Former Irvine City Manager Tapped as New One For Santa Monica
Oliver Chi to take over July 14, pending council approval
The Santa Monica City Council announced Friday the selection of Oliver Chi as the city’s next manager, concluding a nationwide search to fill the top administrative role.
Chi, who has served as city manager of Irvine since 2021, brings over two decades of municipal leadership experience, including roles in Huntington Beach, Monrovia, Rosemead and Barstow. He is expected to officially begin his new position on July 14 with an annual salary of \$410,604, pending council approval of his contract at its May 27 meeting.
“We are thrilled to welcome Oliver Chi to Santa Monica,” said Mayor Lana Negrete. “He has the talent, skills and vision to address the city’s most pressing needs and lead us into the future.”
Chi will succeed Interim City Manager Elaine Polachek, who has led the city since former City Manager David White resigned in February to take a deputy city
manager position in Berkeley.
As Irvine’s top executive, Chi oversaw major initiatives, including the $1.2 billion expansion of the Great Park, the Irvine Cares affordable housing program, and the city-led development of the $600 million Gateway Village project.
In his new role, Chi will oversee Santa Monica’s nearly $790 million budget and more than 2,000 municipal employees. He described the opportunity as “an absolute honor.”
“Santa Monica has an unmatched legacy of civic innovation and a commitment to progressive human values that truly matter,” Chi said in a statement. “I look forward to collaborating with the City Council, city staff and the community to help shape a thriving future for all.”
Chi holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s in political science from UCLA. He lives with his wife, Bobbie Jo, and their two children.
The appointment concludes a public recruitment process launched in March, which included a national job posting and multiple rounds of interviews.
Bay Cities Italian Deli Responds to Health Code Closure, Commits to Corrective Action
Santa Monica Landmark Disputes Rodent Claims but Acknowledges Violations
Bay Cities Italian Deli, a Santa Monica staple renowned for its Godmother sandwich and long-standing community roots, is working to regain public trust following a temporary closure by Los Angeles County health officials over multiple code violations, including a cited vermin infestation.
The deli, located at 1517 Lincoln Blvd., was ordered closed on May 21 along with its affiliated business, Bay Cities Importing, Inc., according to inspection records posted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The report identified a major violation in the category of “no rodents, insects, birds, or animals,” with vermin infestation explicitly listed as the reason for the shutdown.
Other violations noted in the inspection included improper hot and cold food storage, failure to clean and sanitize foodcontact surfaces adequately, and issues with employee handwashing and glove use. A total of 10 standards were cited as unmet. A public health alert now appears on the business’s Yelp page, flagging a “Low Health Score” and listing key violations such as improper food storage and unsanitary equipment.
In a written statement to its customers on social media, Bay Cities acknowledged full responsibility for the infractions, stating that the violations “do not reflect the standards we uphold” and emphasizing that the business is working closely with the Health Department and third-party specialists to address the issues.
The deli also responded to what it described as inaccurate reporting on social media and in certain press outlets. While confirming the Health Department’s findings, Bay Cities disputed specific claims that rodents were found inside the store, saying no such detail appears in the official report.
“This is a difficult time for us all, but one of reflection and recommitment,” the Bay Cities team stated, pledging transparency and accountability as they move forward. “We are doing the work to come back better.”
The business expressed gratitude for
continued customer support and indicated that significant operational improvements are already underway to meet compliance standards and restore public confidence. No official reopening date has been announced.
What Happened? And What Are You Going to Do About It?
SMa.r.t.
Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Our Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow (SMa.r.t) articles have, over the past 12 years, collectively presented a critical analysis of the extensive development transforming Santa Monica. While critical of current development trajectories, SMa.r.t. offers a framework of recommendations for a more balanced and resident-centric urban future for Santa Monica. We have consistently argued that the ongoing overdevelopment is detrimental to both the livability of its residents and the delicate coastal environment. We have described Santa Monica as a beach town under siege, where rapid, and often statemandated, development, combined with council ideology, prioritizes corporate profits over the well-being of its longstanding community and the sustainability of its unique character.
