NORTHWEST ADVOCATE - Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood
Transcription
NORTHWEST ADVOCATE - Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood
NORTHWEST ADVOCATE THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTHWEST SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL • WINTER 2009 Councilwoman Hahn Addresses Planning, Traffic Issues at Northwest NC Meeting Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn was a guest at the January meeting of the Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council (NC). We had asked her to comment on a series of issues of importance, most of which had received previous action by the NC. City’s EIR Contracting Process We had asked her about the possibility of a change to the process by which environmental impact reports are conducted and paid for. Currently, developers pay for the environmental studies, but controls how the EIR is conducted and disseminated to the public and the planning department. The developer hires all the participants in producing the EIR. Would it not be possible for the city to directly contract with an outside consultant in researching and producing the documents? Hahn said that for her, the bottom line is accountability—that we need to make sure the EIRs are transparent and truthful and that mitigations by the developer are appropriate. The planning department has looked at the situation and determined that there is no easy way to change the current system as the developer will still be paying for the study. EIR Traffic Counts The Councilwoman agreed that Los Angeles needs to do its own traffic counts for EIR purposes, as opposed to using antiquated formulae from other cities which are currently applied to traffic projections here. She indicated she would introduce a motion to come up with current traffic counts for proposed development s in L.A. SB 1818 Carried by a rural California legislator, SB1818 robs cities partially of their ability to control density, building heights, and allows developers “density bonuses” for low income housing within larger developments. Hahn thinks it’s a terrible idea and voted against the ordinance enabling the legislation in the city. She recommends newly elected Harbor area legislator Bonnie Lowenthal be encouraged to look at the issue. Emergency Preparedness The question was how NCs can be involved. Hahn is very concerned about port security issues, where there may be no warning, as well as natural disasters which might involve some warning, such as a tsunami. She advocated more federal dollars for port security, and believes that NCs need to act as first responders with respect to coordination and communication following an incident. She challenged us to come up with a plan. Quimby Funds The Councilwoman advocated an advisory task force to work with her and departments on expending monies collected from developers for recreational purposes. These “Quimby dollars” must be spent within two miles of the development for which they are paid. ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ Hahn liked the idea of an occasional informal meeting with NC members to touch base on issues and to mutually seek and dispense advice and solve problems. Ponte Vista The Councilwoman spoke of Credit Suisse taking back responsibility for the project, symbolized by the removal of Bob Bisno. The bank’s development arm has taken over and requested an extension of time to April 9 for the planning commission hearing. The development team’s “rollout” open house for a revised plan will be held March 12 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Peck Park Auditorium on Western Avenue. The Councilwoman believes that Ponte Vista has to be a project that CAN be approved, not just something presented as a fait accompli. The previous proposal for 2,300 and later 1,950 units are just too large, according to Hahn. She would like to continued on page 4 Voice your opinion on the latest plans for Ponte Vista! Ponte Vista ‘Open House’ Thursday, March 12 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Peck Park Auditorium Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council 638 South Beacon Street, Box 688 San Pedro, CA 90731 Attn: POSTAL PATRON PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 193 San Pedro, CA ECR-WSS Councilwoman Janice Hahn (right, with microphone) addresses the crowd at the January Northwest Neighborhood Council meeting. Hahn responded to questions about a variety of issues, including Ponte Vista and traffic. Ponte Vista Update By John Greenwood The last two months of the 2008 year brought good news to those in our neighborhood who are concerned abut overdevelopment at Ponte Vista. In November the Planning Department issued a preliminary report recommending denial of developer Bob Bisno’s tract map application. The tract map underlies Bisno’s proposal for 1,950 units (or even more given certain bonuses for housing for those of low and moderate income). The Planning Department pointed out that development at Ponte Vista is required by the community plan to be compatible with other development in the area. As all of us know, the homes across Western Avenue are single family, while to the south are primarily single family homes and the Gardens development. These are not compatible with the dense development proposed for Ponte Vista. The Planning Department came to the obvious conclusion that the proposed development was too large and that the layout was incompatible with the community plan. This gave us hope that the entire proposal would be denied. A month later the Department