Public comment at local government meetings is a uniquely unpredictable slice of American democracy.
Give anyone off the street an open microphone, zero screening, and 60 seconds of uninterrupted talk time and you can end up with a fascinating blend of genuine community passion, hyper-niche neighborhood disputes, and pure, unfiltered drama.
The Santa Monica City Council hears general public comments near the start of each meeting — so residents no longer have to stay up until 2:00 AM just to air their grievances. And at each meeting, you truly never know what you’re going to hear.
From local art preservation and neighborhood noise disputes to wild tech claims, here are 10 standout moments from Tuesday, September 8.
1. SAVE THE WHALES
Daniel Alonzo spent over 13,000 hours creating a massive 550-foot mural on Ocean Park Boulevard in 1983 without making a dime. Now the local artist is asking the council to grant his artwork official landmark status before time and neglect destroy it.
“All my life, ever since I was little, I’ve always been an animal lover. I’m 69 years old and I was a young adult in the movement of Save the Whales. These whales were being hunted and killed and they were very close to extinction. That was one of the reasons for the subject matter of why I chose my mural… Please consider that because of the elements, because of time, and because of neglect, don’t be the harpoon that causes my whales’ demise. Please protect my whales and dolphins on Ocean Park Boulevard.”
2. I INVENTED FACEBOOK!
Claiming personal credit for inventing everything from the Tesla electric motor to the modern smartphone touchscreen, one resident stepped up seeking public credit — and a municipal grant — for his next tech venture.
“All my life I’ve been a designer, a creator, a builder of new things. Um, I’ve invented things like the Tesla, the motor that’s in the Tesla… I invented the touchscreen on your phones. Um, I said, ‘Hey, make a grid, put some wires, and let’s figure this out because I want to touch my screen.’ Okay. It does, you know, one thing after another. I mean, I’ve built Facebook design… Well, this time I’m keeping the credit. Okay. I built a business called Yacht Teach R&D LLC. I am seeking a grant…”
3. THE JACKHAMMERING FOOD TRUCK
A neighborhood resident detailed the daily torture of having a mobile food vendor parked outside her home from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM every day of the week.
“Seven days a week, 13 hours a day, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., an out of town gas-powered food truck is infiltrating our neighborhood and inside our homes. The buzzing and beeping is inside my ears in every room of my house. The rumbling is inside my house and it sounds and feels like a continuous slow-grade jackhammer inside… We cannot rest, work, read, focus, cook, dine, watch TV, or hold a conversation without hearing buzzing, rumbling, and vibrating. I can’t stand to be in my own house anymore, and I dread coming home…Since October, my sanctuary has been turned into a living nightmare. Yet my experience continues to be dismissed by the City.”
4. THE ‘POLTERGEIST’ HOUSE
A local homeowner, who lives near the Promenade, enlightened the council about ultra-bright commercial digital billboards installed at 3rd and Wilshire that shine directly into nearby living spaces at night.
“I have my hard-hitting truth to power speech here I was going to do, but I see you guys are so kind and nice… I want to bring to your attention the billboards. We live north of the one at 3rd and Wilshire and it comes into our living room and it’s so blinding. Look, you’ve seen Poltergeist. This is so—just to bring to your attention that they are so bright… Just know that they’re really bright. It’s shining into people’s homes and um I just want to make you aware of that.”
5. WAYMO V. THE TREES
A resident on Euclid Street called out the city for allegedly bypassing public notice requirements and its own forestry commission when it chopped down historic palm trees to make room for autonomous vehicle curb cuts.
“Two of our 65-foot palm trees were cut down without any of the 14-day public notice as required by the urban forestry master plan… Instead, we saw spray painted X’s on both trunks on a Sunday, and by Monday, they were gone. These trees came down because Waymo applied for additional curb cuts on Euclid, and these trees were simply in their way. Like a cartoon villain feeding a billion-dollar company trees for dinner, the city approved both and made sure angry residents could not object.” — Dylan Moore
6. NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T
Local activist Dick Lucas took to the podium to issue a legal warning to elected officials regarding public social media accounts and comment moderation practices.
“Eight weeks ago, someone DM’d me about Mayor Torosis hiding comments on her Instagram post. I made a whole video about it… I’ve now been informed that another person—and I believe the city attorney is aware of this—has also been blocked… This doesn’t sound like a big deal, but the Supreme Court covered this. This is illegal. That is a free speech zone. And I can’t imagine all the vitriol you probably get… But we need that space below your post to communicate with each other, to keep each other informed, to share ideas. So, and this is also warning to other people: Please don’t block people.”
7. WHERE’S THE AGENDA?
A local resident challenged the entire legality of the night’s proceedings, asserting the city failed to physically post the meeting agenda outside City Hall in accordance with California’s open meeting laws.
“I’ve sent several emails to you guys in the last 24 hours about having violated the Brown Act in numerous ways… There was no written agenda posted outside of City Hall, which is a violation of the Brown Act, and therefore anything that you do at this meeting tonight will be null and void because there will be a lawsuit. The city attorney… advised me that they were coordinating a response to me, and that the agenda… is at some kind of wayfinding kiosk. However, the 900-and-some page city agenda for tonight’s meeting says that the agendas are reports and are available in the city’s office… So, whatever you do.”
8. SMMUSD, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
A neighborhood speaker pointed out the irony of the local school district advocating for a new annual parcel tax while reporting an unexpected multi-million-dollar surplus.
“The school district just now came out with their actual numbers for the school year showing an $8 million surplus instead of predicting a $10 million deficit… Instead of advocating for more money from the residents in the form of the parcel tax, why not go back to the school district and ask them to be good partners and help the city out in this time of fiscal distress?… Please stop advocating for more taxes.”
9. THE CASE OF THE MISSING SIGNS
A community advocate called out the sudden removal of historical context signs placed in front of the Stanton MacDonald-Wright mural inside City Hall — just as Santa Monica begins recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month.
“That signage is now gone. So, as we recognize Latino Heritage Month, I respectfully ask who authorized its removal, why was it removed, and when will it be restored? Please restore the signage while the larger project remains on hold.”
10. DOORDASH DRAMA
A resident recounted an escalating neighborhood dispute involving an unpermitted pedicab operation he alleges is being run out of residential garages, a DoorDash driver, and an altercation where she claimed she was pepper-sprayed while taking video evidence.
“This man that is a worker on a pedicab business that is operating from four rent-control garages on the alley… didn’t like the fact that I started videotaping because I’ve been collecting evidence… The police had to come because she [the DoorDash neighbor] called the police on me because between my downstairs neighbor who operates this illegal business and her who works from her home for DoorDash, [they] have waged a war against me.”
Want to have your voice heard? It’s easy to make a public comment. You can find the rules and procedures here.
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