A major concern in many of our articles is State-Mandated Housing Densification. These mandates require Santa Monica to build 8,895 new housing units over an eight-year period, a staggering 430% increase from prior requirements. This is
not merely a quantitative concern; we see it as “an urban experiment based on highly contestable assumptions” and view the increase in required housing density as an existential threat to the city’s established fabric and quality of life.
The loss of local control and democratic process is deeply troubling, with unelected and unaccountable state technocrats dictating local land-use decisions, effectively sidelining local residents. Meanwhile, ideologically driven councils over the past 15–20 years have fallen in line with the state and failed to push back. This erosion of democratic input leaves residents, who bear the consequences of these changes, systematically marginalized in the decision-making process regarding their city’s future development.
We have consistently pointed out how increasing development strains existing infrastructure without corresponding improvements. For instance, recent downtown development has added housing units and hotel rooms, increasing the downtown population without a commensurate increase in open space or critical infrastructure capacity. This imbalance suggests a future where the city’s resources and services are stretched thin, and, coupled with PAL (Police Athletic League) lawsuits and unfunded
pension liabilities in the hundreds of millions, has left the city teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.
Perhaps the most personally felt impact of overdevelopment and increasing density is the quality-of-life deterioration experienced by residents, with complaints centering on a growing list of urban woes: increasing homelessness, declining public safety, unbearable traffic congestion, and pervasive overdevelopment. These issues combine to create a sense of an eroding quality of life, and we are all feeling the loss. The transformation of our oncedistinct beach town is rapidly accelerating, replaced by development that residents and visitors alike find unappealing and alienating. This shift fundamentally alters the very essence of what has made Santa Monica a desirable place to live.
We have also highlighted the environmental damage stemming from overdevelopment:
• Solar Access: New high-rise constructions cast extensive shadows, shading neighboring buildings and preventing them from generating their own solar power, directly undermining sustainable energy efforts.
• Open Space Deficit: The existing downtown area already suffers from inadequate green space for current
residents, making the prospect of thousands of new inhabitants even more concerning for environmental quality and recreation. Yet the council says no to a town square park at 4th/5th & Arizona in favor of hotel and commercial development.
• Unsustainable Design: New mixed-use and commercial projects are not required to be net-zero and are therefore not environmentally sustainable, reflecting city building practices that prioritize rapid development over environmental responsibility.
The City Council is either complicit or prioritizing developer profits over the genuine needs and well-being of residents. Concerns about the Council “giving away public land to out-of-town developers” further underscore this perceived misalignment of interests.
Over these past 12 years, S.M.a.r.t. has consistently written to: Continue on page 6
The soul’s greatest hits
From ‘Ave Maria’ to ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ and ‘Ode to Joy,” a Santa Monica concert raising funds to help fire victims offers a sacred collaboration of celebrated musicians and singers
By Linda Chase
If 19th-century Austrian composer Franz Schubert got into a time machine that took him to June 13 and deposited him on California Avenue in Santa Monica, he might hear a familiar tune.
As he walked by the St. Monica Catholic Church, he’d notice soprano Golda Zahra singing music from a song cycle he wrote based on Sir Walter Scott’s poem “Lady of the Lake,” which was inspired by the legends of King Arthur.
But Schubert would scratch his head because instead of he original German words, he’d be hearing Latin. That’s because his song was appropriated by the Catholic Church.
Schubert’s song begins with the lines, in English translation, Ave Maria, gentle maiden
Listen to a plea of a maiden
The Catholic prayer “Hail Mary, Full of Grace” begins, in Latin, Ave Maria Gratia plena
Someone noticed that the prayer worked great with the Schubert music, and the result is probably still sung more often than any prayer in history, both in church and in concert.
