The VNC Board of Officers will meet this evening at 7pm at the Westminster Elementary School (Auditorium) at 1010 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, 90291
One issue of discussion this evening will be food trucks congregating on Abbot Kinney. The entire agenda is “after the jump”
Board of Officers Meeting Agenda
Westminster Elementary School (Auditorium)
1010 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, 90291
Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 7:00 PM
BOARD MEETINGS: The Venice Neighborhood Council holds its regular meetings on the third Tuesday of the month and may also call any additional required special meetings in accordance with its Bylaws and the Brown Act. All are welcome to attend.
TRANSLATION Services: Si requiere servicios de traducción, favor de notificar a la oficina 3 días de trabajo (72 horas) antes del evento. Si necesita asistencia con esta notificación, por favor llame a nuestra oficina 213.473.5391.
POSTING: The agenda and non-exempt writings that are distributed to a majority or all of the board members in advance of regular and special meetings may be viewed at Groundworks Coffee (671 Rose Ave Venice, CA 90291), Abbots Habit (1401 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice, CA 90291), the Venice Library (501 South Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291), Oakwood Recreation Center (767 California St. Venice, CA 90291), the VNC website (http://www.venicenc.org), or at the scheduled meeting. For a copy of any record related to an item on the agenda, please contact the VNC secretary at secretary@venicenc.org.
PUBLIC COMMENT: The public is requested to fill out a “Speaker Card” to address the Board on any Old or New Business item on the agenda and the Treasurer’s Report. Comments from the public on these agenda items will be heard only when that item is being considered. Comments from the public on other agenda matters or on matters not appearing on the agenda but within the Board’s subject matter jurisdiction will be heard during the Public Comment period. Public comment is limited to two (2) minutes per speaker, unless modified by the presiding officer of the Board.
DISABILITY POLICY: The Venice Neighborhood Council complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and does not discriminate on the basis of any disability. Upon request, the Venice Neighborhood Council will provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request.
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
2. Approval of the Agenda
3. Approval of outstanding minutes submitted by Secretary
April 20, 2010 Board Meeting Minutes
(see http://venicenc.org/files/100420VNCBoardMinutes.doc)
[Committee Reports are provided in written form when available]
4. Consent Calendar [None]
5. Announcements & Public Comment on items not on the Agenda
[15 min, no more than 2 minutes per person – no board member announcements permitted]
6. Treasurers Report accept report as presented
Hugh Harrison (310-487-2533; chezhaha@aol.com) on behalf of the Budget Committee: See Exhibit A
1. April 2010 Treasurers Report: Attached is the report on expenditures for April 2010. Pursuant to new mandates from DONE, also attached is a copy of the monthly purchase card billing for the VNC.
2. Roll-over: The City Council has approved the roll-over of $31,863.61 from previous years’ budgets. This will allows us to make the remaining purchases for this year & retain the funds allocated for neighborhood community projects for 2010-11.
3. Presentation & Vote on Proposed 2010-2011 Budget: Attached is the proposed budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. It is based on the proposed $45,000 budget for each neighborhood council that is in the Mayor’s proposed budget. It assumes that there will be a roll-over of $5000 from this year’s funding for use next year.
7. Scheduled Announcements (no more than 1 minute per report unless otherwise stated)
A Announcements Mike Newhouse (president@venicenc.org): Reminder that the current board is still in office until June 15, 2010, and therefore all Board members need to attend the June 15th Board meeting. After the new Board is sworn in, the 14 Community Officers will appoint 4 of their members to the Administrative Committee. All other committees continue until replaced or reappointed.
B City Controller Wendy Greuel – City Budget Crisis (15 min)
LA’s Controller is the City’s chief financial officer, controlling the city’s cash flow, paying the city’s bills and alerting the council and mayor to any financial shortfalls. Extract from Report:
…the messages coming from City Hall concerning the budget deficit the past few months have been confusing. It’s been a roller-coaster ride, fluctuating from warnings about the city’s inability to balance this year’s budget, to the need for thousands of layoffs, to slightly more optimistic revenue projections, with some suggesting that the city is out of the woods… The deficit is real, steps need to be taken to address it and, given our current course, our cash flow needs will not be able to be met without transferring funds from the reserve to the general fund.
