Odds and Ends 130-Additional

Here is the post from www.yourpontevista.com concerning the August 13 Planning Commission meeting where the project was reviewed:

Ponte Vista Update at Los Angeles City Planning Commission

Aug 14th, 2009 by Ponte Vista

On August 13^th, Los Angeles City Planner, David Olivo, presented a status report to the Los Angeles City Planning Commission on the Ponte Vista residential community.

Mr. Olivo informed the Commission that discussions between the planning department and the developer have been successful since the last Commission meeting on Ponte Vista in April of 2009. The planning department and the Ponte Vista team have made progress towards the development of a revised plan. He also told the Commission that he expected that a Revised Specific Plan for Ponte Vista would come together within the next 60 days.

The Revised Specific Plan for Ponte Vista will be amended to reflect the changes to the residential community as well as to the park, trails, and retail areas. The Revised Specific Plan once approved will guide the future build-out of Ponte Vista. The Specific Plan includes architecture, landscape design, color palette, building heights, circulation, parking, Mary Star access, water elements, and open space features and design.

Mr. Olivo told Commissioners that he believed that a revised DEIR would be circulated for 45 days on the revised project for public review and comment.

Commissioners were further informed that the planning staff would be back to them within 90 days with another progress update and that the overall project would be back to the Commission for consideration in about 9 months.

Representatives for the development team were in attendance at the meeting and told the Commissioners that they look forward to returning to the Commission at the first meeting in November to present the project timeline, which would include the schedule for the recirculation of the revised DEIR.

The Ponte Vista development team will begin to prepare the Recirculated Revised EIR for the Ponte Vista Specific Plan immediately after the revised development plan is formulated and ready for presentation to the community.

Ponte Vista is a planned residential community that features a two-acre village green with adjacent retail shops, walking trails and open space, workforce and senior housing, and town homes and courtyard homes in a sustainable, high-quality, energy-efficient design.

The development team plans to release a schedule to the community for the revised plan in September 2009.

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"Anonymous" left a comment with the article apparently from The Daily Breeze dealing with the same meeting:

Revised Ponte Vista plan under discussion
From staff reports
Posted: 08/13/2009 06:06:29 PM PDT

Los Angeles planners reported Thursday that progress was being made in discussions with the developers of San Pedro's Ponte Vista housing plan.

A revised plan, however, probably won't be ready for formal consideration and approval for another six to nine months, said Betsy Weisman, principal planner for the city.

The report was made at a meeting of the Los Angeles Planning Commission.

"Staff has been meeting with the applicants every two weeks," Weisman said after the meeting. The discussions have been focused on "very general concepts," she said, with a follow-up report scheduled at the Nov. 12 meeting of the Los Angeles Planning Commission.

The private meetings will continue as more details are worked out for the development proposed for the 61.5-acre parcel on Western Avenue across the street from Green Hills Cemetery.

The big sticking point remains the number of homes and the project's effects on Western Avenue traffic.

The status report presented Thursday, Weisman said, "was all very low key," with no questions posed by commissioners.

12:27 PM

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I am still expecting to learn that the revised plan includes 1,395 units.

Odds and Ends 130

Go away!

I'm not here right now and I don't know what happened at the Planning Commission meeting.

I may publish a post between now and next Friday.

Thank you for stopping by.

Buh-bye

Odds and Ends 129

The Ponte Vista Outreach Team published a new post on their: http://www.yourpontevista.com/ site.

The post is their take on what they have been doing since last April and what they expect to happen when Ponte Vista at San Pedro comes before the Los Angeles City Planning Commission on August 13.

As expected, there will be nothing earth shattering during that meeting, concerning Ponte Vista.

I do hope we all get a chance to see the new drawings and public publication of the new plans for the 61.53 acre site, beginning in September.
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And now for something completely different.

I feel there has been a paucity of humor in the discussions concerning Ponte Vista. There have been some remarkably hilarious quotes coming from all sides of the issue, but I feel there could always be more humor in the issues being talked about

When I found out that Ponte Vista was born in the same hospital as President Obama seems to have been, according to some folks, I made it my duty to find Ponte Vista's birth certificate.

Here below, is the birth certificate:

Now unlike when President Obama was born, according to his "Kenyan" birth certificate, Ponte Vista was born in Mombasa which by that time really was in Kenya and not Zanzibar like on August 4, 1961.

I am sure Mr. and Mrs. Bisno were very happy to finally have their newborn out and about. Who know that just a little under four years later, the little site would turn on its parents and force them out?
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This is another reminder that R Neighborhoods Are 1 hasn't left the playing field or ridden off into the sunset. The machinery is still oiled and ready for quick start up, if necessary.

Some of us are not finding the inclusion of folks beyond the development team and the City Planning Department, in current discussions about what may be the best results for OUR community.

I hope the Councilwoman's office, Mr. Fentin, and he Planning Department will welcome into the discussion serious representatives of OUR community to assist in creating the best Ponte Vista as San Pedro as possible.

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Odds and Ends 128

Another week goes by without much new news to consider relating to Ponte Vista.

So I swung to thinking about what I remember about a special event that happened in 2003 and to other times that ran from 2005 through just about the end of 2008.

Going through some saved papers, I cam across the program for the Centennial Celebration for San Pedro High School.

I opened that program and saw a number of names I was familiar with and saw a list that really brought back great memories and brought to mind what the future, back then, would include.

The list I read carefully contained the names of the volunteers who made up the organizing committee for the Centennial Celebration.

For those who don't know, the Celebration was one of the largest community events of 2003, it packed the hotel it was presented at, and I haven't heard of more than two or three individuals who had anything negative to say about the event....except for the crowding all over the site.

Anyway, when I looked at the list and remembered how the committee operated and who worked with who on the tremendously large tasks necessary to put on the Celebration, I was very pleased to see so many community members working so very hard together on a goal to bring OUR community together.

I was in charge of the Decade of the 70's room, if you remember that space. Each year's class was provided a "wall" they could decorate themselves. When all the "walls were put together, it presented a unified decade, together, with the walls holding other walls up.

The list I am referring to contains 27 names or members of OUR community who worked very well together and worked very hard and they very much produced the best results possible, I strongly believe.

