City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council consider creating, providing a charge and target
return date, and appointing two Council Members to an Ad-Hoc Subcommittee on a
proposed motion picture museum in Culver City.
BACKGROUND:
At the City Council meeting of June 27, 2011, the City Council received public
comment and a request that the City Council create an ad hoc subcommittee for the
purpose of reviewing a proposal to locate a motion picture museum in Culver City.
An excerpt of the City Council approved minutes for that meeting are attached.
In addition to the excerpt of the approved minutes, staff has also reviewed the video
recording of the meeting and notes that Council Member Cooper requested staff
provide general information regarding other similar museums in the Los Angeles
area. Also, Council Member Weissman requested Culver City’s studios be provided
with notice of this meeting.
In response to Council Member Cooper’s request, staff compiled the attached
general information on five Los Angeles region motion picture related museums.
DISCUSSION:
Should the City Council determine to create an ad hoc subcommittee for this
purpose, the City Council may (and staff recommends) provide the Subcommittee
Meeting Date: 09/26/2011 Item Number: A-1
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of Creating, Providing a Charge
and Target Return Date, and Appointing Two Council Members to an Ad-Hoc
Subcommittee on a Proposed Motion Picture Museum in Culver City.
Contact Person/Dept.: Martin R. Cole Phone Number: 310-253-6000
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: ________________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (09/21/11); (E-Mail)
Persons who Spoke at the City Council Meeting of June 25, 2011 (09/14/11); (E-Mail)
Sony Pictures Studios (09/20/11); Culver Studios (09/20/11)
Department Approval:
Martin R. Cole (09/20/11)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (09/20/11)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (09/20/11)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (09/20/11) City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
with a specific charge and completion date, at which time the Subcommittee’s
recommendation will be presented to the full City Council for consideration. .
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Because of the limited duration of the subcommittee and the limited scope of its
duties, creation of the new Subcommittee would not create a material fiscal impact.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Excerpt from the Minutes of the City Council meeting of June 25, 2011
2. Motion Picture Museum Information
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
1. Consider creation of the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on a proposed motion
picture museum in Culver City; and,
2. Consider the specific charge and target date for the Ad Hoc Subcommittee
to return to the City Council with its recommendations (if desired); and,
3. Create the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on a proposed motion picture museum
in Culver City (if desired) and provide it with a specific charge and target
date for return to the City Council; and,
4. Appoint Council Member ____________________ and Council Member
____________________ to the Ad Hoc Subcommittee (if created);
OR
5. Provide alternate direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
MEETING DATE: September 26, 2011
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of Creating, Providing a Charge and
Target Return Date, and Appointing Two Council Members to an Ad-Hoc
Subcommittee on a Proposed Motion Picture Museum in Culver City.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1. Excerpt from the Minutes of the City Council meeting of 1 -2
June 25, 2011
3-4
2. Motion Picture Museum Information June 27, 2011
Public Comment
(continued)
The following members of the audience addressed the City
Council:
Paul Condran, Equipment Maintenance Manager, introduced
several staff members and reported on their participation
in a voluntary Fleet Certification Recognition Program.
Chekesha Palmer requested that Code Enforcement Section
1109.215 written in 1965 be revisited in order to change
the requirement that ice cream trucks remain 300 feet from
public schools and parks to 50 feet.
Matthew Hetz, Culver City Symphony Orchestra, provided a
run down on their recent season and he thanked the City for
their support.
Nancy Goldberg requested that a discussion be agendized
regarding establishing a Motion Picture and Television
Museum in Culver City.
Karla Silbiger reported that the Culver City Democratic
Club had voted to form an ad hoc committee to investigate
the feasibility of establishing a Motion Picture and
Television Museum in Downtown Culver City; and he discussed
the Summer Concert Series.
Discussion ensued between the City Council and staff
regarding the responsibility and funding for festival
marketing.
Mollie "Lee" Welinsky requested that the City Council
agendize a discussion regarding creating a committee to
investigate the feasibility of establishing a Motion
Picture and Television Museum in the City.
Steven Gourley thanked the City for allowing the use of the
Council Chambers for the middle school mock trial; and he
echoed previous requests to create an ad hoc committee to
explore the museum idea.
4 June 27, 2011
Public Comment
(continued)
Ross Hawkins provided background on himself and expressed
support for the establishment of an ad hoc committee to
explore the feasibility of a Motion Picture and Television
Museum on Parcel B.
