Marathon Council Meeting Tackles Wide Range of Issues

While not a record for the Culver City Council, Monday's four and a half hour meeting churned through a significant amount of business in that time.

Chief among the items considered were the appointments to at least nine different city committees and commissions, as well as three potential ordinances or directives to enhance development in the city. The council also agreed to officially support state legislation for redevelopment agency reform as a tactic to keep Governor Jerry Brown from doing away with the agencies across the state.

Even what would seem like a relatively routine matter—the trimming of trees in the city—caused discussion when two residents, Eleanor Osgood and Rich Waters, each spoke regarding a potential new agreement with West Coast Arborists. Osgood and Waters asked the council to put stronger restrictions on the contractor to prevent work on trees with bird nests in them.

"The restrictions are not adequate to protect the birds," Osgood said.

The council also rejected a proposal to host The Method Film Festival largely because of the more than $100,000 the representatives were asking the city to contribute over two years.

"Purely from an economic standpoint, for me, this would be very difficult," said Councilman Chris Armenta. "It's just not a good time."

Of the three items regarding development, the council held a public hearing on a new potential ordinance to put restrictions on developers building new projects next to residences in the city, and sent the matter back to staff for further review.

The council also discussed at length a proposal to fine the property owners of various vacant lots, inlcuding several , as an incentive to get movement on appropriate re-use of the lots.

"One thing I hate to see is all that chain link fence," said Councilman Jeffrey Cooper. "But I would like to see some maintenance standards."

Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld suggested dealing with the problem as a maintenance issue, rather than creating an ordinance.

"Dealing with it as a maintenance issue is a much different story," he told the council. "It's a much simpler process."

Finally, the council heard several local businesses request that the city extend the Area Improvement Plan currently in effect along Washington Boulevard another 12 blocks to the western edge of the city. While there was some concern that to do so would involve re-arranging the city budget, the council generally agreed that it would be a good idea and directed city staff to begin the process.