Santa Monica to Enforce Bus Lane and Stop Parking With Cameras and Hefty Fines
Big Blue Bus Cameras Will Capture Violators Blocking Bus Lanes or Stops
Starting Sept. 1, drivers who block bus lanes or bus stops in Santa Monica will face $293 fines under a new automated enforcement program launched by the city’s Department of Transportation and Police Department.
The Automated Bus Lane and Bus Stop Enforcement (ABLE) program equips Big Blue Bus vehicles with two frontfacing cameras, including license plate recognition technology, to detect and record illegally parked cars. Registered vehicle owners will then receive citations by mail.
The rollout follows a 60-day warning period that began July 1, during which violators were issued notices but no fines. In that time, ABLE identified 352 illegal parking incidents in bus lanes and 777 at bus stops.
“The number of violations detected by ABLE during the warning period is eyecatching, yet not surprising,” Department of Transportation Director Anuj Gupta said. “It underscores the urgent need for programs like ABLE that help enforce existing laws designed to keep our communities moving safely and reliably. Clear bus lanes and stops will help us deliver more efficient service for thousands of Big Blue Bus riders every day.”
City officials say even a single vehicle parked illegally can delay up to 60 riders, create accessibility problems for passengers with disabilities, and pose safety risks for pedestrians and motorists. The impacts are felt most by seniors, students, low-income residents, and others who depend on public transit.
By keeping bus corridors clear, Santa Monica officials say ABLE will advance the city’s goals of building a more efficient and equitable transit system while reinforcing priorities for clean streets, safe neighborhoods, and sustainable transportation.
Beloved Santa Monica Art Gallery to Close Amid Financial Hardships
Originally opened in 1987, the gallery was the first tenant in Frank Gehry’s Edgemar building
in Santa Monica
After nearly four decades, Lois Lambert Gallery, known for its focus on functional art, will close its doors on September 30, 2025. Gallery owner Lois Lambert announced the decision, citing rising costs and financial challenges that have made continuing operations unsustainable.
Originally opened in 1987 as the Gallery of Functional Art, the gallery was the first tenant in Frank Gehry’s Edgemar building in Santa Monica. In 1994, Lambert relocated to Bergamot Station, rebranding it as Lois Lambert Gallery. The gallery has since represented over 100 emerging and mid-career artists from the United States, Latin America, South America, Europe, and Asia, showcasing
works in painting, sculpture, mixed media, and photography. Adjacent to the main space, Our Gallery Store offered high-design and artist-made objects, while the Project Room and Upstairs Gallery, added in 2017, provided additional exhibition areas.
Lambert expressed gratitude to her customers, stating, “I can no longer bear the expense of running the gallery, and it’s time to step away.” To mark the closure, she will host a “Going Out of Business” sale from September 1 to September 30, with discounts escalating weekly: 20% to 30% off the first week, 30% to 40% off the second, 40% to 50% off the third, and further reductions in the final week based on remaining inventory.
Post-closure, Lambert will remain available for consultations and advice by telephone and plans to organize “pop-up” exhibitions, with updates to be shared via email. “Thank you for being part of this journey,” she wrote, signing off with gratitude.
Santa Monica Police Chief Resigns, Deputy Chief Fills Role
City Manager Chi praised Batista’s leadership, stating, “His dedication and vision have positively shaped our Police Department.”
Santa Monica Police Chief Ramón Batista announced his resignation late Friday, August 22 after nearly four years leading the department, city officials said. Deputy Chief Darrick Jacob has been appointed acting chief, effective immediately, to guide the department through the transition.
Batista, who joined the Santa Monica Police Department in 2021 from Mesa, Arizona, submitted his resignation to City Manager Oliver Chi and shared a public letter addressing the community. During his tenure, Batista oversaw the recruitment of numerous new officers, implemented a departmental strategic plan, and
contributed to regional efforts to address retail theft.
City Manager Chi praised Batista’s leadership, stating, “His dedication and vision have positively shaped our Police Department.” Chi expressed gratitude for Batista’s service but did not specify a reason for his departure.
