The Venice Neighborhood Council will meet on Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 from 7-10 pm.
The VNC will hear about recent developments regarding the operations of the Vera Davis McClendon Youth and Family Center, LAX and the VNC Budget for 2011-2012. Venice Librarian Lucille Cappas is retiring after 26 years of dedicated service to our community and will be thanked for all of her service to the community too!
The entire agenda for this meeting is “after the jump”.
From the VNC:
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
Lucille Cappas has served as the Venice Branch Librarian is retiring after 26 years of dedicated service to our community. Join us as we celebrate and thank a local champion.
2. Approval of the Agenda
3. Approval of Outstanding Board Minutes
May 24th, 2011 Draft Board Meeting Minutes
http://venicenc.org/files/110524VNCBoardMeetingMinutes1.doc
Announcements & Public Comment on items not on the Agenda
[5 speakers, no more than 1 minute per person – no Board member announcements permitted]
4. Public Safety
A. LAPD Report (5 minutes): Senior Lead Officers Peggy Thusing/Theresa Skinner/Gregg Jacobus, (310-622-3968; 25120@lapd.lacity.org, 35162@lapd.lacity.org, 31142@lapd.lacity.org)
B. Public Safety Committee Report on Jun 9 Neighborhood Watch meeting (5 Minutes): Nicolas Hippisley-Coxe/Daffodil Tyminski- Co-Chairs, Public Safety Committee [Exhibit A]
5. Consent Calendar [No discussion or Public Comment. Items may be removed and it will go to the end of the agenda]
A. Request for LA Building and Safety Reporting; Jake Kaufman on behalf of LUPC
MOTION: The Venice Neighborhood Council requests that LADBS provide, at no charge to the community, live data access (with query tool and .csv data output/report) to all applications and permits.
B. Motion to ratify previous action of board taken at May 24th; Marc Saltzberg
MOTION: The VNC recommends that the Mayor include the $60,000 for the Vera Davis McClendon Youth and Family Center in the City Budget as a budget line item as approved by the Los Angeles City Council to support the Vera Davis McClendon Youth and Family Center in its 2011-2012 Budget.
C. Miss USA California Contest; Carolyn Rios on Behalf of the Neighborhood Committee
MOTION: Whereas Josalyn O’Quinn has already been selected to be the Venice Contestant in the Miss USA-California contest, the VNC has no objection to Josalyn using the title “Miss Venice”
6. Old Business
[Discussion and possible action regarding the following matters]
A. Removal of 38 trees on the four corners of Venice Blvd and Abbot Kinney (20 Minutes); Jim Murez on behalf of LUPC (murez@murez.net) [Exhibit B]
MOTION: The Venice Neighborhood Council does not want the 38 trees removed or replaced and would like for DWP to implement options to A. reconfigure overhead wires or underground all service.
B. Vera Davis Youth & Family Center (20 Minutes); Linda Lucks & Ivonne Guzman (President@Venicenc.org) [Exhibit C]
At the May 24, 2011 VNC Board meeting, the Board, by a 2/3 vote, added an action item to the agenda that had not been previously posted (against the ruling of our Parliamentarian). The motion was then unanimously approved, but with the condition that the City Attorney would be consulted as to the legality about voting on a motion that was not on the agenda as an action item. The City Attorney’s advice is that the addition of the item was procedurally improper and must be agendized as an action item at the next board meeting after proper notice to the community.
MOTION: The VNC recommends that the Friends of the Vera Davis McClendon Center continue to function as the interim management entity of the Vera Davis Center until such time as a RFP is circulated and a permanent manager is selected.
Announcements & Public Comment on items not on the Agenda
[5 speakers, no more than 1 minute per person – no Board member announcements permitted]
7. New Business
[Discussion and possible action on 7A & 7C, Discussion ONLY on 7B]
A. Board appointment of new Land Use and Planning Committee member (30 Minutes);
[See LUPC Exhibit] Candidates:
● Syliva Aroth
● Adam Christian
● Julia Rose Fischer
● Steve Traeger
B. Motion Opposing LAX Expansion (20 Minutes); Mike Newhouse on behalf of Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC) (mnewhouse@newhouseseroussi.com)
WHEREAS LAX enhances tourism and economic growth in the entire region. The Venice Neighborhood Council (“VNC”) urges that any revised LAX Master Plan Elements should:
1. Retain the existing LAX footprint and forego runway modifications which increase runway protection zone impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, or result in wholesale removal of local businesses/tax base. Improve placement of taxiways to handle the new larger aircraft, and incorporate safety enhancements that do not require movement of runways
2. Reduce freeway traffic and discourage traffic flow into local neighborhoods while avoiding any new Lincoln Boulevard connection tunnels. Improve Central Terminal Area accessibility, including signage, physical roadway, multi modal passenger drop off and pick up, a consolidated Rental Car Facility, and rail connection
3. Hold LAX capacity to its current theoretical threshold of 78.9 Million Annual Passengers and preclude easily added passenger gates or cargo facilities after the 2020 prohibition ends. Encourage development and maintenance of capacity at other regional airports, such as Palmdale and Ontario, which can act as a back up to LAX and which both have available capacity
In conclusion, the VNC, supports the improvement of safety, security and convenience at LAX but has concerns which should be addressed by the LAX Master Plan update process, including appropriate EIR scrutiny.
