Politics & Government

Tonight: Reacting to Tsunamis, Saving Village Trailer Park

How emergency teams respond to tsunamis and the possibility of saving the Village Trailer Park are on the Santa Monica City Council agenda. A vote is also scheduled on allowing electric car showrooms to move onto the Third Street Promenade.

If a tsunami were to strike Santa Monica, evacuations would extend up to 4th Street under a new emergency response plan set for review by the City Council Tuesday night.

It’s the properties on Main Street, south of Pico Boulevard, that would be most affected, flooded with ankle-deep water. Additionally, local leaders should assume there would be impacts to the  on Pacific Coast Highway, the release of toxic pollutants from the city's urban runoff recycling facility and “significant damage” to the , the report says.

However, local topography will protect the majority of Santa Monica from the devastating effects of tsunamis witnessed in other parts of the world, according to the report.

Find out what's happening in Santa Monicawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This spring, Santa Monica was placed under following a massive earthquake that rocked the east coast of Honshu, Japan's largest island.

Ultimately, the biggest waves at measured just 2.8 feet, but recent tsunamis like that one “serve as a reminder of the need for an effective tsunami response plan," wrote Ken Semko, Santa Monica's emergency manager, in a memo to the City Council.

Find out what's happening in Santa Monicawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The new emergency response plan—which will require council approval before it officially goes into effect—includes steps to notify, evacuate and communicate with the public when such advisories, more critical warnings and milder “watches” are in effect.

The Tsunami Response Plan can be viewed in its entirety here. The City Council is scheduled to comment on the plan at its 6:30 p.m. meeting in council chambers at City Hall, 1685 Main Street.

Also at Tuesday's meeting:

  • Affordable Housing Alternatives for Village Trailer Park Residents

Talk will continue about ways to either to save the Village Trailer Park or find other affordable options for its residents. The park's owners want to develop the property with 393 condos, 105,334 square feet of offices and 11,710 square feet of retail. The city could consider purchasing the park, but, according to staffers' estimates, it would cost upwards of $22 million.

  • Disputed Electric Car Showrooms

Will the Third Street Promenade turn into the Las Vegas strip? We’re not talking gambling—rather, showrooms for electric-powered vehicles. The Planning Commission was split about whether to allow up to four of them in the city’s landmark shopping destination. As the Santa Monica Daily Press and the Santa Monica Mirror reported, one commissioner called the dealerships too “Vegas-ish.

But compared to traditional auto dealerships, these showrooms will attract more visitors, said David Martin, the city’s planning and community development director.

The proposal to allow them to set up shop is now headed to a City Council vote. It would require the businesses to obtain special permits before opening.

  • $150K Santa Monica Airport Consultants

The council will vote on whether to write a check for up to $148,280 to consultants who will train and help staffers facilitate community discussions as part of the "visioning process" for the future of the  Santa Monica Airport.

  • Benefit Boosts for Residential Tenants

Renters who are or who are living with seniors, children or someone who is disabled may see a boost in city-mandated relocation benefits.

City law requires landlords to pay permanent relocation benefits to tenants who are evicted because the property owner either takes the unit off the rental market or seeks to demolish it. Payments vary based on the number of rooms in a unit, but could increase by as much as $2,450 if approved by the City Council.

 

To view the entire agenda for the Dec. 6 City Council meeting, visit the city's website.


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