Jacob, a 20-year veteran of the Santa Monica Police Department, steps into the role of acting chief after serving as deputy chief since 2020. Previously, he worked with the Northridge Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. A U.S. Navy veteran, Jacob holds a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master’s degree in public administration from California State University, Northridge.
Chi expressed confidence in Jacob’s ability to lead, citing his extensive experience overseeing the department’s day-to-day operations. “With his knowledge and leadership approach, I am confident that our staff and community will be well served,” Chi said.
The city has not announced a timeline for selecting a permanent replacement for Batista.
THE WATER
The Big One: A Homeowner’s Guide to HOA Earthquake Insurance Or:
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Percentage-Based Deductibles
SMa.r.t.
Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
About one in five Santa Monica residents lives in a condo. Some own, some rent, some sit on the HOA finance committee, others barely know there is one. None of that matters when the ground shakes. The quake doesn’t check your deed before rattling your dishes. And like it or not, everyone’s future is tied up in the same opaque web of earthquake insurance.
It’s not exactly cocktail-party material. The jargon is thick, the math confusing, and what’s supposed to bring peace of mind often breeds more anxiety. In an HOA, that anxiety compounds: your own financial security is welded to the decisions of people whose names you might not even know.
So the policy sits there, buried in HOA paperwork, ignored until the day it isn’t. That’s the odd bargain of condo life in earthquake country. You live not just on shaky ground, but on shaky agreements, trusting that both will hold when it matters.
The Deductible That Ate L.A.
The trouble begins with the deductible. In most forms of insurance, a deductible is a modest obstacle: five hundred dollars to repair a fender, a thousand to replace a refrigerator that gave up too soon. The numbers sting but do not threaten bankruptcy. Earthquake insurance for condominiums works differently. In the HOA’s earthquake insurance policy, a “ten percent deductible” does not mean ten percent of the damage. It means ten percent of the building’s entire insured value.
A ten-million-dollar building with a ten-percent deductible produces a onemillion-dollar bill before the insurer writes its first check. That sum is divided among residents according to the formulas of their HOA, formulas once scanned casually during escrow and since forgotten. The reminder comes after the quake, in the form of a “special assessment.”
Special assessments are democracy’s version of the collection notice. They appear when the HOA board decides (or discovers) that reserves are insufficient and costs must be shared. The logic is sound; the effect is punishing. Residents have little choice but to contribute.
There is, however, a species of insurance that covers this particular disaster-within-a-disaster: “loss assessment coverage.” It pays the owner’s share of the deductible imposed by the earthquake policy. It is, in other words,
insurance for insurance. Without it, the check to cover the deductible comes directly from the homeowner’s account. With it, the account remains intact, though the sense of absurdity deepens.
California has attempted to insert guardrails. The Davis–Stirling Act, which governs common-interest developments, limits special assessments without a membership vote to five percent of the HOA’s annual budget. But earthquake deductibles often exceed budgets. An eight-million-dollar building with a tenpercent deductible can owe eight hundred thousand dollars. Few associations budget at that scale. The result is that repair costs, following a quake, are often subject not to board decision but to membership referendum.
This is governance at its most precarious: a body of traumatized homeowners, some displaced, some financially wounded, asked to vote on whether to repair their homes at extraordinary cost. The alternatives, higher premiums for lower deductibles, lower premiums for higher deductibles, are themselves often political, fought out in HOA meetings where the desire to save now collides with the fear of paying later.
The marketplace complicates things further. Traditional insurers, bound by California regulation, have been retreating from the state’s most volatile markets. In their place are “excess and surplus lines” carriers, out-of-state companies exempt from many ordinary regulatory requirements, permitted to adjust rates at will, not backed by California guarantee funds. They are agile, sometimes the only available option, and sometimes ephemeral. They prefer “best-protected communities,” meaning buildings least likely to collapse. Those in need of protection the most find themselves least able to obtain it.
The net effect is an odd kind of exposure: residents believe themselves covered, but their protection is hedged with caveats, ceilings, and deductibles so large as to resemble fresh liabilities. What appeared as safety sometimes resolves, after the fact, into debt.
