City Council Welcomes New Zealand Delegation, Discusses City Sponsorship
The City Council discussed City sponsorship of a New Zealand Hospitality House and Fan Zone during the 2028 Olympics in Town Plaza. The event will include a New Zealand themed Fan Zone throughout Town Plaza, including The Culver Steps, for the 19-day duration of the Olympics. The Hospitality House and Fan Zone would be open and free to the public.
Within Town Plaza, one of New Zealand’s ideas is to construct a series of pavilions along the walkways where displays or activities relating to New Zealand culture, tourism and trade, could showcase New Zealand to the wider community. Blending New Zealand’s culture with Culver City, other ideas include a possible New Zealand Film Festival at the Culver Theater or music concerts, blending sport and arts together during the Olympic Games. New Zealand’s intent, which is still in the early conceptual stage, is that food and beverages will be provided by the existing local vendors and businesses. It has also proposed community activation, outreach and events to take place over the next four years, including partnering with schools and other local organizations. The country’s delegation is seeking to secure exclusive use of the Culver Hotel during this period for their partners’ accommodation, meetings, event, and media space.
Staff estimates that hosting New Zealand’s hospitality house would result in a cost to the City’s General Fund of $527,763. The estimated cost breakdown is available in the staff report.
While the City Council did not vote on approving the City sponsorship, it approved directing staff to begin work along with the City Council Olympic subcommittee and New Zealand’s team to draft a Memorandum of Understanding related to the event, which would return to a future City Council meeting for approval. The City Council also requested that staff look to provide activation and space for other countries that may be interested in using Culver City as a homebase for the Olympics.
Fox Hills & Hayden Tract Specific Plans
Culver City’s General Plan, which was adopted in 2024, identifies the Fox Hills and Hayden Tract neighborhoods as special study areas. To help shape the neighborhoods and provide amenities for existing and future residents, the City has initiated specific plans for both areas. The specific plans will study the neighborhoods in greater detail and are intended to provide regulations for development of buildings, roadways, and guidance for parks and other public amenities.
While Vice Mayor Freddy Puza and Council Member Yasmine-Imani McMorrin recused themselves from the Fox Hills Specific Plan discussion, the remaining City Council Members delayed further discussion. The delay is a result of awaiting a Fair Political Practices Commission ruling on whether McMorrin may participate in any future votes on the Fox Hills Specific Plan due to residing in the neighborhood.
The Hayden Tract Specific Plan envisions transforming the area through updated land use, mobility, and public amenity standards. Currently zoned as Mixed Use Industrial, the area permits commercial, light industrial, and residential development at up to 65 dwelling units per acre and buildings up to 56 feet in height—though developers can exceed these limits by including affordable housing under state density bonus law. While a 1990 ballot initiative restricts building height in certain areas of the city, it does not apply to the Hayden Tract, opening the door for taller buildings—up to 85 feet in some conceptual designs—to create a transition between neighboring Los Angeles developments and residential areas within Culver City. Although residential uses haven’t yet been proposed within the Hayden Tract, large-scale mixed-use developments nearby, like Cumulus and Habitat, signal regional trends. The plan also seeks to redesign streets to prioritize biking and walking, improve connections to Metro stations, and increase access to the Ballona Creek path—currently accessible only via the Higuera Street Bridge. Streets like Steller and Warner Drive offer opportunities for shared-use designs that balance pedestrian, bike, and vehicle access. Additionally, the plan will explore new public amenities, including green space, improved transit access, and better links to nearby parks like Syd Kronenthal and Culver City Park, both currently lacking direct and comfortable connections to the Hayden Tract.
The City Council directed staff to explore increased residential density, increased building heights, parking management options, more onsite parking and less street parking, and to consider the Jefferson corridor in future planning efforts.
You can learn more about both Fox Hills and Hayden Tract Specific Plans on the City’s website.
City Council Discusses Creation of a Local Housing Trust Fund
The City Council discussed the creation of a Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) for the production and preservation of affordable housing in Culver City. LHTF funds can be used for new construction of affordable rental and homeownership units, preservation or rehabilitation of rental and homeownership units, acquisition of vacant land or dilapidated properties, and emergency repairs on homeownership properties that have code violations.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) administers the Local Housing Trust Fund program, which provides matching funds to local and regional housing trust funds dedicated to the creation, rehabilitation, or preservation of affordable housing, transitional housing, and emergency shelters. To be eligible for the state’s program, a Local or Regional Housing Trust Fund is required to be a public, joint public and private, or charitable nonprofit organization, or a public-private partnership organized to receive specific public, or public and private, revenue to address local housing needs. The key characteristic of an LHTF is that it receives ongoing revenues from dedicated sources of funding sufficient to permit the LHTF to comply with the requirements of the Program.
The City Council motioned to direct staff to begin the creation of an affordable housing trust fund, having council provide oversight and designated the Housing and Human Services Director as fund administrator. The 2021 affordable housing linkage fee will be the trust's primary source of funding. The City Council asked staff to return with an analysis of dedicating some portion or all of the City’s transient occupancy tax revenues to the fund. The fund’s primary goal is the production and preservation of affordable housing in Culver City. The establishment of the trust fund will return to City Council for formal adoption this summer.
Mayor Dan O’Brien, Vice Mayor Puza, and Council Members Bubba Fish and McMorrin voted in favor. Council Member Albert Vera, Jr. abstained.
City Council Presents Two Proclamations & One Recognition
The City Council presented two proclamations declaring May as Bike Month and Small Business Month. It also presented a Certificate of Recognition to Kaizuka Sister City Association Chairman Toshiharu Terada.