confirmed this and issued a report recommending the following actions to the Planning Commission and the City Council: •Disapprove the proposed amendment to the General Plan to allow the heavier density at the property. •Disapprove Bisno’s proposed zone change from the current R-1-1XL (single family density) and OS-1XL (open space). •Disapprove the Ponte Vista Specific Plan proposal. •Disapprove the proposed development agreement between Ponte Vista Partners and the City of Los Angeles. •Not certify the Environmental Impact Report and related documents. While the Planning Department did not support the Neighborhood Council’s recommendation to preserve the current R-1 zoning, the Department featured many of the arguments put forward by NWSPNC in our comment letter and testimony. In addition, the owner of the Ponte Vista property, Credit Suisse, announced in December that the bank’s agreement with Bob Bisno had expired. The company decided that it would re-examine its options and develop the property itself. This was also good news, since many of us who tried to work with Bisno believed that his stubbornness had divided the community. We hope that Credit Suisse has learned from this costly experience and will work to develop a proposal that is compatible with other development in San Pedro and meets the concerns expressed by our Neighborhood Council and San Pedro residents. Credit Suisse has interviewed many community residents and is planning an “open house” on March 12 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Peck Park to reveal a new plan and hear community reactions. The plan is scheduled to go to a hearing before the Planning Commission on April 9 (check www. nwsanpedro.org for specific time and location). The Neighborhood Council has taken a position to support the Planning Department recommendation of denial. We think that the developer must begin again with a new proposal and an updated traffic study. Simply revising the existing proposal prior to the April 9 hearing would not allow for a sufficient public input process for consideration of a project of this magnitude A new proposal would not allow the developer to take credit for signal synchronization already continued on page 3 2 The Northwest Neighborhood Advocate NORTHWEST SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL 638 S. Beacon Street, Box 688 San Pedro, CA 90731 (310) 732-4522 [email protected] Winter 2009 President’s Corner Parking Meter Rates Rise, So Does My Blood Pressure By Dan Dixon, President NWSPNC BOARD MEMBERS DAN DIXON, President JOHN MAVAR, Vice President Chair, Issues, Parks and Transportation Committee MARY HAMLIN, Secretary Newsletter Editor CRAIG GOLDFARB, Treasurer Chair, Budget and Finance Committee MOLLIE ABBATIELLO DAVID ARVONIO Chair, Outreach and Communications Committee PETE BURMEISTER BONNIE EASLEY Chair, Scholarship Committee John Greenwood Co-chair, Planning and Land Use Committee MERYL MOILOV Diana Nave Co-chair, Planning and Land Use Committee Philip Nicolay Chair, Port Committee Ray H. Patricio GABRIEL RIVAS BARBARA SCHACH Chair, Youth and Education Committee JOHN STAMMREICH Capt. George Thompson LAUREEN VIVIAN NWSPNC Committees Issues / Traffic / Parks Committee: Deals with traffic and transportation, parks, community beautification, and other issues not covered by specific committees. Planning and Land Use Committee: Deals with planning and land use issues. Port Committee: Deals with port-related issues and advises our representatives on Port Community Advisory Committee. Youth and Education Committee: Focuses on meeting the needs of young people in our community, including education, recreation, and crime prevention. Communication and Outreach Committee: Communicates with our stakeholders via quarterly newsletter, speaking engagements, and personal contact with various target groups and gathers community concerns and feedback. Finance Committee: Recommends budget, reviews funding requests. If you are interested in being a member of any of these committees, please e-mail your contact information to [email protected]. The NWSPNC Governing Board meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Peck Park Auditorium, 560 North Western Avenue Neighborhood council board members recently received the following email from office of the general manager of the city’s Department of Transportation (LADOT): Please be advised that single space parking meters in your community are being updated to reflect parking meter “rate” and “hour” changes. This work will be performed the week of February 17, 2009. The areas in Council District 15 are in Wilmington and San Pedro. Parking meter “inserts” in the Wilmington area will be changed out beginning 2/17/09 and completed by 2/20/09. Change outs in San Pedro will take place the week of 2/23/09 and completed by 2/27/09. During these weeks, parking meter “inserts” (labels inside meter domes) will be changed out. The inserts indicate the hours of meter operation and the parking meter rate. The new rate will be $1.00 per hour; in general, the new hours of operation will be 8 AM to 8 PM, Monday through Saturday, except in areas where peak hour restrictions are in effect. Customized “inserts” will be installed to exclude the peak hour from the meter hours of operation. The rate and hours “inserts” in the five offstreet lots (Lot #641, 647, 683, 684, and 735) in CD-15 will also be changed out at around the same time. In the off-street lots, the rates will be $1.00 per hour and $4.00 for 10 hours and the hours will be 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily, with the exception of