VOLUME 14  NO. 4

SANTA MONICA FESTIVAL 2007:
REVEL WITH A CAUSE

Revelers at the 16th annual Santa Monica Festival at Clover Park will enjoy an electrifying day of music, dance and visual arts, delivered by some of L.A.’s most exciting performers and artists in a beautiful, eco-friendly setting. This celebrated community event, to be held SUNDAY, MAY 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., will honor the many cultures that have shaped Santa Monica’s history and the environment that sustains it.

BIKEAPALOOZA continues throughout the day with experts teaching basic bicycle repair, the Orange 20 Flatlanders showing off awesome bike stunts, the Los Angeles Bike Coalition providing safety tips and maps of bike paths in Santa Monica and beyond, and there’s even a bicycle raffle.

Performers on the OCEAN STAGE include Bollywood Step Dance—fusing hip-hop, jazz, salsa, East Indian classical, folk and bhangra dancing—and The Rhythm Roots Allstars, who will unleash their huge, celebratory sound loaded with drums and percussion, a full horn section, guitars, bass and steel pans.

Continued on page 6

MAJOR MATTERS EXPECTED TO COME
BEFORE CITY COUNCIL
IN MAY AND JUNE

The long-range nature of this list means that some items may not be heard in the month originally scheduled, as new matters emerge and agendas are re-worked. No item will come to Council before the date originally published. Also available on-line at www.smgov.net.

THIS NEW PARKING STRUCTURE IS SUSTAINABLE!

The six-level, 880-space Civic Center Parking Structure, under construction at the corner of Olympic Boulevard and 4th Street for the past two years, was opened to public use in mid-April. Integral to the planned future of the Civic Center, the city’s newest structure will free the current parking lot for much-needed community open space. Additionally, the structure will accommodate increasing parking demand created by visitors to the county courthouse, City Hall and the Public Safety Facility. This is the first parking structure in the country expected to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification, the recognized standard for measuring building sustainability in both design and construction.

In keeping with Santa Monica’s commitment to sustainability, the garage accommodates electric vehicles with recharging stations and bicycles with safe-storage units. Its top floor features photovoltaic (solar) panels that will generate renewable energy—181,000 watts of electricity, more than 30% of the building’s operating needs—and serve as shade canopies for vehicles. Additional sustainability features include storm water treatment, use of reclaimed water for flushing and landscape irrigation, recycled construction waste and environmentally friendly paint.

Beautifully and colorfully lit in the evening, the architectural details include precast panels constructed from recycled materials and neon lighting interspersed between colored glass panels. Each level of the structure features artwork, constructed from salvaged materials, by the artist Mark Lere. In addition to Lere, other project partners included ARB Construction, International Parking Design and Moore Ruble Yudell Architects.

As SeaScape went to press, the city was conducting negotiations with a prospective tenant for a restaurant/café. Other tenant uses in the parking structure are to be determined.

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MAY IS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MONTH:
HAVE YOU GOT 7?

The Santa Monica Fire Department has teamed up with the American Red Cross to encourage all Santa Monica residents to be prepared for an unexpected disaster by keeping at least seven days of food, water and supplies on hand. Seven days is now the rule of thumb for the time it may take to restore public services after a major disaster, so a seven-day disaster kit will help you and your family endure the rigors of an extended emergency situation.

Look for representatives of the American Red Cross of Santa Monica at your local Albertsons, Trader Joe’s, Vons and Whole Foods markets on weekends in May. They will have checklists, supplies and useful information to help you and your family get prepared. Also, take a moment to fill out an “I’ve Got 7” pledge card at their table or on-line at www.ivegot7.org, and join the many people in our community who’ve declared their intention—and gathered the necessary supplies—to be prepared. All pledge cards will be entered into a drawing for prizes!

Here are seven steps that can make the difference between surviving an emergency with relative peace of mind and struggling to keep yourself and your family safe.

Visit www.ivegot7.org for more information or call the city’s emergency services office at (310) 458-8686.