C Governmental Reports
• LAPD: Officer Peggy Thusing, Senior Lead Officer (310-622-3968; 25120@lapd.lacity.org)
• State Assemblyperson Ted Lieu: Jennifer Zivkovic, Field Representative (310-615-3515; Jennifer.zivkovic@asm.ca.gov)
• Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: Jennifer Badger, West Area Representatives (310-479-3823; jennifer.badger@lacity.org)
• City Councilperson Bill Rosendahl: Arturo Piña, Field Deputy (310-568-8772; arturo.pina@lacity.org)
• PlancheckLA: Challis Macpherson (Chair-LUPC@VeniceNC.org)
• LADWP/MOU: VNC Representatives DeDe Audet
8. Old Business
A Appointment of VNC Representative to Address Parking on Abbot Kinney Marc Saltzberg (msinvenice-nc@yahoo.com) & Stewart Oscars (stewart.oscars@gmail.com):
Whereas Food Trucks congregating on Abbot Kinney Blvd provide a service to the public, attracting visitors to some Abbot Kinney vendors while inhibiting visitors at other Abbot Kinney vendors, and
Whereas Food Trucks parked on Abbot Kinney Blvd take up valuable parking spaces, pose a traffic safety hazard by impeding traffic flow, create a litter problem & are now spilling over into private parking lots and;
Whereas the Venice Neighborhood Council has received a stream of complaints regarding valet parking on residential streets bordering the Abbot Kinney commercial zone.
Therefore be it resolved: that the Venice Neighborhood Council appoint an individual to act on its behalf as follows:
1. Investigate benefits, detriments and complaints regarding Food Trucks on Abbot Kinney and report back to the Neighborhood Council with recommendations,
2. Investigate Food Truck-related and valet service abuses of parking and zoning laws on Abbot Kinney and make recommendations to the Neighborhood Council,
3. Work directly with CD-11 staff, LA Department of Transportation and Parking Enforcement, LA City Planning and the Venice Neighborhood Council’s Land Use and Planning Committee as the representative of the Venice Neighborhood Council regarding Abbot Kinney parking issues,
4. Report back to the Venice Neighborhood Council Board regarding items one and two above one month after the passage of this resolution.
Be it further resolved: that LA-CD11, LA Department of Transportation, vendors in the abbot Kinney Commercial Zone and residents bordering the Abbot Kinney Commercial Zone be notified of the appointment, the appointee’s responsibilities and contact information.
B Let There Be Light in Venice
Linda Lucks (310-745-3240/310-450-2554; Lindalucks@aol.com) on behalf of Neighborhood Committee: Discussion and possible action on recommendation from the Neighborhood Committee that the Board establishes a public safety campaign, “Let There Be Light in Venice.”
Whereas Venice residents are rightfully concerned with protecting personal safety; whereas the LAPD does a great job but cannot be everywhere at once, whereas there are steps individuals, families and neighbors can take to immediately to protect themselves and their neighborhoods; Therefore, the VNC supports a campaign encouraging stakeholders to purchase and install motion detector lights for the perimeter of their homes (and find ways to assist low income people to obtain such lighting). http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp001925.jsp
C Proposed change to July’s Minutes See Exhibit B
Karen Wolfe (310-460-9644; wolfepack@verizon.net): Request that board amend previously approved minutes from July 2009.
9. New Business
A Recommendations on Funding of Community Improvement Projects (10 min)
Linda Lucks (VicePresident@Venicenc.org) on behalf of Neighborhood Committee: The Neighborhood Commitee met on Monday, May 3 to review, discuss and rank the Community Improvement Projects. The recommendations will be presented to the Board at the May meeting. (All projects were previously vetted by the Budget Committee).