It was one of the finest examples I have ever been involved with where members of OUR community stood together, worked hard, and got the job done.

But that was then and up until about December, 2008 we had some difficulties that brought much contention to just about all of us named on that Steering Committee.

There are names on the list who, like me, did not support Bob's plans during "The Bob Years".

There are also names of the same list of folks who supported Bob's plans during "The Bob Years" no matter what those plans were.

Reading the names on that list illustrated how far apart some folks who were very much together could become.

HOWEVER, "The Bob Years" are gone! I hope we can all come back in the spirit we all shared back in '03 to once again provide the best results to OUR community.

I remain hopeful that we can all move forward in this new and different environment that is not as challenging for us during "The Bob Years."

Gosh, we were all so together at one point. Then there was a far too long of a period we seemed to not get along. Now I hope we can find re connections that Bob worked to break up.
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Don't you love the drive along Western between Avenida Aprenda and Carson, now that it has been resurfaced?

It will be a wonderful sight when all the painting and other things are finished.

Many folks lamented to me that Gaffey needed resurfacing, too. Well, have you driven along Gaffey between 5 Points and about Channel Street lately?

If you haven't I strongly recommend that you don't for a short spell. Gaffey has been all chewed up by what is called a planer and it is a rough ride these days.

But the planing means that Gaffey too, will have some needed resurfacing finished in several days to a couple of weeks.
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I did it again. But this time for purely entertainment purposes, only. I have the time right now because I am retired and 'between jobs'

Thankfully, there has been no reason to create new posts that seem negative on my R1 blog.

I am procrastinating on doing a post on my Caveman Dairy blog about Cavemen attending High Teas. (I was stuck attending two this year and I participated in one in Canada some years back).

Nobody has been foul enough to warrant me having to place their comment on my secret never-should-read blog.

So, you are all welcome to take a gander at www.escolarfilms.blogspot.com and see a great bunch of kids performing in San Pedro's Youthorizon's production of High School Musical 2.

But of course there are also other videos that my entertain you.
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Whether you support the current plan for Ponte Vista or oppose it, we all are getting into the real meat of summer activities in the San Pedro area.

Taste in San Pedro, SBTS coming back, the TriArt Festival (Joe Caccavalla's hard works provides all of us with this event. Thanks, Joe), Hot Pedro Nites, and WOW can help all of us enjoy OUR community and let us head into fall and all the work that needs to be done to help provide the best results for OUR community regarding what Ponte Vista could look like.

I remain optimistic. I remain supportive of no more than 831 total units on the site. I remain hopeful that the folks at Ponte Vista and the Planning Department are willing to work with members of OUR community, seeking the best results for all of us.
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Odds and Ends 127

For the very few number of you expecting to read this post yesterday, I apologize. I simply forgot that yesterday was Friday.

Big news continues to swirl around Pointe Vista and the tax residents are discussing that they may vote on themselves that would go towards that development.

If you read that last sentence and wondered if I wrote something incorrectly, I didn't.

Pointe Vista is at Lake Texoma in Texas. Its Web site is http://www.pointe-vista.com/info.cfm

and I feel it is worth a read to learn about a different development.

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How do you like driving over the newly resurfaced Western Avenue? It was smooth driving from Avenida Aprenda all the way to Carson Street for Terri and I this morning.

You probably should know though that traveling over portions of Gaffey Street between Channel and Five Points may not provide the same feel as felt along the resurfaced portion of Western.

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I have heard nothing from 'official' sources or members of the Outreach Team this week. I talked with some folks who haven't changed their opinions about what they want to see on the Ponte Vista site.

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Ms. Elise Swanson, the Public Outreach Vice President for the Ponte Vista developement has taken on new responsibilities in helping the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Swanson is very familiar with OUR community, gaining knowledge and experience while working in Coucilwoman Janice Hahn's office prior to Ms. Swanson joining the Ponte Vista team.

Every good bit of help working on goals and activities to strengthen San Pedro's downtown and waterfront areas gets a hail and hearty good luck from me and I do wish her well with her expanded opportunities in helping San Pedro.

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Just for the record, the name "M Richards" appears in the directory of the Chamber as I was appointed to help Ray Buffer from The Relevant Stage Theatre Company with Chamber matters, when called upon.

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Please have a wonderful week and we may meet somewhere at Point Fermin Park during Taste in San Pedro, if you attend.

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Saturday brought news that the TIF for Pointe Vista was approved. Tax money to bring a private enterprise to an area is not new or even special to Texas.

Terranea Resort along the coast of the Palos Verdes peninsula received approval for a TOT Rebate. The tax incentive was provided because Terranea's developer stated dire conditions would occur, the hotel/resort would not open, and the Rebate would help secure further loans to keep Terranea open during these first few months of operation.

Pointe Vista's TIF includes tax subsidies for infrastructure improvements.

Ponte Vista developers are willing to provide infrastructure improvement funds and have not asked for a direct handout from L.A. taxpayers as far as I know.

It seems there is quite a lot more differences between the two developments, other than just one letter. 

lmao But Not Concerning Ponte Vista

This post is not about Ponte Vista, but allows readers to find humor in matters regarding a development other than Ponte Vista.

Terranea Resort recently opened its doors an an upscale resort at Long Point, the former site of Marineland of the Pacific.

Mr. Lowe, Terranea's developer and the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, its residents and others have been dealing with the project for the past 12 years.

Just before the resort was scheduled to open, Mr. Lowe confronted the R.P.V. City Council with the veiled threat that if he didn't get a rebate on the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), he would not open the resort on the scheduled opening date.

Mr. Lowe first asked for up to 35 Million Dollars from the city before he agreed to take the 8.3 Million Dollar TOT rebate scheduled to be paid back to the city, with interest somewhere in the 2012-2015 time frame.

Mr. Lowe stated that unless he got assurances that the TOT rebate was approved, he could use that to secure between 8-12 Million Dollars in new loans.

Just about everyone Mr. Lowe went to for a loan to open the resort and keep it open during the initial months of operation demanded that the city of R.P.V. provide the TOT rebate.

However, the ordinance granting the TOT rebate was written to mandate that Terranea would not be provided the TOT rebate until a $12.5 Million Dollar loan extension was handed to Mr. Lowe by the developer's primary financial backer, Corus Bankshares.

