Tom Field's Proposals

"tom" has been viewing this blog and making comments from time to time. He and I have also discussed the Ponte Vista project via Emails back and forth.

Many months ago I challenged everyone to come up with what they would like to see built at Ponte Vista. After careful thought and listening and learning, and teaching us a thing or two, "tom" has created his vision and contributed the following post.
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¤ I believe 1,700 total living units would work, but with a different mix than we have been presented with.

¤ Senior housing of 700 units, mixed to include lofts to 3-bedrooms. The present DEIR has no allowance for senior lofts and this is a significant oversight. I'm certain there are plenty of single seniors who would like the smaller size unit and the smaller price which comes with it.

¤ Unrestricted housing of 800 units, mixed to include lofts to 3-bedrooms.

¤ "Patio homes" of 200 units. I was thinking of a "star" type arrangement, and also staggered horizontally. The center could be underground parking.


I went with a higher number of total units because the senior lofts would now be in the mix. And, in no small part, if we want a bunch of concessions, we have to give Bisno some motivation to build. Nothing motivates a developer like $$$$. I know I'm going to catch hell for this stance, but something is going to be built there. To think it won't is like standing on the beach and telling the tide it can't come in. Let's at least get something for it.

¤ Some light retail to cut down on driving trips in-an-out of the development: coffee shop, cleaners, drug store, small grocery.

¤ Make dual-use of the open space. Park plus a library. Build the library into a hillside.

¤ Pedestrian bridges crossing Western at the 3 entrances to the development. Nothing screws up traffic (even with synchronized lights) like pedestrians blocking right and left turns. Additionally during school let-out everyone knows that kids go when they feel like it, whether the light is green or yellow. Let's keep them out of harm's way by not even tempting them to jaywalk. If anyone is familiar with the UC Irvine Campus, they've got some great pedestrian bridges which are functional and architecturally beautiful.

¤ At least 2 Dash bus stops. If you provide Dash, people will use it. Especially the kids and seniors.

¤ In order to get the number of units I feel are necessary, Mark is very correct 3-4 stories will not get us there. Bisno should just admit he needs 4-5 stories and go with it. Just keep the buildings which front on Western down so our neighbors (like Mark Wells) can continue to enjoy their unobstructed view.

¤ Escrowed funds for Bisno's contribution into ATSAC. Let's not give unrestricted funds to LA DOT. If we do, it will wind up somewhere else in the city.

¤ Maximum mitigation around the development. Widen Western, re-stripe, etc.

¤ One thing to remember is not to be too myopic. As per the letter to the Daily Breeze, there 1,400 units going in downtown. Plus Target is going to generate a ton of traffic. And what is not any any one's radar is the huge improvement of the Kaiser facility. This is going to become a major center and generate a ton of cars.

¤ That brings me to 5 Points. With the other projects I named in the previous point, this intersection is going to become more of a nightmare than it already is. In addition, as I said in my previous point, we have to be careful to not get myopic.
a. Ponte Vista will not responsible for all the additional traffic trying to get through 5 Points. Holding them responsible for it is unrealistic. Target, JCC Homes, Kaiser, The Vue, etc., need to be called to the table to ante up for a fix to 5 Points.

b. The idea of a road through the Naval property which leads directly to a freeway on-ramp too tightly focused on Ponte Vista and will not address these other projects.

c. In my opinion, traffic itself is not as much of a problem as traffic FLOW. 5 Points cannot be remedied with ATSAC. Nor will a traffic circle help. There will just be too many cars.
What needs to happen at 5 Points is a complete revamping of the entire intersection along the lines of a freeway interchange. PV Drive into Anaheim (east of the intersection) should be turned into a continuous road as an underpass. Normandie into Gaffey should become a continuous road as an overpass. Exit ramps should be constructed for those needing to go from PV Drive/Anaheim East to Vermont and Anaheim West. The same for Normandie/Gaffey, etc. It is the only real way to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow.

¤ Lastly, Caltrans has to get on board and realize that signaled on-ramps and off-ramps can no longer handle the volume of traffic we have in the South Bay. The backups caused by these intersections and lights is more than ridiculous. We need full cloverleaf and modified cloverleaf interchanges at Anaheim, PCH and Sepulveda.

¤ Oops, one more point. "Affordable" housing. Bisno needs to bite-the-bullet and sign up with the City and their subsidized mortgage program. Have a certain percentage of the units of each phase reserved for this program for whatever time frame the City requires. If they don't sell, then they revert to market rate.
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Editor's notes.

Thank you again Tom, for your post contribution.

This is one more example of a person willing to share his views and I hope everyone thinks about what is written in this contribution.

Tom and I disagree on a number of points, but he has done his studying to put together some very interesting ideas. I would like to think Tom is one more more example of a person who is thinking about he thinks is best for our community and is willing to share it with others.

Tom knows that their will be people who agree strongly with his input, while others disagree strongly with his views. But sharing views, IMHO, is the only way we are going to get through this event.

I hope Tom's contribution will spur others on to comment on his ideas and create ideas of their own.