B LUPC Motion re: 2724 Abbot Kinney Blvd. See Exhibit C
Challis MacPherson (310-822-1729; LUPC_Chair@venicenc.org) on behalf of LUPC: Regarding 2724 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, TT-71124-CC, ENV 2009-3545 (50-CC): Challis Macpherson, LUPC Chair, move that the VNC Board of Officers accept LUPC staff report as submitted; and LUPC’s recommendation that VNC Board of Officers approve project as proposed with the following conditions:
1. Postponement of final map approval until at least 3 years after the tentative tract map approval.
2. In consideration of the original entitlements, LUPC does not support additional street dedications or widening at this time.
3. We understand that the applicant will voluntarily make an annual contribution to Coeur d’Alene Elementary School to be only used by Coeur d’Alene Elementary School for landscape improvements and annual maintenance on the common property line.
Motion by Jed Pauker, seconded by Jim Murez; unanimous.
C LUPC Motion re: 14 Reef Street. See Exhibit D
Challis MacPherson (310-822-1729; LUPC_Chair@venicenc.org) on behalf of LUPC (April 28, 2010): Regarding 14 Reef Street, APCW 2010-800; Challis Macpherson, LUPC Chair, moves that the VNC Board of Officers accept the LUPC Staff Report as presented; and recommend according to the following LUPC recommendation:
Approve project, 14 Reef Street, APCW 2010-800, as presented including approval of following Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan exceptions:
Whereas: this project was built in 1971, and never entitled correctly, LUPC finds that this project should be allowed these two VCZSP exceptions (the lack of one parking guest parking space and the existing density).
Whereas: the CC certified LUPC specifies Reef Street in Policy II C7 to be maintained as a walk street; & therefore this project should have an additional condition to maintain the landscaping as specified in said Policy IIC7.
Jim Murez, John Reed, unanimous.
ARGUMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT:
Although this building was built in 1971, and divided into 4 units, it was never recorded correctly through no fault of current “owners”.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST THIS PROJECT:
There were none stated.
SYNOPSIS OF PUBLIC COMMENT:
There were no public comments.
FINDINGS: See attached Addendum to Master Land Use Application below in Exhibit D
10. Announcements & Public Comment on items not on the Agenda
[15 min, no more than 2 minutes per person – no board member announcements permitted]
11. Adjourn (approx 10:00PM)
Exhibit A – Treasurers Report
(see link to Treasurers Report below)
Exhibit B – Proposed change to July’s Minutes
(The below extract from the minutes of the July 21, 2009 VNC Board Meeting was delivered to the Secretary Monday April 12, 2010)
Exhibit C – Motions of the Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness and Vehicular Occupation
090723 Note Regarding Presentation and Consideration of HVOC Motions
The secretary prepared the format for considering the below HVOC motions after the Administrative Committee approved the format then before it and made suggestions on how to change it for presentation at the Board meeting.
The changes in the format introduced by the Secretary and presented to the Board did not accurately reflect the intent of the Administrative Committee. As a result, the below HVOC motions were presented in a way that was perceived by many to have been unfair to the extent that some believe it affected the outcome of deliberations on the HVOC substantive issues.
Changes made by the Secretary which caused confusion include:
(i) Presenting several HVOC motions as Motions to Amend which appeared to favor the proposed amendments over the original HVOC motions; and (ii) Failing to include portions of the separate HVOC Final Report and Recommendations which HVOC motions incorporated by reference.
Board-Committee Discussion Generator: The VNC Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness and Vehicular Occupation (HVOC) presented its final report and several motions to the VNC Board for discussion at its May 19, 2009 meeting, with further discussion and a vote scheduled for its June 16 meeting. At the June 16 meeting, late arriving proposed amendments were submitted and partially considered when the board decided to postpone the matter for further discussion and possible resolution of differences between interested parties.
The HVOC motions, along with Pro and Con statements where partial or no consensus has occurred, are below.
This document is intended to assist the board and public to understand and focus on the key remaining unresolved matters. There is a link to this document on the VNC Homepage at http://www.venicenc.org. The HVOC Final Report with the Minority Report is also available online on the VNC Homepage.
