OPA May Monthly Meeting TONIGHT/Monday: This month’s meeting will be at the Ocean Park Library (@ 2601 Main St.) starting with food and mingling at 6:00pm. We will also be hybrid on Zoom. Here’s the zoom link and here’s schedule:
- 6:00 – 6:30pm: Food, refreshments and mingling
- 6:30 – 6:45pm: SMPD
- 6:45 – 7:00: Mayor Lana Negrette
- 7:00 – 7:15: Sunny Wang, Water Resources Manager
- 7:15 – 7:30: State Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur
- 7:30 – 8:30: Board business, including housing matters and upcoming calendar of events
SMDP Coverage on the “New Single School to Replace SMASH and Muir”: This write-up details “The reopening of a long-awaited neighborhood school in Ocean Park has been pushed back to 2026, adding another delay to a campus renovation project that has displaced hundreds of students since 2022.” It digs deeper on the future plans of the school’s plans for displaced students, stating “This dispersal prompted concerns from John Muir parents and teachers during the initial closure discussions. At a June 2022 board meeting, several parents suggested the plan to keep SMASH intact while dispersing Muir students amounted to “discrimination against Muir.” At the time, parents also expressed fears that once closed, John Muir Elementary as a distinct entity would never return to the Ocean Park campus—concerns that appear to have been validated by the district’s move toward a unified school model. Throughout the closure and planning process, district officials have maintained that, regardless of the final arrangement, there would always be a neighborhood school on the Ocean Park campus.”
Pass Go, Win Prizes: MAINopoly Celebrates its 10 Year Anniversary: “Main Street in Santa Monica will take on a playful new look this Memorial Day weekend as the 10th annual MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street returns Sunday, May 25. The food-focused, family-friendly event runs from 1 to 5pm and invites attendees to explore five blocks of restaurants, bars and local businesses in an interactive twist on the classic board game.” Click here for the rest of the SMDP write-up about the annual event and we hope to see you there!
Samohi Prom Boutique – Donations Needed: Help make Prom accessible for all Samohi students. Donations needed include new or gently used formal dresses and men’s formal wear in all sizes, purses, jewelry, accessories, cosmetics, hangers, as well as volunteers and monetary donations. More details here.
Community Input Sought for New Recreation & Parks Master Plan: Provide your feedback on a plan that will shape Santa Monica’s parks for the next 20 years. Take the survey here before May 31.
Council to Consider Alcohol Ads on City Property: Public parking structures and digital kiosks could soon become advertising venues for alcohol in an effort to boost revenues for Santa Monica’s cash-strapped government. The City Council on Tuesday will consider modifying the City’s internal advertising guidelines to “permit alcohol advertising on select City-owned assets,” according to the staff report. More details here.
Santa Monica’s Proposed Promenade Entertainment Zone: Frequently Asked Questions: This City published this FAQ about planned location parameters, rules, limitations, etc.
Tingly Drinks, Kona Coffee, and Comedy Nights: Kavahana Brings a New Kind of Buzz to Santa Monica: “Right around the corner from Main Street, Kavahana is redefining how people hang out in Santa Monica. Part kava nectar bar, part Hawaiian coffee shop, and part community stage, this laid-back oasis is quickly becoming a go-to spot for locals and tourists to relax, recharge, and connect. Evenings at Kavahana are community-centered. Tuesday nights feature the Santa Monica Open Mic, with local musicians and poets performing for an engaged and supportive crowd. Wednesdays are for Comedy Night, where stand-up comics bring a mix of smart sets and casual energy. These events are free to attend. Just show up, grab a spot, and enjoy.” More details here.
The Street Seen: Merritt Jones Hotel (127 Marine Street @ Speedway): Following the 1912 Ocean Park Pier fire, the Merritt Jones Hotel is built on Marine St near the pier. For many years, the hotel is very fashionable. The building is demolished in 1965 to make way for the Ocean Park Redevelopment Project. More details here.
