January 13, 2026
Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

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 […]

Opinion: Councilmember Davis on Miramar Recusal

By Gleam Davis, Santa Monica City Councilmember Prior to receiving any inquiry from any member of the public, I timely sought an opinion regarding whether I had a potential conflict of interest regarding the Miramar […]

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: Saving a Failed Marriage – Part 1

After several decades of wedlock and blind pursuit, our Santa Monica City Council finds itself in a failed marriage with the development community – succumbing to developers’ need and greed, to increased heights, densities and […]

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 […]