Lot 641 where Sunday is excluded. As you are aware, the meter rate and hours changes were approved by the City Council in July 2008; DOT has been implementing these changes throughout the City since they became effective in September 2008. On average, the City’s parking meters have not had a rate adjustment in about 20 years, during which time the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased over 90 percent. According to a national survey of on-street parking meter rates, the City of Los Angeles’ rates rank among the very lowest in the nation. The new rates are effective immediately upon the “insert” change out. However, DOT Parking Enforcement will not be enforcing the new meter hours (between 6 PM to 8 PM) until such time that the overhead signs match the “insert” hours. Please read and comply with posted parking restriction signs and the meter inserts when parking on any public street or parking lot. Here’s my response to LADOT: So, a 90 percent increase in the CPI merits a 300 percent increase in parking rates. Bad math, and not the truth. Just SAY IT, the city is looking for revenue and this is an easy way, subject to no public review, to create revenue. Saying that our city has low meter rates ignores the fact that this city is more dependent on automobiles than almost any city in the world. And to inflict this tariff on the fragile shopping areas of downtown San Pedro and Wilmington is simply a business-killing example of bad governance. Bad show, folks. Toll Lanes Coming to 110 Freeway Yes, it is more than a rumor. The MTA is funds for conducting this pilot. Caltrans has planning to transform the carpool lanes on the committed $800,000. These funds will be used Harbor Freeway (Interstate 110) into carpool for increased bus service from the Artesia (91) and toll lanes from Artesia to the Adams offramp Freeway to downtown Los Angeles, improvements (where the carpool lanes end). to the park-and-ride lots, and expanded vanpools. In an effort to find out more about their plans, Improvements will also be made to the Adams the NWSPNC sponsored a workshop offramp. Funds from the toll would at Peck Park. What did we learn? be used for increased enforcement (1) Anyone eligible to use the carpool of the carpool/toll lanes and other CALIFORNIA lanes will still be able to do so without related uses. a toll. (8) Participants at the workshop (2) This is a one-year “pilot” and raised a number of issues, particumust be implemented by December larly the lack of any real transit from 31, 2010. There is no guarantee, San Pedro. MTA representatives rehowever, that the toll will be removed sponded that they will consider some once the pilot phase is over. additional buses from San Pedro. (The neighbor(3) The amount of the toll would vary with the hood council will be monitoring this.) number of vehicles already using the carpool (9) An environmental review will need to be lanes. conducted and this will provide an opportunity (4) The goal is to keep traffic moving at 45 miles for public comment. per hour or better (but they admitted this goal (10) MTA will be developing benchmarks to might not always be met). determine the “success.” (5) Trucks will not be eligible. (11) The plans presented appear to be in the (6) The toll will be paid through the use of some planning phase. It will be important for the comtype of electronic monitoring device. Details have munity to be involved in the detailed planning. not been worked out. For more information, go to www.metro. (7) MTA will receive $210 million in federal net/fastlanes. $$$ Free Counseling to Prevent Foreclosures The following organizations provide free counseling for those facing foreclosure of their homes. Los Angeles Center for Foreclosure Solutions: 1-888-89-LANHS ACORN Foreclosure Hotline: 1-213-748-1345 Housing Rights Center: 1-800-477-5677 Winter 2009 The Northwest Neighborhood Advocate 3 Making Their Points Candidates Stump for Votes at Council-Sponsored Election Forum Crew works along east side of North Gaffey Street, installing new curbs. At Long Last, North Gaffey Beautification! Five years ago, your Neighborhood Council submitted a proposal to the Port of Los Angeles requesting it to beautify the east side of North Gaffey. It’s been a long time, but change is coming. The train track across Gaffey and the annoying billboards that were on Port property have been removed. Construction of Phase I (Westmont to Gatun) is underway. Curbs, gutters, and a sidewalk are being installed and the area landscaped up to the county storm drain. There will also be a jogging/bike path constructed and street furniture installed. One of the challenges faced by Port staff in carrying out this project is the fact that there are three different property owners involved. We are grateful that the Port finally resolved these issues. With the help of Councilwoman Hahn’s staff, the Port, Target, and Worldport Business Park, weeping willows will be installed on both sides of North Gaffey. The Neighborhood Council is continuing to work with the Port on the implementation of Phase II which will extend the landscaping and the multipurpose path under the freeway to connect with the path on North Pacific. The Port has not determined the timeline for this phase. The improvements will be paid for through China Shipping Mitigation funds. Not currently included in the beautification is the parcel where EZ Smog is located. This parcel is also Port property. EZ Smog rents this property from the Port on a month-to-month basis for $602 per month. The use of this property for a smog test station is not appropriate for