Mission Statement
MISSION STATEMENT
Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City ("SMCLC") is a group of people who have come together to ensure that those of us who call Santa Monica our home have meaningful input into the development decisions that affect our lives.
While Santa Monica is becoming weighed down by traffic gridlock, intensified building is going on at an alarming rate. New projects appear to be discussed in isolation, without fully accounting for other projects that are either on-line or which will surely come on-line in the future. A prime example of this happened recently when, after two years of secret negotiations with city officials, the Macerich Corporation proposed adding over one million square feet of office, residential and retail space to Santa Monica Place. This would have been the square footage equivalent of putting all nine of Santa Monica's largest hotels on this one site. The proposal, which we strongly opposed and has been scrapped, would have had huge, irreversible impacts on traffic, open space and residents' quality of life.
We are not opposed to all new development. But we believe that any new development in our community should serve the people who live here, not the other way around. We believe residents are entitled to participate meaningfully, and at an early stage, in development proposals. They should also be given full access to public records about proposed developments, as well as full and accurate information about their impacts and long-range consequences.
Keeping Santa Monica livable, requiring new growth to be on a scale that is both sane and sustainable is a key goal of SMCLC. It will take all of us, working together to reach that goal.
SMCLC is a 501(c)(4) organization.
Description
SMCLC is an all-volunteer organization whose purpose is to ensure that our local government is responsive to residents when making important development decisions about our city.
We believe residents are entitled to participate meaningfully, and at an early stage, in development proposals which can negatively impact our city with increased traffic congestion, over-crowding, and a deterioration of our quality of life.
We believe residents are entitled to full access to public records about proposed developments, as well as accurate information about their irreversible impacts and long-range consequences. Our city's decision makers also need full and accurate information before approving such projects.
To achieve these goals, we research and publish educational information informing residents of key development and traffic issues and other proposed city activities; undertake advocacy at city hall on behalf of residents on these issues; and monitor and encourage transparency in government decisions.
