A Field of Dreams: Realized
It is finally here, it is beautiful, and it is a testament to tenacity. The new field at the Civic Center is an example of how a number of individuals with no official support, budget, […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Texas Comes to SMMUSD
Last week Texas suffered a dramatic blow out between the loss of power and the related water system collapse caused by climate change. Just to be clear, climate change includes a relentless increase in average […]
Promenade now – Back to the Future?
Last week, this column reviewed the backstory of the Promenade within the context of Downtown Santa Monica. This week, we discuss ways of looking at the future. The Promenade today resembles the Santa Monica Mall […]
SMa.r.t. Column: The Promenade – Leaving the Past to Reimagine its Future
PART I This week the City Council started discussing the next move for the Santa Monica Promenade, our beleaguered and onetime downtown city jewel. Beset by collapsing sales, contagious vacancies, safety and sanitation issues, the […]
Saving a Failed Marriage Part 4 – Looking to Our Zoning Code for Family Counseling!
Santa Monica has spent 20+ years swimming uphill in a partnership with the development community that isn’t working – a bargain with the devil to increase land values and rents in exchange for a handful […]
Saving a Failed Marriage Part 3 – Reconciliation ??
This is the third of a four-part article dealing with the very serious problem in which the development community in bed with Sacramento has challenged the residents of Santa Monica. The first article outlined the […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Saving a Failed Marriage – Part 2
Every 8 years, the state requires cities to update their planning code’s “housing element” to reflect the number of dwelling units that SCAG (Southern California Association of Governments) determines each city within their countywide jurisdiction […]
SMa.r.t. Column: School Board Dilemmas – Campus Construction Planning and New Member Appointment
Between crafting COVID-era return-to-school plans, fine-tuning Distance Learning, developing major district-wide campus improvements, giving fair process to the Santa Monica High School History Building (slated to be bulldozed this summer along with the cafeteria, main […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Planning Is a Vital Need
[We wrote this article 6.5 years ago. Today, the issues it raises continue to bedevil the city, and with more impact than ever. The results of the pandemic and the State-imposed requirement to provide building […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Yes, Santa Monica, there is a Santa Claus
It’s that time of year again, but tragically this year so many things are staggeringly different and difficult on many levels for the people and businesses here. The joy, peace and good spirits we normally […]
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