1
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:58,400
If you can please take your seats, we're going to get started.

2
00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:14,400
Good evening, everyone. We're going to call the meeting to order and the lists are you going to do the land acknowledgement tonight?

3
00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,400
Yes, Mayor. Thank you.

4
00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:24,400
Thank you. The West Hollywood City Council acknowledges that the land on which we gather, and that is currently known as the city of West Hollywood,

5
00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:33,400
is the occupied unceded cease territory at the Gabrioling Tongva and the Gabrioling O'Keech peoples.

6
00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:51,400
Thank you. We are now in order and I am going to ask land, our new chamber director, would you lead us in the pledge of allegiance tonight?

7
00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:58,400
Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

8
00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:11,400
And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

9
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,400
Thank you very much, and Alyssa, can we have a roll call?

10
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:20,400
Yes, Mayor, thank you. Council member Byers. Here. Council member Ericsson. Here.

11
00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:27,400
Council member Maester. Here. Vice Mayor Hang. Here. Mayor Highman. Here. And we have a quorum.

12
00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:34,400
Great. Thank you. Now we'll turn to the approval of the agenda. Are there any changes from staff tonight?

13
00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:50,400
There are no changes from staff, Mayor, but I didn't want to indicate that item E3 cannot be moved to consent this evening.

14
00:02:50,400 --> 00:03:00,400
We have to keep that as a business item, even if the council doesn't need a staff report, it just legally has to say as a business item.

15
00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,400
Great. Thank you.

16
00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:12,400
Let's turn to my colleagues to see if anyone has any changes. Council member Ericsson. Thank you very much, Mayor Highman.

17
00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:20,400
I would like to see if we could move item. I'll start in the back. Sorry. F3, a resolution affirming the city of us,

18
00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:27,400
Hollywood's commitment to upholding the constitution of the United States and urging Congress to challenge unconstitutional actions taken by Trump.

19
00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:33,400
Are you comfortable with that? Everyone comfortable? Okay. So F3 can be moved to consent.

20
00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,400
F2, the pre-approved organization list.

21
00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:41,400
Any objection to moving that to consent? Hearing none.

22
00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:51,400
The is F1 something we have an appetite to the resolution adopting the program planning summary for community development block grant funds.

23
00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,400
Any objection? No, we'll move that to consent.

24
00:03:55,400 --> 00:04:03,400
All right. I was wondering if E4, the residential construction minimum wage services agreement.

25
00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:09,400
I have a couple of comments on that. Can we leave that on? Okay.

26
00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:18,400
And then I have a feeling you want to need to. My colleagues might want to keep on consent. I mean, keep on the agenda.

27
00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:23,400
But if there wasn't appetite, I was prepared to make that motion.

28
00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:31,400
Okay. So we'll leave E2, E1. I have a couple of comments as well.

29
00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:37,400
So if we can, I think there's maybe general support for those items.

30
00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:43,400
So we can ask our staff to abbreviate the staff report if that's okay.

31
00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:53,400
And then the last one as I was going to see if there was an appetite to move the preferential parking D1 on Alfred Street between San Monica and the city of Los Angeles.

32
00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:57,400
Do we have any public speakers on that item?

33
00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,400
We do. We have, I want to see one individual.

34
00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,400
Actually, we have two individuals sign up to speak on that item.

35
00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:10,400
Okay. So if we move it to consent, we'll hear those public speakers at the beginning of public comment.

36
00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:16,400
And if those race concerns, we can always move this back to the regular agenda.

37
00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:23,400
So if that's, if people are comfortable with moving the one to consent, we will do that as well.

38
00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:27,400
Okay. Any other changes?

39
00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:32,400
I don't hear any. So I would entertain a motion to approve the agenda as amended.

40
00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:41,400
Okay. The motion on the floor would move items D1, F1, F2 and F3 to the consent calendar.

41
00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:48,400
And we have a motion in a second.

42
00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,400
And the motion passes five zero.

43
00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,400
That's great. Thank you. Everyone.

44
00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:59,400
And now do any of my colleagues have any Levine active disclosure?

45
00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,400
Yes. I'll be recusing from C1.

46
00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:10,400
Okay. So we want to note council member Erickson's refusal from C1.

47
00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:14,400
Any other disclosures?

48
00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:19,400
Okay. So we'll now move on to any adjournment motions.

49
00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,400
Do my colleagues have any adjournment motions?

50
00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:35,400
I have one tonight. I would like to request that we adjourn in the memory in memory of Raymond calmly who passed away on January 12th at the age of 76.

51
00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:48,400
He was a dedicated teacher, a committed volunteer soccer coach and referee, a loving family man who brought joy and mentorship to so many in his community in Atlanta, Georgia.

52
00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:56,400
Ray was also an amateur chef who got his start at the Waffle House and was happiest when sharing meals with others.

53
00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:05,400
In retirement, he completed a master's degree in social work, living out his belief that it's never too late to reflect and grow.

54
00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:10,400
Ray was sober for most of his life and it was one of his proudest achievements.

55
00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:16,400
Ray has survived by his wife and devoted partner more than 30 years, Sharon Safriott.

56
00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:26,400
We extend our heartfelt condolences to our own Christine Safriott, his stepdaughter, to their family and to all of those who were touched by his kindness.

57
00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:32,400
Without objection, we'll adjourn in Raymond Connelly Junior's memory.

58
00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:41,400
All right, now we'll turn to presentations. Do any of my colleagues have presentations tonight.

59
00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:44,400
Wow, it's amazing. No presentations tonight.

60
00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,400
We want your first meeting to go very well.

61
00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:48,400
Mayor Highman.

62
00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,400
Or you wanted to go very fast.

63
00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:55,400
All right, we'll now turn to public comment.

64
00:07:55,400 --> 00:08:08,400
Public comment is a time for all of you to give us comments on matters that are not listed on the posted agenda or comments on consent calendar items.

65
00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:12,400
Your period is limited to two minutes.

66
00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:24,400
Please address the council as a whole and note that because your comments may be addressing things that are not on our agenda, we will not be able to take any action on the items you present tonight.

67
00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:32,400
Melissa, how many speakers do we have tonight?

68
00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:37,400
We have ten speakers including those we moved from business items.

69
00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:39,400
Great, and do we have any on Zoom?

70
00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,400
We have no one on Zoom this evening.

71
00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:43,400
All right, so we'll now turn to public comment.

72
00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:55,400
The first person I see is Shannon Houston to be followed by Stephanie Harper.

73
00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,400
Good evening, council members.

74
00:08:58,400 --> 00:08:59,400
My name is Shannon Houston.

75
00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,400
I am the Director of Family and Child Care Provider Services for Pathways LA.

76
00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:12,400
Tonight I am commenting on your social services reports and just wanted to thank you for your investment in early child care and education.

77
00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:24,400
We have been a partnership with you for many years and currently we just are hoping to expand our services to provide care to additional age groups, infants and toddlers.

78
00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:28,400
As currently we only provide care to preschool age children.

79
00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:39,400
We also want to implement a mixed delivery program which would allow families of upper economic groups to join us in a fee based model.

80
00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:44,400
So a subsidized and fee based mixed delivery program would meet more needs in the community.

81
00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:48,400
And I just wanted to comment why this is really important to me on a personal level.

82
00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:54,400
When I was young my mother was unaware of the subsidized care options available to her.

83
00:09:54,400 --> 00:10:02,400
And unfortunately as a single mom she had to make a very difficult choice to place me in the care of someone she thought she could trust.

84
00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:05,400
And then the care of that person I was abused.

85
00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:17,400
And so that's why this is very important to me because we advocate for high quality early learning environments with educators that we know can be trusted and who have support.

86
00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:22,400
And have high quality trainings to ensure the safety of children.

87
00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:28,400
Every parent deserves to have the peace of mind knowing that their child is protected and cared for in a safe environment.

88
00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:36,400
And that is something that pathways LA is committed to and something that we know that we can provide and that we want to continue providing in this community.

89
00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:37,400
Thank you.

90
00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:38,400
Thank you.

91
00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:48,400
Stephanie Harker to be followed by Karen Ayers and then Kim Rivera.

92
00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:55,400
Good evening city council members and staff and members of the public.

93
00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:59,400
I just wanted a quick comment on B10.

94
00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,400
The school grants which were $48,000.

95
00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:10,400
However, I hope that in the future we can raise that amount when we spend 500,000.

96
00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,400
And have a million on three weeks for the ice skating ring.

97
00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:19,400
Somehow 48,000 for kids at school seems out of balance.

98
00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:30,400
I am prone to remaining calm cool and collected at this podium but reason activity by the planning commission and the council concerning streamlining.

99
00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:37,400
Streamlining the building process and the interest of building bigger and more housing anywhere the developers down well please.

100
00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,400
Basically has me bordering on rage.

101
00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:47,400
Particularly when the public is being cut out and now the commission is basically being cut out as well.

102
00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:55,400
There are outside interest groups who three of them, a button housing LA, not West Hollywood.

103
00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,400
Yambi Los Angeles, not West Hollywood.

104
00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:05,400
And housing action coalition, both of whom two of the commissioners are affiliated with.

105
00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:16,400
Victor Omachenko did the math for the previous meeting showing verified people opposed to and in support of the zone text amendment.

106
00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:26,400
Overwhelmingly 108 opposed and 22 were in support.

107
00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:37,400
I was counting on the presentations to finish.

108
00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,400
You were elected to represent all of the residents.

109
00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:50,400
Not just those who agree with you and I believe that that's not happening when we were told that well only two groups were opposed to the zone text amendment.

110
00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:52,400
Not good.

111
00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:53,400
Thank you.

112
00:12:53,400 --> 00:13:01,400
Karen Eres to be followed by Kim Rivera and then share a war.

113
00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,400
Karen Eres first then Kim Rivera.

114
00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:05,400
Sorry.

115
00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,400
Good evening council.

116
00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,400
Tonight I'm speaking on behalf of the Human Services Commission.

117
00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:17,400
I wanted to let you all know that the commission supports approval of item B9 which is now in consent.

118
00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:25,400
And that's the 2025 26 social services agency development grants at our meeting last week.

119
00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:30,400
The commission received a presentation on this recommendation from staff.

120
00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,400
And we agreed to support it.

121
00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:42,400
This funding is intentionally one time and focused on building long-term organizational capacity rather than supporting day-to-day operations.

122
00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:55,400
This year seven qualified agencies applied and staff is recommending that two of them receive it that's pathways LA and healthcare and action.

123
00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:59,400
So these projects do different focus, but they share a common goal.

124
00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:06,400
Stronger organizations delivering more effective and responsive services to West Hollywood residents.

125
00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:10,400
I also came up to speak on my own behalf as a citizen.

126
00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:14,400
I want to thank you for putting item F3 on consent.

127
00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:24,400
This resolution to stand up for our constitutional rights is part of a nationwide effort to have local governments speak out in support of the constitution,

128
00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:28,400
which is under attack by the current administration.

129
00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:39,400
We all know how important it is that we individually and collectively speak out in support of our constitution, the right, it grants us the rights, it grants us.

130
00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:44,400
And the rule of law that flows from it, especially in this very moment.

131
00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:45,400
So thank you.

132
00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:54,400
Thank you, Karen, and now Kim Rivera to be followed by share a roar and you're speaking on D1, which has been moved to consent.

133
00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:59,400
And that will be approved without discussion unless you convince us otherwise.

134
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:28,000
Yes, okay. Thank you. No, you can please, you have two minutes, you can tell us. Well, if you've approved it, I think you all have lived on that street for about 20 years, and it's gotten progressively more difficult to park. We've got some pretty businesses there, especially on the weekend. So basically, if you've approved, I just have to thank you, so thank you for that.

135
00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:32,000
We haven't officially approved it. Well, thank you.

136
00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,000
All right, thank you. Thank you.

137
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:42,000
Share a rarer to be followed by Anne Giangi, or Gianni? Sorry.

138
00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:52,000
Hi, so just like Kim, I'm here on behalf of D1. So I wanted to thank you all for, I suppose, pre-approving it.

139
00:15:52,000 --> 00:16:06,000
But really mean the whole world, if you fully approve it, it really is. I love this street, I'll appreciate it. It's a beautiful street, and it's just like, it's a very great area and everyone likes to come and park there and go shopping.

140
00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:19,000
I'm Santa Monica Boulevard and you know, do everything but live there. So, you know, I'm really a long day of, you know, working and just having a long hard day. It's just nice to come and find a spot.

141
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:31,000
And I'll have to, like, spend the block a hundred times. So it would be very, very much appreciated. We love it here. We are West Hollywood members and we will forever be.

142
00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:36,000
What's Hollywood? And welcome, Mayor. I know it's your first meeting. Yeah, thank you.

143
00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:47,000
Thank you, Chair. And Gianni, to be followed by Abby Land and then Mike Nuddle.

144
00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:54,000
Thank you. My name is Gianni and I want to thank you for considering the resolution to support our constitution.

145
00:16:54,000 --> 00:17:08,000
It's a nationwide effort as was said and you'll be joining Santa Fe County, New Mexico, Boston, Massachusetts, St. Paul Minneapolis, Amherst, Massachusetts and a number of cities in California.

146
00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:18,000
In addition to approving the resolution, I urge you to, if possible, to inform state officials and to urge them to pass a similar resolution.

147
00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:25,000
It is so important that we let our federal officials know that we support the constitution.

148
00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:34,000
We want them to support the constitution and do everything possible to move back towards a more rule of law country. Thank you very much.

149
00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:39,000
Thank you, Abby Land to be followed by Mike Nuddle.

150
00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:46,000
Good evening, Mayor and Vice Mayor and City Council, Abby Land.

151
00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:53,000
And I am here to follow the speakers on item 4F3, which is about protecting our constitution.

152
00:17:53,000 --> 00:18:00,000
I want to thank Vice Mayor Hanging Council member, buyers for bringing it and the council for putting it on consent.

153
00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:06,000
Though you haven't officially voted on it yet, I feel very confident that this is going to be passed.

154
00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:12,000
And I also just want to thank you because it is a really wonderful staff report.

155
00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:25,000
You really cite all the many ways that this constitution is not being followed and how it is going against the very reason we are here, not only as a country, but why we're here as a city.

156
00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:32,000
And so I really appreciate that because I'm going to send that staff report to a number of other cities in the area.

157
00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:41,000
So they can hopefully follow the lead of West Hollywood and really defending our constitution and standing up for what we believe is right.

158
00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,000
So thank you very very much for your leadership tonight.

159
00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:53,000
Thank you, Abby. Mike Nuddle to be followed by Ali Shahidi and then Lynn et cetera.

160
00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:58,000
Hi, my amazing city council. I just wanted to chat about a few articles I've seen in the press lately.

161
00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,000
It's about the flock safety system that we use in our city.

162
00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:05,000
Politico and KQED both reported on this subject.

163
00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:15,000
flock is a system that uses its surveillance systems as a program to read out criminal activity on the local level with its cameras in more than 6000 municipalities.

164
00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:21,000
With that orange turd and office, the federal government is using the system to track residents' movements.

165
00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:28,000
To go around those who are vulnerable in our cities, flock has a national sharing model that is in question.

166
00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:36,000
It allows local law enforcement or federal agencies access data across state lines of the 30 days to help solve crimes.

167
00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:43,000
Or in our current environment, attack people across the United States, including right here in our wonderful West Hollywood.

168
00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:47,000
flock has shared the data with the Department of Homeland Security that's confirmed.

169
00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:53,000
Even if if local officials think the information is not being shared, it doesn't mean it's not happening.

170
00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:58,000
With companies like flock or just the federal government, it's under the current administration.

171
00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:02,000
We can't be sure what is happening with the information and who is getting access to it.

172
00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:08,000
Logically, we might think our information is safe and have no idea what is happening behind closed doors.

173
00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:15,000
We have all seen the horrors unfolding right before our eyes in Minnesota and even how people are being terrorized right here in West Hollywood.

174
00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:20,000
Santa Cruz just voted six to one to terminate the city contract of the flock.

175
00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:33,000
Santa Cruz found out that the system between June and October 2025, federal law enforcement, including eyes, access the flock data almost 4,000 times in violation of California's SB 34.

176
00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:43,000
I bring this all up because our elected officials and I think that this should be some discussion around how we use this information and what's happening with it.

177
00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:47,000
I trust my local officials, I trust my local law enforcement.

178
00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:52,000
I just don't trust the federal government right now and I'm concerned what's happening with this information.

179
00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:53,000
Thank you.

180
00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:54,000
Thank you.

181
00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:58,000
Ali Shahidi to be followed by Lynn et cetera.

182
00:20:58,000 --> 00:20:59,000
Good evening.

183
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:00,000
Happy New Year.

184
00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,000
My name is Ali Shahidi.

185
00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,000
I've been a residence of the city of Osali for 14 years.

186
00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:12,000
I'm here to address a comment made on the record on January 15 by Member of the Planning Commission.

187
00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,000
Mark Edwards.

188
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:22,000
He said that we hold us and normal triangle residents, quote, only account for 0.003% of the votes.

189
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,000
And therefore our views don't count.

190
00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:30,000
He's statements are deeply disappointing and insulting.

191
00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:37,000
His words contradict the spirit of public service and basic premise of democratic participation.

192
00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:46,000
That every resident who shows up, testifies in good faith and engages in the process deserves to be heard on the merits.

193
00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:53,000
We hope us and no more triangle may be small in size, but we are large in public civic engagement.

194
00:21:53,000 --> 00:22:03,000
We show up, we read the staff reports, we walk the blocks, we live with the consequences of your decisions.

195
00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:11,000
Reducing our participation to a fraction of the city wide votes by Mark Edwards sends a dangerous message.

196
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:22,000
If the commission's message today is that our voices can be ignored, the message tomorrow can be that in any minority viewpoint is visible.

197
00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:31,000
I asked both the commissioner Mark Edwards who made the offending remark and the Planning Commission to acknowledge it was inappropriate and apologize.

198
00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:43,000
Second, I asked the City Council and the Planning Commission to reaffirm on the record that all neighborhoods and all speakers will be evaluated on the substance of their testimony,

199
00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:47,000
not on the perceived political cloud or water share.

200
00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:56,000
Mark Edwards or anyone who be little, even a single vote, does not deserve to have a seat on the Planning Commission.

201
00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:57,000
Thank you.

202
00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,000
Thank you Mr. Sheidi.

203
00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:05,000
Lynn, etc. to be followed by Michael Ferreira.

204
00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:10,000
Lynn, etc. West Hollywood.

205
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:13,000
I wasn't here.

206
00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:21,000
It was a huge meeting, and so I am asking if it's okay if I had my name.

207
00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:29,000
In memory of Renee Good.

208
00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:38,000
More videos are coming out and it's me Justice Preveil.

209
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:50,000
And then I'd like to thank Mackenzie Scott for her incredible gift of 45 million to the anti-Syllis side prevention project Trevor.

210
00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:56,000
I was suicidal for 15 years and lived in Europe and it completely cured me.

211
00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,000
So thank you Mackenzie Scott.

212
00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:05,000
And we did adjourn in memory of Renee Good at our last meeting.

213
00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:06,000
Thank you.

214
00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:11,000
Michael Ferreira, to be followed by Kathy Bel Davis, and I think that's our last speaker, correct.

215
00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,000
Thank you.

216
00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:17,000
Good evening. Congratulations Mayor and Vice Mayor.

217
00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:22,000
I'm here to speak on behalf of the members of Roar.

218
00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:30,000
We founded our group in February of 2017 because we sensed what was coming from the Trump administration at that time.

219
00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:34,000
Fast forward all these years and it's just truly frightening.

220
00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:40,000
So I appreciate West Hollywood taking the lead again and speaking out as a city always does.

221
00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:46,000
And lighting an example for everybody to not remain silent in the face of our constitution being violated on a daily basis.

222
00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,000
Thank you.

223
00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,000
Thank you.

224
00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:54,000
Kathy Blavis is our last public speaker.

225
00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:01,000
Good evening Kathy Blavis city of West Hollywood.

