Culver City Observer -

By John Nachbar

City Manager

City Manager’s Office

• Cultural Affairs Foundation - The first architectureTALKS fundraiser for Veterans Memorial Building Auditorium was held on Sunday, January 25 at Studio Pali Fekete architects [SPF:a]. The event featured a discussion with Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA about the transformation of the former US Post Office building in Beverly Hills into the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

architectureTALKS continues with a second event on February 23 from 7 pm to 9 at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, which will feature a conversation with renowned architect and founding partner of Ehrlich Architects, Steven Ehrlich, FAIA and his lead project manager on the Kirk Douglas project, Whitney Wyatt. Ehrlich Architects has recently been selected to receive the 2015 AIA Architecture Firm Award from the American Institute of Architects. Details on the second architectureTALKS event will be available on the City’s website next week.

• Granicus – Granicus is coming to Culver City! Granicus is the world’s largest legislative content network—providing technology to assist governments in running their day-to-day information tasks, including webcasting public meetings, managing and delivering legislative information, collaborating with citizens, and more. The Cultural Affairs Commission will be one of the first City commissions to use Granicus, and staff has been working closely with the City Clerk’s office on set up and training on the Granicus system since the kick-off meeting in November.

Community Development

• California Bank & Trust - A permit has been issued for a 5,992 square foot tenant improvement at 100 Corporate Pointe.

• Panera Bread - Work has been completed for this new restaurant located at 10990 Jefferson Boulevard.

• Café 70˚ - Plans have been approved for an existing restaurant remodel at 3863 Overland Avenue.

• Live Right Acai - Work has been completed on this new juice bar at 11030 Washington Boulevard.

• Hackman Capital Partners – Work has been completed on a 4,470 square foot tenant improvement at 9336 Washington Boulevard, Building “J”.

• Culver City Volvo - Plans have been submitted for a tenant improvement including a 346 square foot addition to an existing Volvo Auto Dealership at 11201 Washington Boulevard.

Fire Department

• California Budget Priorities Forum – On January 24 Chief David White represented the Fire Department at Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas’s community public policy gathering on state budget priorities for the 54th Assembly District. Breakout sessions focused on the impact of proposed state spending on the cities of Culver City and Los Angeles in Fiscal Year 2015-2016. Assemblymember Ridley-Thomas’s representatives sought input from City administrators in the following key areas: education, health and human services, labor and consumer protection, public safety, resources, transportation and housing. Police Chief Scott Bixby, Transportation Director Art Ida, Public Works Director Charles Herbertson, and Housing Programs Administrator Tevis Barnes also represented the City.

• CCUSD Emergency Preparedness – On January 20 Culver City Unified School District had a pupil free day for personal development with a focus on Emergency Preparedness for all 700 district employees. Superintendent Dave LaRose kicked off the morning session, followed by a few words from Fire Chief David White and a presentation on the importance of personal preparedness for Disaster Service Workers by Christine Parra, the City’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. The remainder of the day consisted of training in the areas of search and rescue, CPR, first aid, disaster psychology, and the Incident Command System in an Emergency Operations Center. The training (pictured below) was very well received.

Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department

• Julian Dixon Library Storytime Programs at VMB - While the Culver City Julian Dixon Library is closed during construction, the Library’s Storytime programs will take place at the VMB on Wednesday mornings from 10 am to 11.. The Winter Session began on February 4 and will end on April 1. This program is free and children ages five and under are welcome. The location for Storytime programs has been provided by the Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department during the library closure. Please visit http://www.colapublib.org/libs/culvercity/index.php for additional information or email library staff at jmead@library.lacounty.gov.

• Friends of the Culver City Library Donation Site at VMB - Friends of the Culver City Library will accept donations of quality books, DVDs, Blu-Ray Discs, and CDs during the remodeling closure. In addition to the donation bin at the Express Library site at the Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum, donations may also be made at the Veterans Memorial Building through March 31, 2016. The City of Culver City is assisting the Friends of the Library by facilitating donations and providing storage space at VMB. Donors may check-in at the VMB Rental Office during regular office hours which are Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 am to 6 pm. Lightly packaged boxes or bags of quality donations will be accepted. Due to space limitations during the remodeling closure, magazines and encyclopedia sets will not be accepted. Any large donation must be arranged in advance by contacting the Culver City Friends of the Library at info@ccfol.org.

