ABOUT
MEET BOB
Councilmember Robert “Bob” Wunderlich, PhD was first elected to the Beverly Hills City Council in 2017. He currently serves as a Beverly Hills City Councilmember and is the immediate past Mayor. Previously, he represented Beverly Hills for ten years as its Director on the Board of The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the government agency charged with ensuring a reliable supply of water for Southern California.
Professionally, Dr. Wunderlich has been an economic and business consultant for more than 25 years, across many industries vital for Southern California, including entertainment, technology, healthcare and fashion. His clients include many prominent businesses and law firms. He co-founded Discovery Economics Inc. in 1999. Previously, he consulted regarding similar issues at Law and Economics Consulting Group (LECG) and Deloitte & Touche. Earlier in his career, Dr. Wunderlich was a research scientist.
Dr. Wunderlich earned an MBA with emphasis in finance from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, a PhD in chemical physics and an MA in physics from Harvard University, and a BA in chemistry with secondary emphasis in English from Columbia University. He is a registered professional chemical engineer in the State of California.
Bob grew up in Queens, New York. He moved to Southern California in 1981 and married his wife, Andrea Spatz, in 1986. Andrea and Bob moved to Beverly Hills in 1999. Andrea is a certified financial planner at Wallensky, Spatz & Associates and past president of the Shalom Institute. She earned degrees from UCLA and the Harvard Business School. Their children, Matthew and Michele, graduated from Beverly Vista and Beverly Hills High School. Bob and his family are members of Temple Isaiah.
Bob is running for re-election on June 7th, 2022, to the Beverly Hills City Council.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Creating a safe city with exceptional residential quality of life and a vibrant commercial sector requires the work of many. Beverly Hills accomplished much during my time as Mayor and on City Council. I am proud of my leadership and supporting roles, working with the other City Councilmembers, City management, City staff, Commissioners, and residents to achieve so much. That is one of the marks of effective government – Leading and working with others to accomplish good for the community.
Public Safety
✓ Substantially increased funding for the police including the number of sworn officers
✓ Enhanced recruiting to attract additional officers
✓ Supplemented BHPD with private security
✓ Greatly expanded coverage of the City by video cameras and drones
✓ Implementing increased real time response to automated surveillance
✓ Supported creation of anti-crime task forces
✓ Recruited a new Chief of Police
✓ Passed multiple ordinances providing greater protections for our residential neighborhoods, schools, and commercial areas
✓ Pursuing expanded City prosecutor’s authority to prosecute State misdemeanors
✓ Advocated against policies adopted by County DA George Gascon
✓ Supported resolution calling for the recall of George Gascon to address failed policies
✓ Supported City-wide emergency notification systems
✓ Supported Just-In-Case and Neighborhood Watch programs
✓ Adopted wildfire management plan
Economic Sustainability
✓ Led in supporting a vibrant commercial sector while protecting residential neighborhoods
✓ Implementing economic sustainability plan
✓ Led in supporting the outdoor dining Open BH program
✓ Actively recruited distinctive businesses and restaurants to locate in the City
✓ Actively supported existing businesses including revitalizing the shop local initiatives
✓ Adjusted parking and in lieu parking requirements for restaurants and exercise facilities
✓ Allowed for rooftop dining in the Triangle area
✓ Allowed for limited additional medical use
✓ Updated out-of-date limitations on hotel rooms allowed in the City.