Big Blue Bus Celebrates National Bike Month & Bike Anywhere Day with Free Rides on Thursday: On May 15, bring your bike, folding bike, or helmet on board a Big Blue Bus and your ride is FREE! More details here.
Things To Do This Week:
Ice Cream Social with Mayor Lana Negrette (Tuesday 3:30pm): Message from the mayor: “Hey everyone! Join me at Handel’s Ice Cream on May 13 from 3:30 to 5 PM! As your mayor, I’d love to connect with all of you in a relaxed setting. Whether you have questions, concerns, or just want to hang out and enjoy some amazing ice cream, this is the perfect opportunity! Let’s chat about what’s going on in our community while savoring some delicious flavors. I can’t wait to see you all there! What’s your favorite flavor?” Handels Ice Cream, 1701 Ocean Park Blvd. More details here.
Carol Leifer & Rick Mitchell in conversation with Frank DeCaro (Tuesday 6:30pm): Emmy-winning writer Carol Leifer (HBO’s Hacks) & co-author Rick Mitchell discuss their irreverent, new writer’s guide, How to Write a Funny Speech… for a Wedding, Bar Mitzvah, Graduation & Every Other Event You Didn’t Want to Go to in the First Place, with entertainment journalist Frank DeCaro, author of the new 50th anniversary book, Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania Under the Mirror Ball. A book sale and signing follow. Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. More details here.
#BreakTheStigma with NAMI Westside LA (Thursday 2pm): Find out about free education programs and resources for stress, anxiety and depression offered by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (More details here for 5/15 at Main Library and more details here for 5/22 at the Pico Branch. Find out about NAMI’s free programs to provide education, stigma reduction, and support for people with mental health conditions and their loved ones. Stop by for information on handling stress, anxiety, and depression. Connect for support groups and resource navigation for low-cost counseling services, housing, legal aid/conservator information, and more. Main Library 601 Santa Monica Blvd.
OPA & City Meetings:
Caltrans Hosting Virtual Meeting on Draft Pacific Coast Highway Master Plan Feasibility Study and Pavement Rehabilitation Projects (Monday 1pm): The meeting will focus on two pavement rehabilitation projects and to share a draft of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH/State Route 1) Master Plan Feasibility Study. Virtual meeting link: Cisco Webex Meetings
Landmarks Commission Meeting (Monday 7pm): More details & agenda here.
Future Affordable Housing Development – Notices of Availability for City-Owned Land Session 1 (Monday 6 – 7:30pm): Learn about the Surplus Land Act Notice of Availability process for future affordable housing development, to be released for three city-owned sites (Bergamot Art Station, 4th/5th and Arizona, and Parking Structure 1). @ Kite Pharma, 1800 Stewart St.
City Council Meeting (Tuesday 5:30 pm): Meetings are hybrid and can be viewed on this YouTube channel. Click here for agenda.
OPA Connects Meeting (Wednesday 12pm): Here is the Zoom link.
Clean Beaches Committee Meeting (Wednesday 6:30pm): The mission of the Clean Beaches & Ocean Parcel Tax Citizens Oversight Committee is to uphold the mission of the City of Santa Monica Watershed Management Plan: to restore a healthier balance between the urban environment and the natural ecosystem, including the Santa Monica Bay, by reducing the pollution in urban runoff, reducing urban flooding, and increasing water conservation, recreation opportunities, open space, and wildlife and marine habitat. More details here.
Disabilities Commission Meeting (Wednesday 6:30pm): More details & agenda here.
Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting (Thursday 6pm): Click Here for agenda.
Airport Conversion Project Community Event (Saturday 12 – 5pm): Santa Monica Airport Administration Building Showcasing the 3 test scenarios and online feedback.
Arts Commission Special Meeting (Sunday 6:30pm): In-person only in the SMi Training Room (northwest corner of the 2nd floor of the Civic Center Parking Structure – 330 Olympic Drive). More details here.