Along with Zahra, “The Angelic Voice Concert” in St. Monica Church features the 55-member Dream Orchestra conducted by Daniel Zuk and the 40-member Opera Chorus of Los Angeles. They they will be performing other famous inspirational chartbusters, including Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”; “You Raise Me Up,” popularized by Celine Dion, and the “Ode to Joy” from the last movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
Zahra and J.J. Lopez will sing “The Prayer,” made famous by Dion and Andrea Bocelli, and in a break from the spiritual compositions, violinist Ray Ushikubo will be featured in “Zigeunerweisen,” written by Spanish composer Pablo Srasate and based on Hungarian folk songs.
Proceeds from the concert go to St. Monica’s programs to help victims of the Los Angeles basin fires. First responders
are invited to contact the church to attend a special concert rehearsal on June 11, followed by a dinner with the performers.
Conductor Daniel Suk and singer Golda Zahra have been working together since she was a teenager studying at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. “It is a joy to work with someone like that,” he said. He and the Dream Orchestra will continue to work with her after the St. Monica performance – in an eclectic solo concert in Santa Monica’s BroadStage on July 12 and in a concert version of Puccini’s “Turandot” at Disney Hall in Los Angeles on Aug. 18.
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.
Angelic Voice Concert, an evening of inspirational and sacred music with soprano Golda Zahra, the Los Angeles Dream Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Suk and the Opera Chorus of Los Angeles. June 13 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Monica Catholic Church, 725 California Ave., Santa Monica. Open seating in the pews is $33.85, including all fees. Tickets are available at www.angelicvoice.com
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1. Inform the General Resident Population
• Empowering Residents: We have issued direct calls to action, urging residents to become actively engaged in city planning and decision-making processes. There is a fundamental need for greater public awareness and meaningful participation.
• Transparency and Accountability:
Our SMa.r.t. articles have pointedly critiqued the City Council, implicitly demanding more transparent governance and greater accountability from elected officials regarding development decisions and public land allocation.
2. Correct Negative Impacts on Quality of Life and the Environment
• Limiting Height & Density: We, and the 2010 LUCE (Land Use and Circulation Element), have called for strict controls on the scale and intensity of new construction as essential for preserving the city’s unique character, mitigating traffic congestion, and ensuring “room to breathe” for residents. Sadly, these principles have been ignored by the city council(s).
• Prioritizing Local Character and Sense of Place: This is not anti-development; it is a call for responsible development, one that prioritizes maintaining Santa Monica’s distinctive beach community identity. This means actively resisting the erasure of its unique charm by generic, high-density development. Is it slipping away? Maybe. But perhaps not, if you let your voice be heard.
• Infrastructure Planning: Instead of allowing existing infrastructure to be
strained by unchecked development, the city should address deficiencies and invest in necessary upgrades before or concurrently with new development. Common sense.
• Community-Oriented Planning: Development that genuinely benefits the local community, potentially favoring locally driven projects or those with tangible community benefits, is likely already lost due to state mandates. But the council remains culpable for years of failing to push back.
• Unwavering Focus on Sustainability: We have consistently called for long-term environmental sustainability and resilience, including proactive measures to address climate change impacts and responsible resource management.
• Reclaiming Civic and Architectural Culture: We know residents want a civic environment where urban design and architecture actively contribute to the city’s positive identity and aesthetic appeal, rather than being dictated solely by developer profit or a broke city scrambling for income.
• Addressing Crime and Traffic Holistically: By identifying overdevelopment, traffic, homelessness, crime, and a deteriorating lifestyle as key drivers of resident concerns, we have consistently recommended that the city implement comprehensive policies and planning strategies, ideally, a single citywide master plan, to effectively mitigate these critical urban challenges. This has never been done. Instead, it’s been handled, as Johnny Cash sang, “One
Piece at a Time”, and you are living with the results.
• Preserving and Creating Parks and Public Spaces: The need for more parks and playing fields is real. We have written about Memorial Park and others, but for those trying to convince residents that the beach doesn’t count as urban open space?