One of the provisions for granting the TOT rebate was the stipulation that residents of R.P.V. would be offered a 25% discount on the first night of a multi-night stay at the resort and some discounts for goods and services other than alcohol.

The language of the ordinance stated that residents who wished to utilize discounts to R.P.V. residents would first need to pay a $25.00 registration fee to get discounts.

When that particular language was read in the light of day, it was stricken while laughter floated all around the peninsula.

The resort is now open and many residents of R.P.V. are wondering about where the discounts are and when will they be given.

The Director of Finances for the city or R.P.V. gave a report at Tuesday's City Council meeting regarding discounts.

Please remember that the primary loan guarantor is Corus Bank. There may be a test farther down on this post.

Here is basically what he reported out.

Discounts to R.P.V. residents will not be provided until the TOT rebate provisions are secured from the city which will only provide them after Terranea receives promised funds of 12.5 Million Dollars from a financial institution that is about to be taken over by the FDIC.

At the City Council meeting preceding this Tuesday meeting was the last vote to approve the TOT rebate and place it into city statutes.

I was the only speaker to address the Council members prior to their final vote on the matter and I warned the three members allowed to vote on the matter that they had better be absolutely sure they knew what they were getting into and that they needed to be comfortable with the vote they were about to take.

With my speaking, it allowed for all three voting members the opportunity to again defend their vote in front of the public and on television. I gave them the opportunity to attempt to defend their position. All three voting members then voted to approve the measure.

Please remember that the final vote was taken just two weeks ago and that currently all TOT is expected to be provided to the city of R.P.V. as long as the resort stays open and they get the necessary funding to trigger the rebate to be started.

In order for Mr. Lowe to get the extra 8-10 Million Dollar loan, he had to show lenders that the TOT rebate was approved.

The TOT rebate can only be triggered AFTER the 12.5 Million Dollar loan promised to Mr. Lowe by Corus has been provided.

Corus has been on shaky standing for some time and is just about to get taken over by the FDIC because no new buyer can be found for the assets and liabilities that Corus deals with now.

My suggestion is that if you want to see a high-end resort that appears new and wonderful, go there SOON.

If it stays open beyond February, 2009 I will be amazed. 

Any and all consideration that the TOT rebate will ever get paid back is now generally thought of as folly.

There have been many reviews of the resort on a variety of sites and you are encouraged to view those reviews and decide for yourself whether you want to spend money there. 

We all should make a pilgrimage to the site if only to remember Marineland or just tour the grand resort.

I won't purchase anything there until I get the R.P.V. residents' discount. That can't happen until the TOT rebate goes into effect after Corus delivers the promised 12.5 Million Dollars to the developer. Can an out of business bank provide those funds to Terranea if Corus is taken over by the FDIC?

Perhaps The Donald can swoop in and scoop up the resort and have Trump National Golf Course very close to a resort he may be able to get for not so much money and we will end up having two sites with The Donald's imprint on the peninsula.

Between the two sites is a short street named Cherry Hill Lane. When the asphalt for that street was originally laid down, it was north of Palos Verdes Drive South.

Today, Cherry Hill Lane is south of Palos Verdes Drive South and asphalt has been gone for a great number of years from that lane.

There is still one house on Cherry Hill Lane. As the street moved, both the lane and the house crossed over the path of Palos Verdes Drive South and everything continues to move towards the Pacific Ocean.

As a matter of trivia, Trump National and Terranea have between their sites, the fastest moving asphalt roadbed in the Western Hemisphere. 

So please visit and spend money at Terranea. We have no idea how long it will stay open and by traveling through the Portuguese Bend slide area, you are provided with an experience that constantly changes and is singular to this side of the planet.

Facts First, Opinions-I Certainly Have Them

Before you rush to scroll to the invitation to a reception honoring Councilwoman Janice Hahn, I'd like you to read these first bits.

Ms. Elise Swanson, the Vice President for Public Affairs for Ponte Vista told me that the Outreach Team would be announcing more on July 20.

www.yourpontevista.com has a new post that mentioned what happened more recently and what looks to be in store somewhere in the near future.

Some of that near future may occur in September or October as far as presenting the newest plans to OUR community.

The Ponte Vista Outreach Team and the developer were scheduled to make a presentation of their new plans to Councilwoman Janice Hahn at her office on July 28.

It was recently learned that the Ponte Vista group requested a one-week delay in presenting to Ms. Hahn, new plans.

According to my personal belief and after talking to several individuals, I am confident to state that since at least April 9, 2009 and continuing today, Councilwoman Janice Hahn stands by here current beliefs that the recommendations by the staff of the Planning Department should be followed and that she continues to oppose the construction of 1,395-units on the 61.53-acre site known as Ponte Vista at San Pedro. Ms. Hahn continues to believe that 1,395-units exceeds what can be successfully provided to the community at Ponte Vista.

The newest post on the one Web site currently working regarding Ponte Vista states that representatives from Ponte Vista will be presenting a report to members of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission at its August 13, 2009 meeting.

That may or may not occur. It has been and still is expected that a report about Ponte Vista will be given by representatives of the Planning Department.

There has been a request by some members of OUR community that meetings be conducted between the developers, representatives of the Planning Department and Ms. Hahn's office, and selected very knowledgeable members of R Neighborhoods Are 1 and its attorney to collectively discuss what is best for OUR community in terms of what can be successfully built at the Northwest San Pedro site.

Unfortunately I have to report that nothing leading up to such a process has been dealt with recently.

Now let's wonder the following and other things:

I guess you can probably figure out that I will not be attending the reception. Not only do I not have $500.00 to spend on another city's elected official's Officeholder Committee, my city already has at least 6 candidates for two seats up for grabs this November.

It is legal for supporters and representatives of Ponte Vista at San Pedro to hold a reception to help Ms. Hahn with her past campaign and any future campaign for elected office?

It most certainly is! Someday, somewhere in the future, campaign financing laws require that the names of individuals who attend the reception by paying $500.00 per person will need to be made available to the public.

Some of the names on Page 1 of the invitation are easily recognizable as staunch supporters of having 1,395-units built at Ponte Vista.