NOTE: Please email your comments directly to the VNC Board at board@venicenc.org or to individual board members (see http://www.venicenc.org/board for board member list with email links). Please type ‘HVOC’ in the subject line of your email.
Motions affecting the Recommendations of the
Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness and Vehicular Occupation
Table of Contents
(CTRL-Click to activate the below hyperlinks in .doc file)
Homelessness – Report & Recommendation to Support St. Joseph’s Center’s Service Registry PASSED I Motion for Creation of Single Room Occupancy Facility MOTION TO RECONSIDER II Motion to Create VNC Ad Hoc Affordable Housing Committee MOTION TO AMEND III Motion for LAPD to Create Homeless Liaison Team PASSED IV Motion for Limited Zoning Exemption for Permanent Supportive Housing MOTION TO AMEND V Motion for Greater City Subsidies for Affordable Housing PASSED VI Motion to Create Vehicle-to-Housing Transition Program MOTION TO AMEND VII Motion to Create CD 11-wide Homeless Task Force PASSED VIII Motion to extend the Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness & Vehicular Occupation to 9/18/09 MOTION TO TABLE INDEFINITELY
Exhibit C – LUPC Staff Report – 2724 Abbot Kinney Blvd
LUPC: March 10, 2010
April 14, 2010
Case Number: TT-71124-CC, ENV-2009-3545 CE (50-CC)
Project Address: 2724 Abbot Kinney
SYNOPSIS: Applicant requests a Tentative Tract Map to subdivide an existing 50-unit
residential rental building to a 50-unit condominium complex, with no new construction,
increased density or expanded parking requirements.
LUPC MOTION: Move to recommend that the VNC Board recommends approval of the project
as proposed, with the following conditions:
1. Postpone final map approval until at least 3 years after the tentative tract map approval.
2. In consideration of the original entitlements, LUPC does not support additional street
dedications or widening at this time.
3. The applicant will voluntarily make an annual contribution to Coeur d’Alene Elementary
School to be only used by Coeur d’Alene Elementary School for landscape improvements
and annual maintenance on the common property line.
Motion by Jed Pauker, seconded by Jim Murez; approved by unanimous vote.
Size of Parcel: 23,622 sf
Size of Project: 39,400
Assessed Land Value: $1,514,624; improvement: $3,350,288
Last Owner Change: 7/15/87
Project Description: To convert existing 50-unit, 3-story apartment building with 94
parking spaces to residential condominium complex; no change
is proposed to the existing units, nor to the parking garage,
consisting of 30 street-level spaces and 64 underground spaces.
Venice Subarea: Southeast Venice
Zone: R3-1
Venice Neighborhood Council Land Use and Planning Committee
Staff Report
2724 Abbot Kinney, TT-71124-CC, ENV-2009-3545 CE (50-CC)
May 18, 2010
2
Date of Planning Report: n/a
Date of End of Appeal Period: n/a
City Planning Report
Prepared by: n/a
LUPC Staff Report Done By: Jed Pauker
Applicant: Leon S. Kaplan
Address: 923 S. Longwood Ave., L.A., CA
Representative: Brian Silveira, The Katherman Companies
Contact Information: 310-618-1999, brian.silveira@katherco.com
Date(s) heard by LUPC: March 10, 2010; April 14, 2010
Zoning Administration Date: n/a
Applicant’s Neighborhood Mtg: While the applicant had provided sixty days’ notice to neighbors
regarding tract map approval, with no attendees, the case was continued pending Neighborhood
Council consideration. Applicant subsequently met with representatives from the neighborhood,
CD11, and the VNC to discuss the project.
WLA Area Planning
Commission Dates: n/a
LUPC FINDINGS: In 1987, this project, on the northwest corner of Garfield and Abbot Kinney, abutting
the playground of Coeur d’Alene Elementary School, received approval to replace six existing dwelling
structures, housing sixteen rental units, with a fifty-unit rental apartment building. A covenant was recorded
to require a number of replacement affordable units, which the applicant provided at 607-6th Ave. in
Venice’s Oakwood sub-area.
