All signs point to one being guaranteed to bring significant traffic to Culver City, while the other is designed in large part to slow people down.
Such were the two big decisions reached by the Culver City City Council during a busy night of work Monday, May 3 in its first gathering as a newly seated body.
Facing four joint items up for discussion while acting as both the council and the city’s redevelopment agency, the five-man panel voted unanimously on two that should have a major impact — designation of The International Festivals of Independent Games 2010, better known as IndieCade, as a city- and agency-sponsored event, and adoption of a resolution regarding Phase I of the West Washington Streetscape Median Project.
IndieCade proved to be a success last fall during its debut appearance in “The Heart of Screenland,” and after hearing a city staff report about this year’s proposed version — slated for Oct. 8 through Oct. 10 and expected to grow from last year’s participation and attendance numbers — and public comment in support of its return, the council/agency authorized both a $10,000 marketing sponsorship package and the aforementioned designation as a city-sponsored event.
“What really kind of dials me into this event is the attention we’re going to get afterward,” said rookie council member Jeff Cooper. “They’re going to be talking about IndieCade, but they’re also going to be talking about Culver City.”
Noting that last year’s event was successfully thrown together at the last minute, Stephanie Barish, an Indie-Cade founder, and council member Scott Malsin were optimistic that event organizers and city officials will be able to team together to create an even better experience this year with a five-month window in which to prepare.
“We really are gigantic Culver City fans,” Barish said. “We’re pleased to spread the word to everyone.”
“I would just like to make sure we make the most of it,” Malsin said. “We have a head start this time.
“This is a great industry to grow in Culver City. It fits in very well with what we already have here. I hope that this is year two of many years to come.”
Meanwhile, a second decision by the council/agency — the resolution making certain findings and consenting to the proposed West Washington Phase I Streetscape Median Project — was, in the minds of many west Culver City residents, years in the making.
The resolution, which also awards the construction contract to Jeff Tracy, Inc. and rejects an earlier accepted bid by Josh General Engineering as non-responsive, allows for construction of the medians to begin next month and, according to a city staff report, will “eliminate blight, attract private investment to the area and enhance the pedestrian, vehicular and bicycle environment.”
Numerous speakers came before the council in support of the project, with the emphasis on traffic control and creating more safe zones for pedestrians in the congested West Washington corridor.
“It’s amazing to see so many things coming together at once,” said Malsin, alluding to not only that council vote, but a unanimous redevelopment agency vote approving the landscape median plans for Phase II of the West Washington project.
In other news, the council/agency:
• Spent more than an hour appointing members to various outside boards and council subcommittees, and voted to eliminate 11 of the 44 previously existing bodies.
• Voted 5-0 to accept both the council and agency consent calendars.
• Recognized Culver City resident Sadie Cerda as the city’s Senior of the Year for 2010.