I have done some checking on the Internet regarding other names and businesses on the list but I can only offer what I feel is trustworthy to inform you about.

Sage Advisors and Niko Consulting share the same office address and they help folks get and stay elected. These two groups have helped others in their campaigns and nothing seems out of the ordinary or anything less than honorable. These groups work towards helping Ms. Hahn with campaigns.

You get to use your own opinion as to which office Ms. Hahn becomes a candidate for.

Many people feel Ms. Hahn is readying herself to run for L.A. County Supervisor. 

A year ago I talked to a staff member of Ms. Hahn and that person told me Ms. Hahn would like to be an L.A. County Supervisor like her much beloved and wonderful father was.

Other sources, including something in the Daily Breeze have suggested that Ms. Hahn may seek the seat in the House of Representatives now being kept warm by Jane Harman.

Whatever office Ms. Hahn has plans to go for require large amounts of money to run and win a successful campaign.

Here is the first sentence from the "About Us" page of a Web site associated with Mr. Ken Spiker, Jr.: "Formed in 1984, Ken Spiker And Associates, Inc. (KSA) is dedicated to facilitating the efforts of private enterprises and government agencies." 

http://kenspikerandassociates.com/about.html will allow you to make up your own mind about Mr. Spiker, and the company he works for, but it appears that he is part of a consulting firm.

What price influence? I believe in this particular case, the price is $500.00. Will that purchase closeness to one of Ms. Hahn's ears? If it doesn't, someone has wasted money, I feel.

Is the planned event legal, ethical, and moral? I believe it is and it is a common way folks who want something done they support are given the opportunity to get their message out loud and clear to the honoree.

But is it just plain wrong for Ms. Hahn to be a part of this event prior to the August 13 progress report to the Planning Commission and prior to the public disclosure of the revised plans?

As individuals, the answers to that question is yours.

I know R Neighborhoods Are 1 is unable to support a $500.00 per person reception honoring Ms. Hahn.

I doubt members of the various Advisory Boards for Ponte Vista could also produce an event like the one planned.

Do I think this is good timing on the part of Ponte Vista groups and poor timing for the rest of OUR community? Personally I feel that might not be in the best overall interest of Ms. Hahn to have such an event honoring her and aiding her "Officeholder Committee" at this particular time.

If new and greater support for the revised project is to be sought, I think it would be quite appropriate to have it AFTER the revised plans are fully disclosed to all of us.

It may appear that the folks at Ponte Vista are jumping the gun to get the greatest chance to move Ms. Hahn into their corner prior to the revelations of the revised plan.

Why can't the reception happen later this year after any and all open houses where all of us get to see the revised plans?

I hope Ms. Hahn and her staff understand the perception of the reception some in OUR community may soon have.

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The number of folks I have talked to since April 9 who have opinions about Ponte Vista keeps growing.

The number of differing opinions also keeps growing.

Several individuals I have talked to seem to strongly feel that Credit Suisse will "flip" their interest in Ponte Vista when any entitlements are granted.

I believe this means that no matter what is approved of at the site, Credit Suisse will try toremove itself from the picture by selling its interests to another entity. 

To many with opinions, it has been repeatedly stated to me that whenever whatever entitlements are granted for the parcels, the Ponte Vista Partners Inc., LLC group will offer all the land for sale and get the most from selling the land rather than going through and actually building anything at all.

One reason I believe this may happen is that I have heard that the developer is unwilling to do any destruction or construction before entitlements are granted.

It appears that the developer will not offer any 'good faith' examples to OUR community by paying to extend the southbound left turn lane from Western Avenue onto S. John Montgomery Drive so drop offs and collections dealing with Mary Star High School would not impact other traffic on Western Avenue like it currently does when classes are held.

Another interesting offer from the California Conservation Corp was apparently rejected by the developer and team at Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

It seems that the C.C.C. wanted to have its workers do environmentally sound deconstruction of the vacated housing on the site. This would have removed some real blight in the area, I believe.

It also seems that the developer/equity team/Outreach Team is an was not willing to provide jobs at the site do offer OUR community the opportunity to learn more about and observe ways the environment can be protected during the processes of dismantling an old neighborhood in preparation for future work.

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There are terrible mentions afoot dealing with Sacramento's wishes to pull back funds for ATSAC and other traffic mitigation measures This is not good and all of us, no matter what our opinions are concerning Ponte Vista should be concerned and ready to offer our opinions to decision makers in Sacramento.

Ponte Vista should not be expected to pay for the two different types of signal synchronization and control in the areas near the site. But they should fund traffic mitigation in our area because of the tremendous impact new traffic dealing with the site will have.

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The great concern that SB1818, the density bonus law will impact what could be built at the site, no matter what anyone says, still exists.

Mr. Fentin can state whatever HE believes is true, but that doesn't make it the truth, according to existing laws.

This is scary given the many opinions that once entitlements are granted, Credit Suisse, DLJ Properties, and Ponte Vista Partners Inc., LLC will work hard to rid themselves of all interests at Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

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Finally (THANKFULLY) it would be wonderful if we all can learn the truth as to who really holds title to the site.

I haven't found facts on the Internet to back up claims that Mr. Robert H. Bisno is no longer a part of the project.

I think it is important to OUR community that Bob is proved to be completely out of the pictures regarding anything dealing with the development.The move from BDC Ponte Vista Partners Inc., LLC to Ponte Vista Partners Inc., LLC still seems murky and it may take a title search to find out the most current facts.

If proof is not provided that Bob is completely and financially out of everything regarding Ponte Vista, perhaps "The Bob Years" still continue.

Odds, Ends, and OOPS!

Please ignore much of what I wrote about concerning the resurfacing project along Western Avenue.

Since last I drove over parts of Western, north of Avenida Aprenda, much now looks different.

Lanes are being resurfaced while no delays in traffic were found on my trips along Western.

Western needs all the TLC is can get.

Odds and Ends 126

If silence is golden with regards to Ponte Vista, just about everybody dealing with the project is very, very rich.

There aren't many new revealing facts to announce, but there are some things that continue to be interesting and can lead just about anyone to their own opinion about the near future.

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This part should be attributed to me and only me. I have listened to a variety of folks and have observed things that are real and that are absent.