✓ Championed continued investment in marketing and attracting visitors to the City
✓ Supported an improved version of the One Beverly Hills development
✓ Actively supported the Next Beverly Hills First Thursdays initiative
Residential Quality of Life
✓ Led in opposing excessive development in the hillside areas
✓ Led in regulating development including limits on basements, excavation, and retaining walls
✓ Led in restricting exceptions for pipeline projects and/or modified applications
✓ Led in passing ordinance to prevent fractional ownership
✓ Led in supporting slow streets, walkability, and alternative modes of mobility
✓ Led in providing greater public access to gardens in the One Beverly Hills project
✓ Protected against excessive noise in residential areas
✓ Supported limiting development in lots spanning adjacent city boundaries
✓ Opposed excessive proposed uses of Virginia Robinson Gardens
Community Sustainability
✓ Led in development of rent stabilization and eviction prevention ordinance
✓ Led in creation of fund to support renters affected by Covid
✓ Supported measures to mitigate impact of State measures that would allow excessive development
✓ Supported mixed use, avoiding imposition of increased State interference with local housing decisions
✓ Supported inclusionary housing standards
✓ Designated ad hoc to evaluate options for affordable housing
✓ Supported provisions for seniors and families with children in Beverly Hills schools
v Championed support for our schools
✓ Supported landmark, historic property, Greystone restoration, and Golden Shields designations
✓ Supported extension of the Mills Act to preserve historic building
✓ Actively supported input from and interests of diverse generations in Beverly Hills
Environmental Sustainability
✓ Supported establishment of Climate Action Taskforce
✓ Led in Beverly Hills becoming a founding member of the Clean Power Authority
✓ Supported adopting a default 100% renewable energy option for the City
✓ Led in supporting alternative modes of mobility
✓ Led in supporting a sustainable water supply through groundwater wells and conservation
✓ Supported development of additional water storage
✓ Supported establishment of seismic retrofit requirements
✓ Created statement of actions to mitigate climate change adopted by U.S. Council of Mayors
✓ Supported reduction of organic waste
✓ Supported increasing sustainable tree canopy
Open and Transparent Government
✓ Led in adoption of internal audit function
✓ Currently recruiting replacement of initial auditor
✓ Welcomed public input at all City meetings
✓ Supported revised order of testimony at public hearings to allow for additional input
✓ Supported recording liaison and ad hoc meetings
✓ Led in promoting civility in government
✓ Supported additional disclosures for ballot measures and independent expenditures
✓ Supported allowing public to vote on establishing term limits
Recovery from the Pandemic
✓ Played an important role in structuring financial response to pandemic
✓ Promoted measures to maintain public safety while avoiding excessive lock down
✓ Promoted measures to ensure response of first responders
✓ Promoted measures to help renters and small businesses
Financial Management
✓ Instrumental in developing City’s financial response to the pandemic
✓ Improved presentation and communication of City finances and budget
✓ Helped with structuring water and solid waste fees to mitigate impact
✓ Supported adopting sales tax measure protecting City from regional increases
✓ Led in adopting measures to reduce retiree-related unfunded liabilities
Support for Our Schools
✓ Helped foster cooperative relationship with our schools
✓ Working with BHUSD to consider additional means for City to support our schools
✓ Supported mutually beneficial JPA, providing important funding for our schools
✓ Led in establishing safeguards for schools during Metro construction and oil well closures
Mobility
✓ Led in supporting a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly City
✓ Led in adopting the Complete Streets Plan
✓ Led in development of Slow Streets
✓ Implemented bicycle lane on Santa Monica Boulevard
✓ Implemented trial of protected bicycle lane near Roxbury Park
✓ Implementing minimum grid bicycle network
✓ Implementing bicycle lane providing access to future Metro station at La Cienega
✓ Led in improved access of pedestrians and bicyclists at the One Beverly Hills project
✓ Supported pedestrian-leading intersections
✓ Supported no-touch pedestrian crossings
✓ Supported improved pedestrian crosswalks
✓ Implementing additional measures to reduce speeding and improve pedestrian safety
✓ Supported CicLAvia event in Beverly Hills in spring 2022
Metro
✓ Planning for the arrival of Metro, including police sub-station and mobility hub
✓ Developing RFP for areas in the vicinity of the La Cienega station
✓ Achieved addition of portal on North side of Wilshire near Beverly, with cost sharing with Metro
✓ Highlighted need to be preparing now to ensure we are ready for the arrival of Metro
✓ Led in development of improved communication of our activities related to Metro
✓ Supported Connect BH design standards
✓ Supported development of Metro MOA, protecting the City during construction
✓ Led in specifying additional protections for the high school during construction
Arts & Culture
✓ Supported expanded Arts & Culture Commission
✓ Supported numerous arts and culture events in Beverly Hills, including:
✓ Frieze Week in Beverly Hills
✓ Sing for Hope Pianos
✓ Ed Massey art installation in Lili Pond
✓ Multiple pop-up art installations
✓ Events at The Wallis
✓ Public art purchases, refurbishment, and display
Healthy City
✓ Supported elimination of tobacco sales
✓ Supported elimination of tobacco usage in multi-family residences
✓ Sponsored Wellness Wednesday fitness and community participation activities
✓ Championed walking and bicycling-friendly neighborhoods
✓ Championed climate change mitigation measures
Hate Crimes and Antisemitism
✓ Responded forcefully to hate crimes, hate speech, and antisemitism
✓ Condemned anti-Semitic flyers
✓ Condemned antisemitism at local universities
✓ Opposed the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement
✓ Adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism
✓ Opposed adoption of proposed, biased ethnic studies curriculum
✓ Opposed desecration of Jewish cemetery in Lithuania
✓ Condemned attempts by the Lithuanian government to distort reality of the Holocaust
✓ Opposed restrictions on businesses operating in Israel settlements