• Fiesta La Ballona - The Parks Recreation and Community Services Department has received the California Parks and Recreation Society’s State Award of Excellence for the Marketing Campaign for Culver City’s Fiesta La Ballona. The dates this year for Fiesta La Ballona are August 28-30.. More information on this 3-day “Party in the Park” is available at http://www.fiestalaballona.org.

• Culver City Senior Center Healthy Weight Loss – UCLA Health hosted a seminar on Healthy Weight Loss at the Culver City Senior Center on Thursday, February 5. UCLA personnel offered safe and effective strategies to lose weight and maintain weight loss in healthy way.

• Culver City Senior Center Valentine’s Day Party – The “Nifty 90s” Valentine’s Day Party honoring our members over 90 years old will be hosted at the Culver City Senior Center on Friday, February 13 at 11:30 am. Lunch and live entertainment will be provided and tickets are available for $3.50 at the Business Desk..

• Senior Center White Elephant Sale – The Merry Makers will host their White Elephant Sale at the Senior Center on Monday, February 16 from 9 am to noon. Proceeds benefit local charities in the community, and the club will gladly accept your clean and useable donations before Friday, February 13..

• Culver City Senior Center and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Tax-Aide – Last year, the Culver City Senior Center staff made it possible for AARP Tax-Aide to prepare free income tax returns for over 600 Culver City-area residents. Appointments for 2015 can now be made by calling 310-253-6700. Appointments are available 9 am to 3 pm through Wednesday, April 15. Appointments will be at 9 am, 9:45 am, 10:30 am, 11:15 am, noon and 1 pm. Please note: appointments must be made in advance for this service.

• Culver City Senior Center Lunch Program – The Culver City Senior Center serves a hot lunch every weekday at 11:30 am for those 60 and over. The voluntary suggested contribution per person is $2.25. For more details on this program, please call the lunchroom at 310-253-7626 or Nutrition Program Director Roxana Tabibi at 310-253-6712.

Police Department

• First Police Explorer Graduation - On January 17 Chief Scott Bixby attended the first Police Explorers graduation ceremony for the Culver City Police Department since 1982. The graduation took place at Whittier high school where 204 graduates from several police agencies participated in the ceremony. We would like to welcome our new Explorers, Jonathan Loughlin, Miranda Myers and Yiskah Israel- Everett.

• Workshop at LA County Jail - On January 22 Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells, Chief Scott Bixby, Captain Ron Iizuka, Lieutenant Jason Sims and Sergeant Allen Shepherd attended a workshop hosted by the Rand Corporation in the topic of Best Police Practices and a jail tour was also provided.

• Police Academy Graduation - On January 23 Chief Bixby and the Culver City Police Department welcomed five new Police Officers to the City’s family. All of the new Police Officers graduated from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Academy in the top of their class. Please welcome Jean Miscevicius, Yunuen Plata, Thomas Irwin, Jonathan Flores and Alan Campos.

• Annual Homeless Count - On January 28 the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority and the City participated in this annual event. Sergeant William Jackson, who is a member of the City’s Committee on Homeless, and several other members of the Police Department participated in this year’s count.

Public Works

NEW Urban Forest Management Plan Webpage – In an effort to keep the community engaged and involved throughout the development of the Urban Forest Management Plan, a webpage has been created on the City’s Website.

Visit the link below to view the community presentations, project updates and contact information:

http://www.culvercity.org/Articles/UrbanForest_042515

Visit the link below to view the community presentations, project updates and contact information:

http://www.culvercity.org/Articles/UrbanForest_042515

Future Communities are scheduled on the following days and times:

Commercial Area Focus

Thursday February 5, 2015 6 pm to 7:30

Saturday February 7, 2015 10 am to 11:30

Final Plan Review

Saturday April 25, 2015 10 am to 11:30

City Hall – Dan Patacchia Room (Ground Floor)

9770 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232

• Environmental Education Program – Culver City Public Works would like to invite you to participate in the City’s Environmental Education Program. The goal of this program is to increase the awareness in our community of a variety of environmental issues that cities are facing today. These issues include sources of pollution, the use and beneficial reuse of natural resources, local recycling efforts, storm water pollution and the potential impacts resulting from the improper disposal of common household hazardous waste materials.

