City Council Adopts Culver City Parks Plan, Approves Special Events Grant for Earth Day Event, Discusses Reproductive Health Services & LGBTQ+ Rights
15-Year Culver City Parks Plan Approved
The City Council unanimously approved adopting the Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) Department’s 15-year Culver City Parks Plan. The intent of the Culver City Parks Plan is to envision the next generation of Culver City’s parks by analyzing areas of need and opportunity through the lens of equity and the plan proposes improvements for facilities, amenities, and programming. The Plan supports a community-driven vision, mission and various goals for the PRCS department.
The Parks Plan was spearheaded by staff working with OLIN, a consultant selected to prepare the long-range goals. Together they gathered feedback from hundreds of community members over a year time frame. The vision in the Parks Plan is an aspirational statement of what the ideal future is like for the parks in Culver City. The Parks Plan states as the vision “Parks are the heartbeat of Culver City, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds to recharge and inspire joy in vibrant natural environments that honor our shared history and community.” The mission defines what the PRCS Department does or stands for from day to day. The Parks Plan states that the mission is “To provide for the well-being of Culver City residents by supporting diverse, safe, and equitable opportunities for recreation, learning, and arts while protecting our most valued natural and cultural resources.”
The goals of the plan are broken down with actions and methods in order to ground the large concepts in the goals and give PRCS the steps, tools, and ability to meet each goal. The goals are:
- Provide equitable access to parks and park facilities.
- Increase capital budget funding and staff longevity.
- Integrate sustainability and climate resiliency into parks management, design, and construction.
- Preserve and enhance natural habitats by supporting biodiversity and ecosystem connectivity.
- Strengthen recreational, arts, and cultural programming for all ages.
The Parks Plan addresses each park in Culver City that is overseen by PRCS by listing the needs of each park and proposing improvements. Funding for future projects that come out of the Parks Plan has not been determined or identified. You can view the final Parks Plan on the City’s website.
Special Events Grant Approved for Earth Day Event
The City Council unanimously agreed to award Walk n’ Rollers a $15,000 Off-Cycle Special Events Grant and Designate the Earth Day Elenda Open Street Event as a City-Sponsored Event. The inaugural event is set for April 22nd along Elenda Street between Culver Boulevard and Farragut Drive, and between Huron and Coombs Avenues. The route would include Farragut Elementary School, Culver City Middle School and Culver High School from 7 AM to 9 AM. The event would feature family-friendly activities including promoting Earth Day activities, bike skills and club booths.
The Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 did not include sufficient funding for the request. The City Council approved utilizing the $925 available in contingency funds for the remainder of the fiscal year. The additional $14,075 will be appropriated from the Unassigned General Fund Balance, though the cost could be less depending on the needs of staff time and street closure equipment.
Walk n’ Rollers was founded to encourage children to be more active, primarily by walking and biking to school. For the past 12 years, Walk n’ Rollers has overseen the Culver City Safe Routes to school program to encourage parents to rethink their commutes to school by walking, biking, carpooling or using transit. They have produced several classes, workshops and local rides and host the annual Walk n’ Roll Festival open to the entire community.
City Council Discusses Actions to Ensure Continued Access to Reproductive Health Services, Privacy & LGBTQ+ Rights
The City Council directed City staff to bring back to the City Council the City’s 2016 Anti-Hate Resolution, with updates to emphasize Culver City’s support of all people, no matter who they are (including the LGBTQ+ and transgender communities), in response to the new federal administration. The City Council also approved using the City’s communications channels to share resources about reproductive rights and for the LGBTQ+ community.
You can read more about the City’s policies in the staff report on the Culver City website.
Awards & Proclamations
The City Council awarded a Commendation to Katy Krantz, Culver City’s former Artist Laureate, for her work the last two years. Krantz, a highly accomplished visual artist with a Master of Fine Arts from Hunter College and a long list of projects and exhibitions nationwide, was appointed by the City Council in January 2023 as Culver City’s Artist Laureate. She facilitated dozens of ceramics workshops in collaboration with various City departments at sites throughout Culver City, including after-school recreational program sites, City parks, community events, local businesses, the Culver City Senior Center, the Julian Dixon Library, Fiesta La Ballona, and many more, including working closely with members of Culver 878, King Fahad Mosque, Culver City Arts Foundation, and numerous other community agencies, artists, and cultural partners. Krantz installed Dear Culver City as an integrated temporary art installation within the gates of Culver City Hall, and due to its ongoing success, will be on view for at least an additional year in order to continue to inspire and welcome members of the public to City Hall.
