Hot News Flashes!
(Click on blue headlines for stories)
Be sure to also check out the News page for the latest stories, editorials and comments on Ponte Vista and other development issues
afflicting Los Angeles.
To receive email alerts on upcoming events and developments click here.
You can now help finance the fight for R-1 through Paypal.
Click the button below and be taken to Paypal where you can safely and securely
make your nondeductible contribution.
L.A. Planning Commission calls for smaller Ponte Vista
Commission denies application and appeal for tract map and 1950 units.
As Yogi Berra said, "It's not over, till it's over. Same can be said for the proposed Ponte Vista development process. While the Commission heard emotional and impassioned pleas from proponents, it also realized that the facts of the matter needed to be addressed to insure that whatever is finally agreed upon to be built would be a project that would fit the community, the location and not become a nightmare legacy in the future.
As we have said, it's all about density. The planning department thinks that 775 to 885 units would be a better fit if a specific plan is adopted. The developer rolled out a new plan for 1395. Needless to say, they are miles apart and the Commission advised the developer that given the special needs and limitations of the site, that a lower number would be appropriate. They urged them to work with the Planning Department to that end.
We continue to have a say in the matter as to what is finally considered and adopted. The Commission also denied certification of the original EIR and it will require re-circulation based on the new project and conditions that now exist. This will allow us to insure that methods and data are used that are site specific which was a concern of the Commission.
It is often expected that people have to compromise to move things forward. But be assured, that we don't have to compromise our quality of life to satisfy the need of a developer to build a huge project in order to make a profit.
In the case of Ponte Vista, smaller has always been better.
____________________________________________
Los Angeles Planning Commission Hearing on Ponte Vista
Thursday, April 9th
8:30 am
Los Angeles City Hall, 200 North Spring Street
City Council Chamber, Room 340 (Third Floor)
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Click here and here for details
March 28th at the Boys and Girls Club San Pedro
Based on information from the March 12th meeting, the Ponte Vista team will supposedly provide more details of their "new" mega project
Come speak up on reasonable and realistic planning.
The time is now, the message is two words- Start Over
It seems like in the movie Terminator. You think you have seen the last of him and he keeps coming back to take a shot at you. Well it's happening with Ponte Vista again. Even though the project's lightning rod developer has been replaced by a large faceless bank, they are still trying to sell us the same old thing; a housing development, built as large as possible that will maximize their profit or, in this market, will mitigate their potential loss.
The new ploy is "building community consensus" which is something they should have done from the get go. They have interviewed 60 or so people in the community to seen if there is some kind of project that the community is now willing to accept (or more accurately, endure.) It all seems like too little too late. After years of trying to sell us on the project, they are now going to ask us what would we really like?
So this Thursday, they will be trotting out the familiar dog and pony show we have seen before. There will be lovely drawings or pictures or sketches of an idyllic community; tree lined streets, bike paths, water features, maybe a baseball field or two. Don't be distracted by these. They will be showing you this because they don't want you to focus on or consider what the real cost to the community will be to build a project of this magnitude. What needs to be considered is what the density of the project will bring with regards to increased demands on infrastructure such as traffic, utilities, emergency services, schools, air quality and the like.
We know this has been said before, but this meeting is important. This will be Ponte Vista's Hail Mary pass that we need to knock down. You need to ask them to withdraw their application and start over. This will allow consideration of a wider number of options for the use of the property, to generate a credible traffic study and permit serious (as opposed to token) public input in the planning process.
We know that this has been a long grueling campaign that has lasted for years. But we have stood up, we have spoken and we have persevered . It would seem a shame to falter at the finish line and see it all come to naught.
So please make every effort to show up and let Ponte Vista know that they need to start over with the planning process. Let them know that it is disingenuous for them to think that they can just put lipstick on this project and call it good.
We look forward to seeing (and hearing) you there
at Peck Park Auditorium from 4 to 8PM on March 12th.
Click here for Ponte Vista invitation.
Food for Thought: Ponte Vista and the Defense Fuel Supply Point (DFSP)
_______________________________________________________________________
The Very Latest Update on the Ponte Vista Project
Tentative April 9th hearing on Ponte Vista before the Citywide Planing Commission
needs you attention now!
As the Ponte Vista team begins to line up community members for "interviews" to help put together their "consensus" group, you need to send an email to the Planning Commission, with a copy to Janice Hahn, asking the City to [1] turn down the present Ponte Visa application, [2] require a new project application, and 3] hold the April 9th
hearing and future hearings on it in San Pedro
Click here for a sample letter you can send.
