City Council meeting returned to hybrid format after originally barring call-in comments

City Council will hold an in-person hybrid meeting at 6 p.m. this evening and will be addressing the hot topic of Public Safety after it was postponed last week.

Originally, the meeting had been scheduled as a purely in-person meeting where public commenters would not be allowed to call in or join the Zoom meeting. The rule was re-instated on Monday, hours ahead of the meeting.

Additional Call-in Option:
• Dial-in #: 669-900-6833
• Meeting I.D.:  846 8897 6272, then #

Members of the public have been able to call in to deliver Public Comments for nearly two years, but they will not be able to do so at tonight’s meeting. Those who wish to comment on matters before the City Council must appear in person.

Commenters may also submit written correspondence to [email protected] or submit an E-Comment by visiting www.weho.org/wehotv no later than 2:00 p.m. today.  Written correspondence and E-Comments will not be read into the record during the City Council meeting; however, correspondence received by 2:00 p.m. will be forwarded to the City Council and posted on the City’s website as part of the official meeting record.  Your comments and information will become part of the official public record.  If you do not want your personal information included in the official record, please do not include your address and/or phone number.

Highlights from tonight’s agenda

Please join us virtually onMonday, April 4, 2022,at 6:00 pm, for ourregular City Council Meeting. The meeting will be conducted in-person at Council Chambers at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069.

You can access the Agenda packethere.What follows are some highlights.Please note, an important conversation, the Public Safety Update (Item 4C), is back on this Monday’s agenda.Members of the public who wish to comment on matters before the City Council are strongly encouraged to show up at Council Chambers to speak or submit written correspondence to [email protected] or submit an E-Comment by visiting www.weho.org/wehotv no later than 2:00 pm on Council meeting day.

Consent Calendar:

2.D. COMMISSION AND ADVISORY BOARD MEETING SYNOPSES [M. CROWDER, A. POBLADOR]: The City Council will receive Synopses from the Human Services Commission, Public Safety Commission, Transportation Commission, and Russian Advisory Board regarding actions taken at their recent meeting.
STAFF REPORT 

2.E. APPROVE AND SCHEDULE A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION, LESBIAN & GAY ADVISORY BOARD, TRANSGENDER ADVISORY BOARD, AND WOMEN’S ADVISORY BOARD TO ADDRESS NIGHTLIFE SAFETY IN WEST HOLLYWOOD [J. JIMENEZ, M. CROWDER, A. POBLADOR]: The City Council will approve and schedule a Special Study Session with representatives of some of the City’s Commissions and Advisory Boards to address nightlife safety in the City as well as approve a date for the meeting.
STAFF REPORT

2.F. CANNABIS ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE [J. LEONARD, D. RIVAS, Y. BENITEZ]:  The City Council will receive and file an update on the implementation of the City’s cannabis ordinance, including an update on the progress made by the top scoring applicants in opening their businesses.
STAFF REPORT 

2.G. APPROVAL OF 2023 ARTS GRANT PROGRAM [J. LEONARD, R. EHEMANN, E. ANGELOFF]: The City Council will consider approving the City of West Hollywood’s 2023 Arts Grant Program guidelines, schedule, and funding, apart from the WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival (formerly known as One City One Pride), as recommended by the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission.
STAFF REPORT 

2.M. CO-SPONSORSHIP OF THE LGBTQ+ CANCER SYMPOSIUM WITH CEDARS-SINAI [L. MEISTER, Y. QUARKER, A. LOVANO, M. MARQUEZ]: The City Council will consider co-sponsoring the LGBTQ+ Cancer Symposium to be hosted by Cedars-Sinai on June 2-3, 2022, at the Sofitel Hotel (8555 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles).
STAFF REPORT 

2.O. 2022 WEST HOLLYWOOD FUNDRAISER FOR REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE IN RECOGNITION OF RUSSIAN ARTS AND CULTURE MONTH [Y. QUARKER, A. LOVANO, T. RODZINEK]:  The City Council will receive an update on the programming for Russian Arts and Culture Month, which will take place in May 2022. On Sunday, May 22, 2022, the City, and its Russian Advisory Board will host a West Hollywood Fundraiser for Refugees from Ukraine in place of its annual Russian Arts and Culture Festival programming. The events throughout the month are endorsed by the Russian Advisory Board and will be held in person and turned into online events, if necessary, in case of new COVID-19 emergency orders.
STAFF REPORT 

Unfinished Business:

4.A. DISCUSSION REGARDING RESUMING IN-PERSON COMMISSION, ADVISORY BOARD, AND TASK FORCE MEETINGS [D. WILSON, L. LANGER, J. JIMENEZ, M. CROWDER]: The City Council will discuss resuming in-person Commission, Advi
sory Board, and Task Force meetings.
STAFF REPORT 

4.C. PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE [K. COOK, E. RAMIREZ, D. SMITH, D. RIVAS, C. SCHROEDER, C. PLANCK, D. GIUGNI]: The City Council will receive an update on public safety activities, including updates on crime statistics from July to December 2021; Block by Block eastside kiosk; protocols for taking criminal reports; audit of Sheriff’s contract; justice and equity in policing initiatives; Public Safety Commission activities; collaboration between social services outreach and law enforcement; and interdepartmental activities.
STAFF REPORT 
ITEM 4.C. – ATTACHMENT A 
ITEM 4.C. – ATTACHMENT B 
ITEM 4.C. – ATTACHMENT C 

New Business:

5.A. SAFE CANNABIS USE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN [L. MEISTER, J. ERICKSON, Y. QUARKER, A. LOVANO]: The City Council will consider directing staff to develop an education campaign focusing on safe adult use of cannabis in light of the anticipated opening of new retail stores and lounges. The City Council will also consider directing staff to monitor cannabis licensee training protocols and report back to Council on program compliance. 
STAFF REPORT 

5.B. MID-CITY STREET LANTERNS [S. SHYNE, L. HORVATH, Y. QUARKER, A. LOVANO]: The City Council will consider installing decorative lanterns across Santa Monica Boulevard in the mid-city area of West Hollywood.STAFF REPORT 

5.C. RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL VACANCY TAX [L. MEISTER, S. SHYNE, Y. QUARKER, A. LOVANO]: The City Council will consider directing staff to perform an analysis of residential and commercial vacancy taxes. As part of the analysis, staff will perform community outreach with relevant stakeholders and will enter into an Agreement for Services to perform a statistically significant community survey on the potential local ballot initiatives. Staff will return to City Council with the results of the analysis, polling data, and next steps for consideration to place the vacancy tax measures on the November 2022 ballot. 
STAFF REPORT 

5.D. BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE TOUR [J. ERICKSON, Y. QUARKER, A. LOVANO]: The City Council will consider directing staff to develop a bicycle infrastructure tour in partnership with the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition and other members of the City’s Bicycle & Micromobility Working Group, as well as the consultants working on the protected bicycle lane feasibility studies. Representatives from staff and/or the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition will lead the City Councilmembers on individual guided bicycle tours to review and experience the existing bicycle infrastructure. The bicycle infrastructure tour route will also be made available to community members, Transportation Commissioners, and others who are interested in participating on their own. 
STAFF REPORT 

Legislative:

6.A. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD AMENDING CHAPTER 3.20 REGARDING LIVING WAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVICE CONTRACTS [D. WILSON, C. SAFRIET, L. LANGER]: The City Council will consider amendments to Title 3 (Revenue and Finance) of the West Hollywood Municipal Code Chapter 3.20 concerning Living Wage requirements for Service Contracts.
STAFF REPORT