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Thank You for Participating !

March/April 2007: The Land Use and Circulation Element project completed a four-part series of public workshops focused on Placemaking. These community events were designed to look at the building blocks of our city: the neighborhoods and the commercial areas that can be areas of gathering and social interaction for them. Planners from the City’s Planning & Community Development Department selected three areas for focused study based on proximity to services and transportation, potential for placemaking and strong neighborhood identity. The City Planning Division also conducted a Youth Outreach program that ran parallel to the workshops, which gave representatives of the younger generation a chance to weigh in on the neighborhood centers with which they are familiar. Maps created in the Youth Outreach Program were displayed at their corresponding workshop.

The series concluded with a community-wide event on May 7th that brought together the various ideas generated from the previous three workshops. At this meeting, residents were given a presentation on placemaking principles and encouraged to show their level of support for each principle, which was generally very high. Staff also presented a variety of short term improvements that will ocurr in advance of the Land Use and Circulation Element update so that residents and business members can begin to realize the effects of increased community dialogue. Below are some photos of the event.

Pico Neighborhood: March 26th 2007

Wilshire / Mid-Cities Neighborhoods: March 28th 2007

Ocean Park / Sunset Park Neighborhoods: April 5 th 2007

Youth Outreach Program: Edison Elementary, Olympic High School, Police Activities League, Virginia Avenue Park Teen Club

Shape the Future 2025/Motion by the Ocean at the 2006 Santa Monica Festival

On May 14, 2006, over a thousand Santa Monica Festival visitors stopped by the Planning and Community Development booth to participate in the Land Use and Circulation Elements project. Staff adminstered a display designed to capture the community's desire for certain quality of life elements. Using a "thermometer" scale, participants showed how "hot" these goals were to them when thinking about Santa Monica's future. By the end of the day, it was clear that participants had embraced the thirteen citywide goals:

Land Use Element Draft Goals

• Balanced Growth: For a pattern of development that promotes diversity, inclusiveness and a variety of transportation choices other than single-driver automobile use and which is compatible with the surrounding community
• Enhanced and Protected Resources: To protect and enhance the quality of our natural and cultural resources for their scenic, economic, social and environmental values
• Connected and Protected Neighborhoods: For safe, secure, walkable and unique neighborhoods that are connected with quality public spaces and amenities and are protected from the encroachment of incompatible uses and activities
• Community Design: For attractive, interesting and inviting places, spaces and activities that enhance our quality of life
• Local Identity / Regional Context: To be a distinct local community that is regionally connected and manages regional pressures in a way that provides maximum benefit to the local community and to visitors
• Environmental Responsibility: For sustainable human activity that respects the environment and protects it for future generations by reducing our ecological footprint
• Community Care: To be responsive to the diverse social, cultural, educational and creative needs and interests of its residents, business community and visitors

Circulation Element Draft Goals

• Effective Transportation System: For everyone to get where they need to go comfortably, and where walking, bicycling and using transit replace as many auto trips as possible to reduce congestion and maintain mobility as travel demand grows
• Universal Safety: For pedestrians, cyclists, transit-riders and drivers to feel and be safe regardless of their age or ability
• Well-Designed Spaces: For quality designed pedestrian-oriented public spaces so people can travel quickly and comfortably, can enjoy the outdoors and interact with other people
• Local and Regional Mobility: For people to be able to travel easily within Santa Monica and to and from regional destinations in a way that preserves the quality of life in residential neighborhoods
• Environmental Responsibility: For a transportation system that minimizes, and where possible eliminates, pollution, energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle congestion
• Community Care: For a transportation system that links conveniently placed land uses and amenities to enable people to be healthy, to pursue fitness, cultural, educational and commercial opportunities and to participate in the community

Shape the Future 2025/Motion by the Ocean Opportunities and Challenges Report Community Open House

On August 16, 2005, more than 60 members of the community attended an Open House Community Meeting at the Ken Edwards Center hosted by the Planning and Community Development Department to informally discuss and answer questions about the Opportunities and Challenges report prior to Planning Commission and City Council hearings on the report.

This event provided an opportunity to interact with staff and other participants to better understand the report, which contains information about current demographics, economic structure, housing capacity, level of development and other data and future projections that are important to consider as the city shapes its future.    

The event included an opportunity to provide written feedback in the form of letters to the Planning Commission and City Council.

The City Council made this Open House possible by extending the public review period for milestone work products in this process, such as the Opportunities and Challenges report.

Shape the Future 2025 and Motion by the Ocean Attract Attention at the Santa Monica Festival

On May 14, 2005, hundreds of Santa Monica Festival visitors stopped by the Planning & Community Development (PCD) booth and caught up on the Land Use and Circulation Elements project progress.  With colorful displays, fun activities, free water, and a treasure hunt with great prizes, the booth was a festival favorite. PCD was proud to display the department’s accomplishments and the results of the extensive public outreach since the project was launched at the 2004 Santa Monica Festival with the first Motion by the Ocean booth. Click to see the May 14 Santa Monica Festival Summary.

Twelve “themes,” expressing visions for the City’s future, compiled from community input received in the last year, were illustrated. Visitors voted with dot stickers on the themes that were most important to them and in return received the first of four colored wrist bands. And nobody was too young to vote.   

After collecting three more wrist bands from some of PCD’s partners in this major planning effort – Environmental Programs, Walk Santa Monica, and the Big Blue Bus – folks returned to the booth to claim their rewards.

And here’s what they said:

Click to see the April 21 Youth Planning Forum Summary

Click to see the January 22 Community Workshop Summary

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