While the January meeting of the General Plan Update committee at the Culver City Senior Center on January 9, 2020 was the first of almost monthly meetings scheduled through the year, it also contained a major policy shift; the committee will be an advisory body.
The General Plan for the city has not been completely updated – ever – but there have been updates in ‘elements’ of the policy from time to time. It has taken most of 2019 to get this GPUC effort to commence, and now, it seems to be needing to begin again by reorganizing to a lower level of authority than it was originally tasked with.
From the city, “State law requires the General Plan include a minimum of eight state-mandated elements: Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Safety, Environmental Justice, Conservation, Open Space, and Noise. Beyond these elements, the Culver City General Plan Update will also touch on topics that are unique to the city today: Economic Development; Public Realm and Urban Design; Mobility; Cultural and Arts; Health, Wellness, and Equity; Sustainability and Climate Change; Infrastructure and Public Facilities; and Smart Cities.
But when the committee was originally convened, there was an authority to create policy that it no longer has. The pipeline (as shown in the graphic presented at the meeting) gives equal weight from community members and committee members, with the policy changes being moved through the usual channels of the city staff, Planning Commission and the City Council.
There is a public event planned for Feb. 8th to include a large slice of community to get involved with the update. For more details go to www.pictureculvercity.com/#home-section
Judith Martin-Straw
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