For homeowners, the lessons are both obvious and hard to swallow. One must read the HOA documents, line by line. One must understand the earthquake policy deductible, in numbers sometimes large enough to hurt. One must carry loss assessment coverage and ask, occasionally, whether reserves are sufficient. One must attend the HOA meetings where the debate over premiums versus deductibles is conducted with all the gravity of municipal government, though on a scale both smaller and more personal.
The wisest owners do all this, and then wait for the inevitable. Some move away before the ground reminds them what they bought. Some remain, calculating that the odds favor them, or that life in California is worth the gamble.
And yet, the gamble is never quite what it seems. The ground does not recognize budgets. It does not acknowledge deductibles, reserves, assessments, or member votes. It shakes, and the abstractions resolve into figures on a page, payable immediately. The beauty of California is that everyone knows the risks. The ugliness is that, despite this knowledge, many discover too late that their protection works differently than they imagined.
In the end, earthquake insurance is less a shield than a wager: a hedge against geology, played on terms set by insurers, lawyers, homeowners, and HOA boards. And geology, as Californians learn each generation, is not sentimental. It does not negotiate. It always wins.
Daniel Jansenson, Architect, for SMa.r.t., Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Robert H. Taylor, Architect AIA;
Architect AIA (former Planning Commissioner); Sam Tolkin, Architect (former Planning Commissioner); Michael Jolly AIRCRE; Jack Hillbrand, Architect AIA, Landmarks Commission Architect; Daniel Jansenson, Architect (former Building & Fire-Life Safety Commissioner); Phil Brock, Santa Monica Mayor (ret).; Matt Hoefler, Architect NCARB
Thane Roberts, Architect; Mario FondaBonardi,
Santa Monica Place Hosts Weekly Western
Wednesday Line Dancing
No prior dance experience is required, and attendees are encouraged to bring enthusiasm and comfortable shoes
Santa Monica Place will launch its firstever Weekly Western Wednesday, a series of free line dancing classes, starting Sept. 3, 2025, and continuing every Wednesday through Oct. 29, 2025. The events, held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Center Plaza, aim to bring a lively, community-focused experience to the shopping destination.
Professional instructors will lead the high-energy sessions, with TMR & Co. Dancers guiding September classes and Urban Boot Scoot taking over in October. No prior dance experience is required, and attendees are encouraged to bring enthusiasm and comfortable shoes.
“We’re thrilled to introduce Weekly Western Wednesday as a fun, inclusive way for the community to come together,” said a Santa Monica Place spokesperson. “It’s a unique opportunity to enjoy free dance classes in the heart of Santa Monica.”
Guests can enhance their evening with pre-dance happy hour specials at nearby restaurants. LouLou Santa Monica will offer Golden Hour from 3 to 6 p.m., featuring discounted cocktails and a complimentary bite with the first drink.
The Cheesecake Factory will host a happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. in its bar area, with reduced-price drinks and popular appetizers. Curious Palate will provide discounted craft beer and wine from 5 to 6 p.m. in its market-inspired setting.
The events are free to attend, though RSVPs are encouraged via Eventbrite.com. Santa Monica Place is located at 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, CA 90401. For more information, visit Eventbrite. com
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• 4100 sqft. Home
• 6 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 4 baths, 2 living rooms, family room, 2 laundry rooms.
• Large 3 car garage, hot tub room, storage room
• 1 bedroom guest/caretaker apartment in outbuilding.
• Shared private access to Yellowstone River across street. Fly Fishermen’s Heaven!
• Deeded right to build another residence and 2 guest houses. Very private, long driveway. Lots of special features.
• Log sided, with log themed porches, large fenced in yard. Above ground pool w/large deck, children’s play yard.
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• Duplex Layout with access between unit. Perfect for single family or two families with additional deeded building options, even a group of people or vacation rental income.
• Fantastic views.
• 20 min to Yellowstone park, 25 min to Livingston, 1 hour to Bozeman.
• Other out buildings and greenhouse.
• Comes with it’s own small bulldozer for winter plowing.
• Some corral fencing. Great property for horses.