C. DWP Ratepayer Advocate (10 Minutes); Mike Newhouse on behalf of Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC) (mnewhouse@newhouseseroussi.com)
Whereas the citizens of the City of Los Angeles passed Charter Amendment I in the March, 2011 election by a 74.54% margin, that calls for the establishment of an independent DWP Office of Accountability and the Ratepayer Advocate, and;
Whereas the City Council must pass an enabling ordinance to determine the method of selecting the managing executive of the DWP Office of Accountability (by whatever title: Executive Director, President, Managing Director, etc.), and;
Whereas the managing executive will be responsible for hiring, firing and managing all staff of the DWP Office of Accountability, including the Ratepayer Advocate, and;
Whereas it is of critical importance that neighborhood input be included in the process of selecting the managing executive;
MOTION: Therefore, the Venice Neighborhood Council (“VNC”)hereby requests that the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles City Council insure that any selection committee impaneled to recommend, select or appoint the managing executive of the DWP Office of Accountability be comprised with at least one third of its members taken from representatives of Neighborhood Councils or Community Councils.
D. Proposed Mixed Use Project – 542 Rose Ave (20 Minutes); John Reed (john@reedarchgroup.com) [Exhibit D]
MOTION: The Venice Neighborhood Council recommends approval of the project as presented, noting:
1. 3 unit Mixed Use Project with 2 residential units and one restaurant,
2. All VCZSP required parking shall be provided,
3. Hours of operations 9am-12midnight daily; patio closed and cleared by 10pm on Sunday- Thursday (weeknights) and 11pm on Friday and Saturday (weekends).
4. Project will comply with all Venice CUB and BMP Conditions,
5. No music outdoors after 10pm on weeknights and 11pm on weekends,
6. Path of travel of trash is through the garage rather side of building,
7. A Bike Rack of at least 5 bikes will be provided
8. Treasurers Report (20 minutes); Hugh Harrison [Exhibit E]
[Discussion and possible action to approve financial statements and expenditures]
A. MOTION: The VNC approves the expenditure reports for the period April 22, 2011 through May 22, 2011.
B. MOTION: The Budget Committee moves the adoption of a VNC 2011-2012 budget in accordance with the attached draft budget.
9. Governmental Reports (15 min)
● U.S. Representative Office, Deputy Chief of Staff, Kate Anderson (310-643-3636; kate.anderson@mail.house.gov)
● State Assemblyperson Betsy Butler, Representative, Bobbi Buescher (Bobbi.Buescher@asm.ca.gov)
● Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; Joseph Hari, West Area Representative (310-479-3823) (Joseph.Hari@lacity.org)
● City Councilperson Bill Rosendahl: Cecilia Castillo, Field Deputy (310-568-8772); Cecilia.castillo@lacity.org); Arturo Pina, District Director, Arturo.Pina@lacity.org;
● Westside Regional Alliance of Councils: Mike Newhouse, President (mnewhouse@newhouseseroussi.com); Alternate, Carolyn Rios;
● PlancheckLA: VNC Rep Challis Macpherson (Challis.Macpherson@Verizon.net)
● LA Dept of Water & Power/Memoranda of Understanding: VNC Rep DeDe Audet (daudet@ca.rr.com)
● LAPD Community Police Advisory Board: Nicolas Hippisley-Coxe, (hippisley@earthlink.net)
● LA Alliance of NC’s Representative: Ivan Spiegel, (parliamentarian@venicenc.org)
10. Scheduled Announcements (20 Minutes)
● President: Linda Lucks (president@venicenc.org)
○ Appointment of LAX Expansion Task Force
○ Retirement of Executive Director of Israel Levin Center, Rosalie Fromberg Letter [Exhibit F]
○ Report on Councilman Krekorian’s NC Reorganization Plan [Exhibit G]
● Vice President: Carolyn Rios (VP@venicenc.org)
○ Venice Community Barbeque, Saturday, July 16, noon-4 p.m.
● Report on Draft Maps of Citizens Redistricting Commission: Marc Saltzberg
● Update from Task Force on proposed Post Office relocation: Amanda Seward & Nancy Feinberg
● Update from Cell Tower Task Force- Jim Murez
Announcements & Public Comment on items not on the Agenda
[20 minutes, no more than 1 minute per person – no Board member announcements permitted]
11. Board Member Comments on subject matters within the VNC jurisdiction.
[10 min, no more than 1 minute per person]
12. Adjourn (approx. 10:00PM)
