Neighborhood Council - Minutes for February 2010

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Santa Monica Neighborhood Council
February 20, 2010 -- 10 AM
Ken Edwards Center

MINUTES

1. Calendar review: Next NC meeting scheduled for March 20

2. Updates

a. FOSP - Current issues in Sunset Park include the FAA 180-day
"test" at SM Airport.
b. Mid-City - The group is focusing on the Draft LUCE and on
setting up a timetable to activate their
organization.
c. South Beach - The group is running on an informal basis.
Residents are concerned about the city's
plan to possibly close Colorado Avenue to automobile traffic in
the downtown area.
d. Wilmont - Current issues are the Marathon, the bluffs, the
California Incline, St. Monica's, the effect
of the LUCE on Wilshire Blvd., and phasing schedules.
e. Website - Domain registry transition.

3. L.A. Marathon - "Stadium to the Sea" - March 21
a. Kate Vernez stated that the marathon is an "amazing opportunity"
for the city, and that officials are planning so that residents have
their needs met. Extra city staff will be paid for by the Marathon to
handle the large number of visitors that are expected.
b. Ginger Williams - Instead of a loop course, this year's race
will be "point-to-point." The race route will enter Santa Monica on
San Vicente at 26th, and the reunion area will be in the 1550 lot next
to the Pier. Woman runners will get a 20 minute head start, and there
will be no bicycle race this year. The website will be up March 1st.
c. Bruce Davis (Acting Fire Chief) - map of the route, race starts
at 6:55 AM at Dodger Stadium, ends on Ocean Ave. at Santa Monica Blvd.
They expect 25,000 runners to begin the race and 97% to finish, with
the largest number finishing between 11 AM and 12:30 PM. There are
normally 31 firefighters and paramedics on duty -- they will have
another 50 on duty.
d. Jay Trisler, SMPD - 250 personnel will be assigned that day,
with road closures from 1 AM in the Civic Center, 6 AM on San Vicente,
buses parking on Main St. for shuttle service from 1 to 6 AM.
e. Don Patterson, Business & Revenue Operations - Runners expected
to arrive from midnight to 6 AM, spectators from 8 AM to noon, plus
regular visitors. Pre-paid parking for runners. The PIer deck will be
closed to cars until 5 or 6 PM.
f. Sam Morrisey, principal transportation engineer - Ocean Avenue
will be completely closed. Residents north of San Vicente will have to
use 7th St. to PCH. Shuttle buses to take runners to Dodger Stadium
will leave from the Civic Auditorium.
g. Kim Braun, Solid Waste - When the last runner is declared, they
will start the street sweepers.

4. SM Airport - Council action re toxicology study; Seattle
conference; lead study report, which could lead to legislation;
immediate health impacts and safety.

5. St. John's Hospital - Development agreements are supposed to
include annual compliance reviews by the City Council in order to
monitor and enforce. Eileen Fogarty has assigned staff to review the
DAs and set up a system to bring the reports to the Council every
year. St. John's cannot build more until they either build the
required parking structure or re-negotiate the DA with the Council.

6. Development agreements - Argonaut article - February 23 Council
agenda item to briefly delay the DA process.

7. Council vacancy - If no one is appointed by February 25 to replace
Mayor Genser, the Council will have to set a special election in
June.

8. Eileen Fogarty, Director of Planning:
a. The deadline for comments on the Draft EIR for the LUCE is March
8. There will be workshops in March and April, Council hearings in
June and July.
b. Emphasis on neighborhood preservation and traffic; GHG
(greenhouse gases); TDMs. The biggest factor for reducing trips is
where you locate something, i.e. Put future commercial/office near
transportation and reduce development on the boulevards, increase
affordable and workforce housing, complete neighborhoods, heights (by
right) were lowered, as well as most heights in the current General
Plan and zoning. Phasing.
c. Conservation plane - conservation districts, commercial needs to
step down and step back from residential, demolition regulations can
be changed to require more scrutiny, protect existing courtyards,
pattern books to encourage front yards, porches, etc.
d. Reduction of more than 1 million sq ft of regional office space,
replaced with housing.
e. Wilshire Blvd. - the maximum height is 84 feet now. Would be 55
ft.
f. Above 32 feet would require a discretionary process - either
development review or development agreement.
g. Require community benefits - LMSD was 100% industrial,
recommending 40% residential and not regional office. Need to know how
much profit the developers get by adding a story, then decide what %
should go into community benefits: affordable/workforce housing,
historic preservation, quality pedestrian/biking connections, shared
parking solutions, arts (social/cultural), enhanced open space,
enhanced street scape, child care, etc.
h. The interim zoning ordinance will have to comply with the LUCE.
The city has not historically asked for ground level open space.
i. Cloverfield/23rd and Lincoln Blvd. traffic will get worse over
the next 30 years, but the LUCE will bring a 30% improvement in VMT,
with a range of strategies, shared parking, and other specific
policies, such as creating housing along transit corridors and near
transit stations. The RAND TDM demonstrates that when people make
money by using vanpools, behavior is modified.

One attendee commented on public benefits that "disappeared" such as
the public gardens on the 2nd floor of the McDonald's on 2nd St., the
public parking on 6th and 7th St. (it's locked), and the neighborhood-
serving businesses on 6th and 7th (not there).

Another commented about enforcement, i.e., penalties with heavy fines
until the public benefits are verified.
May asked whether revocation of the DAs are the only possibility.
Eileen stated that fines have closed down businesses in San Jose -
fines for every unit, every day, restructured to escalating fines as
time goes on, "compliance report requested," and systematic review.
Linas asked about affordable housing - up to 100% of median income.
Eileen stated that "work force" housing will be geared to 130 to 180%
of median income.