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Raising Cane’s Plans New Location on 3rd Street Promenade
The move marks the chain’s latest expansion in California
Louisiana-based fast-food chain Raising Cane’s confirmed to the Santa Monica Mirror that it will bring its signature chicken-finger meals to Santa Monica’s iconic 3rd Street Promenade, with a new restaurant slated to debut at 1401 3rd Street in summer 2026.
The move marks the chain’s latest expansion in California, following plans for four new Bay Area locations announced earlier this week.
The Santa Monica location will feature a modern, airy design tailored to the coastal spirit of the area, distinguishing it from other Raising Cane’s outlets, according to a company representative. The menu will include sides like crinkle-cut fries, Texas Toast, and iced tea.
Founded by Todd Graves in 1996 near Louisiana State University, Raising Cane’s was named after Graves’ Labrador Retriever. In the Bay Area, new sites are set to open in Morgan Hill this fall, San Jose next spring, San Francisco in late summer 2026, and Berkeley following the recent closure of a Walgreens at 2310 Telegraph Avenue, as reported by KTVU.
Coyotes Raise Safety Concerns in Santa Monica: Aggressive Incidents, Illegal Feeding Reported
Authorities Warn Residents After Cyclists Charged, Incidents
Continue
Over ThreeWeek Period
Coyote activity continues to raise safety concerns in Santa Monica, with multiple incidents reported over the past three weeks involving aggressive behavior and unlawful feeding, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Between July 20 and July 26, Animal Control officers set a trap at a home on the 2400 block of 7th Street after reports that a coyote frequently visited the property. On July 27, residents on the 400 block of San Vicente Boulevard said coyotes charged
cyclists and showed little fear of people, prompting neighbors to escort one another for safety.
During inspections in the same area, officers learned that a resident had been leaving food out for coyotes. They later witnessed a coyote lunge at a cyclist and observed three coyotes gathering around a tree where pet food had been placed. On July 30, officers identified the individual responsible and issued a warning, reminding the public that feeding wildlife is illegal and contributes to aggressive behavior.
Reports of aggressive coyotes persisted on San Vicente Boulevard from July 27 through August 8, with Animal Control conducting regular checks to haze and attempt to capture the animals.
In a separate incident, a coyote was fatally struck by a vehicle on the eastbound 10 Freeway near the Centinela Avenue exit
during the week of August 3–8, according to Animal Control.
Authorities are urging residents to avoid feeding wildlife and to report sightings,
stressing that human interaction can heighten risks and lead to more dangerous encounters.
Santa Monica Police Department Announces
Overnight
DUI Checkpoint This Week
Checkpoint Will Run
From 6:00 p.m. To 2:00
a.m. at an Undisclosed
Location
The Santa Monica Police Department will operate a DUI checkpoint on Friday, August 29, at an undisclosed location in the city, authorities announced. The checkpoint will run from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Police said locations for the checkpoints are selected using crash data that shows where incidents involving impaired drivers occur most frequently. The department emphasized that the purpose is not only to identify offenders but also to deter impaired
driving and promote public safety.
SMPD reminded residents that impairment is not limited to alcohol. Certain prescription medications, over-thecounter drugs, and marijuana, even when legally used, can all compromise a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.
“Impaired drivers put everyone on the road at significant risk,” the department said in a statement. “Any prevention measures that reduce their presence improve safety for all road users.”
First-time DUI convictions in California carry an average cost of $13,500 in fines and penalties, in addition to a suspended driver’s license.
Funding for the checkpoint program comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Going for the throat
Coach Bill Schuman expects protégé Golda Zahra to hold back nothing
By Linda Chase
World famous competitors hire special coaches to make sure they are ready for critical events. These experts concentrate on specific muscles that are vital for success.
Bill Schuman focuses on “two pieces of gristle in the throat.”
That’s how Schuman described vocal cords in a recent interview. For his young client, Golda Zahra, they aren’t for chatting on her phone or making Tik-Tok videos. She will need them to be flexible and powerful for her performance in Puccini’s Turandot in Disney Hall on Aug. 16.