a tidelands trust asset. Property is currently available at the former Animal Shelter site. For these reasons, the Neighborhood Council recently passed a resolution asking the Port to terminate the rental agreement and incorporate the land into the beautification project. This was not done, however, without some concern about dislocating a viable business at this time of economic downturn. City Controller candidate Nick Patsaouras (right) and City Attorney candidate Noel Weiss (below) were among the candidates vying for various city offices on the March 3 primary ballot. Also appearing before the crowd at the forum held February 19 were city attorney candidates Carmen “Nuch” Trutanich, Michael Amerian, and David Berger. Councilman Jack Weiss, also seeking the Photo by John Stinson city attorney post, did not attend. Kathleen “Suzy” Evans, running for city controller, also spoke. Another controller candidate, Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, did not attend. Although Councilwoman Janice Hahn had another commitment, her opponent, Chris Salabaj, was on hand to pitch for votes. Hot topics included development, Measure B (solar power), and the city’s budget crisis. The forum was sponsored Photo by John Stinson by the Northwest San Pedro, Central San Pedro, Coastal San Pedro, Harbor City, and Wilmington neighborhood councils, along with the San Pedro Peninsula, Wilmington, and Harbor City-Harbor Gateway chambers of commerce. Rolling Hills Preparatory School provided the venue. For more information, visit http://cityclerk.lacity.org/election/. Amerigas Update: ‘Tanks’ for Nothing! By Diana Nave, NWSPNC Board Member Your Neighborhood Council available adjacent to the planned has long been concerned about tank farm on Terminal Island to the safety of the AmeriGas facilaccommodate the North Gaffey ity at 2110 North Gaffey. Recently propane and butane tanks. AmeriGas sold this facility to Plains At its recent meeting, your Midstream, Canada, an “indirect Neighborhood Council joined San subsidiary” of Plains All American Pedro Peninsula Homeowners Pipeline. United (SPPHU) in requesting that Plains All American Pipeline Councilwoman Hahn advocate for has applied for a Port permit to conthe removal of the tanks on North struct and operate a dock and tank Gaffey to Terminal Island and that farm at Pier 400 on Terminal Island. Plains All American be required to If approved, Plains will be installing include in their pending terminal pipelines to transport crude oil to construction the pipelines that the same Wilmington refinery that would be needed should the tanks currently sends its excess butane be moved. to be stored in the tanks on North If you agree, you might want to Gaffey. add your voice by e-mailing Janice. There may be enough room [email protected]. Ponte Vista Update continued from page 1 underway on Western Avenue and elsewhere. Whoever develops the property must come up with additional traffic mitigation benefits for the San Pedro area. Please attend both meetings and voice your opinion. To read the Council’s latest position on Ponte Vista, go to http://www.nwsanpedro.org/pdfs//letter%20to%20planning%20commiss ion%20re%20ponte%20vista.pdf. John Greenwood is a board member of NWSPNC and chaired the advisory committee on Ponte Vista established by Councilwoman Janice Hahn. BEFORE—Unsightly containers at Taper Avenue Elementary School. AND AFTER—Freshly painted, containers please neighbors. Storage Containers Painted Thanks to the efforts of John Mavar and the NWSPNC Issues Committee, the unsightly storage containers at Taper Avenue Elementary School have been painted to blend in with the current bungalows. The containers were an eyesore to the neighbors and passers-by. With the committee’s involvement, the issue was brought to the attention of school officials who acted on the matter. —David Rivera, NWSPNC stakeholder 4 The Northwest Neighborhood Advocate Winter 2009 NWSPNC Helps ‘Docs Rock’ at San Pedro High Averill Park in May 2004. Averill Park now. Ode to Averill Park By Laureen Vivian, NWSPNC Board Member Averill Park is a place where and a historical landmark, Averill time slows. Park is now, after almost 80 years, It’s a varied and special place to in want of major repair. The main roll down the grassy slopes, take a water system pump is broken benap under the cool of a shade tree or yond repair, the concrete stream meander along the cascading stream beds have large cracks in them and and ponds. the lovely PV stone retaining walls It’s a place where children and are in need of much rebuilding. adults alike delight in the ducks, Currently, although the park is geese, herons, egrets, turtles, goldstill used by strollers, dogs and their fish and crawdads, squirrels, hawks, owners and children alike, the wastarlings, orioles, finches and sparter features are in utter disrepair. rows which call this oasis home. The water has been shut off since It’s a place to ponder and enjoy June 2008 and the lower ponds are the many vistas created by its dragrowing foul. matic topography, extensive plant Recreation and Parks Departdiversity and majestic old rubber ment Pacific Region Superintentrees. dant Marc Mariscal assured the Children climb in and out of the NWSPNC and others at an open rubber trees’ enormous roots in awe meeting at Peck Park earlier this and wonder at their sheer size, as year that $660,000 was dedicated to parents and adults stop to chat. this park’s restoration project. Families celebrate rites of pasSince Recreation and Parks has sage, weddings fill the park with no interior planning department, color, chatter, joy