Absurd. And for those who believe closing the airport will be transformed into a big park, you are not paying attention to reality. If closed, it will doubtless be extensively developed. You can easily access recent City Council meetings to hear discussions of thousands of units and state mandates that will be imposed if closure occurs. Don’t be deceived: if you cherish open space, you will support keeping SMO as an operating airport.
• Long-Term Strategy and Living Within Our Means: SMa.r.t. has made numerous recommendations for fiscally responsible planning that prioritizes the city’s enduring economic health over immediate, potentially unsustainable, gains from aggressive development. This serves as a caution against growth that could lead to further financial instability or place undue strain on essential city services.
This article, in large part, is about the Responsible Development SMa.r.t has been advocating for and writing about for 12 years, unfortunately, with few successes to inform and override the financial power of developers and the ideological blindness of our City Council. So what are you going to do about it?
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SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2025 | 11 AM - 4 PM
Join us for a special Marina Culture Jam event to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Marina del Rey!
Officials Outline Community-Focused Plans for Venice Beach in 2028 Olympics
Councilwoman Traci Park and LA28 leaders promise local engagement, minimal disruption, and a showcase of the neighborhood’s cultural identity
LA Councilwoman Traci Park and LA28 Chief Operating Officer John Harper outlined plans for Venice Beach’s role in the 2028 Summer Olympics during a CD11 Virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, emphasizing the neighborhood’s hosting of triathlon, marathon, and road cycling starts while addressing community engagement and logistical concerns.
Park, a longtime Olympics advocate, highlighted Venice’s selection for three events, noting her efforts over the past two and a half years to bring the Games to the Westside. “Venice is one of the most iconic destinations in all of LA,” she said, reflecting on her visits to Paris in 2024 to study Olympic preparations. She stepped down as chair of the city’s Olympic committee after January’s wildfires shifted priorities but remains enthusiastic about the opportunities, including fan zones and hospitality houses.
Harper noted the events will be spread over weeks, not simultaneous, to minimize disruption, though specific schedules and routes are still pending approval from the International Olympic Committee. The skatepark should remain open to the public throughout the Games, he added. LA28 plans to engage the community through volunteer programs and pre-Games activities like training and hospitality initiatives.
Audience questions focused on enhancing the Olympic experience. One resident proposed displaying international flags along Oceanfront Walk and a “Hands Across Venice” fundraiser for local nonprofits, which Park supported, citing collaboration with Rec and Parks for bold logistics. Harper welcomed the ideas, noting they align with ongoing spectator experience planning, though commercial aspects are guided by the IOC.
Another attendee inquired about test
events, spectator access, and volunteer opportunities for CD11 residents. Harper said the volunteer program, expected to exceed Paris’s 45,000 volunteers, will launch in about 18 months, with preferences for local assignments under consideration. Test events depend on national and international federations, and spectator access details await finalized routes.
One resident emphasized Venice’s cultural significance. Having proposed a Grand Canal parklet years ago, they urged improvements to icons like pagodas and lifeguard stations, noting, “We need to make Venice proud of its uniqueness and artful history.” Park agreed, saying, “Venice is the heart of arts and culture in Los Angeles… our street art, beach culture, skateboarding, volleyball, rollerskating, music, and history are all fair game to feature in our programming.” Harper added that LA28’s ongoing listening series aims to integrate this ethos into the Games’ strategy.
On sustainability, Park and Harper addressed aligning with city goals through a working group finalizing its strategy since 2003, focusing on radical reuse of venues. Park emphasized using the Olympics’ deadline to accelerate local projects like a proposed mobility hub in Venice to enhance parking and shuttle systems, supporting Mayor Karen Bass’s vision of a car-free Games. Harper detailed transit-first plans with Metro, including buses and trains for spectators, aiming to leave a legacy of changed transportation behavior.