Small Business Month 2025 - The City of Culver City celebrates our small businesses and the contributions they make to our local community. Small businesses are critical to Culver City’s economy, representing 96 percent of the businesses within the City. They support community organizations and reinvest in our neighborhoods, reflecting the innovation, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit for which our community was founded. Culver City is home to a vibrant and diverse array of small businesses—from family-owned restaurants and boutique retailers to cutting-edge tech startups and local service providers—that enrich the character and quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Small businesses create jobs and boost our local economy, supporting vital City-provided services such as public safety, senior services, after-school programs, street maintenance, and parks. The City recognizes the ongoing challenges small businesses face, including recovery from the lingering impacts of COVID-19, inflationary pressures, and shifting staffing and consumer trends. Culver City remains committed to fostering a business-friendly environment and offers support through programs, partnerships, and the implementation of the Choose Culver City Buy Local, Love Local campaign, which highlights Culver City’s small businesses and commercial business districts. Small Business Month is a time to celebrate our small business community and encourage residents and visitors to shop, dine, and support locally. The City Council of Culver City proclaims the month of May 2025 as Small Business Month in Culver City and encourages all residents and visitors to continue to promote, support, and shop local businesses and celebrate the individuals and families who make them possible.
National Bike Month 2025 - National Bike Month is an opportunity to highlight the many benefits of bicycling and encourage more people to give it a try. Culver City has demonstrated its commitment to bicycling through the approval of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan and Local Road Safety Plan, hosting events like CicLAvia, maintaining a growing network of bike lanes and paths, and sponsoring programs such as Culver City Walk & Rollers and other bike safety initiatives. On “Bike to Work Day,” Thursday, May 15th, Culver CityBus will offer free rides to anyone bringing a bike or helmet on board—details are available at the Culver CityBus website. Throughout May, Culver City, alongside community organizations and regional partners, will continue working to promote greater public awareness of bicycling. Therefore, the City Council of Culver City, California, hereby proclaims May 2025 as “National Bike Month” and encourages all community members and students to enjoy the many benefits of bicycling as a form of transportation and exercise.
Certificate of Recognition – The City Council welcomed Kaizuka Sister City Association Chairman Toshiharu Terada to our community and thanked him for his continued dedication to strengthening the bonds of friendship, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding between our communities. The presence of the Chairman of the Kaizuka International Friendship Association is a true honor and a reflection of the enduring connection between our cities over the past 60 years. We are grateful for the leadership and commitment shown in building bridges that bring people closer together across borders. Both Mayor O’Brien and Chairman Terada exchanged cultural gifts.
Additional Council Decisions
Additional items approved by the City Council include:
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Approved cash disbursements from April 5 to April 18, 2025.
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Approved minutes of the Joint Special City Council Meeting held on March 10, 2025 and the Regular City Council Meeting held on April 14, 2025.
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Awarded 42 Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) to Community Corporation of Santa Monica (CCSM) for the Jubilo Village 95-Unit 100% Affordable New Construction Project. City Council also approved entering into an Agreement to Enter into a Housing Assistance Payments Contract (AHAP).
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Adopted a resolution approving the Engineer’s Report for the Sewer User’s Service Charge, declaring its intention to levy and collect the Sewer User’s Service Charges for Fiscal Year 2025/2026, and setting a public hearing for June 23, 2025. The rates are proposed to increase 3.1% based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics February Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the Los Angeles area for the prior 12-month period ending February 2025 for Fiscal Year 2025/2026.
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Approved an agreement with UKG Kronos Systems, LLC for an online cloud-based timekeeping, scheduling, and attendance management Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. The recommended agreement is for a total amount not-to-exceed $513,000 (including 10% contingency) over five years. The agreement also authorizes the City Manager to approve expenditures to UKG Kronos Systems, LLC in an annual amount not-to-exceed $97,000 allowing for an increase of five percent for annual renewals after the initial five year-term at the sole discretion of the City.
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Adopted a Resolution approving the amended Executive Compensation Plan to include updated Executive Management positions effective July 1, 2023, and adopted a resolution approving the amended salary schedule to include updated Executive Management positions in the Executive Management Plan effective May 5, 2025.
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Awarded an in-kind, off-cycle special event grant in the amount of $1,000 to Artificial Intelligence Los Angeles (AI LA) for the AI on the Lot event and designated the event as City-sponsored.
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Introduced an ordinance approving City-initiated Zoning Code Text Amendment, modifying the Zoning Code pertaining to Accessory Dwelling Units to align with State law. Changes include:
- New information describing ministerially approved State-mandated ADUs;
- No limitation on ADU square footage when converting existing structures;
- Exemption for ADUs and JADUs from Objective Design Standards;
- Removal of the Option for Attached New Construction ADUs to comply with State Law;
- Update to Multifamily ADU allowances related to number of units permitted.
- Adopt a resolution approving and adopting the Comprehensive Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. A breakdown of service fee increases can be found on the City’s website. These increases will go into effect on July 1, 2025. In a study completed by NBS, a government data analytics firm, it reviewed various fees for City services. The study identified an estimated $24.6 million in eligible costs for recovery from fees for service compared to approximately $13.4 million the City is currently collecting each year from fees. The intent of the proposed fee schedule is to improve the City’s recovery of costs incurred to provide individual services, as well as adjust fees to align with the average costs of service calculated in the study, where the fees charged exceed the average costs incurred.
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, May 12th.
The City Council welcomed Kaizuka Sister City Association Chairman Toshiharu Terada to our community and thanked him for his continued dedication to strengthening the bonds of friendship, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding between our communities.
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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