226
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:06,000
I'd like to just kind of pick up where Mr. Shahidi left.

227
00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:11,000
Left off, I should say.

228
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:21,000
So many of us feel beyond impident in what's going on on our national level with the Trump administration.

229
00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:34,000
And Mayor Heilman, you made a very valid point since spoke so eloquently about what's happening from the Trump administration, especially in our community.

230
00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:41,000
And though to some it might seem trivial to bring up the following after speaking about that.

231
00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:49,000
But the idea of streamlining, I know that item is going back again to planning and they'll come back to you.

232
00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:57,000
Anything, especially in this political climate that leaves the public out.

233
00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:11,000
It's just really bad timing to say basically what Mr. Shahidi said that our voices don't matter whether there's two people show up or 50 people that show up or a thousand people show up.

234
00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:15,000
We have the right to comment.

235
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:22,000
We have a right to state how we feel something's going to happen and affect us in our community.

236
00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:31,000
And if you want to streamline the process, then streamline it from the developers point of view.

237
00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:38,000
Don't take away what little voices, what little rights we still feel we have.

238
00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:44,000
And again, especially as a result of what's going on nationally, thank you.

239
00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:48,000
That completes our public comment.

240
00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:52,000
So I wanted to thank everyone for their comments tonight.

241
00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:57,000
We will now turn to our city managers report.

242
00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:58,000
Jackie Roko.

243
00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,000
Good evening, Mayor.

244
00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,000
Vice Mayor, council members, members of the public.

245
00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,000
I just have a few announcements.

246
00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:11,000
I do want to share that the city has received some concerns from residents regarding the two true,

247
00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:17,000
replacement planting project and the northeast side of West Hollywood.

248
00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:22,000
I understand how upsetting it can be to see mature trees removed.

249
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:33,000
I just want to share with all of you that these trees are being removed and replaced because they are infested with a non-native pest and declining over time.

250
00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:40,000
The city has been very active in exploring treatment options, but we have not been successful in eradicating or controlling.

251
00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,000
Populations of the pest.

252
00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:47,000
While preserving mature trees is always important and we support that.

253
00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:54,000
The city has a responsibility to protect public safety and property when trees become compromised.

254
00:27:54,000 --> 00:28:01,000
Tree removal and replacement plantings are a key part of a healthy and vibrant urban forest.

255
00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:09,000
And this project will help maintain long-term canopy coverage with species better suited to current conditions and less vulnerable

256
00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,000
to pests.

257
00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:21,000
This project has gone through an ongoing public process and has been reviewed at publicly noticed meetings in accordance with the city's urban forest management plan.

258
00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:28,000
The current work represents the third and final phase of removals for the northeast sector of the city.

259
00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:34,000
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our facilities manager,

260
00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:39,000
Philip Tycoon, our public works director Helen Collins.

261
00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:43,000
We understand the concerns and we welcome your input.

262
00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:50,000
I also want to share that the city has a few exciting events we would like to make sure the community is aware of.

263
00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:57,000
The city of West Hollywood and partnership with LA County Library will co-host the launch of WeHo Stories,

264
00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:06,000
a limited edition coffee table book and website that capture the voices and experiences of people who shaped our city's early history.

265
00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:16,000
The event will take place tomorrow on Wednesday, January 21st at 7pm with doors opening at 630pm right here in the council chambers.

266
00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,000
It's free and open to the public.

267
00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:29,000
The event will feature a panel discussion exploring the power of storytelling in building community and preserving history.

268
00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:40,000
Also join us later this month on Saturday, January 24th at 7pm at live at the Sunrose located inside the Sunrose hotel and sunset.

269
00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:44,000
For the first concert of our free winter sounds concert series,

270
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:51,000
the January 24th concert will include performances by Ghost Note and Catalyst Collective.

271
00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:59,000
For details on these and other upcoming events in West Hollywood, please visit the city's calendar at WeHo.

272
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:14,000
Dash.org slash. This is a long explanation here. Go to WeHo.org slash calendar. You can get all the information, it's much easier.

273
00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:23,000
Our website news page at WeHo.org slash news. We really encourage you to participate in these events.

274
00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:33,000
And just two more quick updates. The city audit, I am thrilled to announce that the city has completed its annual audit on schedule and in full compliance.

275
00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:44,000
The process was smooth and highly collaborative. The results confirm the city's strength and its own internal controls and offered valuable insights to guide us into the new year.

276
00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:56,000
As a new addition, this year, finance will be presenting an overview of the audited financials to city council and the public as part of the mid-year budget presentation plan for March.

277
00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:07,000
So stay tuned. And the economic development department, we recently started a new initiative to provide monthly departmentful updates during the city manager's report.

278
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:17,000
And tonight's update will be from the economic development department and I will now turn it over to our economic development director Laura Byre.

279
00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:23,000
Thank you, Jackie. Good evening, Mayor and council. I'm Laura Byre director of economic development for the city.

280
00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:30,000
I am joined tonight by Paulo Kestford at our business development manager as well as Rebecca Eman, our arts manager.

281
00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:36,000
We're going to keep the presentation brief for multiple reasons.

282
00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:44,000
I'll first start by going over the arts division and overview of the programs, the 2025 year in review, and I'll look ahead to 2026 and beyond.

283
00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,000
And then we'll talk about how you can connect with the arts.

284
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:57,000
In West Hollywood, where identity, self-expression, and visibility truly matter, the arts is not just a nice extra here. It's part of our public good.

285
00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:00,000
It's one of the things that our community really, really appreciates.

286
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:11,000
Festivals, exhibitions, performances, and public art, they help shape West Hollywood's identity as a creative, inclusive, and culturally significant place to live, work, play, and visit.

287
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:18,000
Building that foundation, the city's arts division supports a wide range of programs, and I assure you I will not go one by one through all of these.

288
00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:27,000
But it includes things like our poet, laureate, and drag, laureate programs, our grants, our live music, and literary, public art, temporary exhibitions, and more.

289
00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:32,000
When you look back on 2025, it was quite the year. The stats truly just speak for themselves.

290
00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:39,000
You can see the number of artists that we worked with, the audience members that we reached, and the grants that we awarded.

291
00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:51,000
It was a dynamic year. We all sounds to continue to grow at the popular live music series, bringing people together in public spaces, while supporting working musicians, and adding to the city's nighttime and weekend energy.

292
00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:59,000
The WeHo Pride Arts Festival remained a cornerstone of our cultural calendar, activating multiple city locations with visual art, performance, installations,

293
00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:06,000
that reflected the LGBTQ plus histories, identities, and futures, and created space for those celebration and reflection.

294
00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:22,000
Art and odd places, voice, which happened to Summer and July, commissioned in celebration of the city's 40th anniversary, transformed every day locations into unexpected encounters with art, encouraging people to see the city a little differently, and sparking curiosity and conversation.

295
00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:35,000
And at the same time, the arts grant program continued to provide critical support to artists, and organizations across multiple disciplines, helping to ensure our cultural landscape remains diverse, innovative, and community centered.

296
00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:42,000
As we look ahead to 2026, our focus is on building what is working, building on what is working while continuing to grow.

297
00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:49,000
We're strengthening core programs, we're exploring new partnerships, advancing public art projects that respond to the city's evolving landscape,

298
00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:55,000
and completing various initiatives and directors from the city council, and working closely with our Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission.

299
00:33:55,000 --> 00:34:02,000
You'll see lots of important dates up on the screen. I encourage our community members if you're looking to get engaged with our arts programming,

300
00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:11,000
scan the QR code that you see up on the screen now, and then you, too, can participate in some of these many programs that we have.

301
00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:26,000
In additionly in looking ahead in 2026 and beyond, we're participating in the development of the city, playhouse, the Laurel House and Park Arts Residency, and of course the 2025-2028 Creative Plan, while we implement and into items for the upcoming major regional sporting events.

302
00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:29,000
Now, what looks like the screen might have gone dark for those in the room?

303
00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,000
Am I confirming that correctly?

304
00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:32,000
Yes.

305
00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:34,000
All right.

306
00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,000
We thought this was some kind of art project actually.

307
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:43,000
Well, yes.

308
00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:44,000
How did you guess?

309
00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,000
It was just at the point where I was going to say how to connect with us.

310
00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:50,000
Well, I'll go ahead and let you know, because you asked.

311
00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:53,000
You can email us at artsthatweho.org.

312
00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:57,000
You can subscribe to the monthly newsletter at weho.org slash arts.

313
00:34:57,000 --> 00:35:03,000
You can also join us on our social media platform that's at weho arts on your favorite social media platform.

314
00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:10,000
And of course, you can watch arts programming from home on youtube.com slash weho arts.

315
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,000
I'm going to keep talking.

316
00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:13,000
If you guys are good with that.

317
00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:14,000
All right.

318
00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:16,000
We will continue on.

319
00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:20,000
Our business development division is the other division as part of the economic development department.

320
00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:24,000
I'm going to be going over the division programs, our 2025-year-in review.

321
00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:26,000
Some business openings that happened.

322
00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,000
Look ahead at 2026 and beyond.

323
00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:32,000
And then, of course, how you can connect with us.

324
00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:36,000
Our business development division programs fall around three key pillars.

325
00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:39,000
That's business attraction, business retention, and business expansion.

326
00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:46,000
And what that means is that these efforts not only create jobs, but also support the broader economic ecosystem and build community

327
00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:51,000
by creating third places where our residents and visitors can connect and feel welcome.

328
00:35:54,000 --> 00:36:00,000
The business development division work program is comprised based on nine council initiated items.

329
00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:02,000
So, these are directives from the city council.

330
00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:04,000
Six small business initiative items.

331
00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:09,000
You might recall proving these small businesses initiative that was done in partnership with the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

332
00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:10,000
28.

333
00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:12,000
Weho 40 strategic plan.

334
00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:13,000
Act items.

335
00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:15,000
That is your retail 40 strategic plan.

336
00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:20,000
And 20 action items from the economic study that was adopted by the city council in December of 2024.

337
00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:25,000
Continue?

338
00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:26,000
We're okay.

339
00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:28,000
We didn't lose the broadcast.

340
00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:29,000
Okay.

341
00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:30,000
Thank you.

342
00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:31,000
All right.

343
00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:35,000
You're missing the beautiful visuals, but you're getting the audio version.

344
00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,000
It's like listening to a podcast.

345
00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,000
All right.

346
00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:45,000
So, our 2025-year-in review, recognizing the importance of hearing directly from businesses and stakeholders,

347
00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:51,000
your business development division team had 170 business outreach meetings in 2025 alone.

348
00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:58,000
They held four commercial brokers round tables, had 21 business improvement district meetings, and 33 business organization meetings.

349
00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:07,000
The team also engaged with labor and workforce during this time and participated of course in the economic impact as special events study.

350
00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:14,000
Our 2025-year-in review also included our quarterly economic data updates that you now get regularly at city council as part of council directors initiatives.

351
00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:23,000
You might have seen this winter, the Santa Monica Boulevard Winter themed lighting all new with a fun flashing show over on the palm trees on Santa Monica Boulevard.

352
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:30,000
Our WeHo loves locals program continued with resident offers and WeHo locals 2.0 with the gift card program.

353
00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:37,000
The business tax credit program for commercial lease renewals was accomplished in 2025 and implemented our business task force kicked off.

354
00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:40,000
The Rainbow District designation and pilot programs began.

355
00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:45,000
We held a California State Resources for West Hollywood businesses workshop.

356
00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:49,000
We had the WeHo Wednesdays in partnership with the West Hollywood Chamber for Free Parking.

357
00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:54,000
We did our Know Your Rights event for employers and employees and economic impact of special events report.

358
00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:58,000
Not to mention kicking off the year back in January with the beganuary.

359
00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:03,000
And throughout the year, our cannabis business marketing.

360
00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:12,000
I would show you something up on the screen that lists some businesses that opened in 2025, but I'll just let you know that West Hollywood continues to be a destination of choice.

361
00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:17,000
And we know that we've also lost some businesses this year as well and those decisions are not made easily.

362
00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:27,000
The business development team reaches out to businesses that are announced that they are closing or those that have expressed the potentially needing to relocate elsewhere and does exit interviews with those businesses as well.

363
00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:32,000
We also do ribbon cuttings and partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and we welcome new businesses to our community.

364
00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:38,000
I was also going to show you a list of upcoming business openings, but you'll just have to stay tuned.

365
00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:42,000
There's some exciting ones coming later this month and next month.

366
00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:53,000
Laura, maybe you can circulate the power point to the council later and also we can post it on the website to make it available to members of the public.

367
00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:54,000
Happy to do so.

368
00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:55,000
Mayor.

369
00:38:55,000 --> 00:39:00,000
Yes, do we know how long the wonderful technology in this from is going to not be working for?

370
00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:05,000
So we need to restart the system in the room.

371
00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:13,000
So our thought was that once economic development was done with our presentation, we'd recess for a second so that we could restart the system.

372
00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:18,000
The only reason I asked that mayor is because we always get such lovely comments about businesses and everything.

373
00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:29,000
It might be great to have the population here actually see some of the things that I think I know Laura is going to be talking about because if I went home after a six hour council maybe two hours.

374
00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:34,000
You know I'm free tonight.

375
00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:40,000
I might not go to the website or the link or go I know some members will but it might just be useful to have this time to do it.

376
00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:45,000
So I say hit restart and then you know do it again, but that's my opinion.

377
00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:49,000
Do we want to take a brief recess now.

378
00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:53,000
Okay, and that would give you the opportunity to restart the system.

379
00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:59,000
So I didn't want to do it in the middle of your report, Jackie, but let's go ahead and take a few minute recess.

380
00:39:59,000 --> 00:40:16,000
You'll let us.

381
00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:18,000
Do everyone for your patience.

382
00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:24,000
It appears that we are now back in video heaven.

383
00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:36,000
So Laura, I'm going to let you resume your report and maybe just focus on the news that you're about to tell us.

384
00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:41,000
Of course, thank you so much mayor and welcome back in the show biz world it's back to one here we go.

385
00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:50,000
So we're going to skim through these these were the lovely visuals that you didn't get a chance to see about our three pillars of business attraction retention and expansion that we focus our work program on.

386
00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:53,000
Different initiatives that make up that work program.

387
00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,000
So these are all directed and approved by city council.

388
00:40:56,000 --> 00:41:02,000
Our year in review we talked about all of our different outreach and the importance of hearing directly from our stakeholders.

389
00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:06,000
This also includes meetings with the labor groups as well.

390
00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:11,000
We talked about the wonderful we hope lives locals program and how you can get your gift card.

391
00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:15,000
Plug for that we hope locals dot com still available.

392
00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:17,000
And much anticipated.

393
00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:19,000
Here we are.

394
00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:26,000
For some of the business openings that happen in 2025 I will say this is not represent a comprehensive list of the business openings.

395
00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:32,000
But is here meant to be used as a sampling of some of the business openings that happen in 2025 that we welcome to our community.

396
00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:43,000
As mentioned the city does in partnership with the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce ribbon cuttings for many businesses when they come into the city and we did some ribbon cuttings for some of these as well.

397
00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:48,000
Coming business openings these were the ones that I tease during my podcast time.

398
00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:55,000
Some of the ones of note that we're very excited about and I know our community is very excited about coming up in February is Erawan, guest jeans later this month.

399
00:41:55,000 --> 00:42:02,000
Public West Hollywood which is the hotel that we'll be taking over for the standard up on sunset as well as the Drake on sunset.

400
00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:10,000
Again, not a comprehensive list but meant as just a sampling of showing that West Hollywood continues to be a destination of choice.

401
00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:22,000
Now looking for head to 2026 and beyond I want to note that for the audience at home as well as for the city council there's going to be a larger review of the 2026 and beyond work plan items for the business development division.

402
00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:28,000
It's part of agenda item E2 so we won't be going over those as part of today's report.

403
00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:31,000
And finally as promised how can you connect with us?

404
00:42:31,000 --> 00:42:36,000
You can email us at business that we ho.org and you can also go to our website we ho.org slash business.

405
00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:43,000
And thank you so much for bearing with us for tonight's technology excited to turn it back over to City Manager Jackie Roko.

406
00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:45,000
Thank you for that report.

407
00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:50,000
Thank you Lauren team and this concludes my presentation tonight.

408
00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:53,000
Thank you Jackie questions.

409
00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:58,000
Thank you Jackie for the comments about the trees we've been getting a lot of emails about them.

410
00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:09,000
And to all the members of the community I think it's really important to know that we have an arborist we have we employ a lot of people who other cities do not to really make these painful decisions.

411
00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:18,000
Has our arborist and I don't I think I was Helen told me this answer maybe once before but we're guarding these trees that often come become disease.

412
00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:27,000
Do we have like an audit of how many in the city there are that might become potential to be might have the potential to be removed in any way shape or form to get ahead of.

413
00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:40,000
The issues of removal I will defer to the Helen Collins who's joining us our public works director.

414
00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:51,000
We do have an inventory of all of our trees throughout the city that particular area of town the northeast corner has had the most trees we have other ones throughout the city.

415
00:43:51,000 --> 00:44:00,000
I think it was a and don't quote me on this number over 200 trees that we had to remove in that particular neighborhood and we did it over a three years span.

416
00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:15,000
And we do have a total of a little over 400 I believe typos throughout the city so we concentrated on the area where we had the largest quantity of trees so that we could start to quickly repopulate that area there before send that area.

417
00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:28,000
I think it's a little bit more about 20 they're planned about 25 years ago and then we will start to look at the other areas that are impacted in the city but it's not as large of us of a grouping of trees and the other areas of the city so.

418
00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:36,000
Thank you and then I just had one more question not responding to public comment but regarding the communities and grants programming.

419
00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:51,000
I believe there is extensive outreach done to the communities and the schools and they actually were the ones that provided the amounts that are being awarded tonight and when offered more money they said actually we don't we don't know what we would do with that is that correct for my understanding.

420
00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:53,000
Yes that is correct.

421
00:44:53,000 --> 00:45:00,000
Great so just for the public's information this has had extensive community input and it's not just something that we're really nearly.

422
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:05,000
Doing up here, and so we want to make sure our priorities are in fact straight.

423
00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:14,000
Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions for our city manager? Then we will turn to our vice mayor.

424
00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:16,000
I'm sorry.

425
00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:20,000
Thank you, Mayor. I just had a quick question for our Director of Public Works Helen. Sorry.

426
00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:27,000
You, I know you. Just a very quick question. These trees that are pretty much a sick.

427
00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:36,000
If the city does not take action, will it affect other trees surrounding those trees?

428
00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:44,000
The emphasis in the facilities, which are the little white bugs, they tend to only like to boost,

429
00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:47,000
or it's one of the trees that they like, and that's a tree that's impacted.

430
00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:54,000
It's not going to necessarily impact the other trees in the neighborhood, and we're making sure that trees that we're planting

431
00:45:54,000 --> 00:46:00,000
are considered trees that are currently causing having disease or things like that.

432
00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:04,000
But no, it wouldn't impact the other trees in the neighborhood per se.

433
00:46:04,000 --> 00:46:07,000
Thank you. Thank you.

434
00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:12,000
All right. Well, now we'll move to our consent calendar.

435
00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:17,000
And Melissa, can you give us a fiscal impact on the consent calendar?

436
00:46:17,000 --> 00:46:23,000
Yes, Mayor. The fiscal impact on tonight's consent calendar with the addition of items D1,

437
00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:32,000
F1, F2, and F3 is 836,261 dollars in expenditures,

438
00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:39,000
226,896 dollars in revenue and zero dollars in waived fees.

439
00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:48,000
There is a motion in a second to approve tonight's consent calendar.

440
00:46:48,000 --> 00:46:51,000
And the motion passes five zero.

441
00:46:51,000 --> 00:46:57,000
And now item D1 has been formally approved.

442
00:46:57,000 --> 00:47:04,000
Thank you, everyone. We will now move to our public hearing for the evening.

443
00:47:04,000 --> 00:47:09,000
And Melissa, are you going to tell us how this public hearing was noticed?