_______________________________________________________________________
Developer ready to rework San Pedro housing project
Developers of the proposed Ponte Vista housing project in San Pedro say they are ready to launch a new push to find community consensus on a revised plan.
Developer of San Pedro's Ponte Vista plan is ousted
A division of Credit Suisse bank, Bisno's top investor, has assumed control of the
controversial Ponte Vista project
Citywide Planning Commission meeting set for February 12th
Bob Bisno wants more time to review Planning Department decision to deny application
_______________________________________________________________________
LA Planning Department gives thumbs down to Ponte Vista
November 18th Harbor Area Commission meeting is cancelled!
Tuesday meeting cancelled. Unofficial reasons stated are no recommendations being released from the Planning Department and "commissioner issues."
_________________________________________________________________
Harbor Area Planning Commissioners have conflict of interest
Neighborhood Council board members letter to LA City Attorney
asks for ruling before November 18 meeting.
To also view the letter to the Daily Breeze click here.
___________________________________________________________________
Contributions continue to roll in for our legal fund.
Response to call for support is encouraging, but more is needed.
Find out why and how your help is needed. The time to step up to the plate and help make a difference in seeing this fight for R-1 zoning through to a successful conclusion is now! Click here to see for yourself.
______________________________________________________
The latest on Ponte Vista, good news, but...
RNR1 has won the first two rounds, but the fight is just heating up.
________________________________________________________________________________
R1 Hires Lawyer
R Neighborhoods Are1 has retained Chatten-Brown & Carstens, an experienced environmental law firm, to help prepare our response to the Planning Department recommendation. Their experience includes previous litigation with this developer.
The involvement of an attorney at this point is vital because what can be argued later is limited by what is presented to the Planning Commission now
______________________________________________________________________
RPV Traffic Commission rejects Ponte Vista traffic mitigations
Unanimous vote opposes project citing proposed solutions as inadequate
At the regular meeting of the Rancho Palos Verdes Traffic Safety Commission on September 22nd, a public forum was conducted that allowed participants to provide comments to the City Council of R.P.V. concerning potential impacts dealing with traffic and transportation mitigation issues for the Ponte Vista at San Pedro project.
Every speaker opposed the project and decried the negative impacts that the project's traffic would have on the surrounding communities. The commission, itself, voted 5-0 to oppose the project based on what it perceived as inadequate proposed traffic mitigations in the final environmental impact report.
The public comments and commission comments and concerns will be studied by the
RPV city staff for recommendations to the RPV City Council on how to proceed in the Ponte Vista project's planning process with the City of Los Angeles.
________________________________________________________________
International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 13
limits support of Ponte Vista
Recent letter to Janice Hahn limits support of Ponte Vista to the use of union labor only.
___________________________________________
Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council Election Results
R Neighborhoods Are 1 slate wins by a landslide!
Congratulations to the candidates that R Neighborhoods Are 1 endorsed for the September 9th election; Phillip Trigas, Frank Anderson, Linda Alexander, Arthur Almeida and Raymond Parker who all won by substantial margins. We feel that they will do great job for all stakeholders in their current two year election term.
_________________________________________________________
Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council falls short
of endorsing Ponte Vista as proposed, again.
7 to 2 vote supports features of the project, but not the size.
___________________________________________
Thoughts on Ponte Vista
Janice Hahn has officially said it in writing. the project application should be denied and sent back to the drawing board. At 1950 units, it's just too big and needs to be scaled back to R-1 density.
Click here to also view her letter to the Los Angeles City Planning Department.
__________________________________________
Ponte Vista’s “Reduced Project” is Non Compliant
with L.A.’s Transportation Policies
Granting a zone change would be a violation of both the General Plan and State Law
________________________________________________________________
La Brea Willoughby Coalition files suit
against the City of Los Angeles
Action brought as a result of the city's failure to conduct required annual revues of growth and infrastructure to adequately assess development. Implications for halting future citywide developments, including Ponte Vista, are huge. A copy of the filing can be found here and the Coalition's website is located here.
________________________________________________________________
Community Meeting held on June 26 to discuss
proposed development at Ponte Vista
Coastal Currents newsletter now on line
The latest edition of the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council newsletter,
Coastal Currents, is now available on line with articles and commentary on city planning and development including Ponte Vista .
_________________________________________________________________
It's Your Turn to Deliver the News
Senior managers from TV station ABC7 came to listen to San Pedro. Meeting was held on June 10th at the Port of Los Angeles High School at 5th and Center at 6:30PM. They heard about Ponte Vista and other development issues in town. Click on headline to see the story that ABC7 aired.