Staycation Series May - June 2025 -
Marina del Rey Sportfishing: A Great Day on the Water
Fishing is a pastime like no other, America’s Most Popular Outdoor Activity for Year in and Year out!
You can experience the nostalgia of that pastime in real time at Marina Del Rey Sportfishing — a fun, safe, familyfriendly and affordable getaway on the waters near Marina del Rey, a seaside community west of Los Angeles, ten minutes north of LAX.
Whether you are a beginner or expert, Marina del Rey Sportfishing carries everything you need for a fishing trip on both public and private charters, designed for all ages and any level of fishing experience.
“Partyboat Sportfishing is a traditional activity that’s been around in California for about 100 years, it’s something that families and parents can do with their kids. It’s Wholesome Outdoor Recreation in the Sun and Fresh air, get away from the phones and tablets, and enjoy some Quality Outdoor Time!” said Rick Oefinger, president of Marina del Rey Sportfishing. “Beginners, tourists, families, gals and couples as well as salty old timers, all are welcome!”
At different times throughout the day, Marina del Rey Sportfishing charters groups of friends and families on the water. Depending on the season, Halibut Ling cod, sculpin, white fish, sand bass, Bonito and Barracuda, red snapper and rock fish are some of the many catches that can be found under the sea.
“We fish year-round, and there's never a season that we don’t have something to target,” said Oefinger. “The hardest part of the whole trip is getting yourself here on time. Dress for any outdoor activity and get yourself here!”
Marina del Rey Sportfishing hosts six fleets for anglers to explore:
• New Del Mar , a 75-foot aluminum hull sportfishing vessel, is open for two half day trips per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The vessel features a full service galley with ice cold beer and one of the best cheeseburgers you’ll find on the Pacific waters.
• Spitfire is a big quick 65’ custom built ¾ day boat, with state of the art fish finding electronics and large bait capacity. Available daily from 6:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., the comfortable galley serves hot and cold meals with beverages.
• Betty O , the matriarch of the fleet, specializes in ¾ day trips for rock cod
and bottom fishing daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Private charters are available for groups up to 25 on Tortuga & Tourist and on the six passenger Free Spirit . These are purpose built for SoCal Style Sportfishing, and all feature large live bait capacities, open walkaround decks, seating in and out, hot and cold running water, electricity and of course all their boats are USCG Inspected, Licensed and Equipped, carrying everything you need for a private, fun-filled sportfishing adventure.
• Mona Lisa is Marina del Rey’s own bait company, ensuring that private boaters and the entire fleet has all the live bait they could need. The bait dock offers walk up live bait sales, private boater live bait sales, and frozen squid and anchovies.
The fish you catch are yours to do with as you please — take home for supper or catch and release. Fish responsibly, take only what you need!
All boats carry California One-Day Fishing Licenses aboard for anyone over the age of 15 who needs a license.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.mdrsf.com ranging from $4585 per ticket depending on the trip. All tickets include bait, and all trips depart Dock 52. Using maps, search “Dock 52 Fiji Way” for easy directions. For more information, visit mdrsf.com or call 310-822-3625 (310-822-DOCK).
Biggest Night of the Year: Don’t Miss GMCLA’s ‘Dancing Queens’
Culminating its 46th season, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles will grace the crowd with Dancing Queens, celebrating iconic melodies across every genre with two special guest artists during Pride month.
Legendary performer and advocate Bruce Vilanch will take stage with GMCLA’s 200-member chorus as a special guest, celebrating Pride as never before with this over-the-top Season 46 blockbuster finale.
Vilanch is a multiple Emmy-winning writer, actor, comedian, author, and stripper. He starred on Broadway and in the first national tour of the musical Hairspray, as Edna Turnblad, housewife-superstar. He has been in projects as diverse as The Morning After with Jane Fonda, The Ice Pirates with Anjelica Huston, and “Celebrity Fit Club.”