444
00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:12,000
As required by law, Mayor.

445
00:47:12,000 --> 00:47:16,000
Okay. And do we have any disclosures?

446
00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:20,000
Yes. I have to recuse myself under provisions provided in the Lovina.

447
00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:22,000
Okay. And.

448
00:47:22,000 --> 00:47:25,000
Do you do a contribution here? Yes.

449
00:47:25,000 --> 00:47:28,000
And does that require him to leave the day as well?

450
00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:35,000
Okay. So while this hearing is going on, council member Ericsson has excused himself.

451
00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:38,000
Are there any other disclosures?

452
00:47:38,000 --> 00:47:43,000
I chatted with the representative of the applicant and the neighbors.

453
00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:57,000
All right. So we are now ready to open the public hearing.

454
00:47:57,000 --> 00:48:01,000
And I do we have speakers, Melissa?

455
00:48:01,000 --> 00:48:06,000
Yes. We have Jeff T. Morris here on behalf of the applicant and

456
00:48:07,000 --> 00:48:12,000
Leonard Lungzi on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce as here as well.

457
00:48:12,000 --> 00:48:15,000
Okay. And first we're going to get our staff report.

458
00:48:15,000 --> 00:48:18,000
So Nick.

459
00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:19,000
Jennifer.

460
00:48:19,000 --> 00:48:21,000
Good evening.

461
00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:24,000
Jennifer Alkair assistant director of community development.

462
00:48:24,000 --> 00:48:29,000
I'm here joined by my colleagues Jennifer Davis, senior planner, who is on zoom.

463
00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:34,000
And I'm here with Paul Capparoso, who is a senior planner with the Sunset Arts and advertising program.

464
00:48:34,000 --> 00:48:37,000
And they will be giving the presentation.

465
00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:38,000
Thank you.

466
00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:39,000
Thank you.

467
00:48:47,000 --> 00:48:49,000
Sorry about that.

468
00:48:49,000 --> 00:48:51,000
Good evening Mayor Haulman, vice mayor,

469
00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:53,000
Hang and members of the city council.

470
00:48:53,000 --> 00:48:59,000
As Jen said, my name is Paul Capparoso and I'm the senior planner for the Sunset Arts and advertising program.

471
00:48:59,000 --> 00:49:06,000
Item 3C before you is for a development agreement, zoning map amendment and sign permit for the project.

472
00:49:06,000 --> 00:49:13,000
Located at 9200 Sunset Boulevard also referred to as the legacy loop.

473
00:49:13,000 --> 00:49:20,000
The legacy loop project has been revised following input from the city council at its meeting on February 3rd, 2025.

474
00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:24,000
The project was formerly comprised of one full motion.

475
00:49:24,000 --> 00:49:26,000
Sorry, two full motion.

476
00:49:26,000 --> 00:49:38,000
One static digital and one full motion sign face and is now being proposed with one full motion animated sign face on November 6th, 2025.

477
00:49:38,000 --> 00:49:45,000
The planning commission reviewed the revised project and recommended approval to the city council.

478
00:49:45,000 --> 00:49:56,000
The previous iteration of the legacy loop included one static and one full motion sign face both facing east stacked on top of each other and connected via the loop structure.

479
00:49:56,000 --> 00:50:10,000
The previous project measured approximately 100 feet from grade and included pauses with displays of the history of billboards along the Sunset strip in addition to a landscape tomato.

480
00:50:10,000 --> 00:50:18,000
The revised legacy loop project is comprised of a single 1500 square foot full motion animated sign face.

481
00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:26,000
Further changes from the previous iteration of the project are listed on the slide in white and include the removal of the mesh on the rear of the structure.

482
00:50:26,000 --> 00:50:33,000
The addition of a mature tree behind the sign face and a modified structural design of the loop element.

483
00:50:33,000 --> 00:50:49,000
The revised project would maintain the proposed height from grade of 100 feet would include pauses with the display of the history of the billboards along the Sunset strip in addition to a landscape meto and would be constructed from a glare resistant steel.

484
00:50:49,000 --> 00:50:58,000
Slide 5 demonstrates a side by side comparison of the previous and revised project with the previous on the left and the revised on the right.

485
00:50:58,000 --> 00:51:08,000
As shown the most substantial revisions include the reconfiguration of the sign face and the reconfiguration of the structural design of the loop element.

486
00:51:08,000 --> 00:51:25,000
Additionally the design of the rear of the billboard facing west towards the city of Beverly Hills has been revised to remove the previously proposed mesh and to incorporate the addition of a mature tree within the center of the loop element and the center of the project site.

487
00:51:26,000 --> 00:51:34,000
The site plan shown on slide 7 displays a site improvements that will contribute to the enhanced pedestrian experience along the project's frontage.

488
00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:46,000
A primary plaza with bench seating and displays of the history of billboards along the Sunset strip would be adjacent to an 88 compliant access path that also creates a setback between the existing building and the project.

489
00:51:46,000 --> 00:51:53,000
A smaller secondary plaza would be located to the rear of the project facing west and would provide additional seating.

490
00:51:53,000 --> 00:51:59,000
The landscape meta which occupies the majority of the project site would be beneath the project structure.

491
00:51:59,000 --> 00:52:08,000
Additionally the entirety of the project would be built within the existing property line and would not encroach in the public right of way.

492
00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:20,000
The revisions to the project required updates to the development agreement terms specifically with regard to revenues and extraordinary public benefit payment and the fair market value of the public arts programming.

493
00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:28,000
As such the revised project would provide an estimated $47.7 million in city revenue over the 30 year term of the agreement.

494
00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:40,000
In addition to a $500,000 payment and an extraordinary public benefits and an estimated fair market value of 39,800,000 for public arts programming.

495
00:52:40,000 --> 00:52:46,000
Additionally the project would provide a $300,000 public realm enhancement in loop payment.

496
00:52:47,000 --> 00:53:06,000
Lastly the development agreement includes an occupancy requirement to ensure the building is at least 50% occupied and if that requirement is not met requires a 25% increase in the annual revenue until the property owner owner demonstrates compliance.

497
00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:19,000
Assistant with the negative declaration prepared for the policy in 2019, the 2021 addendum found the previous project would not create new environmental impacts and therefore does not require new mitigation measures.

498
00:53:19,000 --> 00:53:29,000
To account for the revision to the project a conformance memo was prepared in 2025 to demonstrate that the revised project was in full compliance with the 2021 addendum.

499
00:53:30,000 --> 00:53:41,000
The 2019 negative declaration 2021 addendum and 2025 conformance memo are included as attachments k l and m respectively of the staff report.

500
00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:49,000
Following the publication of the agenda for this meeting and the staff report additional comments were received by residents and a representative for the Sierra towers.

501
00:53:49,000 --> 00:54:01,000
The questions included the projects lack of reference to the 2025 billboard policy amendments that were included in the 2025 addendum and the lack of cumulative impact analysis in the related sequence documents.

502
00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:06,000
As such staff would like to clarify these concerns on the record for the council and members of the public.

503
00:54:06,000 --> 00:54:17,000
As around one project the project was subject to the policies 2019 negative declaration and was included in the analysis for the 2021 addendum to that initial sequence document.

504
00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:32,000
Further the 2025 addendum to incorporate and codified new lighting standards were not applicable to round one projects although all round one round one projects were analyzed under the 2025 addendum as part of the policy's development baseline.

505
00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:43,000
However, while the project was not subject to the amendments analyzed in the 2025 addendum the project is conditioned to meet the new lighting standards for a maximum of 200 nighttime candellas.

506
00:54:43,000 --> 00:55:00,000
Regarding cumulative impacts but the 2021 addendum which is a secret document included in the approval of all round one projects and the 2025 addendum which was adopted for the policy amendments by the city council on October 20, 2025 included an accumulative impact analysis.

507
00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:10,000
In addition the most recent lighting study prepared for an adopted as part of the 2025 addendum considered all round one 1.5 and two projects in the analysis.

508
00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:22,000
While this project was analyzed under the 2021 addendum and does not rely on the 2025 addendum the 2025 addendum includes analysis of non-secret traffic impacts and the potential for driver distraction.

509
00:55:22,000 --> 00:55:35,000
This was presented to the council on October 20, 2025 and as demonstrated there in there is no substantial evidence that full motion animated billboards cause an increase in traffic accidents.

510
00:55:36,000 --> 00:55:43,000
To conclude staff recommends that the city council adopt the ordinances and resolution to approve the project and associated entitlements.

511
00:55:43,000 --> 00:55:47,000
Stock staff are available to answer any questions.

512
00:55:47,000 --> 00:55:51,000
And I just have one clarification earlier in the staff report.

513
00:55:52,000 --> 00:55:56,000
The first iteration of this project that the council saw was partially full motion.

514
00:55:56,000 --> 00:56:05,000
There's been a lot of iterations of this project but the one that went to plan to council last February was fully static to face static sign.

515
00:56:05,000 --> 00:56:06,000
Just wanted to clarify that.

516
00:56:06,000 --> 00:56:07,000
Thank you.

517
00:56:07,000 --> 00:56:08,000
Thank you.

518
00:56:08,000 --> 00:56:11,000
Do any of my colleagues have questions?

519
00:56:11,000 --> 00:56:13,000
Councilmember Meister.

520
00:56:13,000 --> 00:56:15,000
Thank you.

521
00:56:15,000 --> 00:56:25,000
You said that this project is under 2021 rules because it was in the first round.

522
00:56:25,000 --> 00:56:31,000
However, this is not the same project that was awarded the right to move forward.

523
00:56:31,000 --> 00:56:40,000
So why would it be under the 2021 rules when it's not the same project?

524
00:56:41,000 --> 00:56:51,000
Projects are reviewed under the rules that were in place when they were deemed complete even when they are revised somewhat.

525
00:56:51,000 --> 00:56:53,000
So those rules apply.

526
00:56:53,000 --> 00:57:00,000
However, as Paul mentioned, we have conditioned the project so that it is also consistent with the new rules.

527
00:57:00,000 --> 00:57:11,000
And we have had a consistent, a conformance memo prepared to ensure that it still is consistent with the 2021 sequence.

528
00:57:11,000 --> 00:57:14,000
Okay.

529
00:57:14,000 --> 00:57:23,000
I do also have some questions about the lighting but I know that wasn't under staff's preview that was something that the applicant did on their own.

530
00:57:23,000 --> 00:57:27,000
So I'll ask them the questions about that.

531
00:57:27,000 --> 00:57:29,000
That's it for now.

532
00:57:29,000 --> 00:57:33,000
Other questions for staff.

533
00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:34,000
No.

534
00:57:34,000 --> 00:57:35,000
Okay.

535
00:57:35,000 --> 00:57:38,000
So we have a number of public speakers.

536
00:57:38,000 --> 00:57:44,000
I think the first one I see is Jeff Seymour on behalf of the applicant.

537
00:57:44,000 --> 00:57:47,000
And Melissa how much time do we give?

538
00:57:47,000 --> 00:57:49,000
I gave him five minutes.

539
00:57:49,000 --> 00:57:51,000
That's what our bylaws say about.

540
00:57:51,000 --> 00:57:52,000
Okay.

541
00:57:52,000 --> 00:57:55,000
I promise mayor, I will be blessedly brief.

542
00:57:55,000 --> 00:57:57,000
It's hard to hear you.

543
00:57:57,000 --> 00:58:01,000
If it's on or you just gotten too tall for it.

544
00:58:01,000 --> 00:58:02,000
Is that better?

545
00:58:02,000 --> 00:58:03,000
Yeah.

546
00:58:03,000 --> 00:58:04,000
Thank you.

547
00:58:04,000 --> 00:58:05,000
Mayor Highman.

548
00:58:05,000 --> 00:58:06,000
Members of the City Council.

549
00:58:06,000 --> 00:58:07,000
My name is Jeff Seymour.

550
00:58:07,000 --> 00:58:11,000
We see more consulting group by reside in West Lake Village.

551
00:58:11,000 --> 00:58:20,000
First and foremost, I want to thank staff, especially as Davis, who had been very helpful as we move this process forward.

552
00:58:20,000 --> 00:58:26,000
And I also want to thank the City Council for the opportunity to bring this reimagined project to you.

553
00:58:26,000 --> 00:58:29,000
To you for a final consideration.

554
00:58:29,000 --> 00:58:36,000
We are going to be very brief in relation to our presentation tonight.

555
00:58:36,000 --> 00:58:39,000
Ben Anderson from office on title.

556
00:58:39,000 --> 00:58:41,000
We'll be making a short comment.

557
00:58:41,000 --> 00:58:44,000
And then Spencer Callick from Alec Mackins.

558
00:58:44,000 --> 00:58:48,000
We'll be here to respond to questions regarding the DA.

559
00:58:48,000 --> 00:58:51,000
Dawn Hollingsworth from Dark Horse Light.

560
00:58:51,000 --> 00:58:55,000
Works will be here to respond to all of your questions regarding.

561
00:58:55,000 --> 00:58:58,000
Our lighting study.

562
00:58:58,000 --> 00:59:05,000
And we'll all be here to be able to ask respond to any of the questions you may have.

563
00:59:05,000 --> 00:59:07,000
So.

564
00:59:07,000 --> 00:59:08,000
Ben.

565
00:59:08,000 --> 00:59:13,000
So it's the other members of your team want to come forward and use the remainder of your time.

566
00:59:13,000 --> 00:59:16,000
That's fine.

567
00:59:16,000 --> 00:59:17,000
Good evening.

568
00:59:17,000 --> 00:59:19,000
Council Ben Anderson with office on title.

569
00:59:19,000 --> 00:59:22,000
I did want to add one comment to Jeff's.

570
00:59:22,000 --> 00:59:24,000
Just comments.

571
00:59:24,000 --> 00:59:26,000
In that in the time.

572
00:59:26,000 --> 00:59:31,000
Last month and early this month we have met with the representative of residents of Sierra Tower.

573
00:59:31,000 --> 00:59:35,000
And shared the lighting study from Dark Horse Lighting.

574
00:59:35,000 --> 00:59:39,000
And there were no further comments or concerns from that representative.

575
00:59:39,000 --> 00:59:44,000
And our lighting designers here speak with you if you have any questions.

576
00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:46,000
Spencer, do you want to.

577
00:59:46,000 --> 00:59:47,000
You're good.

578
00:59:48,000 --> 00:59:53,000
I believe my colleague has some questions for the lighting.

579
00:59:53,000 --> 00:59:58,000
Study expert if they would like to come forward and then.

580
00:59:58,000 --> 01:00:00,000
You want to share your.

581
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:08,000
Comments, if you have any. Otherwise, maybe we can just turn to council member, my sir's questions.

582
01:00:08,000 --> 01:00:16,000
I have no, my name is Dawn Hollingsworth, I'm with Thark Horse Lightworks, and I reside in Sherman Oaks.

583
01:00:16,000 --> 01:00:18,000
So thank you for having me.

584
01:00:18,000 --> 01:00:28,000
Thank you, and thank you for doing the lighting study. I appreciate it and excuse the dark glasses, but the light in here is enough to kill anybody.

585
01:00:28,000 --> 01:00:45,000
So my questions, I have several about the lighting study. First of all, originally the original project, the light, the study showed that light did trespass to Sierra Towers.

586
01:00:45,000 --> 01:00:57,000
Like the first three floors or something like that. What changed in terms of the billboard that that made it so that it supposedly does not trespass.

587
01:00:57,000 --> 01:01:18,000
Well, I did not do a study for the original design. So the only study that I did was the most recent one that was dated in January and that was for the single static, the single, instead of the full motion, in addition to the static.

588
01:01:18,000 --> 01:01:31,000
So I believe probably I can only guess that the impact would be from removing the upper static portion of the project that was originally proposed.

589
01:01:31,000 --> 01:01:36,000
But I was not involved in that, so I can't really answer that, and he's going to answer that.

590
01:01:36,000 --> 01:01:38,000
But don't go away.

591
01:01:38,000 --> 01:01:42,000
Yeah, well, yeah, I can bring that up.

592
01:01:42,000 --> 01:01:47,000
Also, I will say that we did comply with the 200 nighttime candela.

593
01:01:47,000 --> 01:01:51,000
So that was, I think, an update in the, you know.

594
01:01:51,000 --> 01:01:55,000
So that was a difference from the first, from the first round.

595
01:01:55,000 --> 01:01:56,000
Okay.

596
01:01:56,000 --> 01:02:03,000
Yeah, I mean, so the first round would have been under a 300 and nighttime candela and we reduced this study is at 200.

597
01:02:03,000 --> 01:02:07,000
So can you tell me as a lighting expert?

598
01:02:07,000 --> 01:02:17,000
You use the white, just the white screen, which I've read in other studies as well that that's like the brightest.

599
01:02:17,000 --> 01:02:22,000
But how does that actually compare to full motion in terms of impacts?

600
01:02:22,000 --> 01:02:32,000
Because it seems to me that if you have a static screen that that's not going to have the same impacts as a full motion no matter how many

601
01:02:32,000 --> 01:02:36,000
colors are in that full motion.

602
01:02:36,000 --> 01:02:38,000
I think that's a great question.

603
01:02:38,000 --> 01:02:44,000
But white obviously is going to be the, the most light.

604
01:02:44,000 --> 01:02:54,000
So any other color because LED full motion products are a combination of white.

605
01:02:54,000 --> 01:02:57,000
There's no such thing as a white LED.

606
01:02:57,000 --> 01:02:59,000
Okay, there's no such thing.

607
01:02:59,000 --> 01:03:05,000
To get white, you have to combine the primary colors of light, which are red, green and blue.

608
01:03:05,000 --> 01:03:12,000
So any time you add, and this is an additive system, any time you add red and blue, you get magenta.

609
01:03:12,000 --> 01:03:20,000
Any time you add red and green, you're going to get an amber or yellow color.

610
01:03:20,000 --> 01:03:23,000
So that's how the colors are created.

611
01:03:23,000 --> 01:03:28,000
So once you get, so in order to get white, you add all three of those colors.

612
01:03:28,000 --> 01:03:30,000
So you're adding energy.

613
01:03:30,000 --> 01:03:34,000
So that's why white is going to be the brightest that it's going to be.

614
01:03:34,000 --> 01:03:41,000
So once it goes to color in any kind of an image, it's going to be less bright than you see.

615
01:03:41,000 --> 01:03:47,000
The animation, I can't really speak to, that's really not anything like this.

616
01:03:47,000 --> 01:03:56,000
Okay, so we don't really know then the impact of full motion compared to static based on your study.

617
01:03:56,000 --> 01:04:01,000
That's correct because that's not what I, that's not what I have the ability to study.

618
01:04:01,000 --> 01:04:07,000
I'm sorry, but it's a static image and that's, we can only take a snapshot at any moment in time.

619
01:04:07,000 --> 01:04:08,000
Got it.

620
01:04:08,000 --> 01:04:09,000
Thank you.

621
01:04:09,000 --> 01:04:10,000
Okay.

622
01:04:10,000 --> 01:04:12,000
Did you want to answer?

623
01:04:12,000 --> 01:04:13,000
Okay.

624
01:04:13,000 --> 01:04:14,000
Okay.

625
01:04:14,000 --> 01:04:15,000
Any, is there anything else?

626
01:04:15,000 --> 01:04:18,000
I think we have one more speaker.

627
01:04:18,000 --> 01:04:23,000
I think did that include conclude the five minutes for the applicant?

628
01:04:23,000 --> 01:04:30,000
I indicated how much time they have left if they want to add any additional comments.

629
01:04:30,000 --> 01:04:31,000
Okay.

630
01:04:31,000 --> 01:04:35,000
I only see one other speaker tonight is that correct?

631
01:04:35,000 --> 01:04:39,000
Why don't we take that and then we can get back to questions.

632
01:04:39,000 --> 01:04:42,000
Leonard Lanzi on behalf of the chamber.

633
01:04:42,000 --> 01:04:49,000
Thank you, Mayor Highland.

634
01:04:49,000 --> 01:04:50,000
My name is Leonard Lanzi.

