[Editor’s Note: At the end of his first week in office, City Manager John Nachbar delivered his first comprehensive state of the city report, a popular every-other-week tradition established last April by Interim City Manager Lamont Ewell.]
City Manager’s Office
Business Process Review – On Thursday, the city’s Executive and Division managers will have their first meeting to discuss ways to improve the city’s numerous business processes. Representatives from each department will be asked to engage in a detailed discussion of the new initiative. I am looking forward to meeting management personnel and providing remarks to the group.
Community Development Dept.
Adopted Housing Element — The California Dept. of Housing and Community Dept. of Housing and Community Development Dept. (HCD) has found the city’s Adopted Housing Element to be in full compliance with state housing element law. HCD has informed the city that it is now eligible for several state funded programs that are designed to reward local governments for compliance with state housing element law.
9900 Culver Blvd. — This project has been issued a Certificate of Occupancy. The applicant has submitted tenant Improvement plans for a 2,904 square foot build-out of one of the suites. “L’Epicurie,” a French market/café, will occupy the commercial space.
The Tap Room — This new 2,189 square foot restaurant, 9806 Washington Blvd., is under construction.
Fuzzy Wigs Candy Factory — This shop has completed a 1,488 square foot tenant improvement project, and is open inside Westfield Culver City.
Pleasant View (11054-56 Washington Blvd.) — On Aug. 11, staff held a kickoff meeting with representatives of the Los Angeles Housing Partnership to discuss development of the Pleasant View site as an affordable housing project.
Baldwin Site (12803-23 Washington Blvd.) — The developer has submitted a request for an extension on the Site Plan approval. Without the extension, the Site Plan approval will expire before the time frame in the amended Disposition and Development Agreement is complete.
Globe Avenue Properties — Final preparations before the start of abatement and demolition have been completed. The contractor has been on-site since Aug. 16. Staff met with the contractor and provided keys to the site for the contractor’s use.
Culver City Music Festival — Producers from Time Warner Cable’s Video On Demand program “SoCal’s Best” shot footage of Yari More’s salsa performance earlier this month and interviewed Vice Mayor Mehaul O’Leary. The piece is airing on Time Warner’s Channel 101. On Thursday, the final concert of the festival will feature a return performance of the John Jorgenson Quintet in an evening of gypsy jazz. The free performance starts at 7 in the City Hall Courtyard.
Made in Culver City – Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca” will be screened in the City Hall Courtyard on Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Staff is continuing the production planning and marketing for this free event, which celebrates the 70th anniversary of the film’s release as well as the 93rd birthday of the city. A Culver City resident and the Chief Projectionist for the UCLA Film & Television Archive will return as the projectionist for this screening. Flyer distribution was completed in Downtown in time for the Downtown Business Assn.’s Summer Block Parties’ event last Wednesday.
Performing Arts Grants — Staff met with the Cultural Affairs Commission’s Grants and Artist Services subcommittee to review panelist selection for the Peer Review Panel. Staff continues to assist interested performing arts organizations from across Los Angeles County.
Parks, Recreation and Community Services Dept.
Fiesta La Ballona — Culver City's annual community celebration is scheduled for this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The kickoff is Friday afternoon at 4:30 with music, carnival rides, a variety of food and FiestaPalooza. A new feature this year is Senior (60 and over) Early Bird Specials at selected food booths, from 4:30 to 6. On Saturday morning perennial favorites will begin with the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast and the CCPD K-9 Demonstration. They will be followed by music, carnival rides, vendor booths and food. Saturday will feature Radio Disney AM 1110 on the Main Stage from12 noon to 2. On Sunday morning the Kiwanis will be back, as will the beer garden, carnival rides, vendor booths and food booths. The opening act on the Main Stage will be an acrobatic show followed by more music. The weekend’s stage entertainment will conclude from 4:30 to 6 with the Culver City All-Star Jazz Jam Band, a new Fiesta tradition.
Field Leveling Project at Bill Botts Field — Parks, Recreation, and Community Services and Engineering staff members are working cooperatively with the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Region 19 and other Culver City leagues to ensure that games scheduled during September are relocated from Bill Botts Field to other venues during the upcoming Little League Field Leveling Project. Staff had hoped to begin this project earlier in the season to avoid any scheduling conflicts but was unable due to uncertainties surrounding the receipt of previously pledged funding for the project. Project construction must now commence no later than early September since it is partially funded by Prop. 40 Per Capita funds, which require project completion, including administrative closeout, by Dec. 30.
Sony Requests Overflow Parking — Sony will be holding a charitable event on the Sony Lot on Friday, Sept. 10. They had requested parking around the Vets’ Park area. Due to the significant concerns voiced by the community when a similar arrangement was approved by staff several months ago, Sony has been offered parking in the P1 level of the City Hall garage. There are sufficient spaces to accommodate Sony and the needs of the Kirk Douglas Theatre. If accepted by Sony, this arrangement would generate about $2,500 in parking space rental income for the General Fund.
Public Works Dept.
Golden State Water Co. (GSWC) — GSWC has informed the city an irregularity was found during routine water testing of the water distribution system in July. GSWC mailed a notice to its customers and placed a notice in the Culver City Observer to inform the public.
Grant Award — North East Trees has been awarded a Strategic Growth Council Urban Greening “Plans for Sustainable Communities” grant for the Culver City Community Green Space Plan. The application was supported by a letter from the City Council. The purpose of the plan is to identify existing public space for conversion to passive recreation, incorporating a large outreach and education component. The plan will be used as a model for neighboring communities.
Exposition Light Rail Project Tour —There will be a walking tour for East Culver City residents of the Exposition right-of-way on Saturday at 9 a.m. The tour is tentatively anticipated to start from the entrance of the Ballona Creek bike path in Syd Kronenthal Park and proceed down to the Washington/National end of the right-of-way.
Demand Response Savings — The city received its first credit payment in the amount of $2,196 for participating in a Southern California Edison-sponsored demand response program, which requires energy curtailment at City Hall during peak energy demand periods. Whether the city is called upon to curtail energy at this facility or not, the city still will receive the credit payments. Subsequent quarterly credit payments due to the city are scheduled to be considerably higher.
Bridge Repair — Los Angeles County Public Works crews repaired the portion of the Overland Avenue Bridge over Ballona Creek damaged several months ago when a vehicle lost control and crashed through the railing. Similar repairs also will be initiated for the Higuera Street Bridge.
Mr. Nachbar may be contacted at john.nachbar@culvercity.org