Zahra is playing the role of Liu in a concert version of the opera being presented by Pacific Music Festival. The cast also features Nina Warren in the title role, Alfred Kim as Calaf and Andrew Potter as Timur, plus the Opera Chorus of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Dream Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Suk. Schuman looks at Zahra’s voice as an instrument she plays, but which she can never put away. “She carries that Stradivarius around with her all day,” he said.
Nedra Zachary, who runs the prestigious Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition, introduced Zahra to Schuman, and he discovered, “Her voice was beautiful.”
But that’s just the beginning for an aspiring performer, according to Schuman, a vocal coach who’s worked with opera stars Marcello Giordani, Lisette Oropesa, Stephen Costello, Michael Fabiano and Angela Meade -- and also with singers from the worlds of Broadway and pop music, such as Judy McLane, Anne Crumb, Michael Jackson and Michael Bolton.
Did Zahra have the three essential qualities that he knows are the keys to success — humility, discipline, and curiosity? “Not everyone has the openness to learn,” he noted. As he began to work with her, he found that Zahra was willing to put in the work and make the necessary sacrifices.
“Bill cleaned up the rough edges,” Zahra said in an interview. “He has the magic touch.”
Schuman’s approach asks the singer to seek out the emotion in music and make each aria unique. For Turandot, he’s preparing her for a role that requires fragility as well as vocal beauty. “She will be stunning as Liu,” he asserted.
The story of Turandot’s first performance is as dramatic as the opera itself. Puccini was interested in Asian motifs – one of his most famous operas is Madame Butterfly –and he chose a play with a Chinese setting by German writer Friedrich Schiller to set
production of Turandot.
Schuman supports Zahra’s goal of bringing new audiences to opera. “The music world has changed,” he asserts. “Opera needs to be made more accessible, especially for the younger generation.”
Recalling the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti being criticized for singing in different genres before wider audiences, Schuman notes that “he helped to increase the popularity of opera.” It was Pavarotti who popularized the aria “Nessun Dorma” (none shall sleep), which will be sung by Alfred Kim as Calaf in the third act.
Even though there isn’t a lot of action in a concert presentation of an opera, audiences can expect Zahra, who is a huge fan of horror films, to come up with something special when she sacrifices herself to love. It’s probably not exactly what Schuman has in mind when he tells his singers to “bring the drama.”
He has high hopes for his protégé. “She can go to the very top, if she wants it,” he said, because “that mystical thing that we call charisma: Golda has it.”
Linda Chase is a freelance writer based in Santa Barbara specializing in the arts, travel and lifestyle. This feature is produced by the Journalism Arts Initiative, which is underwritten by donations from arts organizations and others interested in supporting excellence in arts journalism.
to music. “I have placed, in this opera, all my soul,” he told a friend, and then he died of throat cancer before he could finish it.
Another composer was hired to fill in the missing work, but on opening night at La Scala in 1926, conductor Arturo Toscanini dropped the baton in the final act and turned to the audience, announcing, “This is the end of the opera, because the Maestro died here.”
The version at Disney Hall will be minus elaborate opera sets and stage effects, but
the unamplified singers will have the benefit of the venue’s world-renowned acoustics. Curved walls of vertical-grain Douglas fir and terraced vineyard-style seating create a space where someone sitting in the top row can hear a pin drop on stage.
It will be the third time Zahra has appeared at Disney Hall. In 2015, she sang there in the Spotlight Awards competition and became the youngest winner in the Classical Voice category. In 2024, she performed Liu there in a different
“Turandot in Concert,” presented by Pacific Festival, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Ages 9 and older. Tickets, $33 to $105, including all fees, are available at www.TurandotConcert.com
Red Bull Origin Returning to Venice Beach, Honoring Skateboarding’s Roots and Future
The event will feature top skateboarders from around the world competing on recreations of iconic Southern California skate spots, including the fire hydrant spun by
Natas Kaupas
Venice Beach will once again become the center of the skateboarding world this September, as Red Bull Origin returns for a three-day event that merges competition with cultural homage to the birthplace of street skating.
