City Council Meeting Summary, October 28, 2024

Published on October 31, 2024

City Council Selects Digital Kiosk Provider, Approves Modified Culver Public Market Project, and Moves Forward Construction Contractors Transparency Ordinance

Digital Kiosk Program Moves Forward with Vendor

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 bids to the City for the program, the City Council selected IKE Smart City as the City’s kiosk provider and operator. IKE is deployed in 20 cities, operating 550 live units.

IKE will be responsible for all installation and operating expense costs. The City will receive a $500,000 signing bonus for Phase 1 that would include 15 kiosks, 50% of net advertising revenues, with a minimum annual guarantee of $750,000. IKE will give $500,000 worth of advertising space to local businesses and non-profits annually. An second phase would site an additional 15 kiosks, at the mutual option of the City and IKE. IKE Smart City will provide cumulatively at least 25% of the default, advertising rotating screen time to the City for public information and announcements. No specific locations for the kiosks have been identified, though Downtown, Fox Hills, and the Art District have been considered. The Ad Hoc subcommittee will discuss siting and host a community meeting to gather feedback on proposed siting. The City Council will approve the final siting plan. IKE will be responsible regular maintenance, which will occur five days a week, and includes phone response 24/7.

The minimum annual revenues to the City are estimated to range from $750,000 per year (minimum annual guarantee of $50,000 per kiosk) for Phase I for the first year and approximately $876,000 to $1.3 million annually during the first 10 years of operation.

Vice Mayor O’Brien and Council Members Vera Jr. and Goran Eriksson voted in favor of the motion. Council Member Freddy Puza voted against. Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin abstained from the vote. You can view IKE’s proposal submission on the City’s website.

Culver Public Market Project Moves Forward with Development Amendment

The City Council unanimously approved an amendment to a development agreement relating to a commercial project on the corner of Washington Boulevard and Centinela Avenue. The project, dating back to 2018, was originally set to develop an artisanal market hall with food vendors and restaurants located on two sites at the northern corners of Washington Boulevard and Centinela Avenue. The pandemic delayed and ultimately dashed the original plans of the Culver Public Market, LLC (Developer).

The amended Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA), which was approved Monday night, will modify the Project to remove the market hall component, maintain the artisanal food and restaurants component, and expand the public plaza amenities.

Site A is located on the northwest corner of Washington Boulevard and Centinela Avenue with a size of about 1.22 acres. Site B, on the northeast corner, is .45 acres. As of August 2024, the Developer estimates the total Project development costs at approximately $23.81 million. Construction of the Project is estimated to take no longer than 24 months and would commence within 30 days after the building permit is issued. The Developer is hoping to begin construction in the Summer of 2025 with completion in late 2026/early 2027.

To date, the City’s Redevelopment Successor Agency and the City have committed nearly $17 Million into the Project, including land acquisition, parking structure set-aside funds, relocation, and legal/financial services. It is anticipated that the Project would generate approximately $159,800 in revenues to the City on an annual basis in the form of property tax, sales tax and business tax revenue. The revised project is estimated to generate approximately 120 temporary jobs and 101 permanent new jobs in the community. The DDA agreement is available for review on the City’s website.

City to Prepare Transparency Ordinance for Contractor Disclosures

The City will create an ordinance that will require transparency disclosures from contractors and subcontractors doing permitted construction work. The intent of these type of ordinances is to encourage fair labor and business practices in the construction industry, protect workers’ rights, encourage fair wages and insurance coverage, and foster a culture of accountability and safety in the community. In approving moving forward on this ordinance, the City Council recognized that compliance with labor standards is in the best interest of the community. Transparency ordinances typically require the mandatory disclosure of licenses, insurance coverage, and past labor violations during the City’s permitting process. They also establish penalties for contractors and subcontractors who fail to comply. City staff will consider the City of Carson’s ordinance as a model.

Required disclosures could include:

• Any pending or final determinations of state or federal labor violations and any penalties paid to any government agencies related to such violations
• Workers compensation insurance
• State contractor license and license category
• City business license
• State and/or federal tax identification numbers

While the details of the ordinance will be made clearer before final review by the City Council, requirements could apply to commercial or industrial projects that are 20,000 square feet or larger. Projects with 20 or more residential dwelling units could also be included.

