Carol Rugnetta is known to many, many members of our community. She is a fine person who can certainly be called a "Real San Pedran".
Besides helping everyone holding meetings and events at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, she also serves on the Advisory Board for Bob Bisno's Ponte Vista at San Pedro project.
Carol has done something I had not seen until this morning when I read her letter to the editor in the February 24 edition of the Daily Breeze. She used the "C" word.
I have never viewed a strong supporter of Mr. Bisno's plans use the word in print and I found it to be a wonderful step in the correct direction.
Here is the remarkable sentence a strong supporter used in her letter;
"Please Councilwoman Janice Hahn, sit down with the Ponte Vista folks and work out a compromise that will serve us all."
How refreshing. Like the cloudless morning that arrived with the paper, Carol has begun a new day as a well known supporter's use of the "C" word, written in public for all to see.
I hope there is no retraction or further letters from other supporters claiming that Carol didn't know what she was writing at the time.
I hope everyone can appreciate Carol's determination to do something no other supporter of Mr. Bisno's plans has apparently done in print.
Now for those of you who need to be reminded of the "magical" word Carol used, please look below.
"Compromise"
8 comments:
This is just more pro Ponte Vista Propaganda. Compromise to Ponte Vista means a change from R-1 zoning which is unthinkable given the current Western Ave. gridlock, noise and air pollution problems.
Mellonhead, I hope you aren't accusing me of being a propagandist for Ponte Vista. I think you would be incorrect for havint that opinion.
I simply wanted to thank Carol for being the first person I know of who supports Mr. Bisno's plans but had the courage to use the "C" word.
As folks can repeatedly read throughout this blog, my position is that if proper mitigation can not be provided for any other zoning, the site MUST remain with its current zoning, R1 and OS1 (open space).
In my opinion, even with Mr. Bisno finally willing to fund a traffic signal at Peninsula Verde Drive and Western Avenue, there is currently not enough mitigation proposed and proved that would allow me to consider anything other than R1 at this time.
But everyone should know that with compromise, there could be enough mitigation that might allow for some different zoning at Ponte Vista, for at least a portion of the property.
Many individuals want more senior housing in the area. Perhaps if sufficient mitigation is proposed, then there could be a senior housing section built at a higher density than R1 and still leave the remainder of the site, R1.
This is compromise, I feel. It may be just a little bit, but it is something.
For a member of Mr. Bisno's inner circle of supporters to finally be willing to put in print the word, compromise, is quite remarkable, but very much overdue.
MW
"This is just more pro Ponte Vista Propaganda" I was referring only to Carol Rugnetta's letter. It sounds like she wants to bypass the CAC and have Bisno hash it out directly with Janice Hahn. Last week in the MSP Doug Epperhart wanted to slow the process down and have focus groups. The people tell the developer how many units to build- which is the way it should be. We are saying loudly "R-1".
Thanks Mellonhead, for your comments.
Please visit this blog later tonight as we introduce to the world, "R Neighborhoods Are 1"
MW
Greedy developers own LA and our short-sighted city council members who give them what they want at minimal cost. Why do you think traffic is so terrible all over this city. build build build, more condos, more soul-less strip malls, more more more -- developers get want they want then go back to their exclusive slow growth enclaves while we're stuck in the hellish gridlock. Sh*t, we DON'T deserve that money for the 405.
It seems silly to talk about compromise when virtually everyone in your group says R1 or nothing. When you start out there, then there is very little to talk about. I personally beliee that there will be some compromise made at some point, but I do not trust many of the people who are involved not to play the old compromise game. The moment one side agrees, the other side says that it is not enough, and demands more cuts. As long as there are people saying that it is R1 or nothing, why should anyone even agree to talk!
Thank you Louis for some excellent comments.
At this point I would agree that there are 5,377 folks calling for No R1 due to what Mr. Bisno puts out in print and there are thousands of folks who signed the R1 petitions.
When R Nieghborhoods Are 1 gets up and running, people will actually learn how many folks signed that petition.
I have not and will not sign the petition however, because like so many causes, folks can have a difference of opinion.
"Our side" has been calling for compromise for some time now, including me. That is why I found Carol's use of that word so refreshing.
I don't know why folks are calling for anyone to back off their call for only R1 when Mr. Bisno has not backed off his call for 2,300 homes, and no fewer homes.
Louis, you use the words "virtually everyone in your group says R1 or nothing." How do you know what "everyone" says and feels. I personally know of many individuals who are opposed to 2,300 homes that are more than willing to talk about something between R1 and 2,300. That is why the statement from the CAC was drafted and met with support from Ms. Hahn.
In true fact, some of the most prominent members of R Neighborhoods Are 1 and other prominent opponents to Mr. Bisno's current plans, know very well that what is finally going to be built is something other than 2,300 homes or R1.
I feel the majority of the members of the CAC also know that the numbers won't be 429 homes or 2,300 homes and I have even put in print numbers of homes I would be more comfortable with.
Supporters, other than Carol Rugnetta have consistently stated that "there will be 2,300 homes at Ponte Vista" without any real knowledge of how many homes may be built there.
The Los Angeles City Council, using the ordinance system, adopted the area's zoning as R1/OS1. That is the fact Mr. Bisno knew when he bid for a portion of the land he eventually purchased. As part of that acquasition, he also paid the Volunteers of America as sum to purchase the remaining area, to make up 61.53 acres of land he now calls Ponte Vista at San Pedro.
Mr. Bisno figured when he bought the land, he could have the current zoning changed to fit whatever his vision became.
Well, Gail Goldberg, the new head of L.A.City Planning has made comments that she doesn't like the idea of speculating developers buying R1 land but determined to zoninig changes to fit their wants.
Also, the land is R1/OS1 at this time. Some folks believe why change something that is not broken in their opinions. The L.A. City Council adopted the area as R1 for reasons that I haven't found out yet, but I can defend everyone's feeling that if they thought R1 was the correct zoning then, why change it.
Louis, I have asked Mr. Bisno repeatedly about compromise. Myself, Jerry Gains and others would love to sit down with Mr. Bisno, his organization, and folks like you (if this is the Louis I know) and have all of us dig deep into our brains to come up with something we all can live with.
I am still waiting for other prominent supporters to use the word Ms. Rugnetta used. There are plenty of prominent folks opposed to Mr. Bisno's current plans who have thought of and openly used the "C" word.
Opponents, actually have proved to have more open-mindedness than supporters who seem to fall lock-step into Mr. Bisno current vision and seem to be either afraid or too stubborn to use the word "compromise"
The ball is now in the supporters' court. Either hit back with the "C" word, or quit complaining!
MW
i know the author of this blog is all about respecting the other side, and the developer recently called for people to "play civilly," but this is a message for louis --
pull your head out of your ass.
Post a Comment