The Agenda for the August 13 Planning Commission Meeting where an update about the project may be given, has not be published on the Planning Department's Web site yet.

It is expected though that there will be just a verbal report provided about the progress or lack thereof regarding the progress towards readying a new EIR for the project.

I do not expect any bombshells from that report IF a report of progress is provided at all.

The report may be part of remarks provided by the Director of City Planning or a Supervisor working on the project within the Planning Department.

I know not what may be in any report.

Did you notice what is missing at many events and within programs for things all around San Pedro this summer?

Where are all the Ponte Vista advertisements?

The program for Shakespeare by the Sea does not contain any ad for Ponte Vista.

On Web sites for things like Music by the Sea and other summer activities, Ponte Vista has no advertising/marketing.

www.pontevista.com is not operating as it did for several years.

The site, established in 2004 with a domain acquisition, lost its current serving contract on April 28, 2009 and is "Under Construction" or has not been assigned a new serving provider.

www.yourpontevista.com still is operating and the last addition to it was June 5, 2009.

I could find nothing new to report from that site at 4:00 PM on Thursday.

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I did speak with Ms. Elise Swanson, the Vice President for Public Affairs and the head of the Outreach Team.

The Outreach Team is intact and working towards coming out with new ideas and views.

There is a new landscape architect on board.

According to Ms. Swanson, we can expect to read and learn more about the progress beginning next week. That is the July 20 or after date Ms. Swanson told me about several weeks ago.

It looks like a greater outreach and community involvement situations will come forward in August and September, according to Ms. Swanson.

The trailer still has Outreach Team members working and I was given no impression that any rumor that the Outreach Team may go away in my talks with Ms. Swanson.

I didn't ask Ms. Swanson when she thought a new EIR could be ready for distribution. I don't think she would know that information at this time.

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Perhaps we are actually in the dormant period for Ponte Vista that started just after April 9, 2009 and had only Mr. Oswald's interviews come to light and be accomplished.

No matter what eventually gets built at Ponte Vista, I hope everyone in OUR community wants the processes to move along at greater than a snail's pace.

It would be a very bad thing for us if we didn't get some kind of real resolution of this current project's workings.

Whether it is too many, too few, or just enough, without some kind of formal decisions by those in authority, that site and OUR community continues to be in limbo.

I do respect the concept that many want the project to remain in limbo. But pushing the project out without knowing more facts and ideas doesn't allow OUR community the input it must have.

I am sure Mr. Fentin, and the others in the funding stream of the project wish to get some resolutions understood before making more decisions.

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The State Law dealing with density bonus will continue to come up whether anyone claims Ponte Vista will not be built with a density bonus, or not.

Mr. Fentin would probably not legally be able to sell off parcels or the whole site and not have the possibility of a density bonus from any new owners of the parcels or sites. I don't think he has legal standing to demand that of any new owners of any land at Ponte Vista.

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I haven't observed any resurfacing work really being underway along Western between Avenida Aprenda and Carson Street.

I haven't been along Western near Carson for more than a week so I don't know if the work is being started on the north end of the Avenue or the south end.

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I have had multiple reports that Amalfitano's Bakery is being brought to all of us by the same great folks from the old Ramona's Bakery.

If that is the case, then a frequent person who comments may once again enjoy some of the same great tastes that were provided from that legendary bakery on Pacific.

When I played for Eastview Little League, the smell coming out from DiCarlo's was almost too much for a starving kid who didn't eat dinner before his games.

I am not a bit nervous with the thought of having the wonderful aromas from a full service bakery wafting into our bedroom in the early hours of the morning. 

Maybe in early morning dreams I will be able to enjoy the tastes that diabetes now keeps me from fully enjoying.

It's a new business along Western Avenue that will be close enough for the Outreach Team members to be able to supply the trailer with great eats for themselves and guests.

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In summary, the wheels may be turning very slowly at this time but according to Ms. Swanson, they are turning.

Odds and Ends 125

I've learned nothing new relevant to the project in this last week.

That being written, I guess it is okay to write things that may be relevant and things that are irrelevant.

www.pontevista.com is still 'Under Construction'. What is irrelevant is that the Web site was purchased by EMG Properties on April 28, 2004.

That original contract expired on April 28, 2009 but the site was showing 'Under Construction' just after the Planning Commission Meeting where the plans were denied.

Bob Bisno had the San Pedro site of Ponte Vista on his mind more than a year before his final bid on the land was accepted, it seems.

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I am still getting comments that perhaps, the Outreach Team will reach out to moving vans as the trailers may be vacated on or around July 20.

I consider that a shame for all of us if that becomes true.

No matter what our feelings were and are about the project, to have this particular venture fold is not good for OUR community.

I hope they stay and fight it out. But current economic conditions and "The Bob Years" may have wounded the processes to much to survive.

I am sure nobody in OUR community wants to start over with another over-developer or find out that the land is parceled out to a mish-mash of different developers.

We had enough trouble dealing with you know who and I don't want to see a number of you-know-who-like people clamor for the 22 or so existing parcels.

Unfortunately, the most likely outcome according to many folks who claim they know is that IF Mr. Fentin gets entitlements, he will simply put them up for sale rather than actually building anything like what is claimed to be planned now.

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It also seems mystifying to me that the Outreach Team hasn't provided information about how they and Mr. Fentin are working with the Planning Department to move along the project.

I think there should have been some marketing news from the Outreach Team expressing the progress they are having with the Planning Department.

For a group attempting to gain support for their project, I would expect some type of real progress reports forthcoming on their currently operational Web site.

Silence may not be golden in this case. 

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The site as it was and currently is may continue to be the best thing for us.

I can't imagine what the Ponte Vista at San Pedro site would look like today if the opposition during "The Bob Years" hadn't done what it had to do.

At least we see today what we have seen for years and that may beat a conglomeration of sights at in a destruction and construction area that could have been abandoned just after it began.

If we are stuck with what we have been stuck with for so long, it means we don't have to deal with partial destruction and possible construction traffic, air, and environment.

It certainly looks like IF the current developer continues on and IF the team actually goes forward to create an approved Ponte Vista plan, it will take more years than expected to see the final move-in of the initial residents.

You know who claimed the final phase of construction was expected to be done in 2012 or 2013. Folks, that isn't likely to happen.