Non-compliance with the disclosure requirements could result in a stop work order, revocation of the permit, and penalties in the amount equal to the original permit fee.

The City Council unanimously approved staff to bring back a transparency ordinance for further review and City Council action.

Presentation on the Fentanyl Epidemic

The City Council listened to a presentation by the Institute for Public Strategies (IPS) focused on the fentanyl epidemic. It highlighted fentanyl overdose deaths in Los Angeles County increased from 29 in 2014 to 1,970 in 2023. Counterfeit or illicit pills that contain fentanyl inside have driven the increase of those numbers. Even the smallest amount of fentanyl can be deadly, IPS said. Just a few grains mixed into an illicit pill, or other drugs, can kill. Fake pills can be difficult to identify from real pills. IPS shared in its presentation how youth have fallen victim to fentanyl-laced pills, including those purchased online. IPS recommended collaborating with Culver City to increase access to harm reduction tools such as Narcan and fentanyl test strips in public places.

City Council Proclamations, Commendations & Recognitions

The City Council meeting began with several proclamations, commendations, and recognitions. In the first one of the evening, City Council proclaimed October 21-25, 2024, Annual Women in Business Week. 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. Culver City has a growing community of women-owned businesses and women who lead in business, as recognized and honored annually by the Culver City Chamber of Commerce’s Women In Business Leadership Awards. This year, the Women in Business Council celebrated the following honorees: Kathryn Lundeen of Lundeen’s Gifts, Marie Lloyd of Amazon, Dominique Hamler of Los Angeles Outpatient Center, Sara Lofton of Sara Wine Bar and KBella Pizza, and Lucia Diaz of Mar Vista Family Center. The City of Culver City encourages residents, their families, and friends to continue to celebrate, promote, support and shop at women-owned businesses.

The City Council commended Lashinda Demus, a two-time Olympian, Gold Medal Winner, and mother of four. She has consistently demonstrated exceptional talent, passion, hard work, perseverance, and dedication in track and field, representing the United States with pride on numerous international stages in her specialty, the 400-meter hurdles. Most recently, Lashinda’s inspiring journey placed her at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where she received a Gold Medal for her 2012 London Olympic Games win in the 400-meter hurdles. Lashinda and her mother, Yolanda Demus, became the first mother-daughter (coach-athlete) duo to win a Gold Medal for Team USA in track and field. Lashinda’s journey to athletic stardom is a testament to her unwavering dedication to the sport coupled with her commitment to her community as Culver City High School’s Co-Head Track and Field Coach, has made her a role model for aspiring athletes everywhere.

In the third presentation of the evening, the City Council commended the Shay Hotel at Ivy Station for celebrating its third anniversary. Throughout the last three years, the hotel has established itself as a cultural hub, established as a vibrate gathering place for locals and visitors, as well as an economic driver by increasing local tourism and supporting the Culver City economy. The Shay is an establishment committed to sustainability, integrating eco-conscious practices into its operations, aligning with the City’s green initiatives, and fostering a walkable neighborhood.

The City Council commended the Unity of the Westside for celebrating 75 years in Culver City. Since 2017, Unity of the Westside has survived a fire, a flood and the two-year pandemic without missing a single Sunday service – virtual or otherwise - under the leadership of Reverend Karol Scotta. Unity of the Westside recently held an interfaith event to honor the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. The City of Culver City hereby commends Unity of the Westside for its 75 years of faithful contributions to the Culver City community, expressing its mission to be, “a spiritual beacon inspiring Unity through sacred service, prayer and education.”