635
01:04:50,000 --> 01:04:59,000
I'm the President CEO of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and also the Executive Director of the Sunset Strip Business Improvement District.

636
01:04:59,000 --> 01:05:05,000
Council members, I'm here tonight to speak in support of this proposal at 9200 Sunset Boulevard.

637
01:05:05,000 --> 01:05:07,000
Known as the legacy loop.

638
01:05:07,000 --> 01:05:11,000
This project reflects where the city is headed with its updated billboard policy.

639
01:05:11,000 --> 01:05:25,000
It brings new, creative digital imagery to the strip and a way that supports the Los Angeles Broder Digital Art Program and keeps the Sunset Strip at the forefront of global outdoor media.

640
01:05:25,000 --> 01:05:29,000
But what's really important is that this project isn't just about a billboard.

641
01:05:29,000 --> 01:05:33,000
It makes meaningful improvements at street level.

642
01:05:33,000 --> 01:05:45,000
Adding pedestrian classes, seating and landscaping that invite people to slow down, gather and actually enjoy and experience the strip rather than just pass through it.

643
01:05:45,000 --> 01:05:52,000
I also want to highlight the interactive plaques that tell the story of the Strip's iconic billboard history.

644
01:05:52,000 --> 01:06:02,000
This is a great example of celebrating what made the Sunset Strip famous while tying into the efforts like the legends of the Sunset Strip to preserve and share that legacy.

645
01:06:02,000 --> 01:06:05,000
For visitors and residents alike.

646
01:06:05,000 --> 01:06:17,000
Overall, the legacy loop improves the site and enhances the visitor experience and delivers real community benefits for local businesses, residents, and the city as a whole.

647
01:06:17,000 --> 01:06:22,000
At a time when revitalizing the Sunset Strip is more important than ever.

648
01:06:22,000 --> 01:06:31,000
For all of these reasons, the chamber and the Sunset Strip Business Improvement District strongly support this project and respectfully urge your approval.

649
01:06:31,000 --> 01:06:32,000
Thank you.

650
01:06:32,000 --> 01:06:33,000
Thank you.

651
01:06:33,000 --> 01:06:36,000
And there are no other speakers, Melissa?

652
01:06:36,000 --> 01:06:37,000
No, Mary.

653
01:06:37,000 --> 01:06:38,000
We have no other speakers.

654
01:06:38,000 --> 01:06:39,000
Okay.

655
01:06:39,000 --> 01:06:44,000
I'm going to leave the public hearing open in case anyone has additional questions.

656
01:06:44,000 --> 01:06:47,000
Does anyone have additional questions?

657
01:06:47,000 --> 01:06:48,000
Yes.

658
01:06:48,000 --> 01:06:50,000
Councilmember Meister.

659
01:06:50,000 --> 01:06:55,000
So my question is to stand.

660
01:06:55,000 --> 01:07:03,000
What have you mentioned that you or it might actually be for the applicant that it was presented.

661
01:07:03,000 --> 01:07:11,000
The lighting study was presented to see our towers and they were satisfied with it.

662
01:07:11,000 --> 01:07:13,000
That was the applicant that mentioned that.

663
01:07:13,000 --> 01:07:15,000
So they may have an answer for that.

664
01:07:15,000 --> 01:07:24,000
Because we did get a letter an email today about the lighting of a concerned letter of concern.

665
01:07:24,000 --> 01:07:25,000
Yes.

666
01:07:25,000 --> 01:07:30,000
We've done you told who was a representative of certain residents of Sierra Towers.

667
01:07:30,000 --> 01:07:38,000
It was not the official Homeland Association, but I believe that was shared with them at some point.

668
01:07:38,000 --> 01:07:41,000
I'm not understanding your answer.

669
01:07:41,000 --> 01:07:44,000
The lighting study was shared with.

670
01:07:44,000 --> 01:07:48,000
You told who was a representative of certain residents of Sierra Towers.

671
01:07:48,000 --> 01:07:49,000
Okay.

672
01:07:49,000 --> 01:07:51,000
Did you meet with the HOA itself?

673
01:07:51,000 --> 01:07:52,000
No.

674
01:07:52,000 --> 01:07:53,000
Okay.

675
01:07:53,000 --> 01:07:54,000
Okay.

676
01:07:54,000 --> 01:08:02,000
Because it sounded like you talked to the president of the not the president, the manager, the HOA manager,

677
01:08:02,000 --> 01:08:04,000
Barbara, something.

678
01:08:04,000 --> 01:08:05,000
Okay.

679
01:08:05,000 --> 01:08:06,000
No.

680
01:08:06,000 --> 01:08:07,000
Thank you.

681
01:08:07,000 --> 01:08:11,000
That through Don, you told that may have been shared, but that was not through my team.

682
01:08:11,000 --> 01:08:14,000
I'm just trying to find that email that we received.

683
01:08:14,000 --> 01:08:19,000
I think we actually received several from Sierra Towers residents.

684
01:08:19,000 --> 01:08:21,000
I don't know if it was.

685
01:08:21,000 --> 01:08:24,000
I don't know that it was from the association itself.

686
01:08:24,000 --> 01:08:27,000
Thank you.

687
01:08:27,000 --> 01:08:30,000
Are there other questions?

688
01:08:30,000 --> 01:08:36,000
Are we ready to move into discussion?

689
01:08:37,000 --> 01:08:38,000
Yes.

690
01:08:38,000 --> 01:08:44,000
So why don't we go ahead and I'll go ahead and close the public hearing now and let's move into discussion.

691
01:08:44,000 --> 01:08:46,000
Any one want to start?

692
01:08:46,000 --> 01:08:49,000
I see Council Member Fires.

693
01:08:49,000 --> 01:08:50,000
Happy to jump in.

694
01:08:50,000 --> 01:08:51,000
Yes.

695
01:08:51,000 --> 01:08:53,000
I was also trying to find those emails.

696
01:08:53,000 --> 01:08:55,000
So Council Member Meister, if you're able to pull them up please do.

697
01:08:55,000 --> 01:08:56,000
But I did.

698
01:08:56,000 --> 01:08:57,000
No.

699
01:08:57,000 --> 01:09:02,000
At least one email from one individual at Sierra Towers who did right into a pose.

700
01:09:02,000 --> 01:09:07,000
So I appreciate the information shared tonight about conversations with other members of the building.

701
01:09:07,000 --> 01:09:26,000
I know that the conversation shift from a full static to full digital is really sort of the discussion tonight as this Council's reviewed so much of this project last February when the Council made the direction to the applicant to come back with a digital billboard knowing that that would be ultimately a better financial deal for the city.

702
01:09:26,000 --> 01:09:34,000
So I'm thrilled to see the math doing its job and producing what is a better deal financially for the city.

703
01:09:34,000 --> 01:09:44,000
So the concern really comes down to whether or not the impacts on the community are going to be felt and I appreciate it hearing directly from the lighting study lead itself.

704
01:09:44,000 --> 01:09:46,000
Thank you, Dawn, for being here tonight with us.

705
01:09:46,000 --> 01:09:53,000
And to hear from some of those distinctions between the lighting impact and then the movement and motion impact.

706
01:09:54,000 --> 01:10:03,000
So in hearing that the the amount of light that would be felt by the residents in that building is below a threshold that's even noticeable is really comforting to me to hear.

707
01:10:03,000 --> 01:10:09,000
I think that's sort of the challenge as we're navigating more digital billboards along the sunset strip.

708
01:10:09,000 --> 01:10:20,000
But what I'm really thrilled to see before us is a much more elegant and efficient design presented something that is really I think helpful on the outskirts of our city edge.

709
01:10:20,000 --> 01:10:26,000
Just sort of tell the city story and to shine something back to us that's really valuable so I'm grateful for what you've brought forward.

710
01:10:26,000 --> 01:10:42,000
I am supportive of the project tonight, but do you want to make sure that we clear up the questions around what we have learned from the residents if there's an opportunity to make sure that we're sharing with them the information that we're seeing tonight that's giving confidence to council around the lighting study.

711
01:10:42,000 --> 01:10:47,000
I wouldn't make sure that that goes back to the residents itself, but other than that I'm feeling really good about what's before us.

712
01:10:47,000 --> 01:10:48,000
Thank you.

713
01:10:51,000 --> 01:10:58,000
I don't know that I can read this. I might have to take these off. Oh god.

714
01:10:58,000 --> 01:11:11,000
All right, so so I did find the email from Douglas Ross and who you know since he's not anti billboard and he grew up loving signage from the strip.

715
01:11:11,000 --> 01:11:20,000
He said because my unit sits high above the street I fall directly into the horizontal beam path of the proposed LED display.

716
01:11:20,000 --> 01:11:29,000
No amount of shielding designed for street level mitigation will prevent light trespass flicker and motion intrusion into my home.

717
01:11:29,000 --> 01:11:40,000
Full motion digital signage produces continuous movement and high intensity illumination that blinds or curtains can simply cannot block at elevation.

718
01:11:40,000 --> 01:11:58,000
The result would be persistent visual distraction, nighttime light intrusion and a degradation of my ability to use and enjoy my living space, including impacts on sleep privacy and basic data date comfort inside my own home.

719
01:11:58,000 --> 01:12:16,000
And that's really why I brought up my concerns or questions about the lighting study because although it's great that you know maybe the light is not as you know bright or doesn't directly go in.

720
01:12:16,000 --> 01:12:43,000
The fact that it's a full motion billboard now rather than static makes a difference and it does have an impact on on neighbors and I can't even imagine what kind of impacts it's also going to have on the businesses that are surrounding although you know we may not have received letters but then again there's plenty of times we don't receive letters and we find out about it afterwards.

721
01:12:43,000 --> 01:13:07,000
So I'm personally not supportive of this change to full motion video I understand that we get a lot more as a city but I also think that it's a balanced for us to help out residents maintain some quality of life and they deserve to have that.

722
01:13:07,000 --> 01:13:12,000
Thank you thank you vice mayor hang.

723
01:13:12,000 --> 01:13:24,000
Thank you mayor I want to thank staff for the very thorough report I want to thank the representative the applicants representative and also members of the community who came and voice their concerns with this project.

724
01:13:24,000 --> 01:13:42,000
As far as I'm concerned I thought this design was really cool much better than the first few iterations I came through and the public benefit share of 47.65 million dollars over 30 years is a really good deal of a city.

725
01:13:42,000 --> 01:13:55,000
At a time when there's economic uncertainty at the federal level when the government's cutting budgets for cities across the country and this deal basically.

726
01:13:55,000 --> 01:14:05,000
It gets us a good amount of money for our city to help fund our programs to help fill our streets to help fill our pod holes to trim our trees which we heard was in facet's nine or city.

727
01:14:05,000 --> 01:14:09,000
And it also helps with fund our social services programs here in the city.

728
01:14:09,000 --> 01:14:18,000
President Trump has cutting social services left and right cuts to HIV testing prevention and treatment women's reproductive health trans medicine.

729
01:14:18,000 --> 01:14:31,000
And we're lucky that we have revenue generating sources in this city that's creative and cool and I appreciate the fact that this project has an occupancy requirement to it.

730
01:14:31,000 --> 01:14:35,000
The fact that the developer was able to work with staff to come up with that.

731
01:14:35,000 --> 01:14:39,000
And also the use of private land to make it a public benefit.

732
01:14:39,000 --> 01:14:45,000
The building of a walkway, the building of benches, a hot private land for the public to use.

733
01:14:45,000 --> 01:14:47,000
So I think this project is great.

734
01:14:47,000 --> 01:14:50,000
I'm in full support of it.

735
01:14:50,000 --> 01:15:00,000
I think this project will affect the overall quality of life for the entire community over the next 30 plus years given that all of the revenue.

736
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:05,000
New generating that it will have for our city. So I'm in full support. Thank you, Mayor.

737
01:15:05,000 --> 01:15:12,680
Thank you. As I look at this project, I want to make sure that we have complied with all of our

738
01:15:12,680 --> 01:15:21,240
requirements under CEQA and staff let me know if I'm incorrect here in any way, but for the billboard

739
01:15:21,240 --> 01:15:31,240
program overall we had an environmental study back in 2019. We then updated it and did an

740
01:15:31,240 --> 01:15:42,240
agenda in 2021. We did more projects specific analysis in 2025 and completed a memorandum.

741
01:15:42,240 --> 01:15:52,240
We required the project to comply with the updated standards that are being imposed on the new round of applicants.

742
01:15:53,240 --> 01:16:04,240
And that included a lighting study that showed that there were no adverse impacts on seeratowers or other adjacent properties.

743
01:16:04,240 --> 01:16:17,240
As I read the emails from our residents at seeratowers, I was picking up a sort of a general disagreement with the billboard program overall.

744
01:16:17,240 --> 01:16:25,240
And concerns legitimate concerns about the impact on particular dwelling units.

745
01:16:25,240 --> 01:16:42,240
But when I went to the actual site and looking at how the sign is angled and noting that there are there's a very large building to the north of this sign in between the sign and seeratowers.

746
01:16:42,240 --> 01:16:52,240
It's hard for me to envision how this would actually impact the residents in that building because the sign is not facing the building.

747
01:16:52,240 --> 01:17:11,240
It's facing the eastern portion of the street. So while I do appreciate and understand people's concerns about the signage program generally in terms of the specific impacts that people are concerned about.

748
01:17:11,240 --> 01:17:23,240
I think the lighting study and the environmental report and the location of the sign tells me that those impacts are not real.

749
01:17:23,240 --> 01:17:33,240
The revenue is very important to the city, but I don't think any of us would want to sacrifice the well being of our residents for revenue.

750
01:17:33,240 --> 01:17:46,240
But I think the revenue that this sign generates compared to the previous sign that we were largely ready to approve.

751
01:17:46,240 --> 01:17:53,240
I think this to me is an improvement. We get more revenue.

752
01:17:53,240 --> 01:18:06,240
There's less impact in my mind on the residents based on the way the sign is configured and it's a nicer design. So I am prepared to support this as well.

753
01:18:06,240 --> 01:18:25,240
I do think council member buyers concern to make sure that seeratowers and the residents there do have information about the updated lighting study and they understand exactly what is being approved tonight if we go ahead and approve it.

754
01:18:25,240 --> 01:18:39,240
I think that's something that we can ask our staff to coordinate that kind of discussion and make sure that they are apprised of all the information that we now have.

755
01:18:39,240 --> 01:18:41,240
Vice Mayor.

756
01:18:41,240 --> 01:18:57,240
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if there are complaints there will be a mechanism in place where residents can contact city staff to report anything is there.

757
01:18:57,240 --> 01:19:02,240
Yes, that's correct.

758
01:19:02,240 --> 01:19:04,240
Thank you. Councilmember Mister.

759
01:19:04,240 --> 01:19:07,240
I have a quick question for staff.

760
01:19:07,240 --> 01:19:12,240
When we did this the sequence analysis for round one.

761
01:19:12,240 --> 01:19:25,240
When we talked about digital signage weren't we talking about static digital signage and not full motion because I know we had the conversation after that years later saying wait a minute.

762
01:19:25,240 --> 01:19:35,240
We never said full motion and now everything's changed and you've revised the wording on that on the you know the more recent changes.

763
01:19:35,240 --> 01:19:38,240
I.

764
01:19:38,240 --> 01:19:51,240
I can't speak exactly to what was started in 2019 but I know that 2021 a denim and further more of the conformance memo that was prepared specifically for this project did contemplate the full motion animated sign.

765
01:19:51,240 --> 01:19:52,240
Thank you.

766
01:19:52,240 --> 01:19:53,240
Thank you.

767
01:19:53,240 --> 01:19:57,240
Okay, we've prepared to take some action.

768
01:19:57,240 --> 01:20:06,240
I don't think we have unanimity tonight but I do think that there's sounds like there's support for moving forward.

769
01:20:06,240 --> 01:20:16,240
We've given some direction to staff to follow up with some of the people who sent letters in so I think we now need a motion to.

770
01:20:16,240 --> 01:20:23,240
The staff's recommendation which is to introduce the ordinance on first reading.

771
01:20:23,240 --> 01:20:29,240
Do I need to go through all of this, Lauren, or can it just be approved the staff's recommendation.

772
01:20:29,240 --> 01:20:30,240
You want me to read them?

773
01:20:30,240 --> 01:20:31,240
Yes.

774
01:20:31,240 --> 01:20:32,240
Let's have a little read the title.

775
01:20:38,240 --> 01:20:45,240
The first ordinance for this item is an ordinance of the city council of the city was Hollywood approving you.

776
01:20:45,240 --> 01:21:08,240
Proving you development agreement in conjunction with the new offsite advertising billboard and site improvement at 9200 sunset boulevard West Hollywood California and these second one.

777
01:21:08,240 --> 01:21:10,240
Sorry about that.

778
01:21:10,240 --> 01:21:17,240
And have it on that page.

779
01:21:17,240 --> 01:21:21,240
Is the resolution.

780
01:21:21,240 --> 01:21:36,240
We have two ordinance of the city council of the city was Hollywood approving a zoning map amendment and conjunction with the new offsite advertising billboard and site improvement at 9200 sunset boulevard West Hollywood California.

781
01:21:36,240 --> 01:21:47,240
There is a resolution as well and we have a motion and a second on the floor to approve the item.

782
01:21:47,240 --> 01:21:51,240
And the motion passes three to one.

783
01:21:51,240 --> 01:21:55,240
Thank you everyone and thank you for those who spoke tonight.

784
01:21:55,240 --> 01:22:04,240
Before we move to the next item, I did want to read the title of the ordinance for item D1 into the record.

785
01:22:04,240 --> 01:22:24,240
Since we moved it to consent and so the ordinance title for D1 is an ordinance of the city council of the city was Hollywood amending section 10.08.240 West Hollywood preferential parking district number nine of chapter 10.08 preferential parking districts.

786
01:22:24,240 --> 01:22:41,240
Title 10 vehicles and traffic of the West Hollywood municipal code implementing district nine preferential parking regulations on the 1000 block of Alfred Street between Santa Monica Boulevard and the city of Los Angeles slash West Hollywood border north of Romain Street.

787
01:22:41,240 --> 01:22:43,240
Thank you so much.

788
01:22:43,240 --> 01:22:46,240
Thank you Melissa. I'm sorry we skipped that earlier.

789
01:22:46,240 --> 01:22:56,240
We will now move on to unfinished business. E1 is our next item.

790
01:22:56,240 --> 01:23:09,240
And both E1 and E2 I think council was desiris of a brief report.

791
01:23:09,240 --> 01:23:19,240
Unless council members would like to just turn directly to questions. Let me ask my colleagues. Do we need much of a report?

792
01:23:19,240 --> 01:23:22,240
Okay. They're just questions on this item.

793
01:23:22,240 --> 01:23:29,240
So will you be offended if we deprive you of your ability to give a report tonight?

794
01:23:29,240 --> 01:23:34,240
I can't find it on the computer anyways.

795
01:23:34,240 --> 01:23:38,240
Okay. So we're having technical difficulties again.

796
01:23:38,240 --> 01:23:48,240
All right. So why don't we turn to questions and then if you find the report and there are salient things you need to show us you can do that.

797
01:23:48,240 --> 01:23:52,240
So vice mayor, hang you had questions. I believe.

798
01:23:52,240 --> 01:23:54,240
Thank you, Mayor.

799
01:23:55,240 --> 01:24:02,240
Yeah, I just had a question in regards to the budgeted amounts for the World Cup fans owns.

800
01:24:02,240 --> 01:24:15,240
I just wanted to get a breakdown of what is $250,000 for and what $275,000 for with a detailed breakdown.

801
01:24:16,240 --> 01:24:19,240
Yes, sure. Good evening. I should introduce myself.

802
01:24:19,240 --> 01:24:26,240
My name is Andy Lavano. I'm the assistant to the city manager.

803
01:24:26,240 --> 01:24:33,240
And I am joined by my colleagues back at Eman, the arts manager and Laura Byrie, director of economic development.