__________________________________________________________________
Q Condition Ordinance now a reality
L.A. City Council unanimously votes to support Q Condition request for former McCowans Market site
Council votes 12-0 on April 29th to restrict development to R-1
__________________________________________________________________
Advisory body against SP condo plan
Harbor Planning Commission votes unanimously to support Q Condition request
Public Meeting held March 18th on a City-initiated zone change for the McCowan's Market site
This will change the commercially zoned lots from C1-1XL to (Q) C1-1XL with a permanent qualified "Q" condition limiting residential use to 1 unit per 5,000 square feet of lot area.
Click on headline for more details.
________________________________________________________________
L.A. City Council rejects massive Las Lomas development
The decision reflects the heightened anxiety over growth and traffic
felt by some of the city's elected officials.
_______________________________________________________________
Lomita backs RPV call on Ponte Vista EIR
________________________________________________________________
"Growth inevitable? Who says we have to make room
for people who want to move (to San Pedro)? I have a
new mantra for that: Don't build it, and they won't
come. At the very least, they won't be able to stay and
make a bigger traffic jam."
—In response to a Daily Breeze article "1930S streets meet 2008 Traffic"
________________________________________________________________
McCowans Market site a new R-1 issue
Neighbors form a group to oppose proposed condo development.
Headway made in dealing with developer.
City on the Hill
At a proposed 80 units per acre, the Lomas Project in North San Fernando Valley
takes overdevelopment to new heights
__________________________________________________________________
Are housing projects crowding Torrance?
Look no further than Torrance.
The future is here and near for our communities if Ponte Vista is built as proposed.
________________________________________________________________
Election results yield Ponte Vista concerns
Housing development seemed to weigh on RPV and Lomita voters.
________________________________________________________________
Lomita voters oust mayor
Results stun Waronek, who took fire for his ties to Ponte Vista
________________________________________________________________
Central San Pedro NC takes new vote on Ponte Vista
Board declines to support or endorse current plans for the site
________________________________________________________________
San Pedro condos to be leased rather than sold
Seaport Homes on Western Avenue will rent its 136 units for now.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Los Angeles City asked to hold Ponte Vista meetings locally
Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council asked the city of Los Angeles to hold all future Ponte Vista meetings in the Harbor area for widest possible community involvement.
________________________________________________________
Advisory panel urges rejection of Ponte Vista housing project
________________________________________________________
Report snubs Ponte Vista, complains about flawed data
Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Congress Hears
Same Land Use Beef from Both Ends of LA:
‘Developers Don’t Get It’
Click headline for story and video
Panel favors fewer homes in Ponte Vista development
Committee advises against 1,950 units and suggests 535 for the project at former Navy housing site in San Pedro. .(Click on blue headlines for stories)
Be sure to also check out the News page for the latest stories, editorials and comments on Ponte Vista and other development issues
afflicting Los Angeles.
To receive email alerts on upcoming events and developments click here.
You can now help finance the fight for R-1 through Paypal.
Click the button below and be taken to Paypal where you can safely and securely
make your nondeductible contribution.
L.A. Planning Commission calls for smaller Ponte Vista
Commission denies application and appeal for tract map and 1950 units.
As Yogi Berra said, "It's not over, till it's over. Same can be said for the proposed Ponte Vista development process. While the Commission heard emotional and impassioned pleas from proponents, it also realized that the facts of the matter needed to be addressed to insure that whatever is finally agreed upon to be built would be a project that would fit the community, the location and not become a nightmare legacy in the future.
As we have said, it's all about density. The planning department thinks that 775 to 885 units would be a better fit if a specific plan is adopted. The developer rolled out a new plan for 1395. Needless to say, they are miles apart and the Commission advised the developer that given the special needs and limitations of the site, that a lower number would be appropriate. They urged them to work with the Planning Department to that end.
We continue to have a say in the matter as to what is finally considered and adopted. The Commission also denied certification of the original EIR and it will require re-circulation based on the new project and conditions that now exist. This will allow us to insure that methods and data are used that are site specific which was a concern of the Commission.
It is often expected that people have to compromise to move things forward. But be assured, that we don't have to compromise our quality of life to satisfy the need of a developer to build a huge project in order to make a profit.
In the case of Ponte Vista, smaller has always been better.
____________________________________________
Los Angeles Planning Commission Hearing on Ponte Vista
Thursday, April 9th
8:30 am
Los Angeles City Hall, 200 North Spring Street
City Council Chamber, Room 340 (Third Floor)
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Click here and here for details
The Los Angeles City Planning Department has made its recommendation to disapprove the Ponte Vista application. We need to be there in numbers to reinforce that recommendation.