Running from September 5 to 7, the event will feature top skateboarders from around the world competing on recreations of iconic Southern California skate spots, including the fire hydrant spun by Natas Kaupas, the double kink rail made famous by Mark “Gonz” Gonzales, and features from the historic Venice Pavilion.
The event coincides with Santa Monica’s 120th anniversary and comes as Los Angeles prepares to host skateboarding at the 2028 Summer Olympics. Organizers say the event is designed to celebrate the area’s pivotal role in shaping modern skateboarding while giving today’s skaters a chance to reinterpret the terrain that defined the sport’s early years.
“There’s a spirit of skateboarding that endures in Dogtown,” said Christian Hosoi, a local legend and skateboarding pioneer. “Red Bull Origin connects the present to the past—it’s about honoring the roots.”
The course is built to replicate obstacles from Venice’s skateboarding heyday, each tied to a specific moment in the sport’s evolution. Among them is a replica of the “Natas spin” hydrant, a feature that helped define creative street skating in the late 1980s, and the Venice Hubba, inspired by ledges that once served as proving grounds for young skaters at the Venice Pavilion.
Red Bull Origin is free to attend and offers $50,000 in prize money, drawing both established pros and emerging talent. Events throughout the weekend will include a bowl jam, wallride showdown, best trick contest, and public skate sessions. Spectators can expect to see a mix of competitive skating and historical storytelling, with many of the sport’s influential figures in attendance.
“Venice has always been a skate mecca,” said Mark Gonzales, who revolutionized street skating in the early
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’90s. “I’m excited to see how the new generation reimagines these legendary spots.”
The Third Place Reinvented: Why Kavahana Is Becoming LA’s New Favorite Hangout Spot
In a city full of coffee shops that close too early and bars that don’t cater to the sober (or sober-curious) crowd, Kavahana is carving out something new: a place to be. More than just a spot for drinks, work, or weekends, Kavahana is quickly becoming Santa Monica's goto "third place" for any occasion—from morning coffee to date nights.
Tucked on Pico Boulevard just blocks from the beach, Kavahana blends cozy café comfort with the spark of a community hub. It opens early, stays open late, and draws everyone from sunrise surfers to midnight creatives. But it’s not just the hours that make it special.
Kava Nectar: The Tingly Drink That Actually “Works”
At the center of the Kavahana experience is Kava Nectar, a natural, non-alcoholic beverage made from the root of the kava plant. Long used in ceremonial settings
Hawaii, kava is a family drink known for its relaxing, smile-inducing properties. Kavahana’s version, Kava Nectar, is coldpressed, potent, and one-of-a-kind in the United States.
You’ll feel it. Most people notice a gentle tingle on the tongue, followed by a wave of relaxed energy and ease. Some describe it as “a mental massage” or “a hot tub for your mind.” Others just say it helps them feel genuinely happy, social, and present without alcohol or anything synthetic. Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, the feeling doesn’t fade.
Kavahana’s signature cocktails showcase kava nectar with real, natural ingredients like mango, ginger, spirulina, and coconut cream. They’re delicious, effective, and zero-proof. This is one wellness drink you can actually feel working.
Not Into Kava Nectar Yet? No Problem.
Kava not your thing (yet)? Kavahana’s menu goes beyond. Their Hawaiiansourced Kona coffee is low-acid, smooth, and bold without bitterness. Or try hojicha, a roasted green tea from Japan that’s rich, nutty, and naturally low in caffeine.
The team is friendly and happy to walk you through the options. You’ll probably try something new, and you’ll probably love it. Food-wise, Kavahana offers islandinspired snacks that hit the sweet spot between satisfying and light.
Where You Can Hang Past 5 PM
With plenty of seating, fast Wi-Fi, and an unusual abundance of power outlets, it’s ideal for remote work, studying, or just posting up with a book. The vibe is welcoming and relaxed, with just the right level of background buzz. And unlike most cafés that close by late afternoon, Kavahana stays open late, often until
places on the Westside where you can hang out after dark without drinking alcohol.
Every week, Kavahana hosts free events like Open Mic Night (Tuesdays) and Comedy Night (Wednesdays). Regulars say it’s one of the most welcoming crowds in town.