804
01:24:33,240 --> 01:24:38,240
So this is really a interdepartmental effort.

805
01:24:38,240 --> 01:24:47,240
As we work our way to 2028 with all of these events tonight we're focusing on World Cup in particular because it's coming up quickly.

806
01:24:47,240 --> 01:24:50,240
So we're very excited about that.

807
01:24:50,240 --> 01:25:00,240
The $250,000 is for the event production services agreement that we're proposing to partner with the very creative firm.

808
01:25:00,240 --> 01:25:12,240
That is specifically for the planning and production elements, creative services, marketing and promotion, event management and sponsorship recruitment.

809
01:25:12,240 --> 01:25:19,240
That will be the main production of the events that are taking place at West Hollywood Park and Palmer Park.

810
01:25:19,240 --> 01:25:29,240
So the main elements of the fan zones will include large viewing screens, seating, shade structures, food and beverage vendors, family activity zones,

811
01:25:30,240 --> 01:25:33,240
and the playing field for disco foot.

812
01:25:33,240 --> 01:25:44,240
We're also planning additional partnerships with local organizations and other partners who will be engaged in some of the activities that are going to be happening throughout the weekends.

813
01:25:44,240 --> 01:25:49,240
And for the 275,000, I'll let Becca respond to that part.

814
01:25:49,240 --> 01:25:52,240
Sure. Hi, Becca Eman, Arts Manager.

815
01:25:52,240 --> 01:26:00,240
The 275,000 is to present disco foot and that includes the choreographer fee.

816
01:26:00,240 --> 01:26:03,240
They will be traveling over from France.

817
01:26:03,240 --> 01:26:06,240
They will be working with 24 professional dancers from Los Angeles.

818
01:26:06,240 --> 01:26:10,240
We'll all be paid to participate, rehearse, participate in the production.

819
01:26:10,240 --> 01:26:15,240
It's about a five week rehearsal lead up to the performances.

820
01:26:15,240 --> 01:26:18,240
Local DJ, referee, judges.

821
01:26:18,240 --> 01:26:22,240
So that's kind of all encompassing of that performance fee.

822
01:26:22,240 --> 01:26:23,240
Thank you.

823
01:26:23,240 --> 01:26:32,240
So in terms of the $250,000 for the very creative firm for the Wilcoff fans and itself, are we talking one screens?

824
01:26:32,240 --> 01:26:33,240
Are we talking two screens?

825
01:26:33,240 --> 01:26:37,240
Are we talking about accommodating 2,000 people, 3,000 people?

826
01:26:37,240 --> 01:26:44,240
Like, was there an initial feasibility study that was kind of completed prior to the contracting executed

827
01:26:44,240 --> 01:26:48,240
to see what was possible with different threshold amounts?

828
01:26:48,240 --> 01:26:59,240
The amount of the budget of $250,000 is based on some of our prior knowledge and expertise of major events in West Hollywood.

829
01:26:59,240 --> 01:27:04,240
We have a lot of experience with putting on events of various sizes.

830
01:27:05,240 --> 01:27:10,240
The idea is that the West Hollywood Park fans' own will be longer.

831
01:27:10,240 --> 01:27:13,240
It's going to be four days, Thursday through Sunday.

832
01:27:13,240 --> 01:27:20,240
We've timed it at a time of the World Cup where there's multiple games happening throughout the day.

833
01:27:20,240 --> 01:27:26,240
The USA Men's team is still going to be, we know for sure, playing at that time.

834
01:27:26,240 --> 01:27:34,240
So we're hoping that that fans' own has a larger attendance.

835
01:27:34,240 --> 01:27:40,240
There's going to be at least one large screen, like 40 foot.

836
01:27:40,240 --> 01:27:45,240
And then probably other smaller screens at the park as well.

837
01:27:45,240 --> 01:27:55,240
And then Plumber Park will be a much smaller activation that's anticipated to be more local, very family-friendly.

838
01:27:55,240 --> 01:28:08,240
West Hollywood Park is anticipated to draw more of the visitors who are here for the games, as well as people throughout the Los Angeles region who want to watch the games.

839
01:28:08,240 --> 01:28:14,240
And then in terms of the disco foot for 275,000, do we know how many performers it is per day?

840
01:28:14,240 --> 01:28:19,240
What's going to happen when there's a game or I'm just trying to get an idea?

841
01:28:19,240 --> 01:28:25,240
Sure, disco foot will perform up to four times in the fam's own at West Hollywood Park.

842
01:28:25,240 --> 01:28:34,240
And we don't have exact dates or times for those, but it'll be coordinated to not conflict with any of the live events.

843
01:28:34,240 --> 01:28:36,240
And then how long is the performance?

844
01:28:36,240 --> 01:28:38,240
Each performance is one hour.

845
01:28:38,240 --> 01:28:44,240
Okay, so there'll be performing 12 shows, there's three days.

846
01:28:44,240 --> 01:28:46,240
No, four times total.

847
01:28:46,240 --> 01:28:47,240
Four times total.

848
01:28:47,240 --> 01:28:48,240
Correct.

849
01:28:48,240 --> 01:28:51,240
Okay, got it.

850
01:28:51,240 --> 01:28:57,240
So I guess I sort of have, I appreciate this idea, I think staff are bringing everything forward.

851
01:28:57,240 --> 01:29:07,240
But I kind of have a little bit of issue when the cost of the show is more than the production of the event itself.

852
01:29:07,240 --> 01:29:12,240
We have $250,000 going to go in your mark to it.

853
01:29:12,240 --> 01:29:17,240
I guess I'm at the sentiment where if we're going to do it, we got to do it right.

854
01:29:17,240 --> 01:29:22,240
Because this is supposed to be the prelude for the Olympics.

855
01:29:22,240 --> 01:29:27,240
And this is a chance for our city to show the world that, yeah, we can handle it,

856
01:29:27,240 --> 01:29:29,240
be exploiting it like this or a big enough.

857
01:29:29,240 --> 01:29:38,240
So I'm just not sure from my perspective, the now testing span and in terms of production.

858
01:29:38,240 --> 01:29:41,240
But thank you.

859
01:29:41,240 --> 01:29:44,240
Are there other questions?

860
01:29:44,240 --> 01:29:48,240
Yes.

861
01:29:48,240 --> 01:29:49,240
Com some members.

862
01:29:49,240 --> 01:29:50,240
In questions.

863
01:29:50,240 --> 01:29:51,240
Thank you so much.

864
01:29:51,240 --> 01:29:56,240
My question is involving the other local businesses that are in this running area.

865
01:29:56,240 --> 01:30:00,240
I randomly was watching the Patriot.

866
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:16,000
It's play, the Texans. Ednose, we were there. Thank you. I actually get it. Go back go. They were in the playoffs and I'm legally required as Wisconsin resident to support the Packers. They don't let you back in the state if you don't.

867
01:30:16,000 --> 01:30:26,000
But I noticed as I was watching, and it was Sunday, it was like the height of drag queen, you know, time, and every bar was like watching the games. Good game.

868
01:30:26,000 --> 01:30:35,000
Are we, are they all planning strategic things? I think the answer is yes, but I've noticed more and more of them doing that type of thing.

869
01:30:35,000 --> 01:30:40,000
But are we in touch with them? Will that be a future kind of outreach?

870
01:30:40,000 --> 01:30:46,000
Yes, thank you, Councilman Richardson. Our businesses are very excited about the upcoming sporting events.

871
01:30:46,000 --> 01:30:51,000
And as you saw, they do live watch parties for many different shows as well as live sporting events.

872
01:30:51,000 --> 01:30:55,000
We are going to be talking with our businesses about opportunities for exploration related to special event permits.

873
01:30:55,000 --> 01:31:01,000
We've already heard from some that want to expand their footprint for things such as Super Bowl, World Cup, and more.

874
01:31:01,000 --> 01:31:06,000
And so we'll be working with those businesses to find solutions that are safe and accommodatable for them.

875
01:31:06,000 --> 01:31:12,000
And correct me if I'm wrong, if it's in the staff report to say it's in the staff report.

876
01:31:13,000 --> 01:31:18,000
So when I went to, well, you all did as well. Andy, weren't in Paris, I apologize.

877
01:31:18,000 --> 01:31:26,000
But when you, when we were there, you know, every other corner had screens, projections, you know, blow up screens in that way.

878
01:31:26,000 --> 01:31:34,000
That is still part of this work that we're doing to have our parks be activated and that big centralized way for the World Cup.

879
01:31:34,000 --> 01:31:42,000
So if people wanted to come to We Hope Park, for example, there would be a big projector, stuff like that for people to go watch.

880
01:31:42,000 --> 01:31:47,000
I'll let Andy speak to the We Hope Park in Plumber Park, but with regard to the businesses like you saw in Paris.

881
01:31:47,000 --> 01:31:55,000
We have an outreach plan to talk to the businesses because as we saw in Paris, small cafes that didn't normally have TVs rolled in TVs.

882
01:31:55,000 --> 01:31:59,000
I'm like thinking back to the days when they would roll in the TV into your classroom.

883
01:31:59,000 --> 01:32:05,000
I'm dating myself here, but they would, they rolled in TVs to these little cafes and everyone was glued.

884
01:32:05,000 --> 01:32:08,000
And that was during the Olympics, but the same is true for the World Cup.

885
01:32:08,000 --> 01:32:17,000
And so we plan to work with our businesses to help them understand how can they, even as a small cafe, activate in some way, so that everyone feels like they're part of the games.

886
01:32:17,000 --> 01:32:20,000
And then I'll turn over to Andy with regard to Plumber Park and We Hope Park.

887
01:32:21,000 --> 01:32:32,000
Yeah, so for the park activations are primary focus right now is on two weekends, one at West Hollywood Park and one at Plumber Park.

888
01:32:32,000 --> 01:32:48,000
If there's an interest from the council for activations on different days or, you know, just a screen, maybe something on a much more smaller scale that's like a organic feel that we just kind of put up the screen and people can gather.

889
01:32:48,000 --> 01:33:01,000
We can look into that as well. Right now we, we don't have that as part of the plan, but I will say that we are also kind of in a testing ground right now we really haven't done this before.

890
01:33:01,000 --> 01:33:07,000
And we also haven't been in the situation where we have all of these major events coming to our areas.

891
01:33:07,000 --> 01:33:17,000
So we're really looking at this as sort of a round one test for what we're going to see for the Olympics, which is really on the short horizon at the top.

892
01:33:17,000 --> 01:33:19,000
Thank you.

893
01:33:19,000 --> 01:33:26,000
And if this beer, why does this still be a question? Is there a way in which we're testing out during the Super Bowl?

894
01:33:26,000 --> 01:33:35,000
In the sense that like, could we do a pop up at We Hope Park and see what the reaction is?

895
01:33:35,000 --> 01:33:41,000
I mean, it's during the day, so it's hard. I mean, I don't know this is an idea, but people would do it.

896
01:33:41,000 --> 01:33:47,000
But I don't want to take away business from the bars because I know they get pretty wild and it's a fun time.

897
01:33:47,000 --> 01:33:52,000
But I do think everyone will benefit from from this way.

898
01:33:52,000 --> 01:33:59,000
So I don't know if that's something potential that we could still do for the Super Bowl.

899
01:33:59,000 --> 01:34:02,000
That's too soon probably because it's February.

900
01:34:02,000 --> 01:34:05,000
I think it's the third. Thank you Ed.

901
01:34:05,000 --> 01:34:09,000
I knew it was coming. I'm just waiting for the bad bunny performance.

902
01:34:09,000 --> 01:34:14,000
You know, so I don't know if that's potential, but maybe for the future it's just a suggestion.

903
01:34:14,000 --> 01:34:20,000
But I would love the reason why I bring up the screens as Plumber Park's ability to have that.

904
01:34:20,000 --> 01:34:29,000
I feel like so many people live in such a dense area over there that being able to go to your park when we have movies in the park that recreation does.

905
01:34:29,000 --> 01:34:38,000
I'm really well attended and and then my next question is, is what about alcohol sales and classifying these as zones?

906
01:34:38,000 --> 01:34:44,000
I mean, it's great to be able to come out to the park and have all that fun.

907
01:34:44,000 --> 01:34:56,000
There are some people that want to engage in having a beverage or two and then some that don't have soda and water, but is that on the horizon for this or what are we thinking of?

908
01:34:57,000 --> 01:35:04,000
So the entertainment zone was a direction from the council and more of feel free to jump in.

909
01:35:04,000 --> 01:35:14,000
It is an extensive process to get those approved that requires an ordinance to be approved and then additional noticing for when they're activated.

910
01:35:14,000 --> 01:35:21,000
So it's a short timeline to get it approved between now and the world cup, but it's something that we're looking into.

911
01:35:22,000 --> 01:35:32,000
And regardless of that, we are looking into having a beer garden of some kind at the West Hollywood Park activation.

912
01:35:32,000 --> 01:35:35,000
Yeah, I mean, I think that makes the most sense.

913
01:35:35,000 --> 01:35:41,000
The people will come, they'll hang out, but you can only have so much diacoke, you know, or whatever you're drinking, like.

914
01:35:41,000 --> 01:35:48,000
And I just think that, you know, people a beer garden, people want to have it, you know, and you're having a drink, you know, in that way.

915
01:35:48,000 --> 01:35:55,000
So I would, if my colleagues after their comments are more amenable to that, like I just think that general direction for you to do it.

916
01:35:55,000 --> 01:36:03,000
I mean, Beverly Hills had it at their art show earlier last year and it was, yeah, music and there, lots of it was fairly popular.

917
01:36:03,000 --> 01:36:05,000
Some of those are comments on questions, Mary.

918
01:36:05,000 --> 01:36:12,000
Yes, I know, I was going to, I know, I felt the burning eyes in the back of my head, but you put me over here now, so now I can't see you.

919
01:36:12,000 --> 01:36:13,000
So there you go.

920
01:36:13,000 --> 01:36:16,000
Are there other questions?

921
01:36:16,000 --> 01:36:19,000
Okay, so are we ready to move to comments?

922
01:36:19,000 --> 01:36:23,000
I see council member, biores is eager to comment.

923
01:36:23,000 --> 01:36:27,000
I'm so excited about these plans since the time we approved them and re-approved the name.

924
01:36:27,000 --> 01:36:31,000
I've been really looking forward to what's to come starting this year.

925
01:36:31,000 --> 01:36:36,000
I know this is about launching into the World Cup, which feels imminent right around the corner.

926
01:36:36,000 --> 01:36:40,000
Superbowl already happened in my mind, so we're definitely not talking about a pop up in the park.

927
01:36:40,000 --> 01:36:41,000
That's crazy.

928
01:36:41,000 --> 01:36:49,000
But I think looking to the World Cup, everything that's put together feels really exciting.

929
01:36:49,000 --> 01:36:55,000
So part of what I've been looking forward to is that partnerships in the community support of this.

930
01:36:55,000 --> 01:37:01,000
The West Hollywood soccer club is so excited for what we're building here, just saying this sort of out loud.

931
01:37:01,000 --> 01:37:07,000
We know that many of the members of the club will be participating in the gay games and leaving for the weekend that we've chosen.

932
01:37:07,000 --> 01:37:12,000
So I want to make sure that the July weekend that we pick that is meant to be very local and for our community.

933
01:37:12,000 --> 01:37:18,000
It can be a date after most of them return, which I think is July 5th, which probably works out really well for our calendars.

934
01:37:18,000 --> 01:37:27,000
So just putting a note out because they know members of that club have offered and want to be a part of supporting the family part of the activations kids pop up, whatever it may be.

935
01:37:27,000 --> 01:37:33,000
So I just appreciate your work with them to make sure that our local athletics are out in front of part of this.

936
01:37:33,000 --> 01:37:43,000
I think that the June date weekend is fabulous actually looking at the schedule for events 7 p.m. Thursday night United States plays.

937
01:37:43,000 --> 01:37:46,000
So it kicks off a four day fest in West Hollywood.

938
01:37:46,000 --> 01:37:55,000
It drags people out on that Thursday night gets them looking at the schedule of events that's posted in the park and help them reimagine what it looks like to keep coming back out or you know spread the word that was a great place to be.

939
01:37:55,000 --> 01:38:01,000
We know screens work really well. We've seen them during Pride all day long movies in the park happen on the lower budget.

940
01:38:01,000 --> 01:38:05,000
So not really worried about what it looks like for us to pop up and make this happen.

941
01:38:05,000 --> 01:38:15,000
But thrilled about the disco foot part of this. I think there's something really sweet about our tiny local city making a European connection in this moment ahead of the Olympics coming to.

942
01:38:15,000 --> 01:38:27,000
So I just really appreciate the thoughtfulness of this plan the way that you're slowly and thoughtfully building and getting the broader business and community based organizations to understand that the roles that they can play to.

943
01:38:27,000 --> 01:38:31,000
And I think it's going to be a really exciting summer and multiple summers ahead.

944
01:38:31,000 --> 01:38:42,000
I don't want to also lose the work around the root 66 and 10 year old that's buried in here and all the great are activations. There's so many murals that are going to be both temporary and long term installations.

945
01:38:42,000 --> 01:38:52,000
And so there's just so much baked into this item that we almost just pushed a consent and I really hope the community gets a chance to wrap their minds around it and start calendaring all these dates. So I think you all for your work on this.

946
01:38:52,000 --> 01:38:53,000
I can watch it.

947
01:38:53,000 --> 01:38:56,000
Thank you. Vice Mayor, hang.

948
01:38:56,000 --> 01:38:59,000
Council member, my sir would you like to go.

949
01:38:59,000 --> 01:39:02,000
We're so polite to one another.

950
01:39:02,000 --> 01:39:05,000
Thank you, Mayor. I'm actually I had a question for Andy.

951
01:39:05,000 --> 01:39:09,000
I think it's important if we have some sort of FIFA affiliation or connection.

952
01:39:09,000 --> 01:39:16,000
Is that something that the city looked into to further mark at this event so to speak?

953
01:39:16,000 --> 01:39:25,000
Yes, so there are some official FIFA fans owns and there are strict requirements.

954
01:39:25,000 --> 01:39:31,000
There was an RP that went out in the fall. So they had to have minimum attendance of 5,000 plus.

955
01:39:31,000 --> 01:39:38,000
And we just didn't feel like the scale of that is kind of what we were looking for for this at this time.

956
01:39:38,000 --> 01:39:43,000
There is a FIFA has a lot of strict guidelines.

957
01:39:43,000 --> 01:39:52,000
So we are following those guidelines. We'll probably have a licensing agreement to just even show the games.

958
01:39:52,000 --> 01:39:59,000
And so we're working closely with partners at LACCC who's the L.A. Host committee.

959
01:39:59,000 --> 01:40:03,000
They do like a monthly Zoom for stakeholders.

960
01:40:03,000 --> 01:40:05,000
We just participated in one last week.

961
01:40:05,000 --> 01:40:08,000
And every time there's more information that's coming out.

962
01:40:08,000 --> 01:40:13,000
So we're staying very closely informed on all of those connections.

963
01:40:13,000 --> 01:40:23,000
I know there's also working on a website that you can submit your events to that will be kind of throughout the L.A. region.

964
01:40:23,000 --> 01:40:26,000
All of the things that are happening. So we'll definitely do that.

965
01:40:26,000 --> 01:40:31,000
Metro is also working on promoting events that are transit friendly.

966
01:40:31,000 --> 01:40:34,000
So we'll definitely do that as well.

967
01:40:34,000 --> 01:40:39,000
So we're connected but we're not an official FIFA fan zone.

968
01:40:39,000 --> 01:40:43,000
Thank you. And then what type of scale are we looking at here for our city?

969
01:40:43,000 --> 01:40:46,000
I think the West Hollywood Park fan zone.

970
01:40:46,000 --> 01:40:50,000
I mean, it could be like up to 2,500 people.

971
01:40:50,000 --> 01:40:53,000
Pummer Park will probably be less than 1,000.

972
01:40:53,000 --> 01:40:59,000
Okay, because the ABC book festival had 15,000 people and was highly park.