Former Advisory Committee on Housing and Homelessness Members received commendations for their service to the Culver City community:

• Daniel Behrendt a Culver City resident and active community member was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Housing and Homelessness in 2020 and served as member from 2020 to 2022 and Chair from 2022 to 2024. Behrendt advocated to increase homeless supportive service, temporary shelter and housing within Culver City by supporting staff efforts. Behrendt served on the Homeless Initiative Subcommittee in 2023 as well as the Homeless Count Subcommittee and participated as an enumerator for the 2023 Homeless Count.
• Rachel Feldstein a Culver City resident and active community member was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Housing and Homelessness in 2020 and served as member for her four year-term. Feldstein served on the Outreach and Engagement Subcommittee as well as the Homeless Count Subcommittee and participated as an enumerator for the 2022 and 2023 Homeless Counts.
• Leonardo Wilborn a Culver City resident and active community member was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Housing and Homelessness in 2022 and served as member for his two-year term. Wilborn served on the Homeless Initiative Subcommittee for 2023 and 2024.

All three advocated to increase homeless supportive service, temporary shelter and housing within Culver City by supporting staff efforts.

Lastly, the City Council awarded a Certificate of Recognition to the Culver City Academy of Ballet as a local participant World Ballet Day 2024. World Ballet Day is a global celebration that has occurred in October since 2014 to virtually bring together over 50 of the world's leading ballet and dance companies, providing behind-the-scenes glimpses of ballet’s biggest stars and upcoming performers. Dancers from the Culver City Academy of Ballet performed for the audience in four solo dances.

Additional Council Decisions 

Additional items approved by the City Council include:

• Approved cash disbursements from October 5 to October 18, 2024.
• Approved minutes of the City Council Meeting held on October 14, 2024.
• Adopted resolutions authorizing designated representatives to deposit and withdraw funds as well as make account changes to the City/Successor Agency/Housing Authority State Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) accounts.
• Awarded a $3,000 Off-Cycle Special Events Grant to The Hero’s Workshop and designate the “Hero Faire” a City-Sponsored Event. The Hero’s Workshop’s goal is to provide youth with an organized, inclusive and safe community space to play tabletop role playing games. It is scheduled to take place Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Veterans Memorial Park.
• Approved a Commingled Recyclables Processing Agreement with CR&R Incorporated. Public Works Environmental Programs & Operations Division (EPO) is the exclusive provider of refuse, recycling and organics collection, construction and demolition (C&D) collection, and transfer services to residential and commercial customers. The City’s customers generate approximately 500-650 tons of mixed recycling materials monthly. Materials are collected by refuse vehicles and deposited at the City’s Transfer Station, where they are weighed and loaded onto trucks for transport to ultimate processing locations outside of the City.
• Approved an amendment to the City’s agreement with Tyler Technologies for the ongoing annual maintenance of Tyler Payments and related software integration in the amount of $7,500 annually subject to a 5% annual increase. City Council also authorize annual expenditures with Tyler Technologies and Chase Paymentech for payment of credit card processing fees for credit card transactions processed by Tyler Payments up to the annual budget established for Non-Departmental credit card fees. Since 2011, the City has used the Tyler Munis ERP to process, track and report its core finance functions.
• Approved a professional services agreement with Studio One Eleven to prepare a Fox Hills Specific Plan in an amount not to exceed $800,000. City Council also approved a professional services agreement with AECOM to prepare a Hayden Tract Specific Plan in an amount not to exceed $500,000. The General Plan 2045 Land Use Element includes designated Special Study Areas for closer study beyond the scope of the General Plan. The Fox Hills and Hayden Tract neighborhoods are identified as Special Study Areas. The plans will set land use and development standards for private property, development standards for streets and public right of way, and improvements for City facilities such as parks, recreation centers, bikeways, and roads.
• Adopted a resolution to authorize acceptance of $505,000 in grant funds for the Fox Hills Specific Plan project from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Programs to Accelerate Transformative Housing (PATH) Housing Infill on Public and Private Lands (HIPP) grant program. City Council also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with SCAG. It also approved a related budget amendment to appropriate the grant funds.
• Adopted a resolution approving the final map for Tract Number 83093 consisting of the creation of six residential air space units on an existing lot for condominium purposes located at 3808 College Avenue.
• Approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City of Culver City and the City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) regarding the administration and cost sharing for implementing the Coordinated Integrated Monitoring Program (CIMP) and Watershed Management Program (WMP) for the Marina Del Rey Watershed. The total cost to Culver City for the five-year term of the MOA is $157,176 over Fiscal Years 20242025 through 2028-2029.
• Awarded a construction contract in the amount of $533,762 to CJ Concrete Construction, Inc., as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, for the construction of Sidewalk, Curb Ramp and Driveway Approach Replacement Project and PCC Pavement Replacement Project. City Council also authorized the Public Works Director to approve change orders in an amount not-to-exceed $133,440. The current project scope includes replacing infrastructure at the following locations:
  • Sidewalk and Driveway Replacement - Citywide Various Locations
  • Curb Ramp Replacement- Helms Ave; Ince Blvd and Carson St; Braddock Dr and Jasmine Ave
  • Cross Gutter Replacement - Elenda St and Lindblade St
  • PCC Pavement Replacement - Washington Blvd, between Wade St and McConnell Blvd
  • Drainage Improvements - Barman Ave; Ballona Creek Bike Ramp at Eastham Dr
  • Since the sidewalk uplift is mainly attributed to parkway tree root intrusion, tree root trimming is also part of the scope.
• Adopt a Resolution to authorize the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) to offer their Property Assessed Clean Energy (“Open PACE”) program financing to Redcar Properties relative to 3590-3620 Eastham Drive and 8432 Stellar Drive. This offers a voluntary contractual assessment to finance and refinance the installation on real property of distributed generation renewable energy, energy efficiency, water efficiency and seismic strengthening improvements, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and such other improvements. The financing would be approximately $24.8 million for the Eastham project and $15 million for the Steller project for energy efficiency, water conservation and related upgrades to the buildings.
• Approved an agreement with St. Nick’s Christmas Lighting and Décor for tree lights in Media Park in an amount not-to-exceed $60,000.
• Received and filed the attached Measure CC and Measure C Sales Tax Status Reports (FY 2023-2024, Third Quarter) and Real Property Transfer Tax Status Report (FY 2023-2024, Fourth Quarter), as approved by the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC). The City’s Measure CC and Measure C actual tax receipts were down 1.6% and 1.7% respectively from the same period in 2023 after adjusting for audit corrections, delayed payments and other reporting modifications. Some business groups such as general consumer goods and the food and drugs sector increased from the same period in 2023 while others, most notably business and industry and autos and transportation, declined. In comparison, Los Angeles County declined 0.8% over the comparable time period. The City received $970,246 in RPPT during this period as compared to $596,020 in 2023 and approximately $5.3 million in 2022. Economic factors including relatively high interest rates and low inventory continue to have a cooling effect on the real estate market. Measures CC and C and RPPT updates are available online.
• Approved an agreement with South Coast Fire Equipment for the purchase of one new aerial apparatus (aerial ladder truck) for the Culver City Fire Department in an amount not-to-exceed $1,974,817 for the pre-payment of the vehicle build and assembly. City Council also authorized the Chief Transportation Officer to approve amendment(s) to the agreement in an additional amount not-to-exceed $103,215 to cover contingency costs (5% of the base vehicle cost). The consent item included approval of a budget amendment appropriating $538,032 from the Equipment Replacement Fund (Fund 307) balance to Capital Improvement Project.
• Approved a five-year professional services agreement with NBS Government Finance Group (NBS) for the development of administrative overhead cost allocation plans for a total amount not to exceed $70,500. Local governments develop cost allocation plans to identify the actual cost of services being provided to its citizens and to equitably share the costs of facilities and support services between departments, programs, and funds. Cost allocation plans ensure the accuracy of cost-based user fees for public services.
• Approved a professional services agreement with United Water Storm Water, Inc. for the Culver Boulevard Stormwater System Maintenance in an amount not-to-exceed $177,000. The first two years of operation have had unseasonably heavy rains, resulting in heavier than average sediment, and cleaning/maintenance of the subterranean project components is required to ensure continued optimal operation of the project.

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 will be made available on the City’s website for viewing.

The City Council’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 11^th.