A Post From "Fed Up"

I received a very long comment to the Odds and Ends 43 post.

The author, "fed up" wrote such and informative piece that I have decided to elevate it to a post of its own. I have done things like this in the past and welcome contributions of posts and comments from anyone.

When I elevate comments to post status, I don't want folks to think I agree or disagree with the content of the post. When someone contributes something that looks worthy of a post of its own, I don't need to agree or disagree with it.

"Fed up's" comment should be easier to read in this following format.
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fed up has left a new comment on your post "Odds and Ends 43":

Some issues of note:
12-13-07 L.A. Times Councilman Richard Alarcon demanded an investigation into his claim that a confidential memo by city atty. Rocky Delgado regarding a 5800 unit housing project north of Sylmar. The memo advised the city to process the land-use application for Las Lomas.

12-13-07 la times : Playa Vista ruling won't be reviewed.

The CA. Supreme Court denied a request by Playa Vista on the appellate court ruling that halted work on the development's final phase. The court found the project's EIR flawed. The city's approval of phase 2 was based on an EIR that was "deficient in its analysis of land-use impacts, mitigation of historical archaeological resources and waste water impacts.

The projects final phase consists of a 1.1 BILLION dollar second phase of 2600 housing units and 250,000 sq. feet of office and retail space on 111 acres.

This would be in addition to phase 1 which consists of 3246 units and 3.2 MILLION sq feet of office and retail space.

12-11-07 L.A. Times Business Section: 60 MILLION dollar apartment-commercial complex going up at the corner of Federal Ave. and Santa Monica Blvd.

Ever try to get through that intersection? Yet the planning commission approved it.

11-10-07 L.A. Times: Home Depot sues L.A. over store in Sunland-Tujunga.

The reason? A Councilwoman allegedly improperly worked with her constituents to block the chain from opening the store.

City atty. Rocky Delgado had no comment. It figures. (Home Depot) it wants to build their store without an EIR because they are going to use a existing building.

Forget the impact on the local area, it will stay the same. This building falls within the specific plan, for which it is not allowed.

11-9-07 L.A. Times: Artists sharply divided over project near L.A. River.

It would be three blocks long and 70 feet high. It has been described as aircraft-carrier sized, looking nothing short of a long wall. The planning commission has approved this project.

What a shock. Does anybody know of a project they have denied?

12-8-07 L.A. Times : Anaheim housing project isn't dead yet.

Suncal has asked for a rehearing. "It looks to me that the developer is trying to manipulate the process," said Annette McCluskey ,a spokeswoman for Save Our Anaheim.

9-28-07 L.A. Times: Large complex in noho (North Hollywood) gets ok.

This is a 1.3 BILLION dollar project, an apartment, retail and high rise office tower complex: 1.5 MILLION sq. feet of development on 15.6 acres.

This will be the largest transit oriented development in county history.

Neighbors to the project are concerned such an influx of people and high rises will affect the community.

12-8-07 L.A. Times: Plan fails to curb growth in valley.

A new city report found that developers could add 3 million sq. feet of commercial space to the Ventura Blvd. corridor under current zoning rules, despite concern s by residents that the area is overdeveloped.

The study did not count residential growth including large mixed-use developments because the rules only limit commercial growth.

Thousands of units have been added or approved for construction in the last few years, and some community activists say the city should count condos and apartments in assessing whether the area is overbuilt.

A recent Times search of city traffic records showed that while residential development on and near Ventura Blvd. was being planned and built, traffic worsened significantly at 10 major intersections.

Robert Duenas, senior city planner, said the plan as it's written now could easily allow more congestion and overbuilding than was intended.

Shocker. Does anybody else see a pattern here? EVERYBODY is getting screwed by the planning commision and developers.

ANYBODY who is really concerned about what is happening around here needs to start weighing in again.

Bob is not resting and neither should we. Are there any other commenters out there anymore? Seriously, if he gets his way, I see no reason why I should not be able to develop my lot on Trudie as a high-rise development. It already feels like PCH and my own EIR says nobody has anything to worry about.

As a "community benefit" everyone can come play on my lawn.
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For the record, "fed up" uses the name of a street I live on, but I am not the author of "fed up's" comments.

As far as the Anaheim project goes, I have read where the Anaheim City Council has disapproved residential development in the "Anaheim Resort District".

There is a group named "S.O.A.R." which stands for Save Our Anaheim Resort District. It reported that the Anaheim City Council voted 3-2 to repealed the ordinance that allowed (residential) housing in the resort district of that city.
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"Fed up" wonders why there are so few comments recently. I can understand that there could be quite a few folks who don't want to even think about Ponte Vista or weapons of mass development while the L.A. City Planning Department is reviewing the DEIR and coming up with their own recommendations about what should be built at Ponte Vista.

It is also a time of year when many people want to be interested in other, happier things. Fighting to keep the quality of life high in OUR community is a tough effort and I do think that there are many people who want to wait to see what the Planning Department comes up with before they get back on the band wagon.

There could be a large number of folks who are waiting to see if the Planning Department comes up with a number of units that is reasonable to them. It is quite believable to imagine that if the Planning Department comes up with a total unit count in the 1,200-1,300 region, many folks who signed the R1 petition will consider the range of units acceptable.

"Fed up" is correct that we still need to be aware and as alert as we can. There will always be a small number of people earnestly seeking news and views, concerning Ponte Vista. This is the case even now when the Planning Department is mum to giving out information.

Hopefully it is not too late, but there is a strong call in Rancho Palos Verdes to get our own City Council to assist us, living on the east side of our City. We need to help our friends and neighbors in surrounding communities to demand that a totally new EIR be done on the Ponte Vista project.

In noting that the Playa Vista EIR is flawed, "fed up" also demonstrates that even an EIR as complicated as Playa Vista's is, and flawed to boot, means that with all the problems with the Traffic and Transportation section of the Ponte Vista DEIR, the very incorrect student generation counts, and several other sections of the Ponte Vista EIR, there needs to be a new, more accurate, and up-to-date EIR done.

I still have my site meter on this blog. I get a report every week. Right now, the blog gets about 35 views per day. It is also important to note that many of those views last for a very short time and are probably folks who could not care less about Ponte Vista.

I hope fairly soon after the first of the year, we can learn more about what the Planning Department is considering. I can wait and I hope you can, too.

There is no need to rush through anything. The last time I drove by the Ponte Vista site, it was still there and hadn't slid off the face of the earth.