Local News in Brief : LOCAL LAWS of 1987 : Culver City

Among the strongest images of the year in Los Angeles County were those of furious smokers temporarily banned from Beverly Hills restaurants and a would-be gunman holding what turned out to be a toy gun on consumer reporter David Horowitz during a live broadcast. Both incidents spawned action by local authorities. Here’s a sampling of what local legislative boards decided during 1987.

SMOKE--The Culver City City Council in August mandated that 66% of all seats in restaurants have to be reserved for nonsmokers. Bars and restaurants with fewer than 25 seats are exempt.

RENT--Starting in May, landlords in Culver City must undergo mediation with tenants who have filed complaints about a pending rent increase. The landlord and tenant must meet with a three-member city-appointed mediation board. An agreement is not required, simply a good faith attempt to reach a resolution of differences.

QUAKE--An ordinance passed by the Culver City City Council in February requires buildings in the city to meet state seismic safety standards.

TOY GUN--In September, the Culver City City Council made it a misdemeanor to brandish a replica firearm in a threatening manner.

Compiling these laws were Times staff writers Greg Braxton, Gary Gorman, Scott Harris, Roxanna Kopetman, Julio Moran, Victor Merina, Mike Ward, and researcher Cecilia Rasmussen.