Odds and Ends 10

First, I want to commend the Web master at www.rneighborhoodsare1.org. The site is continuously being updated and there is much more information in the "news" icon of the site.

Included within the site are "backlash" letters from folks who disagree with the positions taken by members of R Neighborhoods Are 1. I can write that I have never viewed any similar type of opposition information from any site supporting Bob Bisno's current plans for Ponte Vista.

You may not agree with R Neighborhoods Are 1, but it does take guts for them to print letters opposed to their views.

Trivia: Using data supplied by the Draft Environmental Impact Report for Ponte Vista at San Pedro, the number of vehicle trips generated when the project is built out, according to Bob Bisno's current plans would estimate there will be at least 9,212 more vehicle trips on parts of Western Avenue, each and every day. This piece of trivia does not take into account the number challenged by many who suggest that the number of daily trips added to Western Avenue might possibly be at least 50% higher than that number referred to in the DEIR. Use of the 9,212 vehicles per day addition to traffic on Western Avenue should be considered as the settled minimum number until officials at the City's Department of Transportation rule that number may be incorrect.

Some members of the steering committee of R Neighborhoods Are 1 are currently planning for the first meeting of supporters of R1 at Ponte Vista. The meeting currently in the planning stages will provide information, entertainment, and be the first major gathering of individuals who support demands for keeping Ponte Vista with its current zoning. When the date of this first meeting is set, I will publish it on this blog, the date will be published on the R1 Web site, and it will also be advertised.

Being a former member of the CAC, I have written to the remaining members of that committee and asked that they consider some points I feel are very important. First, I think the CAC should not make recommendations about amenities for the project until they have created the recommendation for what THEY want to see as far as the density of the development. I believe Bob should tell everyone at the next meeting whether he is still considering to build 2,300 units on the site. He may be asked by committee members if there is a number of dwellings he would be willing to consider, other than 2,300-units. If Bob declares that he still intends to build 2,300 units no matter what the CAC decides, Then the CAC is not only well within its right to recommend R1 remaining at the site, it should also strongly suggest to Ms. Hahn, that both she and the CAC have run into a brick wall with Bob's current plans and that they can make recommendations to Ms. Hahn that will probably fall on deaf ears of everyone at Bisno Development Corp.

R1 NO COMPROMISE. These word were suggested to me, yesterday, as wording for a new button that folks wore at last night's meeting. I made a little over 100 of them, but if you want one, I will be handing them out at Ralph's on Western at Capitol beginning at 9:00 AM on Saturday April 28. While I am still the oddball of the group, I continue to be a very strong support of all but one of the many things the group supports, and last night's meeting almost got me to put on one of those R1 buttons for the first time.

It may be strange to a lot of people that I am the one who puts all the buttons together, but only wears buttons that do not have "R1" on them. As I have written before, I am the oddball and I have my own particular reasons for my position. But for each and every one of you who have signed the petition, worn a button, and demand R1 be kept at Ponte Vista, your charge and I strongly suggest to you that you DO NOT COMPROMISE!

The Board of Education of the Los Angeles Unified School District is going to vote on the new school proposals for our area on May 22, 2007. Both Bob and I do not want any school built at Ponte Vista, and I favor Neal Kleiner's position for a 9th grade learning academy at Angels Gate.
There are at least three sites outside of San Pedro that could handle a 6-8 acre, 810-seat high school, without condemning any residential property. Everyone should do as I do and demand that LAUSD look for places outside San Pedro to build a school to ease the overcrowding at Narbonne. I know that the old driving range at Mulligan Family Fun Center is going to become an industrial building, but it would be better to use the right of eminent domain to acquire industrial property rather than residential property.

Every vote for Neal Kleiner to fill the school board seat currently held by Mike Lansing is also a vote for R1, in my opinion.

Neal Kleiner and Richard Vladovich are much more qualified for filling the seat than the current seat-holder ever was, and both have the qualifacations to do the job.

Neal Kleiner never had to return the $250,000 that Dr. Vladovich accepted, then returned from Mayor Villaraigosa's supporters. Neal Kleiner spoke out that he wouldn't accept campaign contributions from Bob Bisno or the Bisno Development organization.

I don't know what Dr. Vladovich did with the contributions from lobbyists and supproters of Bob Bisno and his groups, but I do know that Bob and Richard did meet on at least one occasion and out of that meeting, Bob encouraged eligible voters in our area to consider voting for Dr. Vladovich.

Neal Kleiner stood with members of R Neighborhoods Are 1 at a recent protest demonstration, outside of the gates of Ponte Vista.

Neal Kleiner has spoken to members of the CAC during at least one meeting.

Neal Kleiner wears the R1 button I made as proudly as I wear a button supporting his campaign.

I have attended every single CAC meeting and I don't remember Dr. Vladovich at any of the meetings.

I do not know Dr. Vladovich's opinion on what type and number of residential units should be built at Ponte Vista, but if Neal Kleiner has an opinion, shouldn't we know Dr. Vladovich's opinion?

With Mr. Kleiner's support for R1, it means he doesn't want the overcrowding of our schools 1,725 non-age restricted units at Ponte Vista would most certainly bring to our schools.

Mr. Kleiner doesn't want to see too many parents having to drive along Western Avenue just to get their kids to Taper Avenue School.

Mr. Kleiner knows that sending too many kids over to cross Western Avenue to get to Dodson Middle School would be more dangerous that the number of children crossing from a 429-home development.

If Dr. Vladovich supports Bob's plans to put 1,725 non-age restricted condos at Ponte Vista, and have the school age children living there riding along Western to get to Taper, or crossing Western on their way to and from Dodson, who do you think is more concerned about the safety of our school-aged children?

Neal Kliener. R1=less students, less overcrowding, more safety in a smaller development.

Send Mayor Villaraigosa, Janice Hahn, and Bob Bisno a clear message. Send Neal Kleiner to be the new member from our area to sit on the Board of Education.

For the sake of all of the current and future students at Taper, Dodson, and Narbonne, Neal Kleiner is the obvious choice in terms of safety, overcrowding, and quality of education.

Note: Even though I reside in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, I am still eligible to vote in elections covering LAUSD issues and board members. The portion of my property taxes that go towards public education, go to LAUSD and the L.A. City's college district.