In the meanwhile, you should still send an email to james.k.williams@lacity.org at the Planning Commission with a copy to Janice Hahn (janice.hahn@lacity.org) asking the City to [1] turn down the application and [2] require a new project application.
Click here for a sample letter you can send.
____________________________________________________________
Another Important Community Meeting on Ponte VistaMarch 28th at the Boys and Girls Club San Pedro
Based on information from the March 12th meeting, the Ponte Vista team will supposedly provide more details of their "new" mega project
And now, yet another episode of Nightmare on Western Avenue. It's also like a remake of Poltergeist 2, where the little girl looks up from the TV and says, “They're back.”
Are they ever.
The folks of the Ponte Vista Team brought us together for what they called an emerging directions open house on March 12th and what they gave us was a slightly smaller version of the same old thing. A different ringmaster, but the same old dog and pony show. Still trying to convince everyone that their vision is “the” vision albeit pared down to 1375 to 1475 units. Factor in the double density bonus, it will be 1856 to 1991 units give or take.
Of course, we are told that they are not considering a density bonus. Sure. After what has happened over the last few years with now we say we will and now we won't, it's a bit of a stretch to expect us to suspend disbelief and embrace the project based on their promises.
“It's a matter of trust,” one person was heard to say, “and there is not a lot of that going around.”
If you attended the meeting, you were greeted with monolithic boards propped up around the room telling the Ponte Vista story. You were invited to put your comments on a large colorful post its at each of several stations. A cursory inspection revealed that the comments were con rather than pro.. It would seem the over lying theme was start over and do this right. Will they?
It's a little late in the game to expect the team to start over and do it right on their own. They are still trying to convince themselves (and us) that their way is the highway (to heaven.) What our community needs is this project, this size and now! We think not.
The meeting on March 28th will be another attempt by the team to turn out people who actually favor this project as is. They met with the Ponte Vista “family” for a meal on Wednesday (paid for by the team per usual) to urge them to attend the upcoming meetings on March 28th and April 9th. They are looking for all the support they can muster. They will more than likely play the “labor” card. In this economy, jobs are a hot button topic. Of course, there will be jobs to go around to build a less dense project as well so it's not a reason to build a huge project. It will be another attempt to distract us from the real problem of too much density and too much infrastructure overload.
So while they are saying “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,” it is paramount that all of us continue to make it clear to Los Angeles City Council members, the Planning Department and, at this juncture, the Planning Commission that the current application for this development be denied and that the process should begin anew with real planning that involves the community from the get go.
Please make every effort to show up on March 28th from 1PM to 4PM at the Boys and Girls Club and the Planning Commission meeting on the 9th. Click here for a flyer with details.
Also, with the new remote access just unveiled to allow residents to address City Council meetings from San Pedro City Hall on Beacon Street, we have suggested that this be used for the April 9th meeting. We will keep you posted if anything develops . For those of you who can, please plan to be downtown in person. Numbers do count.
It should seem apparent by now that what the Ponte Vista team did with their new emerging directions ploy was just put lipstick on the pig and call it good. Well, from our standpoint, that just won't fly (and neither will the pig.)
Important Meeting on Ponte Vista March 12th at Peck ParkAre they ever.
The folks of the Ponte Vista Team brought us together for what they called an emerging directions open house on March 12th and what they gave us was a slightly smaller version of the same old thing. A different ringmaster, but the same old dog and pony show. Still trying to convince everyone that their vision is “the” vision albeit pared down to 1375 to 1475 units. Factor in the double density bonus, it will be 1856 to 1991 units give or take.
Of course, we are told that they are not considering a density bonus. Sure. After what has happened over the last few years with now we say we will and now we won't, it's a bit of a stretch to expect us to suspend disbelief and embrace the project based on their promises.
“It's a matter of trust,” one person was heard to say, “and there is not a lot of that going around.”
If you attended the meeting, you were greeted with monolithic boards propped up around the room telling the Ponte Vista story. You were invited to put your comments on a large colorful post its at each of several stations. A cursory inspection revealed that the comments were con rather than pro.. It would seem the over lying theme was start over and do this right. Will they?
It's a little late in the game to expect the team to start over and do it right on their own. They are still trying to convince themselves (and us) that their way is the highway (to heaven.) What our community needs is this project, this size and now! We think not.
