Budget changes, financial forecasts, food trucks, affordable housing, plastic bags, bicycle licensing, and land use – just a few issues the Santa Monica City Council will be discussing at tonight’s council meeting at City Hall.
The Council has a full agenda for its Feb. 8 meeting, which begins later this afternoon at 5:30 pm, with a broad range several ordinances and administrative items up for discussion and consideration.
Many of the ordinances on today’s council agenda were first introduced at previous meetings, with second readings on tap for bicycle licensure, plastic bag ban, development procedures in light of LUCE implementation, and the adoption of a Los Angeles County regulation regulating food trucks.
The potential adoption of enhanced mobile food vending regulations is slated for public hearing despite its designation as a second reading. If the ordinance passes tonight, the City’s municipal code would be updated “to implement the entirety of the Los Angeles County public health and food safety laws within Santa Monica;” the City has not incorporated a County decree of public health and food safety laws since 1998.
In syncing up with County guidelines, the proposed city ordinance would adopt, among other issues, the requirement mobile food vendors “to file a ‘Mobile Food Facility Route Sheet’ with the County (detailing) the arrival and departure times for each location where retail food business would be conducted;” this requirement must be complied with in addition to meeting the same minimum public health and safety standards imposed upon non-mobile restaurants.
Also on tap are a pair of budgetary items, including discussion of the mid-year 2010-11 budget, emerging budget issues between fiscal years 2011 and 2013, a five-year financial forecast, and expenditure control.
A pair of agenda items on tonight’s agenda are first readings, including a proposed ordinance on suspension of library privileges for those who violate the Rules of Conduct, as well as an amendment to the Santa Monica Municipal Code modifying density bonus and affordable housing incentives to be consistent with state law.
Among the issues covered on the consent calendar include: separate recommendations to purchase fire equipment and a cold milling machine; relocation plan for affordable housing at 520 Colorado Avenue; interim purchase order for liquefied natural gas for the Big Blue Bus; amending a current purchase order for a natural gas engine overhaul services contract; and, recommendation of a professional services agreement for street lighting design services.