At the City Council meeting on the evening of Monday, May 12, Action Item 1 (A1) called for, “(1) Award of Special Event Grants in the Aggregate Amount of $192,000 for the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 and Designation of Events as City Sponsored as Recommended by the Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee; (2) Allocation of $18,000 in Contingency Funding for Off-Cycle Event Support; and (3) Authorization to the City Manager to Administratively Approve Applicable City Permits and Licenses Needed to Conduct the Events.”
After a short discussion, it was roundly decided that the total of $210,000 was well worth it and the item passed unanimously.
Action Item 2, “Discussion and Direction Regarding Pilot Micro-Grant/Small Business Assistance Programs,” was bumped to a future meeting to ensure that Council Member Albert Vera could take part in the discussion without there being a conflict of interest (Vera is a small business owner). Staff will advise.
Action Item 3, “Discussion of and, if Desired, Adoption of a Resolution on Peace and Diplomacy in Times of International Conflict and the Wise Use of City Funds,” was the cause of the most discussion on the night. The majority of public speakers were against the resolution as they felt that it was a weak alternative to a demand for a ceasefire in the Middle East.
After some back and forth, Council Member Yasmine-Imani McMorrin raised a motion to have the policy subcommittee and EHRAC (Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee) work on the resolution. That item passed 4-1, with Vera the one no vote.
Earlier, Public Hearing 1 (PH1) called for, “(1) Adoption of a Negative Declaration per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Finding the Subdivision Ordinance will not have a Significant Effect on the Environment; (2) Introduction of an Ordinance Approving a Municipal Code Amendment (P2024-0237-ZCA) Replacing the City’s Subdivision Ordinance in its Entirety and Amending Portions of the Zoning Code; and (3) Adoption of a Resolution Approving Small Lot Subdivision Design Standards (Project).”
That item passed unanimously, as did PH2: “Introduction of an Ordinance Approving City-Initiated Annual Zoning Code Amendment (P2025-0023-ZCA) Amending Various Sections of Title 17: Zoning Code of the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) for Clarifications, Corrections, and Updates, and Exemption from CEQA.”