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Dan O'Brien Newsletter — September 21, 2026
Councilmember Dan O'Brien | Culver City Weekly Update | September 21, 2026
Hello, Culver City,
Saturday morning belonged to the creek. Volunteers fanned out across five sites for the Annual Ballona Creek Cleanup Day, from Sepulveda Boulevard to the Baldwin Hills Overlook, hauling litter and debris out of our watershed as part of California Coastal Cleanup Day. A huge thank you to the site coordinators who made it run: Culver City Kiwanis, Ballona Creek Renaissance, the Culver City Bicycle Coalition, Echo Horizon School, and the Sierra Club, with our Public Works team pulling it all together. Every year, as many as 200 of you show up for this. That spirit of rolling up sleeves for our shared spaces is exactly why I love this town, and it set the tone for a busy week at City Hall. Here is what you need to know.
🏛️ From the Dais: Council Is Back
🔹 CCARP afterschool fees, back on the table: At the September 14 meeting, Council returned to the proposed fee changes for the Culver City Afterschool Recreation Program. Back in August, parents asked us to treat this program as essential rather than recreational, and staff took time to rethink the structure before bringing it back.
→ 🗣️ My take: Afterschool care is family infrastructure, plain and simple. I want a structure that keeps CCARP within reach for working families, and I will keep pushing for that outcome.
🔹 Autonomous vehicle fleet rules: Council also continued shaping how Culver City will regulate autonomous vehicle fleet services, building on the proposed policy framework the City released on September 2. Innovation is welcome here, but these are our streets, and the rules should reflect our community's input.
👉 Read the AV policy framework
🔹 Next up: Council meets again on Monday, September 28 at 7 PM in the Mike Balkman Council Chambers. The agenda posts this Wednesday, September 23. Free childcare is available for kids ages 5 to 15 during Council meetings; just register at least 24 hours ahead.
👉 View upcoming meetings and agendas
🚨 Public Safety & Preparedness
🔹 Communitywide Disaster Drill, Thursday, September 24: From 7 to 9 PM, our Police and Fire Departments will lead CERT and CCARES volunteers in an evacuation exercise at El Marino Park and the surrounding neighborhood. You may hear the Hi-Lo warning siren that evening. It is only a drill, and no action is needed from residents.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: Readiness is built long before the emergency arrives. September is National Preparedness Month, and the single best step you can take is enrolling in CulverAlerts so the City can reach you when it counts.
👉 Visit the Emergency Preparedness page
💼 Economic Development
🔹 A new chapter for the Sony Animation campus: Fortress Investment Group won the auction for the three-building Sony Pictures Animation campus on September 14. In its closed session report, Council announced the City will not pursue acquiring the Culver Steps at 9300 Culver Blvd, while negotiations regarding the animation campus continue. After 25+ years cutting film and TV in this industry, I care deeply about keeping creative jobs anchored in the Heart of Screenland, and I am watching this closely.
🔹 Sustainable businesses in the spotlight: Our Certified Sustainable Businesses were honored at a September 10 awards ceremony and recognized before Council on September 14. These local owners prove that going green and doing good business are the same thing. If you run a business here, your certification could be next.
👉 Become a Certified Sustainable Business
🚲 Getting Around Town
🔹 Ballona Creek Bike Path is back open: After a fallen tree took down a section of railing earlier this month, Public Works removed the tree, repaired the railing, and reopened the path on Friday, September 11. Quick, quiet, well done. That is the kind of service residents deserve.
🔹 Line 99 SoFi Express on pause: Culver CityBus announced the SoFi Express will not operate during the 2026-27 NFL season. If game days are part of your routine, plan your route ahead.
🏘️ Housing
🔹 SB 79 Open House, Tuesday, September 22: From 6 to 8 PM in the Patacchia Room at City Hall, the Planning team will walk you through the Transit Oriented Development Alternative Plan, which would concentrate SB 79 density in the areas with the best redevelopment potential to deliver as much transit-accessible housing as possible. State law is going to shape our neighborhoods either way; an alternative plan is how we shape it ourselves. Coming off last month's state Prohousing Designation and $11.3 million in new funding, this is our moment to steer the growth. Come ask your questions.
👉 Visit the SB 79 project page
🎓 Education
🔹 State of the District: On Thursday, September 17, CCUSD Superintendent Dr. Jiménez delivered the State of the District, telling the crowd, "I'm a science guy, I can always get you the statistics." Strong public schools are the backbone of this community, and I am glad to see the district leading with data and transparency. Give the full recap a read.
👉 Read the Crossroads coverage
🗳️ Get Involved
🔹 Check your voter registration: Tuesday, September 15 was National Voter Registration Day, and the November 3, 2026 General Election is coming fast. It takes two minutes to register, check your status, or update your information. Do it today, then remind a neighbor.
👉 Voter registration resources
🔹 What's Next, Culver City comes to Fox Hills: Wednesday, September 30, 5:30 to 7:30 PM at Fox Hills Park near the playground (use the southeast entrance off Buckingham Parkway). No formal agenda, no presentation, just neighbors, City staff, and free ice cream while supplies last. This is exactly the kind of listening I want more of, so bring your big ideas.
🗓️ Dates to Know
🔹 Every Tuesday, 2-7 PM: Downtown Farmers Market. Main Street. Grab produce, support local growers, and say hello to neighbors.
👉 Visit the Farmers Market page
🔹 Planning Commission, Wednesday, September 23 at 7 PM: You can attend in person, join remotely, or submit an eComment.
👉 View the Commission calendar
📺 How to Watch & Participate in Meetings
🔹 Your seat is always saved: Agendas post Wednesdays before Monday meetings. You can attend in person or virtually, and every voice makes our decisions better.
👋 Before You Go
This week hands you three easy ways to plug in: the SB 79 open house on Tuesday, the disaster drill on Thursday, and the Council agenda dropping Wednesday for our September 28 meeting. Pick one and show up. And if something in this newsletter sparked a question or an idea, reply and tell me about it. I read every note, and your input genuinely shapes how I vote.
See you around town,
Dan
