Culver City Observer -

A Major Resolution Is Passed

Another step was taken by the City Council on Monday night to ensure that the much-anticipated multiple-use project at 9300 Culver Boulevard (“Parcel B”) will be built.

The Council and the Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency unanimously passed a resolution to adopt a Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) between the City of Culver City and Combined/Hudson 9300 LLC, the chosen developer of the property in downtown Culver City.

The property, which had been the site for several proposed projects for two decades, had been selected for development while the City’s Redevelopment Agency still existed. Due to the state’s elimination of redevelopment agencies this past January, it had become necessary for the city to sell the property to the developer.

The language passed approved adoption of a resolution by the Successor Agency that approved the terms of the DDA between the city and Combined/Hudson; approved the sale and conveyance of real property located at 9300 Culver Boulevard to Combined; approved the transfer of residual land proceeds from the Parcel B land sale to the Successor Agency; and approved the city’s retention and ownership of certain land for public parking, the Town Plaza expansion, and for other public purposes and improvements.

With the resolution adopted, city staff will schedule an Oversight Board meeting to consider adopting a resolution that approves the DDA. If the Oversight Board approves the DDA, staff will notify the State Department of Finance (DOF) for review and approval.

There was little if any doubt the resolution would be passed by the Council/Successor Agency. Public speakers including Culver Hotel general manager Seth Horowitz and Chamber of Commerce president Goran Eriksson expressed their hope that the Council would approve the resolution.

“We have been asked since January when this project will move forward,” said Mayor Andrew Weissman. “The action this evening will place this on a course where it can move forward.”

Mehaul O’Leary asked the rhetorical question of how long the project has been delayed because of the redevelopment agency dissolution.

Development Director Sol Blumenfeld replied: “From the time it was reconstituted to the present—about a year.”

“And it’s expected to generate about $18.2 million?” O’Leary added. When that was affirmed, he stated: “I’m baffled. This should be a no-brainer. [The state] should be telling us –move this forward! It’s ridiculous.”

Jeff Cooper wondered what might happen if the Oversight Board and/or the state DOF say no to the DDA.

Kendall Burkey of Kane, Ballmer, and Berkman, the City's Special Counsel, replied that the DOF has 40 days in which to review the Oversight Board’s decision. They will either approve or disapprove.

“And if they send it back?” Cooper continued. “Does the whole process begin again?”

Burkey admitted that the language was “vague” in this area but Blumenfeld said there was “compelling reason” for the State to act.

In any case, the Council/Successor Agency’s 4-0 vote (Meghan Sahli-Wells was excused from the meeting) helped to move the long-delayed 9300 Culver project a little bit further along the way toward realization.

And earlier, the Council enjoyed viewing a very short video—a TV ad for a product that Assistant City Manager Martin Cole said was not endorsed by the City of Culver City. The ad, for Phillips Colon Health, was filmed at the Mike Balkman Council Chambers of Culver City Hall and featured actors playing City Council members who appreciated a young woman’s sudden public comment pitch for the colon health product.