Krantz organized Dear Culver City to showcase the community-based work of hundreds of participants, including inviting seven local poets to contribute original poems to the well-attended opening celebration and corresponding published project catalogue which featured artwork, poetry, and messages from the public. Her vision for transforming the former Martin B. Retting Gun Store at 11029 Washington Blvd resulted in a beautiful re-envisioning of the façade of the building, including a large-scale mural featuring local muralist Brooklynd Wild Flowers and Bruschetta Signs which included messages of hope and community. Krantz concluded her term as Artist Laureate by installing five different community-based tile mosaic murals into the façade of 11029 Washington Blvd to be enjoyed by all who pass by. The City Council commended Katy Krantz for her dedicated service and contributions to Culver City and encourages her to remain an active part of the City’s creative and cultural life. You can watch a video of the Beloved Community project on the City's YouTube channel.
City Council also proclaimed February as Black History Month 2025. The 2025 Black History Month theme is African Americans and Labor, which focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds – free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary – intersect with the collective experiences of Black people. Culver City recognizes the work that has been central to much of Black history and culture, from the agricultural labor of enslaved Africans to discussions among Black educators on vocational training, from entrepreneurship in Black communities to organized labor’s role in combating economic and social injustice. At every corner, Black people’s work has been woven into the fabric of societies across the nation. The City of Culver City, which has a shared discriminatory history, honors the contributions of Black residents who have enriched our community through their leadership, service, and cultural contributions, helping to create a diverse living space that continuously strives to welcome people of various races and ethnicities, religions, and genders. During Black History Month, the City of Culver City invites the community to participate in a celebration of Black History and culture, and encourages everyone to reflect on the rich history and bear witness to the progress and achievements made as we continue together on the path toward equality, inclusivity, and sustainable opportunities for all. The City Council encourages community members to explore the history of African American labor in all of its various forms and to attend the many celebratory festivals and events taking place throughout this month.
Additional Council Decisions
Additional items approved by the City Council include:
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Approved cash disbursements from January 18 to January 31, 2025.
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Approved minutes of the City Council Meetings held on January 27, 2024.
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Received and filed the Biannual Written Reports of Commissions, Boards, and Committees (CBCs).
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Approved multiple cooperative purchase agreements with the State of California for Dell product hardware (desktops, laptops and monitors). For Fiscal Year 2024-2025, Council approved a blanket purchase order with Dell in the amount of $250,000. To date, the City has spent $32,161 with Dell this fiscal year.
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Authorized the preparation and submission of a letter to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) in support of Alternatives 4 and 5, the inclusion of a direct, on-campus station at UCLA, and a seamless connection to the D Line at the Westwood/UCLA Station for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project. Ridership and travel time estimates from Metro show the highest ridership on Alternatives 4 and 5 and the lowest travel times on Alternatives 4, 5 and 6. You can read the Alternatives available from the Legistar report on the City’s website. Staff will return to City Council with the results from the Environmental Impact Report.
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Approved the renewal of the City’s existing software service agreement with Box, Inc. utilizing CDWG, LLC. or an approved reseller for cloud-based content management providing collaboration, security, and analytics features in an amount not-to-exceed $39,907.60 through December 31, 2025. It also authorized the City Manager to approve amendment(s) to the agreement in an additional amount not-to-exceed 10% of the amount of the agreement for unanticipated costs.
Additional information about each of the topics heard at the City Council meeting can be found in the staff reports and backup attachments for the items, which are posted along with the agenda to the City’s website. The video of the City Council meeting is available on the City’s website for viewing.
The City Council’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 24th and will return to the Mike Balkman Council Chambers as improvements have finished.
City Council proclaimed February 2025 as Black History Month.
About Culver City
Culver City is a five-square-mile, urban community of 40,779 residents surrounded mostly by the City of Los Angeles but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. It is centrally located on the Westside near Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles International Airport. Culver City is particularly known for its well-run public school system, "small town" charm, growing high-tech and creative economies, and a dynamic downtown that is regionally known as a destination for restaurants, live theater, and art galleries.
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