Includes Fox Hills Neighborhood Too
In a 4 to 1 vote, the City Council approved conceptual plans for the Better Overland and Safer Fox Hills Project. Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Vice Mayor O'Brien, and Council Members Vera Jr. and Puza voted in favor of the motion. Council Member Eriksson abstained. City staff will now pursue grant funding for the Project. The Project's goals are to improve travel for everyone, including those who use a wheelchair, walk, bike, take transit, or drive. It begins at the intersection of Overland Avenue and Venice Boulevard and extends to the Culver City Transit Center and through the Fox Hills neighborhood.
Proposed improvements include eight substantial upgrades including:
• 3 route-miles of concrete bike lanes
• Upgrading all signalized intersections on the Project corridor to protected intersections
• A new pedestrian signal at the Julian Dixon Library and new traffic signals at a number of intersections
• Retrofitting all streetlights on the Project corridor with sidewalk-facing streetlights
• Installation of a new sidewalk, curb ramps, and crosswalks on the southside of Slauson Avenue
• Upgrading bus stops
• Curb extensions throughout Fox Hills neighborhoods
• Various other pedestrian and bicyclist amenities, such as new shade trees, bike racks, and wayfinding signage
Staff offered 12 different engagement events in April and May, along with feedback forms and surveys for those who could not attend in-person community outreach. In total, more than 1,000 comments were received, helping with the revision of the plans. Staff reported strong overall support for the Project. You can read more of the plans and general highlights in detail on the City's website.
The grant application deadline is June 17th. Grant recipients of the $20 million will be announced in the winter. If awarded, the City would provide a 20% match of the grant, which amounts to $4 million. Construction would begin in 2025 and take place over several years. You can still provide feedback on the project by visiting the Project's webpage on the Culver City website.
City Council Approves Conceptual Plans for the Better Overland & Safer Fox Hills Project
Additional items council Introduced include an Ordinance on Meeting Decorum & Procedures
Culver City Municipal Code Amendments, banning the use of personal electronic devices during meetings, and "campaigning" in Council chambers were the focus of the last action item of the evening. City Council voted separately on the three issues.
The Municipal Code amendments promote mutual respect, civility, and orderly conduct among elected and appointed City officials, City staff, and members of the public. Updates are in the Rules of Order and Addressing the City Council, Commissions, Committees and Boards sections. City Council voted unanimously to those updates. Individuals wishing to speak on an agenda item must submit their request prior to the item being called. Time allotments to speak will also be applied consistently among public speakers for a particular agenda time. Special time allotments may be granted for applicants and appellants during quasi-judicial matters.
In a second vote, City Council passed updates to the use of personal electronic devices. During a public meeting, the City Council shall be banned from the use of all personal electronic devices to discuss any item on the City Council Meeting agenda, with the exception for communication with City staff. The policy also set limitations for all Commissions, Boards, and Committees. Mayor McMorrin abstained from the vote.
City Council then voted to limit campaign activity in the Council Chambers. Speakers will not be allowed to provide campaign-related during public comment. A city council meeting is a limited-purpose public forum and content restrictions to protect the scope of the forum are permissible, which is consistent with the Brown Act's limitation of off-agenda public comment to be matters.
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