and music and the City Bureau of Engineering is in birthday parties bubble with laughthe process of developing a restorater. tion plan. This process, Mr. MarHeralded as one of L.A.’s top iscal projected, is expected to take five best little-known neighborabout six months to complete. hoods, Averill Park is the jewel at So, Averill Park awaits her new its center. Designed by the firm gown. Those of us who use, know of the famous landscape architect and love this park for cherished Frederick Law Olmstead, who also memories of it and/ or for the quietdesigned Malaga Cove Plaza and ing and soothing magic it bestows, Central Park in NYC, this little park anxiously await for time to slow is truly a gem in our community. again and the waters to flow once A place of remarkable beauty more. www.nwsanpedro.org By John Mavar, vice president, NWSPNC The lights dim and the room is the cost of this program at SPHS. full of students and parents ready to The I.D.A. came to the high school experience and watch stories come when Docs Rock started almost a to life. Students have worked all decade ago. They will continue to year long to creatively depict people, play a major role this upcoming places and things. school year. Armed with cameras, interviews Another part of this program questions, and new editing skills, is “Artist in Residence.” The artist these students make some of the attends class and spends countless major theater films look amateur. hours with students by providing These students put together docureal life knowledge ranging from mentaries on stories that have inhow to use editing software to directerest to them, but will also engage tion on how a film should be depicted you. on the screen. This program at San Pedro You can’t just give a student a High School has gone unnoticed by camcorder and let them film and most of San Pedro. With a dedicated edit without direction. The team teacher and help from an outside work of Tony Saavedra and the artorganization, these students take ist in resident provides students an their experience to college and beeducational learning environment yond. that borders on a film academy The Docs Rock film production for no cost. This experience lasts a program has thrived at San Pedro lifetime. High School for the past eight years. With funding becoming a probStudents pick subjects they want to lem for most programs throughout investigate or discuss and are orgathe Los Angeles Unified School nized into smaller groups which do District, the Docs Rock program is research and interviews. in jeopardy. The grant that funds With cameras and instruction the Artist in Residence part of the from a teacher, the creativity begins. program was denied by the Los AnDuring the course of the semester, geles Cultural Affairs Department documentary and entertainment because of budget constraints. After industry professionals attend the seeing this program for myself and class to provide insight into the attending the film festival, I felt our technical aspects of documentary neighborhood council needed to do production. something. Even with looming budget cuts, The Northwest San Pedro Docs Rock continues to stay afloat. Neighborhood Council will be part The program would not be what it of this program in a big way. The is without a dedicated teacher. Tony funds the NWSPNC provided serves Saavedra urges students to give 100 as a bridge so that students can have percent of their effort. access to, and knowledge of, an inSaavedra has been a San Pedro dustry located only 30 miles away, High School teacher for 27 years in Hollywood. and has seen some real talent come This year’s film festival is schedthrough his class. Students has been uled for June. Please call the high able to take what they’ve learned to school for more information. college and beyond. Tony Saavedra If you would like to help, make pushes these students to really show a donation, or are in the entertainwhat they can do. ment industry and would like to The Independent Documentary participate, please contact Tony Association (I.D.A.) underwrites Saavedra at (310) 547-2491. Councilwoman Hahn see a project built but that it needs to be scaled “way down.” Other Matters On other matters, the Councilwoman stated she will be introducing a motion to create a memorandum of understanding to establish early notification to neighborhood councils of actions proposed by all city departments, boards and committees. Hahn believes “knowledge is power,” and promised to move forward on the issue of community notification. The Councilwoman was asked about a sports complex to be built at the sanitation yard property on North Gaffey Street. She said it has been a consistent goal of hers to get such a youth facility built for the use of the whole community but that it is slow going, given current and projected future budget challenges. continued from page 1 She does feel it would be logical to move the “community gardens” to another location, such as Hernandez Ranch in Miraflores Canyon. It is a long process, but she feels it is a good idea to reestablish control of the gardens so that they operate efficiently and fairly. Councilwoman Hahn said that her office and the NCs need to be partners on community improvement issues, ranging from Averill Park to potholes to waterfront development. There are certain monies available, but we need to work together to find ways to finance and implement projects large and small. Her most global comment was that, now more than ever, the waterfront should be a priority so that implementation can be ready to go when the economy turns around.