Whether you’re there to perform, support a friend, or just unwind after work, there’s
a sense of shared energy and presence that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Visit Kavahana
306 Pico Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90405
Open daily (morning to late night)
Tuesdays: Open Mic Night
Wednesdays: Comedy Night
Website: Kavahana.com
Instagram: @kavahanabar
30-Unit Mixed-Use Project Approved for Dining and Retail at Abbot Kinney Corridor
The 36,716-squarefoot project includes 3,416 square feet of ground-floor retail and an 818-squarefoot restaurant with 31 seats, permitted to sell alcohol
The Los Angeles City Planning Commission has approved a new fourstory, mixed-use development at 825 S. Hampton Drive in Venice’s Abbot Kinney corridor, replacing five one-story commercial buildings with 30 apartments, retail space, and a restaurant, according to city documents.
The 36,716-square-foot project, developed by Steven Fogel of SJF Venice, LLC, and Westwood Financial Corporation and designed by David Hidalgo Architects, includes 3,416 square feet of ground-floor retail and an 818-square-foot restaurant with 31 seats,
permitted to sell alcohol, per What Now Los Angeles. It features 50 subterranean parking spaces, 64 bicycle spaces, a courtyard, a 3,324-square-foot roof deck, and a fitness room. Three of the 30 units— comprising five studios, 14 one-bedroom, and 11 two-bedroom apartments—will be reserved for very low-income households.
The commission granted a density bonus, allowing a 32.4% floor area ratio increase to 1.98:1 and a height of 44 feet 7 inches, exceeding the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan’s 30-foot limit. A waiver permits a roof access structure of 11 feet 6 inches. The project complies with the Coastal Act, Mello Act, and the 2021-2029 Housing Element, with no residential units previously on-site, requiring no replacement housing.
Located near Brooks Avenue and Abbot Kinney Boulevard, the development includes a landscaped plaza, three new street trees, and retains one existing tree. It aims to meet housing demand while enhancing the area’s aesthetic, though it may increase local traffic, per What Now Los Angeles.
Construction is expected to begin later this year.
Abbot Kinney Festival Canceled for Second Straight Year
Organizers expressed hope that the additional time will allow them to restructure and deliver a more vibrant event in 2026
The Abbot Kinney Festival, a 40-year tradition along the world-famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard, has been canceled for the second consecutive year, organizers announced.
The event, known for its eclectic mix of 350 vendors, food trucks, music stages, and kid-friendly activities, will not take place on its traditional last Sunday in September date in 2025, with plans now set for a return on September 27, 2026.
The festival’s board of directors cited a recent slowdown in sponsorships, a challenge affecting many community events, as a key factor in the decision. Last year, the nonprofit, run by Venice volunteers, also postponed the 2024 festival, attributing it to the lingering economic impact of the pandemic on local businesses and the need for new
leadership and resources. Organizers expressed hope that the additional time will allow them to restructure and deliver a more vibrant event in 2026.
The mile-long stretch of Abbot Kinney Boulevard, dubbed the “coolest block in America” by GQ Magazine, typically draws crowds with its artisan eateries and boutiques, offering free admission and features like beer gardens and a KidsQuad stage. The last festival, held on September 24, 2023, showcased live performances, diverse food options including Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese
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cuisine, and artwork by Venice-based artist Tom Everhart, whose pieces have been exhibited at the L.A. County Museum of Natural History and other prestigious venues.
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Spencer
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: SPENCER IAN MILLER
A Petition for Probate has been filed by Neil Miller in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Superior Court Case No. 25STPB09100
The Petition for Probate requests that Neil Miller be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.
The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A hearing on the petition will be held in Los Angeles County Superior Court as follows: Date: September 15, 2025 Time: 8:30 am. Dept.: D9 The address of the court: 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the deceased, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code.
Other California statues and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Petitioner Neil Miller/ Adam Grant Stonewood Law Group, PC 16133 Ventura Blvd. Ste. 700 Encino, Ca. 91436
Published in the Santa Monica Mirror, 08/29/25, 9/5/25, 9/12/25
Ian Miller