The meeting on March 28th will be another attempt by the team to turn out people who actually favor this project as is. They met with the Ponte Vista “family” for a meal on Wednesday (paid for by the team per usual) to urge them to attend the upcoming meetings on March 28th and April 9th. They are looking for all the support they can muster. They will more than likely play the “labor” card. In this economy, jobs are a hot button topic. Of course, there will be jobs to go around to build a less dense project as well so it's not a reason to build a huge project. It will be another attempt to distract us from the real problem of too much density and too much infrastructure overload.
So while they are saying “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,” it is paramount that all of us continue to make it clear to Los Angeles City Council members, the Planning Department and, at this juncture, the Planning Commission that the current application for this development be denied and that the process should begin anew with real planning that involves the community from the get go.
Please make every effort to show up on March 28th from 1PM to 4PM at the Boys and Girls Club and the Planning Commission meeting on the 9th. Click here for a flyer with details.
Also, with the new remote access just unveiled to allow residents to address City Council meetings from San Pedro City Hall on Beacon Street, we have suggested that this be used for the April 9th meeting. We will keep you posted if anything develops . For those of you who can, please plan to be downtown in person. Numbers do count.
It should seem apparent by now that what the Ponte Vista team did with their new emerging directions ploy was just put lipstick on the pig and call it good. Well, from our standpoint, that just won't fly (and neither will the pig.)
See you there!
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Come speak up on reasonable and realistic planning.
The time is now, the message is two words- Start Over
It seems like in the movie Terminator. You think you have seen the last of him and he keeps coming back to take a shot at you. Well it's happening with Ponte Vista again. Even though the project's lightning rod developer has been replaced by a large faceless bank, they are still trying to sell us the same old thing; a housing development, built as large as possible that will maximize their profit or, in this market, will mitigate their potential loss.
The new ploy is "building community consensus" which is something they should have done from the get go. They have interviewed 60 or so people in the community to seen if there is some kind of project that the community is now willing to accept (or more accurately, endure.) It all seems like too little too late. After years of trying to sell us on the project, they are now going to ask us what would we really like?
So this Thursday, they will be trotting out the familiar dog and pony show we have seen before. There will be lovely drawings or pictures or sketches of an idyllic community; tree lined streets, bike paths, water features, maybe a baseball field or two. Don't be distracted by these. They will be showing you this because they don't want you to focus on or consider what the real cost to the community will be to build a project of this magnitude. What needs to be considered is what the density of the project will bring with regards to increased demands on infrastructure such as traffic, utilities, emergency services, schools, air quality and the like.
We know this has been said before, but this meeting is important. This will be Ponte Vista's Hail Mary pass that we need to knock down. You need to ask them to withdraw their application and start over. This will allow consideration of a wider number of options for the use of the property, to generate a credible traffic study and permit serious (as opposed to token) public input in the planning process.
We know that this has been a long grueling campaign that has lasted for years. But we have stood up, we have spoken and we have persevered . It would seem a shame to falter at the finish line and see it all come to naught.
So please make every effort to show up and let Ponte Vista know that they need to start over with the planning process. Let them know that it is disingenuous for them to think that they can just put lipstick on this project and call it good.
We look forward to seeing (and hearing) you there
at Peck Park Auditorium from 4 to 8PM on March 12th.
Click here for Ponte Vista invitation.
Food for Thought: Ponte Vista and the Defense Fuel Supply Point (DFSP)
_______________________________________________________________________
The Very Latest Update on the Ponte Vista Project
Tentative April 9th hearing on Ponte Vista before the Citywide Planing Commission
needs you attention now!
As the Ponte Vista team begins to line up community members for "interviews" to help put together their "consensus" group, you need to send an email to the Planning Commission, with a copy to Janice Hahn, asking the City to [1] turn down the present Ponte Visa application, [2] require a new project application, and 3] hold the April 9th
hearing and future hearings on it in San Pedro
Click here for a sample letter you can send.
_______________________________________________________________________
Developer ready to rework San Pedro housing project
Developers of the proposed Ponte Vista housing project in San Pedro say they are ready to launch a new push to find community consensus on a revised plan.
If you read between the lines, it's all about the community giving in and letting a much bigger project be built than current zoning would allow. It is not about lowering the community's quality of life to help a land speculator make a profit on property he paid too much for. We still stand for R-1 No Compromise because there is no good reason to change it and it's the right thing for our town and surrounding communities.
_______________________________________________________________________Developer of San Pedro's Ponte Vista plan is ousted
A division of Credit Suisse bank, Bisno's top investor, has assumed control of the
controversial Ponte Vista project
While the jockey has been replaced, the race is still on. Bisno may be out, but his team in still place doing all they can to make this project happen.