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I'm still sticking with my maximum number of units being 831-units. That is no matter who owns what land within the 61.53 total acreage.

That number is equivalent to The Gardens. If Ponte Vista at San Pedro includes any retail space, it is something that I don't believe The Gardens has.

So with retail it means Ponte Vista would actually have a slightly higher dwelling denstity compared to overall land area compared to The Gardens.

But again, 831 total residential units falls within the Planning Departments suggestions of between 775-886 total units.

Of course, if R1 remains on the site, don't look for me to complain one bit. Okay, just perhaps a slight frown about not having any senior housing at Ponte Vista, but I can easily live with that.

Odds and Ends 124

If you are waiting for the dates of the 'Public Information Sessions' put on by the Outreach Team of Ponte Vista at San Pedro, you wait is going to continue.

Even though YourPonteVista.com states "We will be announcing the dates for several Public Information Sessions that will be happening in June and July!", I learned news that makes even July sessions something of a question to me.

I talked to Ms. Elise Swanson, the Vice President in charge of the Outreach Team. She informed me that more information should be coming out on or after July 20.

It seems that IF there are sessions before the August 13 Planning Commission meeting to provide more information about plans for the project, they won't be held with much time before that meeting's date.

That is IF there won't be some kind of postponement of the report by the Planning Department on the status of the project which was directed to be done by the Commissioners.
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It may mean absolutely nothing that www.pontevista.com has been under construction for months now since just after the new proposals were revealed.

The site had lots of information on it about the former proposal but it looks like there is nothing to illustrate the 1,395-unit proposal by the current developer on the site.
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It looks like the beginnings of work on the resurfacing of Western Avenue between Avenida Aprenda and Carson Street is now happening.

The work is slated to be done at night and only one lane at a time is going to be worked on.

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Has anyone seen or otherwise have knowledge of new studies being done for a new EIR for Ponte Vista? According to a source who lives closer to the site than I do, they have seen nothing they would describe as a new traffic study.

Of course if a new traffic study is undertaken in the coming weeks that means that the regular traffic associated with Mary Star of the Sea High School would not be studied. That would make a new study undertaken in this timeframe not realistic of what Western has on it during the school year.

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I have seen ominous markings in the number 2 lane of southbound Western Avenue between Delasonde and Toscanini.

The orange paint on the asphalt is used by communications companies and there are white markings along with the orange markings near a power/phone/cable T.V. pole.

It you see markings in the street it can mean a lane may get closed during hours of work on whatever is going to happen.

Because the markings are south of Delasonde, they are on a portion of Western Avenue that is not currently slated for resurfacing.

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Hey, would you like to fill a volunteer position.

There is a need for one more Johnston, Iowa Park Advisory Board Member. One of the parks in that town is...........Ponte Vista Park! Who knew there were lots of Italians in that part of Iowa?
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I am continuing to talk to folks about their current feelings concerning Ponte Vista.

I am considering writing a commentary that features more specific feelings from a variety of folks. It still is interesting to run into people I haven't talked with for a while and learn what their current ideas about the project are.

Maybe by "Odds and Ends 125" I'll have a better picture of what folks think, what we are seeing throughout OUR community, and what, if any, the responses from the Outreach Team are.

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On Development news and while researching information about bakeries, Terri and I have been learning more about Amalfitano's Italian Bakery in Delaware and its ownership and relationship to DiAmbrosio Bakery in the Philadelphia area.

I am pretty sure the two bakeries owned by a larger company are not affiliated with the Amalfitano Bakery that is coming to Western Avenue.

The front windows of the old Sunken City are now papered over so I am still guessing that is where the new bakery will be constructed.

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Have a happy and safe Independece Day. Terri and I are celebrating our 17th that day so we sometimes call it our Dependence Day.

Thank you all for noisily celebrating the day.

Breaking Western Avenue Development News!

Breaking news just in from this morning concerning an important development along Western Avenue!


If you didn't notice by looking at the sign above, here is a hint.

This wonderful banner was placed on the morning of Friday June 26, 2009 on the Rancho Palos Verdes side of Western Avenue, at the corner of Trudie Drive.

Now to many of you this news is not only not earth shattering, but probably not that important whatsoever.

But for many of us, this banner is more than welcome and like the Mervin's commercial stated, "Open, open, open!" is not soon enough for some.

There are so many good reasons this banner is welcome. We all lost Ramona's Bakery far too soon and we really haven't had a good bakery up this far on The Hill for as long as I can remember.

The meat market on Western does sell some terrific breads from San Pedro bakeries, but having an entire bakery along Western is so much better than the ones at Albertson's and Ralph's.

The name of the future bakery is so connected to San Pedro and OUR community. The family has been in the area for generations and I think we are going to welcome a truly wonderful place to visit and buy goods that are tasty and delightful.

Never forget that on 8th Street we have Polly Ann's Bakery. That is a San Pedro institution and must remain one.

Buscemi's, Portofino, and the smaller bakeries on Meyler and that dot San Pedro also provide great breads, rolls, and eats that provide perfection to many meals. A1 Groceries, an authentic Italian store provides many of these products for sale as well.

But welcoming Amalfitano's Bakery to Western will be eagerly anticipated and long waited for.

Terri was almost gleeful when she saw the sign even after polishing off a pancake from Rex's this morning.

To have a full bakery just five houses away from us means that we really need to watch what and how we eat so we can enjoy what little we should consume from the new digs.

New reasonable development along Western Avenue is necessary and it is change we all can live with, I feel.

It also doesn't hurt that the new bakery will help revenue generation to our cash-strapped city of R.P.V. now that our city fathers have given away the bank to Terranea.

So welcome to Western Amalfitano Bakery. Please open quickly so we all can enjoy your faire while we continue to discuss and debate what may eventually be approved at Ponte Vista in San Pedro, just two or so miles away from your front door.

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On a completely different manner, the smiling gentleman on the front page of the June 25 edition of The Palos Verdes Peninsula News is R Neighborhoods Are 1's own Mr. Bruce Horton!

Odds and Ends 123

The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project received approval from the Rancho Palos Verdes Planning Commission this week.