973
01:40:59,000 --> 01:41:03,000
15,000 is like pride level for out loud.

974
01:41:03,000 --> 01:41:08,000
But I think ABC book festival did have close to like 1500 maybe.

975
01:41:09,000 --> 01:41:11,000
Okay, got it.

976
01:41:11,000 --> 01:41:14,000
So I'm in support of this. I think it's really great.

977
01:41:14,000 --> 01:41:18,000
I want to express with the caveat if you need more money.

978
01:41:18,000 --> 01:41:21,000
I don't know what we can do here as the council.

979
01:41:21,000 --> 01:41:27,000
So that way they're not boxed in to that amount because I don't feel like that's going to be enough.

980
01:41:27,000 --> 01:41:31,000
I don't want to do anything half-baked, so to speak.

981
01:41:31,000 --> 01:41:37,000
And I want to give staff the resources to be able to pull off and elite event.

982
01:41:37,000 --> 01:41:41,000
Nobody wants to come to West Hollywood and experience something janky.

983
01:41:41,000 --> 01:41:42,000
They won't come back.

984
01:41:42,000 --> 01:41:48,000
So I would, you know, see how we're my colleagues land on this.

985
01:41:48,000 --> 01:41:52,000
But I think we have to invest in our project.

986
01:41:52,000 --> 01:41:55,000
We have to put our money where our mouth is.

987
01:41:55,000 --> 01:41:57,000
You don't have to for something to be successful.

988
01:41:57,000 --> 01:42:01,000
And I think it might be a little more than what is being requested.

989
01:42:01,000 --> 01:42:02,000
Thank you.

990
01:42:02,000 --> 01:42:04,000
Thank you. Councilmember Meister.

991
01:42:04,000 --> 01:42:06,000
Thank you, Mayor.

992
01:42:06,000 --> 01:42:08,000
Thank you for this report.

993
01:42:08,000 --> 01:42:12,000
And I'm supportive, but the item obviously.

994
01:42:12,000 --> 01:42:16,000
My concerns look at the political landscape.

995
01:42:16,000 --> 01:42:23,000
And I just want to make sure that we, you know, are realistic and are following what's going on.

996
01:42:23,000 --> 01:42:27,000
Because, honestly, we don't know what's going to happen.

997
01:42:27,000 --> 01:42:43,000
And tourism can go either way with, you know, what's happening with our federal government and the person who calls himself president.

998
01:42:43,000 --> 01:42:52,000
So I just want to make sure we're just very hyper aware and thinking about, you know, alternatives if we have to.

999
01:42:52,000 --> 01:42:59,000
And I'm also very supportive of making sure that our businesses are part of this effort.

1000
01:42:59,000 --> 01:43:06,000
And my personal feeling is that, you know, we want to push the alcohol to the bars.

1001
01:43:06,000 --> 01:43:11,000
So that we are not in competition with our, our businesses.

1002
01:43:11,000 --> 01:43:17,000
And that's, that's pretty much it. Thank you.

1003
01:43:18,000 --> 01:43:24,000
So what I've heard is maybe increasing the budget if necessary.

1004
01:43:24,000 --> 01:43:33,000
I've also heard two different views about alcohol sales at the, the park as part of the fan zone.

1005
01:43:33,000 --> 01:43:39,000
One, making it a desirable venue for people who want to come out.

1006
01:43:39,000 --> 01:43:43,000
On the other hand, we don't want to compete with our local businesses.

1007
01:43:43,000 --> 01:43:47,000
So that's something that I think council's going to have to resolve.

1008
01:43:47,000 --> 01:43:58,000
My comments echo some of my colleagues very excited about a lot of these, these proposals and the work that's been done.

1009
01:43:58,000 --> 01:44:08,000
I wouldn't know that as I read the report, it seemed very, very developed in terms of the arts programming.

1010
01:44:08,000 --> 01:44:18,000
And maybe not as clear about the economic development aspect of it, and maybe the tourism aspect of it.

1011
01:44:18,000 --> 01:44:22,000
So maybe we need to get a little bit more information.

1012
01:44:22,000 --> 01:44:30,000
And it was great to hear your report tonight, Laura, about the interaction you're already having with businesses.

1013
01:44:30,000 --> 01:44:37,000
And of course, a lot of times the businesses are planning with a much shorter timeframe than we would like.

1014
01:44:37,000 --> 01:44:49,000
So hopefully those kind of plans with the existing businesses, they gel and we see the kind of activity that you're trying to promote.

1015
01:44:49,000 --> 01:44:59,000
It would be useful, I think, for me, separate from this item, to know more about what's being done to attract visitors.

1016
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:06,720
From out of town to our hotel rooms and to our businesses during that period. So maybe that's something

1017
01:45:06,720 --> 01:45:14,160
that we can get a report on when we talk about renewing the bit.

1018
01:45:14,160 --> 01:45:23,840
So are we, yes, John, what type of outreach have we done to sense that bill of art? I know

1019
01:45:23,840 --> 01:45:29,840
activating people down in Plumber park or we hope park is important but understanding some of

1020
01:45:29,840 --> 01:45:36,160
the critical spaces that are available and sensible of art. There is opportunity up there. We've

1021
01:45:36,160 --> 01:45:43,120
done activations at the, I wish we could get what that beautiful thing is called. The sense

1022
01:45:43,120 --> 01:45:50,400
that's spectacular. But there is also some other open parking lots. And I'm just thinking about

1023
01:45:50,400 --> 01:45:57,840
the availability to do things in those spaces that are also kind of cool for people that are

1024
01:45:57,840 --> 01:46:03,040
staying in the hotels kind of to point out what some of my colleagues are saying. If that is an option

1025
01:46:03,040 --> 01:46:09,200
as well to make sure sunset is included to include the people who may be staying at the hotels to walk

1026
01:46:09,200 --> 01:46:15,600
across the street or walk down across the street and have that ability to activate those dormant spaces as well.

1027
01:46:18,800 --> 01:46:23,600
Okay, so I see that there are a number of things that you would like us to

1028
01:46:23,600 --> 01:46:31,200
to approve tonight. One is to receive and file the update, but also to authorize the city manager

1029
01:46:31,200 --> 01:46:38,240
to execute various documents, authorize the city manager or designate to execute documents with respect

1030
01:46:38,240 --> 01:46:47,120
to another contract for services, approve the waiver of facility use fees, etc. Are we ready to make

1031
01:46:47,120 --> 01:46:55,200
a motion to that effect and then keep in mind the comments that if the city manager needs more money

1032
01:46:55,200 --> 01:47:02,080
that she has heard at least one council member say that he would entertain that. Our vice mayor would

1033
01:47:02,080 --> 01:47:08,720
entertain that. And I don't know that we're prepared to make any decision regarding alcohol sales

1034
01:47:09,760 --> 01:47:16,080
because it doesn't seem like that's been analyzed by staff and what the requirements would be for that.

1035
01:47:17,120 --> 01:47:24,720
So why don't we approve what we can approve tonight and if there's need for an additional discussion

1036
01:47:24,720 --> 01:47:34,560
we can bring this matter back. So I see that there's a motion and a second to approve the recommendations

1037
01:47:34,560 --> 01:47:43,680
before us tonight. Let's go ahead and vote on that. All right, that has been approved and

1038
01:47:43,680 --> 01:47:51,760
do we want to have further discussion about alcohol sales or just let staff think about that and

1039
01:47:51,760 --> 01:47:57,600
bring it back at a later date? My understanding was we're exploring an entertainment district,

1040
01:47:57,600 --> 01:48:04,400
but we could separately still do a beer garden so it's really a decision for council to make now

1041
01:48:04,400 --> 01:48:08,960
whether we want that. I think there's value in it. I would hate for people to want to come to the park

1042
01:48:08,960 --> 01:48:13,840
and then also want a libation and have to turn somewhere else. So I think there's value to it and I

1043
01:48:13,840 --> 01:48:19,120
don't think it's truly competitive. It's 90 minutes again. It's really about not losing people for that moment.

1044
01:48:19,120 --> 01:48:23,920
They thought they were coming to the park for their full experience. So that would be my concern. I think we go for it.

1045
01:48:23,920 --> 01:48:29,520
Yeah, and if I may mayor, I agree. And I think the people that would come hang out there. They also then, as we've

1046
01:48:29,520 --> 01:48:35,280
seen at Pride or Halloween or every other event, they do go over to the bars. They do hang out there and they

1047
01:48:35,280 --> 01:48:40,320
do stay for a little bit longer of a time because if they're outside, they might want to go inside after that.

1048
01:48:40,320 --> 01:48:44,800
And so I think it's worth exploring with the beer garden and I'm supportive of that as well tonight.

1049
01:48:46,800 --> 01:48:52,800
Thank you, Mayor. Is there any way where we can actually involve our business owners here in the city?

1050
01:48:52,800 --> 01:48:58,400
Some of the nightclubs in the bars so that they have an opportunity to have a booth where they can sell alcohol.

1051
01:48:58,400 --> 01:49:02,400
So that way we're not just giving them a chance at the app as well.

1052
01:49:02,400 --> 01:49:08,160
You can look at Mayor. If I may. Is there any manager?

1053
01:49:08,160 --> 01:49:15,200
Yeah, we just wanted to share that since we are exploring what the requirements would be for a beer garden.

1054
01:49:15,200 --> 01:49:21,600
And that may also trigger some additional expenses that we bring that back since you are open to that.

1055
01:49:21,600 --> 01:49:24,320
And we can bring that as a follow up with more specifics.

1056
01:49:25,360 --> 01:49:31,360
And it does sound like there is at least support from a majority of the council to consider that.

1057
01:49:31,600 --> 01:49:36,400
And so you'll get additional information and bring that back to us.

1058
01:49:36,400 --> 01:49:41,200
And then I have a random question that came up in November when we were discussing the Sunset's

1059
01:49:41,200 --> 01:49:48,800
Trip Music Festival and all of us I think agreed to give the city manager a higher authorization amount for

1060
01:49:48,800 --> 01:49:56,400
contracts to move things faster. I rightfully predicted that that would not be on our agenda any time soon.

1061
01:49:56,400 --> 01:50:02,480
It'll be February and a week or two. But do you city manager have a timeline from then that's coming back

1062
01:50:02,480 --> 01:50:09,520
because that also may help solve some of these issues that Vice Mayor Hain brought up with higher expenditures that occur?

1063
01:50:10,240 --> 01:50:19,600
Yes, and in fact I got an update from on experience our interim finance director today about bringing an item.

1064
01:50:20,400 --> 01:50:26,800
To we're hoping that we can bring that as part of the mid year of date next month because it is.

1065
01:50:28,000 --> 01:50:36,080
An area that we all have explored as a as a limitation that we have especially when we want to consider some of these events and options going forward.

1066
01:50:37,440 --> 01:50:48,240
Okay, so I think we've concluded this item. Thank you and now we'll move on to E2 and I just wanted to ask if they

1067
01:50:48,240 --> 01:50:55,680
Council wanted to follow up item to come back as an unfinished business item or with the council be comfortable if it came back on consent.

1068
01:50:56,240 --> 01:51:04,480
It sounds consent fine. It sounds like there are three of us that want it. Okay, thank you or maybe more. So I think consent would be fine.

1069
01:51:04,480 --> 01:51:14,160
Okay, I think I just want to I just want to say one thing that the inclusion of a beer garden can can happen in the current budget. So

1070
01:51:14,800 --> 01:51:20,640
That's already something that's contemplated. So I just want to put that out there. I'm not sure if that was clear. Thank you.

1071
01:51:22,000 --> 01:51:37,280
Thank you and now we'll now we will move to E2 and again this was something we were prepared to move to consent. Although some of us had some questions or comments. So do we need a staff report on this item?

1072
01:51:38,720 --> 01:51:40,720
No, I don't think anyone.

1073
01:51:40,720 --> 01:51:46,560
And needs the staff report. Any questions that people have?

1074
01:51:48,560 --> 01:51:53,200
Councilmember Meister and I also have a question and concern. I want to raise.

1075
01:51:53,200 --> 01:52:10,240
Okay, so on page 4 of the staff report. You have some bullet points about industry studies and

1076
01:52:10,240 --> 01:52:16,000
percentages of for example labor represents 30% of total costs.

1077
01:52:17,280 --> 01:52:21,280
And then you talk about commercial rents that it should be no more than five to eight percent.

1078
01:52:21,840 --> 01:52:27,520
I guess on the labor question, is that what it is or is that what it should be?

1079
01:52:28,160 --> 01:52:37,200
And if it's what it is, then what should it be? Does that make sense? And then the same thing for the

1080
01:52:37,200 --> 01:52:47,600
commercial rents, it seems to me that you're saying that it should be five to eight percent of gross sales, but I don't, but what is it, if it's not that?

1081
01:52:50,480 --> 01:52:53,440
Thank you, Councilmember Meister. Laura Byrie, Director of Economic Development,

1082
01:52:53,440 --> 01:52:58,800
joined by Paolo Casper to our Business Development Manager. The staff that you're referring to on page 4 of the report

1083
01:52:58,800 --> 01:53:04,800
come from the California Restaurant Association. This is giving you a guideline as to what percentage of costs

1084
01:53:04,800 --> 01:53:10,000
are associated with each different category. Each business model, each business that operates here in the

1085
01:53:10,000 --> 01:53:14,000
city of West Hollywood, some will fall within this range and some will fall well outside of it.

1086
01:53:14,000 --> 01:53:18,560
We don't have the specifics on the individual businesses where each of them fall within these ranges.

1087
01:53:18,560 --> 01:53:23,920
This was given as context and background. When our businesses talk about the thin margins that they operate on,

1088
01:53:23,920 --> 01:53:29,040
or particularly our restaurant industry, and they wanted to explain to us as we were meeting them as part of

1089
01:53:29,040 --> 01:53:35,200
these stakeholder outreach, what it was that was causing those thin margins and how the different costs

1090
01:53:35,200 --> 01:53:39,600
increasing and what levers could be pulled or adjusted in order to help them continue to be profitable in our

1091
01:53:39,600 --> 01:53:48,880
community. These are not actual, these are what restaurant industry is saying they are typically,

1092
01:53:48,880 --> 01:53:56,160
they are typically, that's what the industry says that they typically see across the nation.

1093
01:53:56,160 --> 01:54:03,760
So in California, but I guess what I'm trying to say is if we're asked is it might be helpful to know

1094
01:54:03,760 --> 01:54:14,320
what our West Hollywood restaurants are in those categories to see how if there are other policies or

1095
01:54:14,320 --> 01:54:23,200
things that we want to bring forward that might address specific issues. So that's why I'm asking.

1096
01:54:24,160 --> 01:54:30,720
And then my other question is, when we did the small business grants,

1097
01:54:31,520 --> 01:54:37,760
I don't remember if it ever came back to us and staff told us it was successful and we,

1098
01:54:39,760 --> 01:54:48,240
those businesses are still in existence or it wasn't successful and those businesses died shortly thereafter,

1099
01:54:49,120 --> 01:54:56,880
but you're asking us to approve grants and they're not, it's not a substantial amount of money

1100
01:54:56,880 --> 01:55:04,400
in the big scheme of things, but I just want to make sure that if we tried this before, it was an initiative,

1101
01:55:04,400 --> 01:55:16,240
we did after COVID or during COVID, was it a successful initiative that would make us want to do it again?

1102
01:55:17,200 --> 01:55:24,480
Yeah, so the grant that was entering COVID was a $5,000 grant up to $250,000 for businesses that were

1103
01:55:24,480 --> 01:55:32,320
affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but as a result of the qualifications that we had put on

1104
01:55:32,320 --> 01:55:38,320
being the business could not get any other type of funding from an outside source so it would be the federal

1105
01:55:38,320 --> 01:55:44,400
government or the state or any type of county grant funds that were happening, a lot of the businesses

1106
01:55:44,400 --> 01:55:48,720
were not able to qualify for that, we did get four that we awarded as part of that process.

1107
01:55:49,440 --> 01:55:53,520
I don't necessarily have a statistics on where the businesses are now but there were four that were awarded

1108
01:55:53,520 --> 01:56:00,800
the $5,000 at that time. Are there other questions or comments?

1109
01:56:03,200 --> 01:56:11,680
I guess my concern about this is that I think for some of the larger restaurants,

1110
01:56:12,560 --> 01:56:21,120
15,000 is really not a lot of money. If it's a business that is generating, let's say,

1111
01:56:21,120 --> 01:56:29,360
two or three million dollars annually and they're still having trouble making it as a business,

1112
01:56:30,560 --> 01:56:38,640
that I don't know that 15,000 is likely going to make a difference to keep them operational.

1113
01:56:38,640 --> 01:56:45,120
I do understand the point you made in the staff report that allocating funding based on

1114
01:56:46,560 --> 01:56:53,920
the amount of taxable sales essentially gives the money to the businesses that are doing better than

1115
01:56:53,920 --> 01:57:02,640
those that are doing poor, but I don't know this amount doesn't seem to be really responsive.

1116
01:57:02,640 --> 01:57:09,760
I know we're concerned about spending public money but we also have to keep in mind that

1117
01:57:09,760 --> 01:57:16,800
these businesses are generating money and if they're failing or do fail, that's tax revenue that we don't

1118
01:57:16,800 --> 01:57:23,920
get and it's tax revenue that we often don't get for several years because once there's a vacancy,

1119
01:57:24,720 --> 01:57:34,000
it's often one to two years before a new business goes in there. So I'm supportive of everything

1120
01:57:34,000 --> 01:57:42,320
that you've proposed tonight. I just worry that it's not enough and I'm not sure it's fully responsive

1121
01:57:42,320 --> 01:57:49,760
to the direction that was given previously. That's my concern. Mayor. We do have one speaker.

1122
01:57:49,760 --> 01:57:57,840
Okay. All right. So thank you. I'm sorry that we started our public comment or council discussion

1123
01:57:57,840 --> 01:58:01,520
before public comment. Thank you. I see it now. Leonard, thank you.

1124
01:58:09,920 --> 01:58:15,040
Thank you and good evening. I'm going to get well practiced at this, I think. So good evening, Mayor

1125
01:58:15,040 --> 01:58:19,280
Hammond, Vice Mayor Hague and Council members. I'm speaking on behalf of the West Hollywood

1126
01:58:19,280 --> 01:58:25,600
Chamber of Commerce and strong support of this agenda item. Restaurants are foundational to West

1127
01:58:25,600 --> 01:58:31,680
Hollywood's identity and economy. With roughly 250 restaurants, the sector employees, thousands of

1128
01:58:31,680 --> 01:58:37,200
workers and represents more than a quarter of our local workforce. Beyond the numbers, restaurants are

1129
01:58:37,280 --> 01:58:45,600
community gathering spaces and a key driver to tourism, especially as recovery means uneven.

1130
01:58:45,600 --> 01:58:52,080
Today, these businesses face serious and compounding pressures, rising rents and insurance costs,

1131
01:58:52,080 --> 01:58:58,400
labor challenges, shifting consumer habits and declines in international tourism. We are increasingly

1132
01:58:58,400 --> 01:59:04,080
we are seeing increased instability and local closures and without action, we are risking losing

1133
01:59:04,080 --> 01:59:09,120
establishments that define West Hollywood's character. The Chamber appreciates that item

1134
01:59:09,120 --> 01:59:15,120
E2 proposes a proactive collaborative approach, starting with the direct outreach to business owners

1135
01:59:15,120 --> 01:59:20,960
and developing targeted supports till to the realities of our local market. We also strongly support

1136
01:59:20,960 --> 01:59:27,680
the focus on independently operated non-hotel restaurants that are most vulnerable to closure. This item

1137
01:59:27,680 --> 01:59:33,120
is an important step to stabilizing one of our city's most critical industries. The Chamber stands ready to

1138
01:59:33,280 --> 01:59:39,360
partner with the city on outreach and engagement and to help shape a program that delivers real

1139
01:59:39,360 --> 01:59:46,240
timely impact. We urge the Council to support agenda item E2, move this work forward. Thank you.

