The Santa Monica City Council is kicking off the new year with a focus on reforming its own policies.
Council is set to consider several governance reforms aimed at enhancing governmental transparency, ethics, and operational efficiency at its January 28 meeting.
Key proposals include stricter gift acceptance rules for council members, modifications to council meeting procedures, and new regulations concerning the use of city symbols in political campaigns.
The gift acceptance policy would prohibit council members from accepting gifts exceeding $100 per event or $630 from a single source annually. Exceptions would mirror state law, allowing inherited gifts, family contributions, and campaign donations. Council members could donate unwanted gifts to nonprofits or return them within 30 days.
Proposed meeting procedure changes would reshape council participation in meetings. Speaking time would be limited: 10 minutes per agenda item, one minute for points of privilege, and two minutes for proclamations. The council would also restrict proclamations to two per meeting and move the consent calendar before closed sessions.
An additional ordinance addresses the use of city symbols in political contexts. The proposal would prohibit using the city seal, logo, or insignia in campaign materials. Candidates could depict city facilities like City Hall or public vehicles only with a prominent disclaimer: "This publication is not sponsored or approved by the City of Santa Monica."
Violations of the proposed city seal ordinance could result in misdemeanor charges with fines up to $500, or civil actions by interested parties.
Council reform was a topic of conversation for the prior council who largely bypassed proposed reforms. The four councilmembers who won election in November (Barry Snell, Dan Hall, Natalya Zernitskay and Ellis Raskin) made government reform part of their campaign and several of the new measures are at the direct request of the new majority.
Other notable changes include implementing ranked-choice voting for board and commission appointments, allowing formal censure of council members and restricting international affairs resolutions to support for sister cities during natural disasters.
The City Council will introduce these proposals for first reading, with potential adoption at subsequent meetings. No immediate financial impacts are anticipated from the proposed reforms.
In addition, the Council will hear a lengthy item on the future of the Santa Monica Airport.
Santa Monica is planning the conversion of its airport into a 200-acre community space after its scheduled closure on December 31, 2028. At its upcoming meeting, the City Council will be asked to review three draft scenarios for the airport's post-closure land use, consider five guiding principles developed through community engagement, and provide feedback on key feasibility questions. The city has engaged Sasaki Associates to develop potential land-use scenarios focusing on nature, inspiration, economic balance, versatility, and local history. The city aims to complete feasibility analysis by December 2025 and begin environmental impact review.
There are also several requests for future action, again largely from the newly elected councilmembers.
Santa Monica City Council will discuss four significant governance and community issues at its upcoming meeting. Councilmembers will discuss codifying resident representation on boards of Downtown Santa Monica, Travel and Tourism, and Pier Corporation, mandating that at least half of appointees be local residents to ensure community oversight of critical economic and cultural organizations.
Another discussion item aims to repeal a controversial ban on sleeping bags for unhoused individuals, with sponsors arguing the prohibition is ineffective and contrary to community values of compassion. The proposed amendment would remove restrictions on comfort items and deprioritize enforcement.
Council will also examine traffic safety, with a discussion requesting the police department increase high-visibility enforcement operations and provide quarterly data reporting on traffic stops and violations.
A final proposal seeks to facilitate housing diversity by amending lot split and duplex regulations, including removing owner-occupancy requirements and allowing more flexible unit development in single-unit residential zones. The lot split discussion follows a Closed Session briefing for a lawsuit filed against the city over an approved lot split.
An item extending the City’s emergency ordinance following the Palisades Fire has been continued but there will be a request for the city to draft an after action report discussing the overall response.
Council will meet on Tuesday, January 28 in City Hall, 1685 Main Street. Closed Session begins at 5:30pm.
