More than seven years of negotiations on The Plaza project ended Tuesday after three newly-elected City Council members cast their first significant vote.

Councilmembers Phil Brock, Oscar de la Torre and Christine Parra joined Mayor Sue Himmelrich in a 4-3 vote that killed the proposed 357,000-square-foot mixed-use hotel development on City owned land Downtown.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/December-2020/12_15_2020_New_Council_Kills_Plaza_Project.html

 Interim City Manager Lane Dilg -- who has steered the City through the coronavirus pandemic -- announced she would leave her post next spring, City officials announced Monday evening.

The announcement came shortly after Dilg, who previously served as City Attorney, told the City Council and staff that her family will relocate for public service outside of Santa Monica.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/December-2020/12_15_2020_Dilg_to_Leave_City_Manager_Post.html

Residents of an oceanfront condominium tower have filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the redevelopment of the neighboring Miramar Hotel approved by the City Council in September.

The lawsuit filed last week contends that the 502,157-square-foot project at 101 Wilshire Boulevard violates the coastal land use plan (LUP)), the Downtown Community Plan (DCP) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/December-2020/12_14_2020_Neighboring_Condo_Residents_File_Lawsuit_to_Halt_Miramar_Project.html

A proposal to build a three-story, mixed-use development on Venice Boardwalk recently passed a hurdle in the planning process.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/12/edify-tv-venice-boardwalk-development-passes-hurdle/

As most of you know the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is now forcing Santa Monica to permit 8873 new housing units (of which about 6000 need to be affordable) in the next 8 years (2022-2029). Buttressed by all kinds of interlocking laws and severe financial penalties, SCAG is coercing the City to accept this constitutionally illegal unfunded mandate. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/12/santa-monica-under-scags-boot/

Former Santa Monica Mayor Bob Holbrook -- whose love for his native city steered his positions during a record 24 years on the City Council -- died on Friday after a long illness. He was 79.

Holbrook was long viewed as an independent voice on a Council sometimes prone to ideological pronouncements, serving as an elder statesman whose pragmatic approach was reflected in his campaign slogan -- "the voice of reason."

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/December-2020/12_11_2020_Former_Santa_Monica_Mayor_Bob_Holbrook_Is_Dead_at_79.html

Food-delivery outfit DoorDash sold 33 million shares to institutional investors yesterday for $102 each, raising $3.37 billion, for an initial market value of $38 billion. Shares [DASH] started trading mid-day today, went on to around $190, for an initial pop of 86%, giving it briefly a ridiculous market value of $70 billion, before backing off. In 2018, the company had a “valuation” of $1.4 billion.

Read More: https://wolfstreet.com/2020/12/09/glorious-ipo-spac-bubble-fattened-further-by-ridiculous-doordash-ipo-airbnb-next/

City Council will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 15 for a special meeting to discuss the upcoming Housing Element update.

The Housing Element will be part of a study session and while it doesn’t include a vote, the Tuesday item is an opportunity for Council to provide direction to staff on the process.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/council-begins-housing-element-discussions/199764

Councilmember Sue Himmelrich was elected mayor of Santa Monica for two years on Tuesday in a clear display of power by the newly seated council.

Himmelrich, a slow-growth advocate, was elected in a 5-2 vote after outgoing Mayor Kevin McKeown's motions to elect Councilmember Gleam Davis to replace him repeatedly failed.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/December-2020/12_09_2020_Himmelrich_Elected_Mayor_as_Change_Slate_Takes_Power.html

AND: https://www.smdp.com/sue-himmelrich-selected-to-serve-two-year-term-as-mayor/199742

Santa Monica did what it has done every two years for 150 years, and swore in a new City Council on Tuesday Night.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2020/12/09/news/three-new-santa-monica-city-council-members-sworn-in-tuesday-night-via-zoom/5118.html