1140
01:59:48,640 --> 01:59:56,160
And now, Vice Mayor. Thank you, Mayor. So the initial intent and spirit of the item was a

1141
01:59:56,160 --> 01:59:59,810
percentage of the sales tax rate. So how did

1142
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:06,800
Thank you guys. How did staff come up with the figures that came up, because different businesses

1143
02:00:06,800 --> 02:00:12,240
paid different rents, so to speak. And like the mayor said, they had different numbers of employees,

1144
02:00:12,240 --> 02:00:17,040
and you have a restaurant like Lavo that made a lot of money that unfortunately didn't make

1145
02:00:17,040 --> 02:00:24,880
it right. So, how did you come up with your figures?

1146
02:00:24,880 --> 02:00:32,800
Well, the figures that were in the staff report are basically an average of the current available price

1147
02:00:32,800 --> 02:00:39,600
for a footage that is publicly available. That is based on the thresholds that are before you. As

1148
02:00:39,600 --> 02:00:46,720
staff came up with a cap for the program of $250,000, using those kind of thresholds for square foot to

1149
02:00:46,720 --> 02:00:52,240
provide some equity as far as the process. So, businesses that typically are larger square footages,

1150
02:00:52,240 --> 02:00:56,960
have a larger operating house, and so providing a more tiered structure to the grant program.

1151
02:00:56,960 --> 02:01:02,960
Instead of a universal concept is how that approach was given. Thank you. I mean, I would like

1152
02:01:04,480 --> 02:01:09,600
additional direction to be given to come back with options on a percentage of the sales tax,

1153
02:01:09,600 --> 02:01:15,280
which was the initial intent of the item. Thank you. Thank you. Count to my verbiers.

1154
02:01:16,160 --> 02:01:22,640
Thank you. I will come back to the bisonerings comments, but wanted to just sort of focus in on the

1155
02:01:22,640 --> 02:01:30,320
aspects of the report that spoke about the removal of fees for special events. And wanted to also

1156
02:01:31,360 --> 02:01:38,960
understand what it would look like to remove or spend sort of adjust the processes for special events in general.

1157
02:01:38,960 --> 02:01:44,640
I know the fees are a barrier, but we've looked and given the business community and I can't even

1158
02:01:44,640 --> 02:01:49,520
remember exactly where it's at right now, but a certain limit or number of special events each year.

1159
02:01:49,520 --> 02:01:54,080
And I think part of the creativity and innovation of the business industry, and especially as they're trying

1160
02:01:54,080 --> 02:02:00,800
to meet the moment, isn't being able to pull events together really quickly. So, I would be curious about

1161
02:02:00,800 --> 02:02:06,400
how our permit process itself is a barrier to something like a live, you know, music event, on this

1162
02:02:06,480 --> 02:02:12,080
set strip happening, a quick dance performance, something that feels very to the essence and

1163
02:02:12,080 --> 02:02:16,640
spirit of what we are as a city, but maybe bureaucratically burden some for a business. And I know I've

1164
02:02:16,640 --> 02:02:22,640
heard from some, they've just sort of pushed off those opportunities that may be those creative and

1165
02:02:22,640 --> 02:02:27,360
financial opportunities for them. So, I think it's sort of a future future request and is probably

1166
02:02:27,360 --> 02:02:32,960
frankly already one of the items on your very busy workload. So, I forgive me if that is, in fact,

1167
02:02:32,960 --> 02:02:37,120
something you're already working on, but I'm just thinking about those opportunities that businesses

1168
02:02:37,120 --> 02:02:41,680
may have that could generate revenue for them. That was something I wanted to uniquely look at.

1169
02:02:41,680 --> 02:02:45,680
And then, going back to the point that Vice Mayor Hames just brought up, I thought the sales tax was

1170
02:02:45,680 --> 02:02:51,120
something you addressed in the staff report as a barrier, because I remember it really specifically at the

1171
02:02:51,120 --> 02:02:55,360
December meeting, being a part of the conversation, but there was something you named in the staff report that

1172
02:02:55,360 --> 02:03:02,480
was a reason why we couldn't go that route. Yeah, and the staff report we itemized out several reasons

1173
02:03:02,960 --> 02:03:11,200
why a rebate program probably isn't the best way to kind of help restaurants who need it the most.

1174
02:03:11,200 --> 02:03:17,760
We really wanted to have a program that benefits restaurants who are most need of an infusion of

1175
02:03:17,760 --> 02:03:26,960
capital as quickly as possible. And so, only with along with the CDTFA guidelines, usually those

1176
02:03:26,960 --> 02:03:32,400
kind of sales tax rebates are brought in for larger kind of developments that we're trying to bring

1177
02:03:32,400 --> 02:03:37,760
into the city, and we're giving a portion of the sales tax back as a job retention or some type of

1178
02:03:37,760 --> 02:03:43,680
program in that sort, and so they're kind of one off programs. This would require us to potentially

1179
02:03:43,680 --> 02:03:49,200
enter into a agreement with all restaurants who are part of that, which again is not only administrative

1180
02:03:49,200 --> 02:03:53,840
burdensome for the city, but also for the restaurant itself who are trying to fill out these agreements.

1181
02:03:54,960 --> 02:04:02,000
Second, secondly, the sales taxes use for our general fund dollars, which go to a myriad of expenses,

1182
02:04:02,400 --> 02:04:09,360
the city uses, and then, you know, finally, I believe the mayor had mentioned in the staff report that

1183
02:04:10,400 --> 02:04:17,520
sales tax is a number of things, but it's where people purchase things, and we get a percentage of that

1184
02:04:17,520 --> 02:04:23,520
sales tax, something in the staff, where we said 1.75%. And so the restaurants that are doing quite well are

1185
02:04:23,520 --> 02:04:28,800
obviously generating more sales tax dollars, and the restaurants that maybe are having some difficulty at

1186
02:04:28,800 --> 02:04:33,040
this time, you know, getting customers in the door, getting them to spend as much money,

1187
02:04:33,040 --> 02:04:38,720
aren't generating as much sales tax revenue, and so in a way to kind of look at how do we help

1188
02:04:39,520 --> 02:04:44,160
restaurants that need the most, the grant program was the way that we kind of focus that target on there.

1189
02:04:44,160 --> 02:04:51,200
Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Councilmember Erickson. Thank you so much, and I know this is an issue that

1190
02:04:51,280 --> 02:04:58,320
comes up every single day. With our restaurants, and look, we know that we know the, what's the

1191
02:04:58,320 --> 02:05:04,160
right word, the issue that people want to blame is the minimum wage, but I want to go back to the

1192
02:05:05,600 --> 02:05:11,760
report that I believe you did or the survey of business owners was about a year, two years ago,

1193
02:05:12,400 --> 02:05:20,400
that FM 23 did, and I believe the minimum wage was listed as fourth or fifth, actually on that list,

1194
02:05:20,480 --> 02:05:27,840
and the number one issue is actually commercial rents, cost of goods, insurance, one other thing,

1195
02:05:27,840 --> 02:05:34,720
and then the minimum wage. So in reality, looking at what we can do versus what we should do,

1196
02:05:34,720 --> 02:05:38,880
and I understand some of the comments up here, we can't do anything about commercial rents,

1197
02:05:39,760 --> 02:05:44,800
so that's off the table, we can't do anything about insurance, so that's off the table,

1198
02:05:45,440 --> 02:05:52,560
we can't do anything about the cost of goods, so that's off the table. The minimum wage was

1199
02:05:52,560 --> 02:05:58,000
approved as part of this council, and it can only be unapproved by the voters, so I'm guessing that's

1200
02:05:58,000 --> 02:06:04,880
off the council. So in reality, these subsidies that you're looking at business fees being waived,

1201
02:06:04,880 --> 02:06:10,240
parking requirements, I mean it's the little things that we can help try to figure out. I'm supportive

1202
02:06:10,240 --> 02:06:15,520
of what council member buyers was talking about specifically regarding a lot of the events and

1203
02:06:15,520 --> 02:06:26,000
activations that happen throughout our business, nightlife, a co-coffony that is out here of amazing

1204
02:06:26,000 --> 02:06:31,280
things, but I do know for a fact that I think some businesses can only get one business permit to have a

1205
02:06:31,280 --> 02:06:36,720
dry queen, like once a month or twice a month, I can't remember the exact wording, I mean the exact

1206
02:06:36,720 --> 02:06:41,600
wording of their CUPs, but that's the type of stuff that we should and I believe in the rainbow

1207
02:06:41,600 --> 02:06:47,040
district item we just said we wanted to get rid of, because if there's not a dry queen on the boulevard

1208
02:06:47,040 --> 02:06:52,880
every single night we're doing something wrong as the gayest city in America, frankly, but I think those are

1209
02:06:52,880 --> 02:06:58,320
the things that help when they have to understand the different costs of businesses. I really appreciate places

1210
02:06:58,320 --> 02:07:04,160
like beaches, well little beaches, or what's it called? Beach is traffic. Well that's the big beaches,

1211
02:07:04,640 --> 02:07:10,800
little beaches is I go on the other side, that's what I call it. But that beaches has completely

1212
02:07:10,800 --> 02:07:16,240
redone Monday nights with what they do with drag performers, but I know that takes a permit away from them

1213
02:07:16,240 --> 02:07:22,880
to do stuff the other nights of the week. And so my encouragement to you is to continue with what

1214
02:07:22,880 --> 02:07:28,640
council member buyer said is the long list of things on your reports. But to look at these simple things

1215
02:07:28,640 --> 02:07:33,040
that we hear of every single day, I can't get this permit, I can't do this, I can't do that, I know

1216
02:07:33,120 --> 02:07:39,120
Jackie's looking into that as well, but that's part of where my direction is, it's just get rid of that stuff.

1217
02:07:39,120 --> 02:07:45,440
I just cannot believe that we have these rules still in place where you can only have certain activations

1218
02:07:45,440 --> 02:07:53,920
every single night. I think we're just, that's just as a nine in 2026 when we're trying to do these things.

1219
02:07:53,920 --> 02:08:00,480
So my, that's my general recommendation is to take every low-hanging fruit and cut it. There's no reason

1220
02:08:00,480 --> 02:08:05,360
that we are wasting people's time and dollars and wave the fee for Pete's sake. Like no one,

1221
02:08:05,360 --> 02:08:12,080
I don't care, is it a hunt? How much is a fee for a special event permit? I sound like, I sound like a

1222
02:08:12,080 --> 02:08:18,320
arrested development where the seal belief is like, how much is a banana? $20? Like, I don't know.

1223
02:08:18,320 --> 02:08:24,000
But like, these are the things that like, if a business is paying $500 for drag queen bingo and they can

1224
02:08:24,000 --> 02:08:29,520
just, I just think it's wasted money that they could put somewhere else. So that's my recommendation.

1225
02:08:29,520 --> 02:08:32,800
So to respond to your question, council members, and our director of community safety,

1226
02:08:32,800 --> 02:08:37,760
Danny Reeve, I think we're. Oh great. What is the price of a banana?

1227
02:08:37,760 --> 02:08:42,400
Well, thank you. I just wanted to rest in development at the same time, but there you go.

1228
02:08:42,400 --> 02:08:46,320
But I do also want to share touching on some of the comments made by the council tonight. You'll

1229
02:08:46,320 --> 02:08:50,720
notice in the staff report there was also additional economic relief programs as part of a larger

1230
02:08:50,720 --> 02:08:55,920
economic stimulus package. This takes into consideration for staff to evaluate further some of the items

1231
02:08:55,920 --> 02:08:59,520
that you had mentioned here tonight. That includes reduction in waivers of the city business

1232
02:08:59,520 --> 02:09:04,320
tax certificates, reductions in waivers for our city public eating, outdoor dining, other business

1233
02:09:04,320 --> 02:09:10,080
license fees, the reductions or waivers of city special event permit fees, parking meter and parking

1234
02:09:10,080 --> 02:09:14,640
lot fees if we want to bring back we happy Wednesdays, and increase funding for we hope locals give

1235
02:09:14,640 --> 02:09:19,760
car program. These would all be evaluated as part of our midyear budget and come back after talking

1236
02:09:19,760 --> 02:09:25,040
with council, our finance team and council to come back to a later date with a larger economic stimulus

1237
02:09:25,040 --> 02:09:28,800
package for restaurants. And we looked at some of the last couple of times that we did these kind of

1238
02:09:28,800 --> 02:09:35,600
economic hardship packages 2009, the COVID-19 pandemic, 2024 with the critical state of business letter,

1239
02:09:35,600 --> 02:09:39,760
and really tried to find solutions that the businesses felt resonated with them and worked

1240
02:09:39,760 --> 02:09:45,840
and what could we put our repeat and implement quickly. So I'll turn it over to our director of community

1241
02:09:45,840 --> 02:09:51,680
safety, Danny Revis, to give us the magical price. Good evening, Mayor of members of the city council,

1242
02:09:51,680 --> 02:09:59,200
so Danny Revis directed community safety. So an activation special event permit is free of cost and

1243
02:09:59,200 --> 02:10:06,080
so that an example of that is if somebody is trying to do food and beverage for a grand opening like

1244
02:10:06,080 --> 02:10:13,040
in a retail space then they would still need to submit an application but there would be zero cost to

1245
02:10:13,040 --> 02:10:18,960
the business to do that. If somebody wanted to take it a step further and maybe do like a partial

1246
02:10:18,960 --> 02:10:25,600
sidewalk activation, a step and repeat use of the public right away maybe valet so that would

1247
02:10:25,600 --> 02:10:34,880
elevate that level permit and that can range from as low as $200 to as high as $300 and it's depending on

1248
02:10:34,880 --> 02:10:42,320
when a business actually submits their application. So the earlier that they submit they get the $200

1249
02:10:42,320 --> 02:10:48,000
cost the later that they submit it could elevate because there's some expediting right foot staff

1250
02:10:48,000 --> 02:10:53,760
processing that and then the more elevated permit let's say somebody wants to activate their

1251
02:10:53,760 --> 02:11:01,120
parking lot space now they're having a pool building permit right and you're having a stage of some sort now

1252
02:11:01,120 --> 02:11:07,360
that's a little higher those permits can start under special events as low as a thousand and can go as high

1253
02:11:07,360 --> 02:11:13,040
as $1,500 again depending on when somebody submits their application. Great and I'll just finish my

1254
02:11:13,040 --> 02:11:18,000
comment was saying that if the council decides to move forward and there's more activation and we get

1255
02:11:18,000 --> 02:11:22,720
more complaints they can go to the business license commission and deal with it there. I mean if

1256
02:11:22,720 --> 02:11:29,200
Santa Monica Boulevard becomes Hooverville you know in that way then you know we will understand that

1257
02:11:29,200 --> 02:11:35,120
it's no longer bedford falls but I say this in that way that I know it's not going to happen and the

1258
02:11:35,120 --> 02:11:39,920
complaints that we already get are based on very different things and so I would just say that the more

1259
02:11:39,920 --> 02:11:46,000
things that we can do to help the clubs activate which is what I know they need more so $200 $300

1260
02:11:46,000 --> 02:11:53,040
$300 that all adds up so that's my recommendation. Thank you I'm going to turn it over to Vice Mayor

1261
02:11:53,040 --> 02:12:00,000
hang and then I have a few comments. Thank you Mayor is there any way we could increase the threshold and

1262
02:12:00,000 --> 02:12:09,360
are we legally bound to a one off payment? Sorry for clarification and one off payment for

1263
02:12:10,000 --> 02:12:18,960
progress runs that yeah that will qualify based on the thresholds at step but for the grant so

1264
02:12:20,080 --> 02:12:25,760
I think the council can direct staff to change the word plan or change the recommendations that are in

1265
02:12:25,760 --> 02:12:31,680
the staff report as needed and then are we legally bound to a one off payment because that was mentioned in the

1266
02:12:31,760 --> 02:12:43,360
set of work. I think he's asking can we repeat this could it be an annual if we continue to see

1267
02:12:44,320 --> 02:12:52,560
the economic conditions be challenging for our restaurants? Yes I think you can create the grant

1268
02:12:52,560 --> 02:12:58,400
program that you want as long as there's public purpose with using the public funds and you're continuing

1269
02:12:58,400 --> 02:13:04,800
to see the benefit or you have the same issues. I'm not from an exactly with what language you're

1270
02:13:04,800 --> 02:13:11,040
referring to in staff report but you can create the grant program as long as there's the public purpose.

1271
02:13:11,040 --> 02:13:15,440
So it's not limited to just a one-time payment and then you can't you can't all claim anymore after

1272
02:13:15,440 --> 02:13:22,720
following that. What I think staff was trying to create a program see how it works see if it's

1273
02:13:23,440 --> 02:13:30,640
a successful program and then revisit whether businesses could be eligible a second time but the proposal tonight is

1274
02:13:30,640 --> 02:13:37,760
one-time for each business. Understood and then I appreciate my colleagues mentioning the reduction of fees

1275
02:13:37,760 --> 02:13:43,280
I believe that falls in line with what the mayor was saying during his installation speech to reduce fees

1276
02:13:43,280 --> 02:13:48,400
I don't want to speak for you I'm wrong but to help reduce fees for people across the city. Thank you.

1277
02:13:48,640 --> 02:14:00,400
Thank you. The one I have two comments and one is I wanted to share with my colleagues I've been

1278
02:14:00,400 --> 02:14:10,320
working with our new city manager on an idea to change the definitions in our zoning code in terms of

1279
02:14:10,320 --> 02:14:17,920
what the allowable activities are in restaurants and other businesses some of the things that require

1280
02:14:17,920 --> 02:14:25,920
a special permit may no longer need to if we change our definitions in the zoning code

1281
02:14:25,920 --> 02:14:33,600
and specify that these activities are permitted restaurant activities and don't require a special

1282
02:14:33,600 --> 02:14:40,640
permit there may be things that we want to retain requiring a special permit but I think that's one way

1283
02:14:40,640 --> 02:14:47,600
that we could address this more comprehensively and retail businesses if they're having an activation

1284
02:14:49,200 --> 02:14:57,680
and they're having a cocktail party to launch a new line of clothing that doesn't typically impact

1285
02:14:57,680 --> 02:14:59,680
anyone if it's fully inside the building

1286
02:15:00,000 --> 02:15:22,000
So maybe we don't need to require special event permits for those. They can just simply be ancillary events that are permitted as part of their basic definition. So we're working on that and we'll bring that forward. This is a minor source of irritation for me.

1287
02:15:22,000 --> 02:15:30,000
We have an annual holiday party for our employees and we used to have it in the city of West Hollywood.

1288
02:15:30,000 --> 02:15:40,000
And for whatever reason we decided that it was better to move it outside of the city of West Hollywood so there would be no appearance of conflicts.

1289
02:15:40,000 --> 02:15:56,000
I think that in my mind is ridiculous. I think we should be having that annual event at a West Hollywood venue and spending our city revenue at our city businesses, not businesses just outside our border.

1290
02:15:56,000 --> 02:16:17,000
So I hope that's something that maybe there are other reasons for that policy that I'm not aware of, but it never struck me as making a lot of sense and I hope we go back to having the annual party in the city of West Hollywood and giving that business to our own businesses.

1291
02:16:17,000 --> 02:16:32,000
So I think it sounded like there was support for all of the recommendations, but there was some additional direction that was given and I know that you're going to continue doing that kind of work.

1292
02:16:32,000 --> 02:16:39,000
Are we prepared to approve the recommendations that staff gave us tonight?

1293
02:16:39,000 --> 02:16:48,000
If so, I see there's a motion from council member fires and council member Mister has a question or issue.

1294
02:16:48,000 --> 02:17:10,000
Yeah, I just want to make sure that what we approve does include it does include the you know the gift cards and the you know the Wednesdays the free parking Wednesdays those that seem to be very successful and maybe we expand upon that during the week.

1295
02:17:10,000 --> 02:17:25,000
We're proving tonight does include that that you know that we support that I didn't read it that way just I read that those were recommendations for what had been successful programs throughout the last year that the council could continue to invest in.