_______________________________________________________________________
Bob Bisno wants more time to review Planning Department decision to deny application
_______________________________________________________________________
Very important Ponte Vista meeting December 2nd
Project is still proceeding through the
planning process
With the LA City Planning Department giving the thumbs down to the proposed Ponte Vista project, a Harbor Area Planning Commission meeting to hear comments on the development is now rescheduled for December 2nd . The more important December 11th meeting in front of the City-wide Planning Commission is still being held at City Hall in downtown Los Angeles but has been postponed to February 12th on a request from the developer.
We need your
support (and especially your presence) at these meetings to continue to drive
home support for the current R-1 zoning and opposition to the reduced quality
of life that this mega-development will bring to our communities.
To view the flier click here.
_________________________________________________________________LA Planning Department gives thumbs down to Ponte Vista
Department disapproves the general plan and specific plan amendments, zone changes, development agreement and environmental impact report.
Complete report is available here.
_______________________________________________________________
Complete report is available here.
_______________________________________________________________
November 18th Harbor Area Commission meeting is cancelled!
Tuesday meeting cancelled. Unofficial reasons stated are no recommendations being released from the Planning Department and "commissioner issues."
_________________________________________________________________
Harbor Area Planning Commissioners have conflict of interest
Neighborhood Council board members letter to LA City Attorney
asks for ruling before November 18 meeting.
To also view the letter to the Daily Breeze click here.
___________________________________________________________________
LA City Planning disapproves
vesting
Ponte Vista tract map application
Advisory agency just says no
On November 4th, Los Angeles City Planning Department disapproved the vesting
of the Ponte Vista tract map application. Primary reasons cited were that the
map, as well as the design and improvements, were inconsistent with the current
general and community plans. Also stated were the physical unsuitability of the
of the project's design and density.
__________________________________________________________________
Contributions continue to roll in for our legal fund.
Response to call for support is encouraging, but more is needed.
Find out why and how your help is needed. The time to step up to the plate and help make a difference in seeing this fight for R-1 zoning through to a successful conclusion is now! Click here to see for yourself.
______________________________________________________
The latest on Ponte Vista, good news, but...
RNR1 has won the first two rounds, but the fight is just heating up.
________________________________________________________________________________
R1 Hires Lawyer
R Neighborhoods Are1 has retained Chatten-Brown & Carstens, an experienced environmental law firm, to help prepare our response to the Planning Department recommendation. Their experience includes previous litigation with this developer.
The involvement of an attorney at this point is vital because what can be argued later is limited by what is presented to the Planning Commission now
______________________________________________________________________
RPV Traffic Commission rejects Ponte Vista traffic mitigations
Unanimous vote opposes project citing proposed solutions as inadequate
At the regular meeting of the Rancho Palos Verdes Traffic Safety Commission on September 22nd, a public forum was conducted that allowed participants to provide comments to the City Council of R.P.V. concerning potential impacts dealing with traffic and transportation mitigation issues for the Ponte Vista at San Pedro project.
Every speaker opposed the project and decried the negative impacts that the project's traffic would have on the surrounding communities. The commission, itself, voted 5-0 to oppose the project based on what it perceived as inadequate proposed traffic mitigations in the final environmental impact report.
The public comments and commission comments and concerns will be studied by the
RPV city staff for recommendations to the RPV City Council on how to proceed in the Ponte Vista project's planning process with the City of Los Angeles.
________________________________________________________________
International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 13
limits support of Ponte Vista
Recent letter to Janice Hahn limits support of Ponte Vista to the use of union labor only.
Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council Election Results
R Neighborhoods Are 1 slate wins by a landslide!
Congratulations to the candidates that R Neighborhoods Are 1 endorsed for the September 9th election; Phillip Trigas, Frank Anderson, Linda Alexander, Arthur Almeida and Raymond Parker who all won by substantial margins. We feel that they will do great job for all stakeholders in their current two year election term.
_________________________________________________________
Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council falls short
of endorsing Ponte Vista as proposed, again.
7 to 2 vote supports features of the project, but not the size.
___________________________________________
Thoughts on Ponte Vista
Janice Hahn has officially said it in writing. the project application should be denied and sent back to the drawing board. At 1950 units, it's just too big and needs to be scaled back to R-1 density.
Click here to also view her letter to the Los Angeles City Planning Department.
__________________________________________
Ponte Vista’s “Reduced Project” is Non Compliant
with L.A.’s Transportation Policies
Granting a zone change would be a violation of both the General Plan and State Law
________________________________________________________________
La Brea Willoughby Coalition files suit
against the City of Los Angeles
Action brought as a result of the city's failure to conduct required annual revues of growth and infrastructure to adequately assess development. Implications for halting future citywide developments, including Ponte Vista, are huge. A copy of the filing can be found here and the Coalition's website is located here.