Darryl Cherness urged the City Council to agendize a
discussion regarding creating an ad hoc committee to
explore the feasibility of establishing a Motion Picture
and Television Museum on Parcel B.
Discussion ensued between the City Council and staff
regarding agendizing a discussion of an ad hoc committee to
consider the museum concept; location of the museum;
existing entitlements; economics and feasibility; noticing
interested parties; other local museums; and consensus to
agendize the discussion.
Gary Silbiger spoke in support of establishing a Motion
Picture and Television Museum to raise the profile of the
City.
Meghan Sahli-Wells discussed establishing a Motion Picture
and Television Museum in the City on Parcel B.
Pam Pitti-Turner spoke in support of establishing a Motion
Picture and Television Museum in Culver City.
At this time, Mayor O'Leary reported receiving calls in
support of the museum concept noting that the City would
take the idea seriously and carefully consider the idea,
Martin Cole, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk, read
written comments submitted by:
Amy Cherness
Bill Wynn
°Go
5 Motion Picture Museums of Los Angeles
1. THE HOLLYWOOD MUSEUM
1660 N. Highland Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028
http://TheHollywoodMuseum.com
• 35,000 SF (Max Factor building)
• After 12 years of coordinating economic feasibility studies, selecting and negotiating for
different sites, developing funding and support from the entertainment industry and
community, the Hollywood Entertainment Museum opened in October 1996.
• The historic Max Factor building was purchased by real estate developer DoneIle
Dadigan, who invested over $7 million to restore, repair and stock the museum. Museum
establishment, growth and maintenance rely on contributions from individuals such as
Francis Ford Coppola, Johnny Grant, and Shirley MacLaine. Additionally, Dadigan
spends more than $1,000,000 of her own money annually to support the museum.
2. MUSEUM OF TELEVISION AND RADIO (PALEY FOR MEDIA CENTER)
465 North Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
http://www.paleycenter.org/visit-visitla
• The Paley Center is an enormous media organization with roots in New York and
California. They receive most of their material as donations, but also hold many large
scale events for foundations, networks & production companies, resulting in lofty
revenues.
3. WARNER BROS MUSEUM
Part of the Warner Bros Studio Tour
http://www.burbank.com/story/Warner-Brothers-Museum/78053
• Funded by Warner Bros studio.
4. THE LOS ANGELES MUSEUM
Proposed New Museum: 150,000 SF (work in progress)
http://wvvw. h ol [mood m useum .com/newmuseum. htm I
After 10 years on Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood Entertainment Museum closed July 2006
because it had outgrown its' space. The Board of Directors decided to actively pursue a new
Museum to grow from 33,000 SF to 150,000 SF expanding its mission and Education Center. A
proposal to do a planning study of the Los Angeles Museum in downtown Los Angeles is being
circulated to identify funding for this effort.
• Vision - To offer a comprehensive overview of the diverse social panorama with which
this nation's most populous community (Los Angeles) is identified.
• Will showcase: Architecture/Interior Design, Art, Entertainment, Fashion, Music, Video
Games, Graphic Arts, Culinary Arts, Technology, Industrial Design, Toys, Tourism,
Visual and Performing Arts. • Old Museum: 33,000 SF (closed in 2006) — The Community Redevelopment Agency of
the City of Los Angeles committed $4 million in pre-development and site acquisition
funds for Hollywood Entertainment Museum. Proctor & Gamble donated the Max Factor
Collection and a significant cash donation to the Museum; actress Edie Adams donated
the Ernie Kovacs Collection; and the Hollywood Miniatures, a series of six sets designed
in the 1940s, were added to the Museum's archives.
5. ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES (AMMP)
150-250,000 SF(work in progress, 8 acre campus to be located just south of Sunset & Vine)
htto://www.moviemuseum.ord/about/index.html
• Vision - To create a place to celebrate and explore how film has reflected and shaped
world culture, and to help us all better understand what the movies have meant — and
continue to mean — in our lives.
•
The museum will be open year-round and become a landmark attraction for Hollywood
and the greater Los Angeles area, a place for watching and learning about film and
filmmaking, for exploring film's relationship with the greater world and for listening to
stories told by filmmakers themselves.
• $350 million (from the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency)
• Funding sources: tax increment & other incentives as part of the Hollywood
Redevelopment Project under the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles
• Additional funding from the Academy and donations.