What this probably means to folks dealing with Ponte Vista at San Pedro is that there may be more students living along Palos Verdes Drive North in the College's 'Palos Verdes North' off-campus housing site.

The College's supporters removed the addition of on-campus housing at the Palos Verdes Drive East site and there could be as much as a 40% increase in traffic for the College along Western Avenue between 1St. Street and Palos Verdes Drive North.

If folks at the College wish to attempt to significantly increase the off-campus housing at Palos Verdes North, they will need to deal with the Los Angeles City Planning Department, local residents, and perhaps, supporters of Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

I think there could be significant opposition to expanding the housing and traffic at Palos Verdes North by Eastview Residents and residents of parts of Lomita and Harbor City.

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I've seen no announcement about any public meetings or open houses in July by the Ponte Vista Outreach Team. But then again, I haven't done a good job of asking the folks in the trailers when the meetings may be.

The Outreach Team's www.yourpontevista.com didn't have any new information on it since early June.

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The rumors still continue to come to my ears and eyes about Ponte Vista.

I don't usually deal with rumors unless I have independent knowledge about things from multiple sources.

Sometimes it is fun to consider some rumors especially when they continue to come from a variety of folks who don't necessarily talk to each other.

I guess one very long running rumor can't hurt writing about once in a while. It can be even juicer when a new wrinkle or two are mixed in.

The very old, long standing, and perhaps correct rumor is that the developers of Ponte Vista is simply doing their best to receive whatever entitlements they can glean from those in power. Then, with entitlements in tow, put the land on the market for sale and leave town without developing the site.

This old rumor has been around for quite while and was very strong during 'The Bob Years'.

If continues to be spoken about by folks in many different circles and by folks who don't usually associate with each other.

The new wrinkle that may be gaining ground is that all of this is continuing so the folks at the Outreach Team can remain employed.

I have absolutely no problem with this new wrinkle because as an unemployed person, I think everyone who can keep a job should do their best to continue to get a paycheck.

Having open houses and other public meetings when the developer has already stated his intention looks like it is a great way to remain employed and also provide some funds to other businesses.

There has not been any indication that Mr. Fentin is considering anything other than his current project's details and numbers, with or without expected open houses or public meetings.

If folks wish to gather to discuss and debate prior to the Planning Commission's status report meeting on August 13, that seems great to me.

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Come to think of it, there may be a great opportunity for students in higher levels of education to study the marketing of Ponte Vista at San Pedro during 'The Bob Years' and up until the final decisions are made or the project folds.

There is now shortage of information, statistics, and writings on all sides to help marketing other business students learn how to or how not to market a project is difficult financial and social times.

Heck, between Pat Nave's and my collection of information and the library of information from the developers and Outreach Team, perhaps one of the members of the Outreach Team or even Pat could teach an entire class at U.S.C. or U.C.L.A. on the marketing of the largest residential development project since Playa Vista was approved.

I know there are a great number of folks who have already received more education concerning development than they ever expected or wanted to.

Maybe an upper division or graduate class called "Ponte Vista----marketing during a financial and civic disaster" could be developed.

There should be some room in the class for the study of how a great number of members of a community can fight development and how a great number of members of a community can support the same development.

Ponte Vista at San Pedro being used as a model to be studied would probably become a hit class to take.

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May I offer a suggestion? It is a morbid, but sometimes necessary one when one lives or commutes along Western Avenue.

If you don't subscribe to "The Daily Breeze" you may wish to go online to www.dailybreeze.com and regularly check the obituaries.

Last Saturday I saw a funeral procession along Western Avenue making its way to Green Hills Memorial Park directly across the entrance to Ponte Vista. The procession contained five motorcycle units stopping traffic along the way.

Sadly, the more motorcycles one sees, the longer the procession.

Since I have lived five houses away from Western for so many years I have learned when to look at the paper and know when I can travel along Western and when it is stopped up by processions.

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The traffic collision on Western near Toscanini earlier this week did nothing to improve things and was quite the problem.

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Summer is here and there are Internet sites that provide quite a bit of information about happenings in OUR community we all might enjoy.

www.pedrocalendar.com is Kristina Smith's site that spells out in about the best details what is happening.

www.sanpedrocalendar.com is part of SanPedro.com and offers a different style of listing events.

www.sanpedroissuestoponder.blogspot.com is my blog that has a summer events post that isn't complete, but it may help.

But probably the most important date we all are waiting for is August 13, 2009 when the Los Angeles City Planning Commission is expected to make more considerations concerning Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

During the last meeting, the Commissioners wanted the developer and the Planning Department to offer an update or ongoing comment on what is happening concerning Ponte Vista and the necessary steps all must take to move the project forward.

If not much has been happening between the developer and the Planning Department, that may signal something and mean more time is necessary to either move the project forward or watch it fade away.

I have no idea how long Planning Commissioners are willing to wait on a project's development or lack thereof.

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Odds and Ends 122

During this past week I have encountered more local residents who have opinions concerning the dwelling density that may be at Ponte Vista.

What shouldn't but continues to surprise me is the number of folks who still want R1 density or less!

"R1" density would be equivalent to having one dwelling unit per a minimum of 5,000 square foot lots on the site.

I know and fully understand that there are many members of OUR community who want higher dwelling density there, but it still remains an issue that there are quite a few members of OUR community who continue to insist on keeping the site with its current zoning and not allowing any zoning changes to occur.
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I still don't know the date of the first Open House the Ponte Vista Outreach Team is planning for July. When I learn it I will update this blog.

In the mean time, you are encouraged to submit your ideas, comments, reasoning, and density ideas to Mr. Jim Oswald, the facilitator who is accumulating information for the developer of Ponte Vista and the Outreach Team. Mr. Oswald's Email address for this is:

jimoswaldcomments@gmail.com.
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I continue to stick with my current belief that Ponte Vista at San Pedro could be built with no more than 831 dwelling units.

This would keep it equivalent in dwelling density with The Gardens which has been around for decades and has better access routes than Ponte Vista.

The Planning Departments suggestion that Ponte Vista should contain between 775-886 units allows my concept to fall within those numbers.

The Gardens has easy access to both Gaffey and Western while Ponte Vista residents and others at the site will have only Western.
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During more than one conversation I had during the week, several people asked me about gestures the development team could do to really demonstrate their intentions to build at Ponte Vista and improve OUR community.