________________________________________________________________
Community Meeting held on June 26 to discuss
proposed development at Ponte Vista
After
weeks of enduring the misleading ads for Ponte Vista that have been
appearing in the Random Lengths and Daily Breeze, we finally had
our say.
To see the ABC7 story that was aired click here.
You can also watch the replay of the entire public hearing. Click here and you will be taken you to the page for on-demand content on the City's website. Simply click on the program title (Ponte Vista) on the right side of the screen. You can use the controls to pause, adjust audio levels and to fast forward or rewind to skip or view specific portions of the meeting.
However, if you missed the meeting there is still time to step up to the plate and tell the Los Angeles
Angeles City Planning Commission what should be built on the site and,
more to the point, what shouldn't be built. Details will follow in the near future.
Coastal Currents newsletter now on line
The latest edition of the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council newsletter,
Coastal Currents, is now available on line with articles and commentary on city planning and development including Ponte Vista .
_________________________________________________________________
It's Your Turn to Deliver the News
Senior managers from TV station ABC7 came to listen to San Pedro. Meeting was held on June 10th at the Port of Los Angeles High School at 5th and Center at 6:30PM. They heard about Ponte Vista and other development issues in town. Click on headline to see the story that ABC7 aired.
__________________________________________________________________
Q Condition Ordinance now a reality
L.A. City Council unanimously votes to support Q Condition request for former McCowans Market site
Council votes 12-0 on April 29th to restrict development to R-1
__________________________________________________________________
Advisory body against SP condo plan
Harbor Planning Commission votes unanimously to support Q Condition request
Public Meeting held March 18th on a City-initiated zone change for the McCowan's Market site
This will change the commercially zoned lots from C1-1XL to (Q) C1-1XL with a permanent qualified "Q" condition limiting residential use to 1 unit per 5,000 square feet of lot area.
Click on headline for more details.
________________________________________________________________
L.A. City Council rejects massive Las Lomas development
The decision reflects the heightened anxiety over growth and traffic
felt by some of the city's elected officials.
_______________________________________________________________
Lomita backs RPV call on Ponte Vista EIR
________________________________________________________________
"Growth inevitable? Who says we have to make room
for people who want to move (to San Pedro)? I have a
new mantra for that: Don't build it, and they won't
come. At the very least, they won't be able to stay and
make a bigger traffic jam."
—In response to a Daily Breeze article "1930S streets meet 2008 Traffic"
________________________________________________________________
McCowans Market site a new R-1 issue
Neighbors form a group to oppose proposed condo development.
Headway made in dealing with developer.
City on the Hill
At a proposed 80 units per acre, the Lomas Project in North San Fernando Valley
takes overdevelopment to new heights
__________________________________________________________________
Are housing projects crowding Torrance?
Look no further than Torrance.
The future is here and near for our communities if Ponte Vista is built as proposed.
________________________________________________________________
Election results yield Ponte Vista concerns
Housing development seemed to weigh on RPV and Lomita voters.
________________________________________________________________
Lomita voters oust mayor
Results stun Waronek, who took fire for his ties to Ponte Vista
________________________________________________________________
Central San Pedro NC takes new vote on Ponte Vista
Board declines to support or endorse current plans for the site
________________________________________________________________
San Pedro condos to be leased rather than sold
Seaport Homes on Western Avenue will rent its 136 units for now.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Los Angeles City asked to hold Ponte Vista meetings locally
Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council asked the city of Los Angeles to hold all future Ponte Vista meetings in the Harbor area for widest possible community involvement.
________________________________________________________
Advisory panel urges rejection of Ponte Vista housing project
________________________________________________________
Report snubs Ponte Vista, complains about flawed data
________________________________________________________
Harbor City Neighborhood Council
votes to oppose Ponte Vista...Again!
________________________________________________________
Harbor City Neighborhood Council
votes to oppose Ponte Vista...Again!
________________________________________________________
Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Congress Hears
Same Land Use Beef from Both Ends of LA:
‘Developers Don’t Get It’
Click headline for story and video
________________________________________________________
Panel favors fewer homes in Ponte Vista development
________________________________________________________
Ponte Vista developer downplays SP panel's vote
Bob Bisno says the decision was "outside the process" and that he's still confident. Councilwoman Janice Hahn says she doubts the planning commission will be a pushover.
_________________________________________________
We have passed the 14,000 R-1 Support signature mark!
