Neighborhood Council - Minutes for November 2009 meeting
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November 21, 2009 --- 10 AM
Ken Edwards Center
MINUTES
The meeting was chaired by Mary Marlow.
Calendar review: Future NC meetings are scheduled for Dec 19, Jan 16,
Feb 20, March 20
1. Draft LUCE -- Hard copies can be purchased. A suggestion to look at
the Table of Contents and at the maps and diagrams before reading
cover-to-cover. The document was presented to the Planning Commission
on November 18, and will be presented to the City Council on November
24. The decision process process begins January, when the Council
certifies the Draft EIR. Now is the time for the community to review
the document and send comments to the Council, by November 24.
Discussion included "affordable housing" (60-80% of median income) vs.
"work force" housing (150-180% of median income).
2. S.M. Airport -- The FAA is instituting a new takeoff pattern in
December for piston planes using Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) which
will bring them over Sunset Park and heading toward Santa Monica Pier,
rather than flying over PenMar Golf Course until Lincoln Blvd.
(southbound) or the beach (northbound).
Also, an air quality study headed published by UCLA shows a plume of
aircraft-generated toxics extending 2,000 feet beyond the east end of
the runway (when planes take off to the west). Homes on the east side
of the airport (West L.A.) are within 161 feet of the end of the
runway.
3. Bundy Village and Medical Park -- This project will add 20,273
daily car trips at Bundy and Olympic. During the excavation process,
the developer plans to run 205 dump truck per day, for 66 days, south
on Centinela past homes in Pico neighborhood to the 10 freeway.
4. Expo Maintenance Yard -- Expo has dropped the plan of adding a
paint shop and a heavy repair shop to the maintenance facility and has
agreed to build a sound wall before construction begins. The City of
Santa Monica could do a capital improvement project and turn the
buffer zone into a landscaped park. A private school may also be
interested in locating there. Expo will still be testing train horns
at night. Increasing the number of cars to be stored from 35 to 55
should require a revised EIR. The issue of city wells and aquifer
contaminated from decades of unregulated landfill was also discussed.
The city's $68 million settlement agreement with Gillette will require
clean-up of contamination of wells on Olympic caused by the Paper Mate
manufacturing plant. Expo has a right to take the land got the
maintenance yard, whether or not the City of Santa Monica objects.
5. "Can We Talk?" meetings -- On November 9, OPA members asked that
the "green street" project on Ocean Park Blvd. go ahead, despite the
economic downturn. Other meetings are scheduled on November 12 in
Sunset Park, December 1 at Montana Library, and December 3 at Virginia
Avenue Park. The City Council will discuss budget priorities on
January 26. The neighborhood groups could submit a citywide request
list for things such as expanded notification, a citywide development
map, etc.
6. Village Trailer Park -- The developer is currently assessing how
much it will cost to move residents and trailers. Trailer owners are
guaranteed "relocation benefits," but owners are not being told when
the assessors are coming, other than "starting this week."
7. CCSM - Broadway and 26th -- A nearby resident reported that after
the design meetings last summer, there was ministerial rather than
discretionary approval, the only public hearing will be at the ARB,
and Planning staff can only look at the design, so there is really no
public process, and no EIR. The project will be 3-stories, 30 feet in
height, and have 56 underground parking spaces. It will include 33
units, where normally only 25 or 26 would be allowed.
Discussion included that in 1990, voters required the city to build
affordable housing. The state mandates a "density bonus." Affordable
housing generates less traffic than market rate housing. Opposition
can lead to delays, at which point CCSM can lose funding. If there is
no discretion, then there is no CEQA requirement for an EIR. City
staff can approve up to $9 million per project without a public
hearing.
Neighborhood groups could ask the city to increase the notification
requirements. Two related documents are the Housing Commission Staff
Report and the Housing Survey.
8. Parking rate increases at the Promenade -- Wilmont residents are
concerned and want a subsidy for residents. The decision was based on
the Walker report: reduce free parking to one hour so Promenade
employees can't park for free, make parking further away less
expensive, and try to reduce voluntary trips. Another suggestion was
to incentivise employers to hire locally.
9. Farmers Market -- More handicapped parking spaces are needed, as
well as a shuttle for the Sunday morning market in Ocean Park. A
Medfly quarantine is on, requiring netting to protect produce.
10. Big Blue Bus -- A free bus pass for Santa Monica residents was
suggested.
11. St. John's Health Center -- Nurses and Neighbors are leafleting
the neighborhood, meeting for discussion, and documenting the
situation.
12. State of Our Schools -- State funding of local schools has been
reduced by nearly 20%. It was noted that property taxes in New Jersey
are about double those in California. Per pupil spending in New Jersey
is about $16,000 per year. In California, the state is providing
between $5,000 and $6,000 per student each year. One attendee stated,
"Our taxes are our own investment in our society and our future."
13. Upcoming meetings are scheduled for December 19, January 16,
February 20, and March 20.