At the time, an associated entitlement was approved to reduce front- and rear-yard setbacks from the required
fifteen feet to twelve feet.
In 1990, the project approval was clarified to enable construction of either apartments for rent or individual
condominium units for sale. At that time, the applicant expressed his intent to apply for a Tentative Tract
Map to record the project’s condominium subdivision. This is the application under current consideration.
The original 1990s project received Council office and neighborhood support, as well as some opposition.
Concerns included traffic accidents, proximity to the school, increased traffic and both the safety and
precedent factors of allowing the reduced front and rear setbacks. Twenty years into the life of this project,
these concerns may be moot today.
Upon Final Map Approval, the applicant intends to offer existing tenants first Right-of-Refusal to purchase,
as well as 180-day Notice and relocation costs in the event of Refusal to purchase.
Venice Neighborhood Council Land Use and Planning Committee
Staff Report
2724 Abbot Kinney, TT-71124-CC, ENV-2009-3545 CE (50-CC)
May 18, 2010
3
The applicant has expressed interest in the area’s ecology, and has volunteered to provide an annual
contribution to the school’s booster club, for the purpose of landscape improvements and ongoing
maintenance along the common property line.
Currently, Abbot Kinney is classified as a secondary highway in pertinent community plans, with a 70-foot
roadway width and 90-foot right-of-way. The applicant had prepared a motion to down-grade Abbot Kinney
to a collector street, based on its narrow width and nearby land uses (This downgrade would be reflected as
amendments in the Venice Community Plan and the Transportation Element of the General Plan, as well as
the Transportation Element Highways and Freeways Map). Further to communication with LADOT, the
applicant has amended the proposed motion to downgrade Abbot Kinney to a “modified secondary
highway,” with a 50-foot roadway width and 70-foot Right-of-Way. The motion maintains that such
rededication will “allow opportunities to add center islands, bike lanes and more pedestrian crossings. This
will provide greater cohesion with the surrounding land uses and a greater sense of community for the
residents and businesses.” LUPC’s discussion produced insufficient consensus to provide defined support
for this proposal.
In 1999, the project’s R4-1 zone area was down-graded to R3-1, which zoning designation remains today.
As such, the project’s fifty-unit scale would overwhelm the area’s current land use intent. Notwithstanding
whatever literal approval is mandated by current law, and notwithstanding the value and good will the
current applicant clearly brings to the community, such a project’s approval highlights the value of asking to
what extent grandfather-clause entitlements should govern present-day land use proposals.
ARGUMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT:
Has no physical impact on the surrounding area.
Does not remove affordable units from the housing stock.
Attracts residents interested in ownership stake in their dwellings.
As conditioned, provides an ongoing connection between development and community.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST THIS PROJECT:
Risks displacing renters who lack the means to own property.
SYNOPSIS OF PUBLIC COMMENT:
Presidents Row Neighborhood Association approves of this project, based on its lack of physical
impact. The CD 11 Office has expressed concern about the potential to lose affordable/market rate
units, also maintaining that a “Minimum Time Certain” stipulation may not be applicable to
postponement of final tract map approval. While most of the few tenants who attended the LUPC
hearing provided no public comment, one did express a preference for a short time period after
which a relocation disbursement would be available.
LUPC Report compiled by: Jed Pauker
Estimated number of hours of staff time: 15
Exhibit D – LUPC Staff Report – 14 Reef Street
Case Number: APCW 2010-800; AA 2010-791 PMLA Application for Parcel Map, SP Exceptions, SP Permit Compliance
Review, CDP, Mello Roos review
Address of Project: 14 Reef Street, Marina Peninsula, Venice, California 90292
SYNOPSIS:
This is a very convoluted project. Originally built in 1971 (prior to VCZSP, or LUP) as two (2) dwelling units and four (4) guest rooms. Early on it morphed into four (4) condominium units with four (4) separate owners without benefit of any of the legalities of converting two (2) units into four (4) units. Separate units were sold and resold. Title companies signed off on every sale without checking the original documents! FYI two “owners” are suing two separate title companies, other title company denies any wrongdoing, and LUPC never found out what the fourth owner is doing about title shanigans. LA Housing Department discovered these errors.
