In February of this year, the Santa Monica City Council approved the Hines Bergamot Transit Village by a 4-3 vote. The Hines development would include creative office, housing, restaurant, retail, and publicly accessible outdoor spaces. Aside from drastically changing the layout of the Bergamot area, the project would also serve as a complement to the future Bergamot Expo Line Station.
A month after the controversial vote, it was clear that there were some unhappy constituents in the city of Santa Monica. Two groups in particular- the Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City (SMCLC) and Residocracy.org- contributed very vocal dissent. In early March, Residocracy announced that it had gathered over 13,000 signatures, double the requisite 10% of registered voters that the city requires to accept a referendum petition.
This Tuesday, the City Council will vote on the next step in this ongoing saga. They can either decide to relent and rescind their approval of the project or take the issue straight to the voters. If they choose the latter option, they will have to decide whether to hold a special election or host it concurrently with the fall’s city, county, state and federal elections in November.
Who: Any interested parties are welcome to attend the City Council meeting.
What: The City Council will decide whether to repeal the Hines Development decision (Ordinance No. 2454) or to put the measure on the November ballot.
When: Tuesday, May 13, 2014 (beginning at 5:30 pm)
Where: City Council Chambers (1685 Main St.)
Other Events:
Monday: The Santa Monica Landmark Commission holds its regular Thursday meeting at the City Council Chambers (Room 213), starting at 7 pm. For this week’s agenda, click here.
Thursday: Come see the first presentation of “The Plaza at Santa Monica”, a plan for a new hotel, open space, ice skating rink and more at Arizona Avenue between 4th and 5th Street. The presentation is at the Public Library Main Branch (601 Santa Monica Blvd) from 7 to 9 p.m. Damien has seen some of the designs for the site. It’s amazing. See the poster, here.
Sunday: The California Climate Change Exchange hosts a Climate Change forum titled “Spring Into Climate Action” at the Church in Ocean Park (235 Hill St.). The event is free and will take place from 1-3:30 pm. To register or learn more, click here here.
Bike Week Events:
Wednesday: Santa Monica Spoke hosts a tour of Santa Monica’s bike infrastructure. Participants will get a comprehensive view of the best and newest bike lanes in Santa Monica. The tour finishes at Wine Expo for Handlebar Happy Hour Mixer. The tour starts at 1685 Main St. at 5 pm.
Thursday: For Bike to Work Day, various businesses and organizations across the city will host pit stops in the morning. For a full list of pit stops (which offer snacks, drinks, discounts, and more), click here. Additionally, Big Blue Bus Rides will be free for bike riders all day.
Saturday/Sunday: Santa Monica Spoke and Buy Local Santa Monica team up to offer discounts for cyclists all weekend long. Some of the specials cover the entire week, while others even extend all the way through the month of May. For a list of participating businesses and specials, click here.
