Friday, September 09, 2011

Back To Work Regarding Ponte Vista

Bob and the economy gave us all a respite from dealing with all the issues surrounding Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

That long vacation is coming to and end and it is time to sweep out the cobwebs in our collected files and ramp up our learning curves because it appears that the new Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the "New Ponte Vista" is being published shortly.

According to a very reliable source and coming second hand, my source said they called someone in the L.A. City Planning Department last week and was told the new EIR would be out, "in ten days".

O.K., so maybe the 'ten days' is from the same fellow who stated just about everything was created in '6 days' and on the Seventh Day, rest was found.

But I am optimistic that the new EIR, which a group of different folks claimed would be coming out in the Fall of 2011, were pretty close to that time, I hope.

http://www.nwsanpedro.org/pontevistaindex.asp is a great site to learn about the new EIR and plans for the 61.53 acre project site.

That page was updated on April 1 and it will be updated more frequently when new information is learned and provided.

The Web page also offers links to more information about the new Traffic and Transportation Study section of the new EIR.

This is going to be a busy Fall season that will probably lead into an eventful Winter. My city, Rancho Palos Verdes is having its first ever three-seat turnover on our City Council.

Three of the current five-member City Council is 'retiring' due to term limits and that will provide one of the most dramatic sets of changes in our Council's and city's history.

What is good news about this is that most of the candidates running are truly learning about the Ponte Vista development history from knowledgeable people like the LaCombes of Rolling Hills Riviera and others and this December, our new Mayor, Anthony Misetich, once a Ponte Vista Advisory Board member will offer a different opinion on the project than he had during "The Bob Years".

*NOTE* I use "The Bob Years" frequently on this blog to denote the time frame between 2005 and 2008 when Ponte Vista's former developer, Mr. Robert H. (Bob) Bisno held court over the project.

To many of us, Bob rode into town and matter-of-factly told us we didn't know about development in our communities and that he knew what was best for San Pedro and other nearby communities.

He didn't.

In a few days, I will post a 'fact sheet' containing information about the history, geography and new developers and ownership of the site along Western Avenue.

I know there is still strong resolve among the members of the Steering Committee of R Neighborhoods Are 1 to make sure that all of our residents find the best outcome for what is built and not built on the site.

It is the position of R Neighborhoods Are 1 that the current zoning of the property and lots should not be changed and that residential development at the site be kept to one single-family residential unit on a lot of not less than 5,000 square feet be adhered to on the buildable portions of the property.

Stay tuned, this is going to get a lot more interesting.