One individual asked why Ponte Vista would not go ahead and provide at least one pocket turning lane somewhere.

I thought it might be a good idea to see the left turn lane into S. John Montgomery from southbound Western elongated ASAP to allow more turns towards Mary Star.

What about placing tarps around the perimeter of the property to help shield views of blighted dwellings and yards?

Of course these measures would cost money, but it could demonstrate to members of OUR community that Mr. Fentin and his team are really here for the long haul and not just to acquire entitlements to the site, then sell those entitlements off and leave the area.

So far, and including the upcoming Open House, there is still the strong air that everything the developers and Outreach Team is doing is just marketing the site. 

It would probably take a dramatic, positive, and deliberate step to convince doubters that they are all here to develop Ponte Vista at San Pedro according to approved ordinances and not just getting the place ready to get sold off.

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"Jim" offered the first comment to this post and it was so good, I am putting it here with my response:

I don't understand why you are surprised that people still want R-1 density. Most people in town still insist on R-1 because it's what is best for the community. We're full, there's no more room here, trafic is already a nightmare. Enough is enough. There is no reason for the density to increase, or the zoning to change.

Why should our entire community and our quility of life suffer simply so a few people can make a huge profit. If they can't make a profit with the current zoning, than tuff luck, that's their problem, not ours. They should have been more carefull and done more research before handing over money for such a project. Their attemps to wear the community down are not working. I don't trust them any farther than I can throw them. They don't care about you or me, or anyone else who live around here. They only want to get the maximum number of units approved so they can sell off the property to someone who will no doubt use the density bonus and then try build something nobody wants

Thanks Jim, for your comment.

What the is surprise to me is that there are still so very many members of OUR community who continue to insist on R1 and that is perfectly fine and even wonderful to me.

On the supporting side, those folks support whatever a developer proposes, no matter how many units are in the offering.

But staunch R1 supporters took their stand and never budged, no matter what the developer is attempting to market.

I have written many times about what Janice and Bob said at the very first CAC meeting and how it didn't look likely at all that R1 would eventually remain on the property.

But by golly, the great number of folks who have stuck by their guns and continue to call for keeping the current zoning is still impressive to me.

If R1 remains on the site, that will be proven to be the best solution for OUR community.

I feel very strongly that 1,395-units, the current number proposed by the developer, is still far too many and definitely NOT the best solution for OUR community.

If R.P.V. is about to allow voters to levy higher taxes on hotel/motel businesses, perhaps the five closest zip codes to Ponte Vista should be used to offer a referendum to folks living in those areas on what should be built at Ponte Vista.
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Odds and Ends 121

I begin with an old photo.

This is a photo of the first 215 houses in a tract west of Western Avenue.

This is Western View Homes, now just part of the Mira Vista neighborhood.

The apartments at the bottom of the photo are part of the Channel Heights complex.

Yes, that is one car on Western Avenue passing through the intersection with Trudie Drive.

The house with the yellow outline around it is where I was brought when I was one-day old and it is where I am writing this blog from.

For all the folks who commented that I may have trouble with change, please understand that change in my neighborhood has occurred.

To get you better oriented, the small road intersection with the other small road behind the big building towards the bottom of the photo is just about where In And Out Burger now stands.

The photo was taken in May, 1950. and we still have some of the paperwork my dad signed to purchase the house back then.

An article written in the old News Pilot appears at www.sanpedroissuestoponder.blogspot.com 

and it tells of the 'new' housing development.
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A ruling by the City Attorney of Rancho Palos Verdes finally put the nix on NIMBY neighbors of the Marymount Expansion Project as it relates to enlarging the off-campus housing on Palos Verdes Drive North.

The "Living Campus/Academic Campus" Alternative to the Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project cannot be voted on by the Planning Commission of the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.

That Alternative would have the college furnish MORE housing at the 'Palos Verdes North' off-campus housing site now occupied by about 300 students and staff.

The Alternative was greatly supported by members of Concerned Citizens' Coalition/Marymount Expansion (CCC/ME) who strongly objected to have on-campus housing built for 250-students and 5-staff members on the College's campus on Palos Verdes Drive East.

The ruling provide by the City Attorney stated that the Planning Commission cannot vote on matters outside its jurisdiction.

Since the Palos Verdes North facility is in the city of Los Angeles, the Rancho Palos Verdes Planning Commission cannot vote to approve or disapprove that Alternative.

This may or may not be a major factor when dealing with Ponte Vista but it should be stated that 40% of the ADDITIONAL traffic generated by any expansion of the College's facilities will pass along Western Avenue, according to the E.I.R.

Of course it is well expected that once the College finally builds out any approved expansions their administration will come back to the city of R.P.V. and demand on-campus housing.

So unless the folks at the College got ahead and try and expand the Palos Verdes North facility, there probably won't be any changes to that area for some time.
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August 13 is just over two months away. That is the date there will probably be an update provided by the Ponte Vista development team and the Planning Department to the Los Angeles Planning Commission.

In the mean time, please watch for the Open Houses scheduled for July by the Outreach Team.

I don't feel it is worthless to provide your input. Sure, the Outreach Team may  be doing the Open Houses for more of a marketing ploy, but providing your insight, no matter what you think, can add to the discussions.

If you don't want 1,395-units on the 61.53 acre site, you may have two more chances to provide your reasoning and post you written comments that should make it to decision-makers.

For those of you who want whatever Ted, Tim, and the rest of the development team want, these will be opportunities to voice your opinions without using talking points developed by the Outreach Team.

Let's see some differing reasoning for wanting so many units at the site, Okay?

According to a post at www.yourpontevista.com, you are also most welcome to send an Email to Mr. Jim Oswald at: jimoswaldcomments@gmail.com.

He is the facilitator conducting the second round of interviews and I posted his Email address during the first set of interviews so everyone has the opportunity to share with Mr. Oswald their thoughts.
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All is certainly not inactive with R Neighborhoods Are 1. Concerned members of the group continue to provide comments and discuss issues. They (we) are still here, working to find the best outcome of OUR community.

Be sure to watch for comments concerning this most recent batch of interviews and the upcoming Open Houses.

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