_________________________________________________
Yaroslavsky to Neighborhood Councils:
“Let’s Screw ‘em Back”
 | LA County Supervisor … and former LA City Councilmember … Zev Yaroslavsky told a gathering of neighborhood council leaders on Saturday that he smells another revolution brewing. “People want a stake in where they live,” His comments outlined that the city's planning department has long been dominated by developers that are used to getting their way. He suggests that it is up to neighborhood councils with the help of the current Planning Department Director, Gail Goldberg, to put a stop to this. See the text and video summary here. |
Coastal and Northwest San Pedro Councils ask Neighborhood Councils city wide for help in preventing overdevelopment at Ponte Vista. See story here.
Sunland/Tujunga NC battles Home Depot development
City Council Votes 10-1 to declare it's a project
This fight may seem worlds away from San Pedro, but this is what we have to look forward to in our campaign for R-1 at Ponte Vista. A key component is to get Neighborhood Councils city wide to weigh in on our side. Check out the story here!
____________________________________________________________________________
Want to participate in the petition drive?
Click here to see how you can help.
______________________________________
Demonstration and Petition Gathering
click here for details and photos from previous demonstrations
______________________________________
Ponte Vista, Playa Vista?
There may be more in common than the projects' sizes and densities.
_______________________________________
Thank you for signing the petition, but the following
will be the most important thing you can do at this time
in the fight to keep R-1 Zoning.
Contact Janice Hahn's office now! to register
your desire to keep R-1 Zoning at Ponte Vista - No Compromise
Phone: (310)-732-4515
Fax: (310)-732-4500
We are still asking people wear the buttons, put the bumper sticker on
their cars, display the yard signs, gather the the petitions and
participate in the public planning meetings. Pressure still needs to be applied
throughout the entire zoning process. We are now in phase two and the Los Angeles City Planning Department is the target.
You also need to email and write letters letting her know how you feel; R-1 No Compromise. We have two sets of letter samples (letters 1 and letters 2) you can use to copy and paste into your word processing software or an e-mail message. The contact list with names, addresses and phone numbers is available to view, download or print as well.
Janice Hahn is on board with R-1 zoning density and we need to keep her there.
_______________________________________You also need to email and write letters letting her know how you feel; R-1 No Compromise. We have two sets of letter samples (letters 1 and letters 2) you can use to copy and paste into your word processing software or an e-mail message. The contact list with names, addresses and phone numbers is available to view, download or print as well.
Janice Hahn is on board with R-1 zoning density and we need to keep her there.
R neighborhoods are1
"A coalition to preserve the character of our community"
Our group is comprised of residents of San Pedro and surrounding communities that oppose any change to the current R-1 (single family) zoning at the project site in San Pedro called Ponte Vista. Our position is supported by Coastal and Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Councils, Harbor City Neighborhood Council and an ever growing number of resident and homeowner associations and coalitions throughout San Pedro, Rancho Palos Verdes and Lomita.
Ponte Vista is a proposed 1950 unit development by the Bisno Development Corporation that is located on Western Avenue opposite the Green Hills Cemetery. It is the sheer size and density of this project that has brought us together to recommend keeping the current zoning in order to lessen the impact on traffic and infrastructure.
We stand for responsible, reasonable, realistic and respectful development in our communities that address the perceived needs of both current and future residents.
Currently, we are collecting signatures on petitions in support of R-1 zoning. The petition is available for download and printing from the R-1 Petition page. We need your help in collecting signatures, so please take the time to ask your friends, neighbors and co-workers to support this drive by signing the petition as well as passing it on to them to do the same. You can also email us immediately using the form on the same page.
As of July 11th 2008, over 14,000 cards, signatures and letters have been collected and submitted to the Los Angeles City Planning Department who will make recommendations to the Los Angeles City Planning and Land Use Commission on the proposed development plans. Eventually, based on the commission's recommendations, the Council's vote will determine if none, all or part of the project's zoning will be changed.
The more signatures we can submit and the more phone calls we make, the more influence we will have on the final zoning of Ponte Vista. Your participation will play a crucial role in help keeping the current R-1 zoning in place.
Buttons and Bumper Stickers are still available! Click here to see how to get your own and help make a difference in this fight for sane development.
___________________________________________________________________________
Bob Bisno floated his "not really that new" plan
on June 18th 2007.
Well,
our crystal ball was correct. This new proposal does nothing more than
throw out a chair and rearrange the furniture. It's still about density
and the "new" project size does little to reduce it. It would seem that
Bob Bisno is not seriously considering compromise and neither should
we. So it's still R-1 No Compromise in our book!
Check out more comments here.
_______________________________________________________
Somebody had a bright idea...Just say NO
