At the City Council meeting on the evening of Tuesday, February 9, Action Item 1 (A1) called for, “Discussion of a Third Request from ‘Vote 16 Culver City’ to Lower the Voting Age to 16 for Culver City Municipal Elections.”
The last time the Vote 16 Culver City group successfully had the issue placed on the ballot, it missed out by just 16 votes, a staggeringly small amount.
On this occasion, members of their group and their supporters spoke passionately about their need to have a voice. Conversely, some people spoke out with concerns that young people might become targets for canvassers.
The group did enough to convince the majority; while Council Members Dan O’Brien and Albert Vera remained unconvinced (the same position they took last time), Mayor Freddy Puza, Vice Mayor Bubba Fish, and Council Member Yasmine-Imani McMorrin voted in favor and the motion passed 3-2.
Public Hearing 1 (PH1) called for, “Introduction of an Ordinance Approving City-Initiated Zoning Code Amendment (P2025-0229-ZCA) Amending Title 17: Zoning Code of the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) to Implement Programs of the 2021-2029 Housing Element and Exemption from CEQA.”
Staff recommended that the Council, “introduce an ordinance approving City-initiated Zoning Code Amendment P2025-0229-ZCA amending various sections of Title 17: Zoning Code of the CCMC to implement programs of the 2021-2029 Housing Element and conform to State law and adopting an exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3).”
That passed unanimously, as did PH2: “Consideration of a City-Initiated Zoning Code Amendment (P2025-0240-ZCA) to: Adopt an exemption pursuant to CEQA Section 15183 and Public Resources Code Section 21080.17; Amend the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Chapter 15.10, Subdivisions to Permit the Addition of Accessory Dwelling Units in Qualified Lot Subdivisions; Amend CCMC Section 17.400.095, Residential Uses – Accessory Dwelling Units to Remove Owner-Occupancy Requirements for Junior Accessory Dwelling Units; and Adopt CCMC Section 17.400.096 to Permit the Separate Sale and Conveyance of Accessory Dwelling Units as Condominiums.”
McMorrin recused herself for Public Hearing 3 (PH3): “Appeal of the Planning Commission’s Decision to Adopt Resolution No. 2025-P013, Approving Site Plan Review, Tentative Parcel Map and Extended Construction Hours, P2024-0190-SPR/TPM and a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Checklist pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15168, for a Mixed-Use Project with 1,077 Residential Units and 5,772 Square Feet of Commercial Space at 5757 Uplander Way in the Mixed Use High (MU-MD) Zone.”
Still the appeal was found to not have enough merits and the motion to deny the appeal passed 4-0.
Public Hearing 4 (PH4) called for, “Appeal of the Planning Commission’s Decision to Adopt Resolution No. 2025-P015, Approving Site Plan Review and Administrative Use Permit, P2024-0246-SPR/AUP and an Addendum to a Mitigated Negative Declaration to Allow a New 147-room Hotel with Ground Floor Coffee Shop and Restaurant Spaces at 11469 Jefferson Boulevard.”
The motion to deny the appeal and allow the extension passed unanimously.
Action Item 2 (A2) saw, “(1) Presentation on the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Mid-Year Budget Monitoring Report; (2) Receipt and Filing of the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Mid-Year Budget Monitoring Report; (3) Notification to Public Inviting Comment and Input for the Upcoming Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027; (4) Approval of Proposed Blanket Purchase Order Amendments; (5) Approval of Personnel Position Allocation Amendments; (6) Adoption of a Resolution Adopting the Updated Classification and Salary Plan for City Employees, Effective February 9, 2026; (7) Adoption of a Resolution Adopting the Updated Executive Compensation Plan Effective February 9, 2026; and (8) FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE REQUIREMENT: Approval of Proposed Budget Amendments.”
The budget showed that fiscal year 2024-25 revenues totalled $185,424,797. Projected totals for fiscal year 2025-26 are $186,926,514.
Staff recommended that expenditures from the General Fund be increased by $600,000 to $208,996,954. The General Fund has a beginning balance of $140,824,821 and a projected ending balance of $118,754,381.
The receipt and filing of the budget passed unanimously.
Finally, Action Item 3 (A3) called for, “(1) Consideration of Appointments to the Ad Hoc 2025 and 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics Preparation Subcommittee (2) Creation of a City Council Ad Hoc Women and Girls Subcommittee.”
Questions of a conflict of interest due to O’Brien’s recent appointment as CEO and President of the Culver City Chamber of Commerce were raised, resulting in calls for him to be pulled from the ad hoc subcommittee. This resulted in a lot of tension, with O’ Brien calling the move “political,” while McMorrin and Fish stated that it’s not “personal” but a matter of perception following some complaints.
A motion to pause and consider splitting the subcommittee into two at the next council meeting was tabled, and passed 4-1 (Vera was the nay vote).
The creation of the Women and Girls Ad Hoc Subcommittee was tabled and Vera, visibly fuming following the previous vote, suggested that he and O’Brien sit on the Women and Girls subcommittee. The motion was for McMorrin and Mayor Puza to sit on the subcommittee, and that did pass unanimously.