“I’m doing two numbers with the GMCLA, which, I only hope I don’t fall on my face. I love the Chorus, I’ve been a supporter for years and have been to a number of their shows, so I’m thrilled,” Vilanch said. “I’m going to do a number from Hairspray, which I did 20 years ago, but it’ll be a different take on the number and something else, still in the planning stages, but it’ll be a big evening.”
Joining the Chorus is another special guest, dance-music diva and super ally Kristine W. Named by Billboard Magazine as the #8 Greatest Dance Artist of All Time and the #3 greatest from the Last Decade, Kristine W compels bodies to find the mighty groove on the dance floor.
Dancing Queens, choreographed by Ray Leeper, will take place on Saturday, June 21, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 22, at 3:30 p.m. at the historic Saban Theatre in
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SMa.r.t. advocates for empowering local residents through greater public engagement, implementing sensible limits on density and height, diligently preserving the city’s unique local character, investing strategically in infrastructure, and embracing truly sustainable planning practices.
These recommendations collectively aim to safeguard Santa Monica’s quality of life and ensure its long-term environmental and economic well-being. As residents, we hope you will all join us in that effort.
Beverly Hills.
In this eleganza extravaganza, GMCLA’s singers will perform iconic dance melodies from Broadway musicals like Singin’ in the Rain, The King and I, My Fair Lady, Hairspray, and The Producers, along with music from artists that include Madonna, Lady Gaga, Bee Gees, Luther Vandross, ABBA, Kylie Minogue, Dua Lipa, and Earth, Wind & Fire. And, of course, Donna Summer.
Tickets for the concert can be purchased online.
MORE FUN, MORE COMMUNITY
Following the rhythmatic energy of the chorus, GMCLA is hosting its Annual Gala, raising funds for youth education and its countless free community events.
GMCLA’s GALA 2025 is on June 21, at 8:30 p.m. and celebrates those who have given selflessly to the Chorus and to the LGBTQ community by lifting their voices to advance human rights. Two honorees will be presented with GMCLA’s Voice Awards in the beautifully restored Art Deco lobby of the Saban Theatre.
For his decades-long contributions to the entertainment industry as a writer, performer, and advocate, Dancing Queens special guest Bruce Vilanch will receive the Artistic Voice Award. As a publicly
Bob Taylor, AIA
For SMa.r.t.
Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Dan Jansenson, Architect, Building & Fire-Life Safety Commissioner; Robert H. Taylor, Architect AIA; Thane Roberts, Architect; Mario Fonda-Bonardi, Architect AIA (ex-Planning Commissioner); Sam Tolkin, Architect, Planning Commissioner; Michael Jolly AIRCRE; Jack Hillbrand, Architect AIA, Landmarks Commissioner; Phil Brock (ex-Mayor); Matt Hoefler, Architect NCARB
out entertainment personality, Vilanch has been a trailblazer for queer voices in the entertainment industry.
“The Chorus has been doing this faultlessly for 45 years. I've only been involved in a few of their shows, but I've been doing a whole bunch of other work, so it's nice to be acknowledged for it. To actually get up on stage with the energy of the Chorus, because they are electric, I'm looking forward to that,” Vilanch said.
GMCLA’s Civic Voice Award Honoree will be presented to the “CEO of Everything Gay,” Tristan Schukraft. A technology entrepreneur, turned hotelier nightlife aficionado and producer, Schukraft founded ID90.COM, an e-ticketing platform for airline personnel, later establishing MISTR, the largest telemedicine platform dedicated to HIV prevention and longterm HIV care, which currently serves over 500,000 patients across the United States.
To reserve your tickets and for more information on GMCLA’s GALA 2025, visit www. GMCLA.org.
Vice President, Software Engineering (Company 3/ Method, Inc; Santa Monica, CA): oversee the end-to-end processes of engineering, deploying internal software architectures. Salary: $255,000/year. Resumes: Kevin.Weber@company3. com