The State of California has been a leader in environmental protection; however, an ever-increasing population and numerous environment-related health issues prove that there is still much work to be done. By informing our community about these pressing environmental issues, we can help to create ways to implement environmentally sustainable practices in everyday lives. By working together, our community can help become a better place for our families, our friends, and ourselves.

Public Works Environmental Programs and Operations is offering an environmental presentation to community groups. Each presentation lasts approximately 30 minutes, and staff would be more than happy to focus on a particular environmental topic that you believe might be of interest to your group. All presentations are no cost to you or your group, and staff asks they be scheduled at least one month in advance.

If you have any questions, or would like to schedule a presentation, please send an email to Catherine.Vargas@culvercity.org.

• Washington Place and Sawtelle Boulevard Street Resurfacing Project PZ-942 - The Street Resurfacing Project began on January 29 and is expected to be completed by the end of March.

The limits of this project are along:

 Washington Place between Frances Avenue and Zanja Street

 Sawtelle Boulevard between Washington Place and Washington Boulevard

 Sawtelle Boulevard between Culver Boulevard and Braddock Drive

The scope of work consists of the removal of 2” of existing asphalt concrete pavement and overlay and replacement with new 2” rubberized asphalt. As part of this project, pavement sections will be reconstructed in various areas along Washington Place and Sawtelle Boulevard.

A Notice of Imminent Construction was distributed to all residents and business owners about this project. Changeable Message Signs have been posted along the project limits to provide notification to commuters and local residents of the upcoming construction project.

• Hazard Mitigation Request for Proposals (RFP) – In 2014, the City Council approved the submission of an application for an $116,000 grant from the California Office of Emergency Services to hire a firm to prepare Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan for the City and Culver City Unified School District. The City received notice that the funding was approved and executed the grant agreement. The City is preparing an RFP to release to competing firms. Once the proposals are received and evaluated, Public Works will present the City Council with a recommendation to hire the most qualified firm.

• Pole Knockdown Repairs – Two incidents occurred over the past week where streetlight/traffic signal poles were knocked down. The first incident occurred on January 16 around 11 pm at the Sepulveda Boulevard/Sawtelle Boulevard/Jefferson Boulevard intersection involving a streetlight/pedestrian pole. The second incident occurred on January 21 around 1:30 am at eastbound Washington Boulevard near Atlantic Avenue. This incident involved a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed which crashed into the streetlight pole. The two poles are currently in the process of being replaced.

• Construction Updates

1. Southern California Edison (SCE) will continue removing the existing underground vault on Washington Boulevard and Elenda Street. A 24/7 lane closure on eastbound Washington Boulevard is still in effect.

2. SCE will continue removing the existing underground vault on Jefferson Boulevard and the 405 Freeway. A 24/7 lane closure is set up on west bound Jefferson Boulevard between Slauson Avenue and the 405 Freeway.

3. Golden State Water Company (GSWC) will continue the water main installation on Le Bourget Avenue between Farragut Drive and Culver Boulevard, and begin water main installation on Revere Place.

4. GSWC will continue its water main installation on Patom Drive between Berryman Avenue and Sawtelle Boulevard, and on Patom Drive between Culver Park Place and Diller Avenue.

5. Time Warner Cable is excavating a trench to install fiber optic cable in the alley way below the Marina Freeway, east of Selmarine Drive. The alley is now closed to through traffic between 9 am and 3 pm until February 6. .

8. Expo Construction: Venice Boulevard Lane Closures – Paving/Striping

As part of the construction of Phase 2 of the Expo Light Rail Line, work crews will implement lane and street closures to complete roadway improvements on Venice Boulevard in the City of Los Angeles. The work is being managed and performed by the Expo Phase 2 design-build contractor Skanska-Rados, Joint Venture.

Monday, February 2 through February 13

9 am to 6 pm

Monday through Friday

Venice Boulevard (between Culver Boulevard and National Boulevard)

Traffic Impacts

Temporary lane closures will be implemented on Venice Boulevard during nighttime hours to complete final paving and restriping of traffic lanes.

Advisories

Additional Sunday night work may be required.

Directional signage and/or flaggers will be used to safely direct vehicles and pedestrians around the construction zone.

For an updated calendar of scheduled closures, please visit http://www.ExpoVenice.org.