1296
02:17:25,000 --> 02:17:30,000
If they're if among that list we want to give direction now to do that I just thought there were.

1297
02:17:30,000 --> 02:17:44,000
That's exactly why I'm bringing it up because I think we should I don't know why we would have to wait I mean if if those items those initiatives worked then let's include them.

1298
02:17:44,000 --> 02:17:56,000
What I heard staff saying was that they were going to continue to evaluate whether they worked and that was part of their work plan but Laura is eager to.

1299
02:17:57,000 --> 02:18:06,000
Share her expertise with us happy to so we with the approval of the item tonight would be direct us to explore these other options of repeating them.

1300
02:18:06,000 --> 02:18:20,000
And we would do that in conversation with our finance team in order to ensure there was budgetary allocations available for all of these we would come back to you have your midyear budget presentation coming up and you have your full budget presentation that will be coming up in the next few months.

1301
02:18:20,000 --> 02:18:31,000
So these your direction tonight would tell us to work with the budget team in our finance director to identify the funding sources the opportunities what's feasible and then bring that back to you for approval.

1302
02:18:31,000 --> 02:18:32,000
Okay.

1303
02:18:32,000 --> 02:18:42,000
Okay, we're all clear now on what is being recommended and I saw a motion in a second and we are prepared to vote.

1304
02:18:42,000 --> 02:18:46,000
Is there any further direction anyone wants to give tonight?

1305
02:18:46,000 --> 02:18:56,000
I think there have been some comments and I see staff shaking their heads they've heard those comments and they will take them into account moving forward.

1306
02:18:56,000 --> 02:19:07,000
So I believe we can now move on to E3 which we were prepared to move to consent but for legal reasons we're not allowed to.

1307
02:19:07,000 --> 02:19:11,000
Correct and Laura are you giving the staff report on this item.

1308
02:19:11,000 --> 02:19:24,000
We we can do a very brief staff report and we can also respond to your questions from earlier mayor that you had requested about visit West Hollywood's efforts related to the world cup as well as the business development divisions efforts related to the world cup and.

1309
02:19:24,000 --> 02:19:25,000
Other sporting events.

1310
02:19:25,000 --> 02:19:31,000
I'm going to turn over to Palo Caspada to give a brief report on this so that it is part of the public record then we'll update you on those items.

1311
02:19:31,000 --> 02:19:36,000
Mr. Tom Kiwis also out in the audience from visit West Hollywood and available as well.

1312
02:19:36,000 --> 02:19:45,000
Great we'll make this 60 seconds so tonight's meeting is just to hear public testimony regarding the renewal of the of the tourism improvement districts.

1313
02:19:45,000 --> 02:19:56,000
Visit West Hollywood does manage the tourism improvement district and this item is to request the district be renewed from April 1st of 2026 through June 30th at 2035.

1314
02:19:56,000 --> 02:20:05,000
It would set the tourism improvement district assessment rate to 4% from its current 3% with the ability to increase it to 5%.

1315
02:20:05,000 --> 02:20:11,000
And so this would generate 2.6 million dollars which is really timely given our major events that are coming to the city.

1316
02:20:11,000 --> 02:20:15,000
Very soon and that ends the report.

1317
02:20:15,000 --> 02:20:17,000
Less than a minute thank you.

1318
02:20:17,000 --> 02:20:19,000
Questions for.

1319
02:20:19,000 --> 02:20:22,000
Did you want the additional updates on World Cup.

1320
02:20:22,000 --> 02:20:24,000
Yes just briefly.

1321
02:20:24,000 --> 02:20:26,000
Because I wanted to lay my colleagues.

1322
02:20:26,000 --> 02:20:33,000
So the brief update this it was Hollywood has been working with our local hotels and the LA Sports Entertainment team and commission on room blocks.

1323
02:20:33,000 --> 02:20:36,000
They've also been working with on location which is the hospitality partner.

1324
02:20:36,000 --> 02:20:42,000
We also have businesses in the city that have identified corporate sponsors that want to host hospitality houses at their locations.

1325
02:20:42,000 --> 02:20:51,000
And then staff has been working collaboratively with LA Sports Entertainment Commission ensuring that our activations are hotels represented in the fan guides as well.

1326
02:20:51,000 --> 02:20:52,000
Great.

1327
02:20:52,000 --> 02:20:53,000
Other questions.

1328
02:20:53,000 --> 02:20:56,000
And you would ask about hospitality houses with other countries.

1329
02:20:56,000 --> 02:20:59,000
I wanted to let you know that we did have discussions.

1330
02:20:59,000 --> 02:21:02,000
Unfortunately they have not taken us up on those offers.

1331
02:21:02,000 --> 02:21:05,000
We've met with them but they have not selected West Hollywood.

1332
02:21:05,000 --> 02:21:07,000
We won't name the city that they selected.

1333
02:21:07,000 --> 02:21:08,000
We're very disappointed.

1334
02:21:08,000 --> 02:21:12,000
Okay but you can continue to work with them and work with other.

1335
02:21:12,000 --> 02:21:17,000
Countries that might be interested in having hospitality house in West Hollywood.

1336
02:21:17,000 --> 02:21:19,000
Most certainly.

1337
02:21:19,000 --> 02:21:28,000
On the subject of sporting activities can we ask the visitors bureau to also try to work with the marathon people who.

1338
02:21:28,000 --> 02:21:33,000
Don't seem to bring any hotel business to West Hollywood even though they go through the city.

1339
02:21:33,000 --> 02:21:34,000
Okay.

1340
02:21:34,000 --> 02:21:36,000
I see a motion and a second.

1341
02:21:36,000 --> 02:21:38,000
Any further discussion.

1342
02:21:38,000 --> 02:21:42,000
I just want to quickly think the visit was Hollywood for being great partners.

1343
02:21:42,000 --> 02:21:45,000
I know I brought items that began you very education.

1344
02:21:45,000 --> 02:21:46,000
You've all been great partners.

1345
02:21:46,000 --> 02:21:54,000
The we ho loves locals though it is especially to run it twice in the last year to work with the community through all the different hiccups which were very few and minor.

1346
02:21:54,000 --> 02:21:56,000
But I really appreciate all of that work this year.

1347
02:21:56,000 --> 02:21:57,000
Thank you.

1348
02:21:57,000 --> 02:22:02,000
All right we're ready to vote.

1349
02:22:02,000 --> 02:22:11,000
And the item is unanimously approved and this will come back to us because we need to have a public hearing and a later date.

1350
02:22:11,000 --> 02:22:12,000
Okay.

1351
02:22:12,000 --> 02:22:13,000
Thank you.

1352
02:22:13,000 --> 02:22:17,000
So we have one last item or two more items.

1353
02:22:17,000 --> 02:22:19,000
E4 we're okay with just continuing.

1354
02:22:19,000 --> 02:22:20,000
All right.

1355
02:22:20,000 --> 02:22:22,000
E4.

1356
02:22:23,000 --> 02:22:26,000
And I don't know that we need a staff report on this.

1357
02:22:26,000 --> 02:22:30,000
I had a question or a comment on this.

1358
02:22:30,000 --> 02:22:35,000
I'm supportive of doing this economic analysis.

1359
02:22:35,000 --> 02:22:47,000
But one of the things that seemed missing from the report and maybe I just missed it was an analysis of the wages that are currently being paid.

1360
02:22:47,000 --> 02:23:01,000
I just didn't see that in the in the proposal of what we were going to get and that seemed like it would be a pretty important basic information for us.

1361
02:23:01,000 --> 02:23:05,000
So is that included in the study that's going to be conducted?

1362
02:23:05,000 --> 02:23:11,000
Yes it'll be included and if it's not itemized in the scope of work we'll make sure it's included as part of the study that comes back to the council.

1363
02:23:11,000 --> 02:23:12,000
Okay.

1364
02:23:12,000 --> 02:23:16,000
Are there other questions or comments on this item?

1365
02:23:16,000 --> 02:23:19,000
So I know we were prepared to move this to consent.

1366
02:23:19,000 --> 02:23:24,000
So if I can get a motion to approve and a second.

1367
02:23:24,000 --> 02:23:31,000
With the direction that's been given we'll go ahead and approve this item.

1368
02:23:31,000 --> 02:23:34,000
We're missing one person here.

1369
02:23:34,000 --> 02:23:35,000
There we go.

1370
02:23:35,000 --> 02:23:36,000
All right.

1371
02:23:36,000 --> 02:23:37,000
It's been approved.

1372
02:23:37,000 --> 02:23:38,000
Thank you.

1373
02:23:38,000 --> 02:23:46,000
And then the last item that we have a business item is an appointment and that is yours council member.

1374
02:23:46,000 --> 02:23:50,000
Yes, yes it is it's for public safety commission.

1375
02:23:50,000 --> 02:23:54,000
Just so you know I had ten very good applicants.

1376
02:23:54,000 --> 02:24:07,000
And one of the things that I did to make my decision since we had so many good applicants is I asked staff to map out the existing or current commissioners to see where they were.

1377
02:24:07,000 --> 02:24:12,000
And what I found out was actually a little surprising.

1378
02:24:12,000 --> 02:24:21,000
We have four commissioners that are east of Fairfax and I believe north of Santa Monica Boulevard.

1379
02:24:21,000 --> 02:24:29,000
We have two commissioners that are east of Lascianica between Lascianica and Crescent Heights.

1380
02:24:29,000 --> 02:24:36,000
Both are around fountain and so what I saw was a need to have someone.

1381
02:24:36,000 --> 02:24:44,000
From the south west portion of our city in order to have some representation there.

1382
02:24:44,000 --> 02:24:50,000
And my my choice is Kimberly Winnick.

1383
02:24:50,000 --> 02:25:03,000
She fits the bill for for both west and south as well as being well qualified to be commissioner as she has been on other another commission previously.

1384
02:25:03,000 --> 02:25:14,000
And I just also wanted to suggest so congratulations Kim Winnick wherever you are and I also want to thank all of the applicants.

1385
02:25:14,000 --> 02:25:25,000
Like I said, I had a lot of good applicants and the way that I felt was best to make my decision was to look at.

1386
02:25:25,000 --> 02:25:35,000
Where everyone lived even though all of our commissioners are supposed to represent all of our residents and all of our city.

1387
02:25:35,000 --> 02:25:52,000
Especially with public safety each one is coming with their own experience their own living experience their neighborhoods and I felt that it was important to have neighborhoods in the southwest area represented.

1388
02:25:53,000 --> 02:26:03,000
I would also like to suggest for future that when we look at at larges at large appointments and this you know may not include.

1389
02:26:03,000 --> 02:26:19,000
The mayor and I but as all of you move forward that when we look at at larges that we also look at where existing commissioners are located where they reside so that we can see.

1390
02:26:20,000 --> 02:26:27,000
If there is representation across the city and that would be a great thing for our city clerk to.

1391
02:26:27,000 --> 02:26:39,000
To do when we do have open at large positions and even when we have any open position because I think it's helpful for that decision making for all council members so.

1392
02:26:39,000 --> 02:26:44,000
Congratulations Kim and again thank you to all the applicants.

1393
02:26:44,000 --> 02:26:50,000
I appreciate your time and.

1394
02:26:50,000 --> 02:26:57,000
I'm sure that if there's another opening I'd be happy to to look at you for one of those other positions thank you.

1395
02:26:57,000 --> 02:27:03,000
So congratulations to Kimberly who's with us tonight.

1396
02:27:03,000 --> 02:27:13,000
And that completes all our agenda items except excluded consent calendar we don't have any do you have any additional public comment.

1397
02:27:13,000 --> 02:27:23,000
No mayor we do not okay so we'll now turn to council member comments and meeting attendance reports council member buyers.

1398
02:27:23,000 --> 02:27:36,000
First congrats on a great first meeting mayor so happy to have you the day is my attendance reports I attended the first Los Angeles County affordable housing solutions agency board meeting of the year.

1399
02:27:36,000 --> 02:27:46,000
I'm going to need to remember had asked me to share a little bit more about those meetings in tail so I will do that especially because the work of the agencies heating up and a really exciting way.

1400
02:27:46,000 --> 02:27:52,000
Folks may remember or not but the measure that was passed by ballot county wide.

1401
02:27:52,000 --> 02:28:06,000
So we're going to remember 24 measure a funds this agency LaCosta LaCosta was created by a statewide piece of legislation SB 679 and 2022 so the agency's been forming.

1402
02:28:06,000 --> 02:28:11,000
With the mandate to finance housing across the county of Los Angeles.

1403
02:28:11,000 --> 02:28:24,000
We're going to remember a financial tools including a social bond which will build public housing finance fire public tax dollars really exciting and in December the agency began.

1404
02:28:24,000 --> 02:28:33,000
We're going to be meeting funding to the number of service provider organizations across the county organizations like path that provide the direct.

1405
02:28:33,000 --> 02:28:42,000
Rent her assistance and homeless prevention work to people so it's both a vision homeless prevention work with rental voucher assistance.

1406
02:28:42,000 --> 02:28:52,000
Work of developing and building affordable housing across the region so dollars went out in December to both fund the number of social service agencies with those rent her vouchers.

1407
02:28:52,000 --> 02:29:04,000
And dollars are starting to out from the agency to help fund a number of different projects including money that was allocated under the West Side Cities Council of Government in December to a few projects including some here in West Hollywood.

1408
02:29:04,000 --> 02:29:16,000
So it's really exciting work that the agency's undertaking to build affordable housing this region has long needed but also finance those rental vouchers that are becoming more difficult for people to find.

1409
02:29:16,000 --> 02:29:24,000
So really great work really proud to be a supervisor Lindsey Horvass alternate and appointment on that board where I spent a lot of my time.

1410
02:29:24,000 --> 02:29:31,000
And I'm just wanted to also mention looking forward to the Martin Luther King day of service at West Hollywood Elementary next weekend that will all participate.

1411
02:29:31,000 --> 02:29:39,000
As far as council comments I wanted to thank this council again for the adjournment and memory of Renee Nicole good and was especially grateful for community member speaking about it tonight.

1412
02:29:39,000 --> 02:29:50,000
I wrote these notes before that even happened but after that meeting and even during the meeting felt the amount of support echoed for that and we know here in West Hollywood the very same day that that tragedy occurred in Minneapolis.

1413
02:29:50,000 --> 02:30:00,000
I picked up a community member of our own I've seen people share updates about this individual online and very grateful for that news continuum to spread this work.

1414
02:30:00,000 --> 02:30:13,000
Here continues to protect ourselves to care for each other up against this craziness that we're experiencing, but just want to continue to make sure that the city and our community knows that this council is fiercely with them on this issue.

1415
02:30:13,000 --> 02:30:22,000
And I also wanted to think this council for the support of the adding to the travel list, the housing California panel.

1416
02:30:22,000 --> 02:30:34,000
I have been invited to speak about the city's rent control and rent stabilization ordinance, which I'm looking forward to digging into more as those at home committee meetings start sometime this year. That's all for me. Thank you very much for getting me.

1417
02:30:34,000 --> 02:30:46,000
Council member, myster. I'm going to be so brief because the last meeting was just last week and I don't have anything to report.

1418
02:30:46,000 --> 02:30:48,000
Council member Erickson.

1419
02:30:48,000 --> 02:30:50,000
Thank you so much.

1420
02:30:50,000 --> 02:30:54,000
I'm a sad matter, but Mr. Mayor.

1421
02:30:54,000 --> 02:31:01,000
I've got to get out of that habit very quickly and congrats on another great meeting.

1422
02:31:01,000 --> 02:31:05,000
In regards to B10 the grants and schools program, I want to thank city staff.

1423
02:31:05,000 --> 02:31:14,000
This was my item from a few a year and a half ago and working extensively with the children's round table from those groups and community members.

1424
02:31:14,000 --> 02:31:20,000
I provided these critical updates and what was needed and what they could actually do with any type of additional money.

1425
02:31:20,000 --> 02:31:32,000
And I'm glad to see it was increased as well and making sure that these are attainable grants that they'll be able to use and thank you Christine and others who worked very hard and social services staff.

1426
02:31:32,000 --> 02:31:35,000
So really want to appreciate that.

1427
02:31:35,000 --> 02:31:43,000
Additionally, I want to say I attended a few random city events that were happening.

1428
02:31:43,000 --> 02:31:53,000
It's only been a week and then see if we could talk later on or if the city manager could come back with an update to the King's Road usage policy.

1429
02:31:53,000 --> 02:32:03,000
I understand that King's Road can only be used the first Saturday of every month from like one to two PM or whatever it is.

1430
02:32:03,000 --> 02:32:09,000
But these restrictions seem a little bit outdated in terms of the great space that that provides to people.

1431
02:32:09,000 --> 02:32:21,000
And so if we meet and I think if I watched or read the meeting minutes from the public facilities commission correctly and that's the wrong name of the commission but apologies Melissa.

1432
02:32:22,000 --> 02:32:37,000
The answer to staff regarding that staff gave to the commission regarding the usage was specifically when they made that agreement with the individuals it may be mere highly and can talk more about this was in the 90s.

1433
02:32:37,000 --> 02:32:41,000
So I wasn't the fourth grade.

1434
02:32:41,000 --> 02:32:50,000
So I think some of these things need to be updated as things and people move on a lot of more families and individuals have moved into those spaces.

1435
02:32:50,000 --> 02:32:54,000
It was so great to see it full of life and continue to see it full of life.

1436
02:32:54,000 --> 02:33:06,000
So if that thing could be reevaluated for additional usage and I'd say over usage but I think opening it up to a second Saturday or something like that might be fair to people.

1437
02:33:06,000 --> 02:33:16,000
And also alleviate space from Plumber Park and we help park at the same time so that's just general direction I'm happy to do an item but I don't know if I need to do an item but maybe city staff could look into that.

1438
02:33:16,000 --> 02:33:17,000
Thank you so much.

1439
02:33:17,000 --> 02:33:19,000
Thank you vice mayor.

1440
02:33:20,000 --> 02:33:29,000
Thank you mayor I have nothing to report congratulations on your solution and councilmember Mister work glad that you're back and okay.

1441
02:33:29,000 --> 02:33:44,000
So I have a few things to report I attended the council subcommittee on homelessness with council member buyers as well as the council subcommittee on the code of conduct with council member buyers.

1442
02:33:44,000 --> 02:33:58,000
I hope to update that we received at the subcommittee on homelessness is the successful launch of Holloway House and within the first month of it opening.

1443
02:33:58,000 --> 02:34:13,000
The facility was full we've already seen at least one individual transition to permanent shelter there are several others who are in line to do that and almost without fail all the.

1444
02:34:14,000 --> 02:34:35,000
The 20 people who were in there initially have been working with service providers to transition to get permanent housing so a lot of good work that's being done there and I think we should all be proud of the success of that program so far.

1445
02:34:35,000 --> 02:34:43,000
I as councilmember buyers note it we'll have the Martin Luther King volunteer event at.

1446
02:34:43,000 --> 02:34:59,000
We hope elementary on the 31st this Thursday will be the homeless count and a number of community members will be at city hall to go out and help the county count the number of individuals who are homeless.

1447
02:34:59,000 --> 02:35:04,000
Our staff does that on a regular basis even without the county's.

1448
02:35:04,000 --> 02:35:17,000
Coordination but this is an important event that occurs on an annual basis I do want to address the comments that were made earlier in the meeting about.

1449
02:35:17,000 --> 02:35:33,000
Feeling that public commenters felt disrespected at the planning commission I just want to say that from my standpoint I don't think that is the view of the council we welcome people's comments at our council meetings.

1450
02:35:33,000 --> 02:35:48,000
Whether we agree with you or disagree with you regardless of what neighborhood you're from we want you to feel free and welcome to comment on matters and express your views about the city's business.

1451
02:35:49,000 --> 02:36:02,000
And there was one other thing I was going to comment on but I think I have forgotten so I think that's it we will stand adjourned for the evening and.

1452
02:36:02,000 --> 02:36:12,000
You're looking like you turned in a speaker's slippers we will and tonight's meeting so thank you everyone we are adjourned.