My Two Cents in an Open Letter

An Open Letter Concerning the Ponte Vista Project

This is an open letter to the following individuals:

Ms. Betsy Weisman, Los Angeles City Planning Department
Mr. David Olivo, Los Angeles City Planning Department
Mr. Robert H. Bisno, Chairman, Bisno Development Corporation.
Honorable Ms. Janice Hahn, Council Member, Los Angeles City Council, District #15

To Whom It Should Concern,

I am Mark Wells, a member of Ms. Hahn’s Community Advisory Committee concerning the proposed, Ponte Vista at San Pedro Project. I am a resident of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and was appointed to the committee by members of the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.

I am very disturbed by the recent events that seem to be unfolding regarding the public’s ability to have input into the processes regarding the proposed 2,300 home development. In particular, our committee agreed that a presentation by Mr. Bisno, on all facets of his proposal for his planned community, would be presented at our regular meeting that was scheduled for
October 12, 2006. Information was passed throughout the community “advertising” the meeting’s agenda and many members of the public responded that they would be very interested in being present for Mr. Bisno’s presentation.

I was informed on Monday October 9, 2006, just three days before the scheduled meeting, that this very important meeting had been canceled.

I am principle author of an informational blog where everyone can go for news, information, comments, and sharing their opinions on the Ponte Vista Project. The blog is not owned by
Mr. Bisno or the City of Los Angeles. Many readers depend on accurate information and some are willing to express their opinions on this blog.

Now I have to wrestle with trying to explain to my readers why the meeting was canceled. The reasons given to me for canceling the meeting do not seem to be in the best interests of Mr. Bisno, our committee, and the public as a whole, I feel.

As it was described to me, Mr. Bisno is willing to give his presentation using the Draft Environmental Impact Report and the Traffic Study as handouts for the committee and the public.
Have roadblocks been created within the Los Angeles City Planning Department to keep these vital documents out of the public’s view? I have heard from several sources for the past two months say that the Traffic Study is lacking “just one signature” before it is released. Should I believe that this is a credible statement?

If Mr. Bisno is not given the aids he needs to present his proposal, then our committee cannot do its job of education and advisement, I believe.

I believe our Committee is powerless not only to force reluctant individuals to act in the public’s best interest; it is also unable to break what appears to me to be an impasse imposed by bureaucrats.

Whatever the reasoning for not releasing the Draft E.I.R. or E.I.R./S and the Traffic Study, the impasse must be broken quickly and effectively.

In my own opinion, the credibility of the volunteers who were asked to serve on the CAC, and the committee itself may be questioned by the public we were selected to represent, if we cannot perform our duties because of forces we have no control over. Councilwoman Hahn, Mr. Bisno, and others have charged our committee members with being representatives for the people of Los Angeles and Rancho Palos Verdes, and I am sure we all take that charge very seriously. I feel if we are hampered, rebuked, and unsupported by non-elected employees of the City of Los Angeles, then we have no alternative but protesting to our elected officials that the public is not being served by the individuals our tax dollars pay for.

I urge Ms. Weisman and others in the L.A. City Planning Department to release all documents necessary for Mr. Bisno to give the public his comprehensive proposal.

I strongly urge Ms. Hahn to act on behalf of the public’s need to know, and require the release of the aforementioned documents.

Further delaying the committee’s work and the public’s right to know will hamper Mr. Bisno’s efforts to have his application processed and will delay longer our committee’s and the public’s right to make recommendations to Ms. Hahn, Mr. Bisno, and the City Planning Department.

I welcome comments to my blog regarding this matter and I will suggest that readers mail separate letters to Ms. Hahn, Mr. Bisno, the Los Angeles City Planning Department,
Ms. Weisman, and Mr. Olivo. I will also join in any suggestion by members of the public to form groups opposed to not allowing our committee to go forward with its mission.

In this particular case, both the proponents and opponents to Mr. Bisno’s project can be of the same opinion that, delaying the progress is not in anyone’s best interest. I believe the only groups that would benefit delaying Mr. Bisno’s plans are the Los Angeles Unified School District and proponents for a 2,025 seat senior high school development on 15.03 acres of Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

Yours truly,


Mark Wells,
Board Member; Mira Vista Homeowners’ Association, Rancho Palos Verdes
Member, Community Advisor Committee regarding Ponte Vista at San Pedro.