Neighborhood Council - notes from September 2010 meeting

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Santa Monica Neighborhood Council
September 11, 2010 -- 10 AM
Ken Edwards Center

Future NC meetings: October 16, and November 20


1. PRC survey -- Ellen Brennan expressed gratitude for the increase
in
participation.


2. SM Airport -- a) the runway will be closing at 9 PM and then
closing completely for 4 days for re-surfacing, during which the city
will have noise and air quality measurements taken, b) the RAND
Corporation is doing an economic study on the airport and various
options, and c) there will be a public process for deciding the
future
of the airport in 2015.


3. Code enforcement – a) the building at 14th and California has
finally been demolished, and b) the Parlor re-opened without meeting
all the code compliance issues, then had to close again.


4. Enforcing deed restrictions – 15 of the units at The Dorchester, a
condo building on 4th St., are deed-restricted for low-income
tenants.
Last year, it became apparent that not all the units were in
compliance, and the City Council took up the matter.


5. Props Y and YY – Shari Davis and Mike Gruning spoke about the
proposed ½ cent increase in the city’s transaction and use tax. Food,
prescription drugs, and services would be exempted. The city had to
send $21 million back to Sacramento this year, and the school
district
has ongoing problems with state funding cuts.


6. Leaf blower ordinance – A revision is on the City Council agenda,
which will move enforcement from the Police Department to the Office
of Sustainability and Environment. This is a health issue, as matter
that gets blown into the air can remain suspended for up to 3 days.
There will be a warning system and citations for property owners,
managers, and gardeners.


7. Agensys – This proposed Development Agreement near Bergamot
Station
will consolidate 5 existing locations in Santa Monica into one bio-
medical facility. Attendees asked about internships and school tours.
One suggestion on public hearings for DAs was that the existing
zoning
code should be explained first, before describing the requested
variances.


8. Council rules – Proposed revisions are on the agenda of the next
meeting, including starting the meetings at 5:30.


9. Youth Violence Prevention Plan – This will also be on the upcoming
Council agenda. The goal is to get kids out of gangs and into
productive activities. This needs to be a regional effort in order to
be successful.


10. Prop RR – Todd Flora stated a) that this measure is a reasonable
opportunity to correct violations to rental agreements, b) that it
would protect tenants who are over 62, disabled, or terminally ill,
and
c) that it is a City Charter amendment that would also provide
protections for apartments not covered by Rent Control. Discussion
included that it offers a reasonable warning before an eviction
notice
can be issued, that there is currently a disparity of power between
owners and renters, that 20% of renters in deed-restricted units are
Section 8, that currently 3-day notices are often issued on Friday
afternoon or evening, and that the Ellis Act allows owners to take
rental units off the market and evict tenants.


11. Candidate forums are scheduled for 9/22 (Realtors), 9/27 (CEPS),
10/4 (Squirm Night), 10/11 (Mirror), 10/13 (Chamber of Commerce),
10/14 (The Shores), and 10/21 (CRAAP). LWV of Santa Monica President
Joanne Leavitt announced that the LWV is holding for forum for Board
of Ed candidates on October 6. CityTV will also be running interviews
with City Council candidates, with 3 to 5 questions per candidate,
and
she asked that attendees email questions to her.


Rob Schwenker of the Daily Press discussed Squirm Night, which will
include pro’s and con’s on local ballot measures, Board of Ed
candidates, and Council candidates. He invited neighborhood
organizations to co-sponsor the event, propose questions, provide
volunteers, and inform their members about the event.


Joanne Leavitt stated that LWV would like to hold a pro’s and con’s
event for statewide ballot measures, which would be open to the
public
and hopefully co-sponsored by the neighborhood groups. LWV would
provide speakers and printed materials.


12. Housing Division – Richard stated that the Housing Division has
notified Section 8 tenants that it is increasing their water
allowance
to $252 per year. In deed restricted buildings, there is no longer a
$7 trash collection fee for low-income tenants, the owners now have
to
pay that fee.


13. Tree removal – The city is planning to remove and replace city
trees on California and Arizona Avenues.


14. Code compliance – One attendee stated that it took 8 years for a
vacant, fenced property on California and 14th to be demolished.
Consensus was reached to invite staff to speak to us on this topic at
a future meeting.


15. Roberts Business Center – This project is on the next Planning
Commission agenda as a discussion item. The three adjacent projects
(Roberts, Lionsgate, and the Village Trailer Park) comprise 9 acres
–
the same size as an activity center. The plan also includes extending
Pennsylvania Avenue, which currently dead-ends at Stewart, across the
south end of the three parcels to Stanford.