The four “owners” went to CD11, Arturo sent them to LUPC. They appeared before us last year without a clue about their problems. We said, “Get a facilitator, an expeditor. Someone in the business of getting projects through the planning/building & safety/housing process.” They did. Steve Kaplan of Luna & Glushon is sheparding them. He admitted that never in his 30 years of handling land use issues had he seen anything like this.
Mr. Kaplan is carefully taking the “owners” through the system in order to get the units correctly entitled. We are the first step.
The addendum to this staff report is a more detailed overview.
Size of Project: 4,625 sq ft – for all 4 units Lot dimensions 35’ X 90’
Project Description: According to ZIMAS, subdivision of property for condominium purposes. Continued use and maintenance of 2 dwelling units & 4 guest rooms without a permit in order to process entitlements to permit a total of 4 units plus 8 ground level parking spaces contained within a 2-car garage.
Venice Subarea: Marina Peninsula
Zone: R3-1
LUPC Staff: Challis Macpherson
Applicants: Bonnie Wilks Wiseman, Larry and Deborah Wolf, Cate Rubenstein, Sabri Sansoy
Address: 14 Reef Street, Venice, California 90292 Marina Peninsula
Representative: Steve Kaplan, Luna & Glushon, 15760 Ventura Blvd, #520, Encino, California 91436
Contact Information: Steve Kaplan, skaplan@lunaglushon.com;
Date before by LUPC: April 28, 2010
Zoning Administration Date: TBA
WLA Area Planning
Commission Dates: TBA
ADDENDUM TO MASTER LAND USE APPLICATION
The owners/applicant seek to subdivide the existing 4 unit multi-residential property located at 14 Reef Street, Marina Del Rey (“Property”) for condominium purposes. The subject 4 units on the Property have been purchased and sold as condominiums for over 30 years.
On July 23, 1975 a Condominium Plan, as Instrument No. 4247, and a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (“Restrictions”), as Instrument No. 4248, were recorded for Reef Street Condominium Homes with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office. A title company review of the transaction/deed recordation history of each unit at the Property indicates that the first condominium unit conveyance took place in February 1978.
Even though a Condominium Plan was recorded, it appears that the Property was not subdivided in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act (“Map Act”) and the Los Angeles Municipal Code (“LAMC”). Only recently did the unit owners become aware that the original developer did not subdivide the Property in compliance with the Map Act and the LAMC. It appears that the current owners, all prior owners, all lenders and all title companies relied on the recorded Condominium Plan and Restrictions filed with the County of Los Angeles.
In order to ‘legalize’ the existing 4 units as condominiums and achieve compliance with applicable law, the within application is being filed which includes a Preliminary Parcel Map;
Specific Plan Exception, Specific Plan Project Permit Compliance, Coastal Development Permit
/Mello Compliance and an Environmental Assessment review.
Permit History
Building Permit No. LA 7907/70, dated 4-30-70, was issued for the construction of a 2- unit residential dwelling with 4 guest rooms and 9 parking spaces at 14 Reef Street, Marina Del Rey (“Property”). Building Permit No. LA 25363/71, dated 3-19-71, was issued to revise the parking layout to reflect reduction to 8 parking spaces. A Certificate of Occupancy was issued September 22, 1971 for a 2-unit family dwelling.
Condominium History
Even though a Condominium Plan was recorded, it appears that the Property was not subdivided in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act and Los Angeles Municipal Code.
LADBS Enforcement Action
A Substandard Order was issued by the City of Los Angeles Building & Safety Department, effective December 19, 2008, for the unapproved occupancy and use of a 2-famly residential dwelling and four guest rooms as a 4-unit condominium building. The order directed the Property owners to obtain permits and all related approvals, including a new Certificate of Occupancy for condominiums.
No New Construction
The within application and related entitlements do not contemplate any new construction, expansion or intensification of use beyond the existing use which has been there for over 30 years.
