confront the climate crisis.

While City Council did not take action on the item, the City has chosen to address climate change, environmental justice, and to implement climate-related actions through development of guidelines, identifying programs and projects, and establishing targets in the recently adopted General Plan Update (GPU). The GPU is the umbrella document that allows the City to plan for future development until 2045. The intent of the GPU is to establish the City’s goals for development and the built environment, actions to take to address climate change, and to set ground rules for land use.

The GPU includes detailed objectives to address environmental justice and climate action throughout the document. Specifically, the GPU includes strategies to achieve certain goals and to perform ongoing monitoring of the City’s progress, including:

  • Community Health and Environmental Justice
  • Greenhouse Gas Reduction
  • Conservation
  • Safety

You can view the GPU on the City's website.

City Council Proclamations, Commendations & Recognitions

The City Council meeting began with several proclamations, commendations, and recognitions. It first commended Heidi Duckler, the Founder and Artistic Director of Heidi Duckler Dance, an award-winning performing arts organization, based in Los Angeles, California, celebrating thirty-nine years. Heidi Duckler Dance transforms spaces through the power of contemporary movement; including many dance events in locations throughout Culver City, and partnered with the Culver City School District, engaged local student dancers and artists, joined Culver City environmental efforts, entertained audiences, enlivened public spaces. Heidi Duckler has choreographed site-specific public performances in California, Los Angeles, nationwide, and worldwide since 1985. Duckler has announced that Raymond Ejiofor will be assuming the role of Artistic Director in 2025 while she remains as Executive Director, a significant transition for herself and for company. Heidi Duckler Dance has participated in the Culver City Performing Arts Grant Program since its creation in 1994, using their former name of Collage Dance Theatre. The City Council of the City of Culver City hereby commends Heidi Duckler for outstanding service and contributions to Culver City’s cultural life and artistic experiences.

New Earth received a commendation for its 20-year anniversary as a non-profit organization based in Culver City that provides mentor-based arts, educational, vocational programs and wrap-around services that assist youth ages 13-25 and their families. New Earth has designed and implemented many programs for the past 20 years, such as the Digital Media Workforce Training, FLOW (Fluent Love of Words) Poetry Program, and Down to Earth Gardening Program which equip young people with creative skills and opportunities. New Earth offers a space designed for creative expression, personal growth, and healing, particularly for youth affected by the juvenile justice system. New Earth has strived to make substantial contributions to building equity and positive change in the Culver City community, touching countless lives through service and advocacy.

The City Council proclaimed November as “Movember” 2024. The Movember Foundation is the leading charity dedicated to changing the face of men's health in the U.S. and around the world with a focus on raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention to encourage testing, prevention, and support services. The Movember campaign encourages everyone to “Make a Move” and run or walk sixty (60) miles during November to recognize the sixty (60) men suicide takes globally every hour. The City Council invites the community to grow a moustache, support men’s health, and “Make a Move” so that we all live healthier, happier, and longer lives.

The City Council also proclaimed November 11th as Veterans Day 2024. Residents of Culver City have participated as uniformed service members in all conflicts involving the US Armed Services from World War I through Operation Freedom; and have also served as uniformed service members in our Armed Services during time of peace. All veterans have sacrificed a portion of their lives in the service of our Nation and contributed to our continued freedom and well-being. The residents of Culver City owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all the courageous men and women who willingly served their country and sacrificed their lives to preserve our ideals and the American way of life.

World Kindness Day in Culver City is November 13th, City Council proclaimed on Monday. World Kindness Day is an international holiday that was formed in 1998. The day presents us with the opportunity to reflect upon one of the most important and unifying human principles – being kind to each other – on a day devoted to the positive potential of both large and small acts of kindness, in a world in great need of more kindness. In 2017, the City Council of Culver City established Culver City as a City of Kindness, which became one of its Council priorities during its Centennial year. The City Council encourages all our residents and visitors to practice both large and small acts of kindness on that day and throughout the year.

Each year on November 20th, the City of Culver City observes Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) to honor the lives of transgender people who have been lost to transphobic violence and discrimination. The City Council proclaimed the day as TDOR. Established in 1999, TDOR was created to commemorate Rita Hester, a Black trans woman who was murdered in her Boston apartment in 1999. The day is an opportunity not just for remembrance but also to celebrate our transgender communities in Culver City and beyond, and to continually work on identifying one’s own biases. The City Council calls upon the community to remember those who died, and celebrate our differences in race, gender, ethnicity, and religion because all lives matter.

The City Council proclaimed November 30th as Small Business Saturday. Culver City has and continues to encourage community members to shop locally in support of our Culver City-based establishments to help maintain a robust economy and ongoing job opportunities within businesses both large and small. According to the United States Small Business Administration, there are 33.3 million small businesses in the United States, which employ almost 50% of the employees in the private sector and are responsible for 62% of net new jobs created since 1995. The City of Culver City supports our local businesses who maintain a sense of community, create jobs, and boost our local economy and taxable dollars spent in Culver City, which helps to benefit important City-provided services like public safety, senior services, after-school programs, street maintenance, streetlights, and park. The City has embraced the #ChooseCulver, #LoveLocal, #BuyLocal shop local program, highlighting Culver City businesses and commercial districts and the benefits of shopping, dining and working locally. The City Council encourages the residents of our community, and communities across the country, to support Culver City’s independent, small businesses on November 30th and throughout the year.

Additional Council Decisions 

Additional items approved by the City Council include:

 

Additional Information and Next Meeting

Additional information about each of the topics heard at the City Council meeting can be found in the staff reports and backup attachments for the items, which are posted along with the agenda to the City’s website. The video of the City Council meeting is available on the City’s website for viewing.

The City Council’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 9th to install the new council members and elect the Mayor and Vice Mayor. Please note that the City Council meetings in January will take place at the Senior Center while improvements are made to the Mike Balkman Council Chambers.

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