On the Corner of San Juan/Abbot Kinney...
by Lydia
Ponce
...there are three vacant lots,
vacant for at least 10 years. In April '02, several residents from San Juan
Ave., including me and a few Abbot Kinney business owners went to a C-PAC
(Community - Planning Advisory Committee) hearing for a proposed development on
this corner.
This is what was proposed: a three level
monstrosity, including a gourmet restaurant on the first floor; on the second
floor, retail stores; and finally on the third and last floor, expensive
condominium “artist lofts.” At the south eastern corner, the
entrance and the exit of the subterranean parking garage was proposed. The big
bucks behind all this wanted variances for less parking, greater than allowed
density, and a liquor license serving from 7am to 1am including take-out sales.
Many residents shared our concerns
that this project which would draw much more traffic including drinking drivers,
would be a danger to the community. Some of the comments included: "You want to
place the garage exit and entrance adjacent to a five-point intersection?
Everyone rolls through the intersection; the five stop signs don’t mean
anything. There isn’t enough parking currently and you want a 4-6 space
parking variance?” Several people noted that the proposed project would
shred the Venice Specific Plan which is supposed to control development.
San Juan Avenue like many streets in
Venice is so narrow that it’s been made into a one-way street. The
children at Westminster Elementary School which is across the street and down
the block would be greatly affected by the increased traffic congestion and
resulting safety hazard. At the school’s cross walk on Abbot Kinney Blvd.,
the school crossing guard and two children were hit by a car. I shared my
concerns, "People drive down the wrong way on our one way street as it is,
without this building on the corner."
Just when the C-PAC board was about to
take a vote, and it looked like the residents were going to win this one, the
Big Bucks behind this project raised his hand to say, "one last thing, if I
may." C-PAC board members allowed him to speak after the closing of discussion.
With a quiver in his voice, he pointed to a miniature model of the project -that
by the way, was not built to scale - and offered, "My investors are waiting for
this project to go through and there’s not a better project proposed. We
have worked so hard to come up with this plan, taking everything into
consideration...." One C-PAC member asked, "So if you get the parking variance
you want, will you donate trees to San Juan Ave?" It would have been a tie had
not one vote been traded for trees instead of parking. There before our very
eyes we all witnessed how development decisions are made. It passed except for
approval of the liquor license.
No
word of the project came for months. Finally in September, another notice came
telling us about a meeting downtown. I spent three days making a lot of phone
calls to various city offices trying to confirm the date. Conflicting
information about the meeting date came from several city officials.
Over the weekend, Jim Smith, Phylis
Des Verney and I collected 131 signatures on a petition, up and down San Juan
Ave., Electric Ave. and Abbot Kinney. One young lady told us that she had racked
up $200 in parking tickets and if she continued getting tickets, she
wouldn’t be able to afford to work at a clothing store on Abbot Kinney
Blvd. 'There just aren’t enough parking spaces,” she said.
Monday was also spent trying to
confirm the date and time of this meeting. One person and yet another, after
another referred me to yet another person. "Not at the office, yet…. at a
meeting… leave a voice mail… can I take a message… out to
lunch… left early for the day… meetings all day and won't be
in…" Finally late in the day we learn that the hearing would be held in
downtown L.A. the next morning. We called as many residents and business owners
as we could about the hearing and walked Abbot Kinney one last time.
I faxed off the signatures to Ms.
Cindy M's office that Tuesday night. She would get the petitions that Wednesday
morning before the hearing.
Wednesday
morning we were heard. With only a few of us present who opposed this project,
we turned in the petitions. I stated how difficult it was to confirm the date
and time of this meeting and the response was simply a smile and it was never
clear as to why this happened. Concerns raised were 'not having a valet plan,
loading zone for all the deliveries for the restaurant, retail stores and the
artist lofts. Mr. Big Bucks answered, "Just like all the other businesses, we'll
have our deliveries on Abbot
Kinney.“
We asked about why they
weren’t offering something to the community like some affordable housing
units? "
Another resident, a lawyer,
shared his experience of 'playing chicken' with other cars as he traveled daily
on Electric Ave. to and from his home. He questioned the interpretation and the
application of this project in conjunction with the Venice Specific Plan. The
hearing chair and the lawyer went back and forth and it became apparent to us
that she really did not know how to apply this proposed development to the
Venice Specific Plan.
A representative
from our council district announced that Ms. Cindy M. was in favor of the
project.
The C-PAC tree guy was there
in support of Mr. Big Bucks, this time not mentioning anything about trees.
Whenever the hearing chair had a question interpreting the various ordinances,
she would ask the tree guy or the Big Bucks guy.
She approved the project including the
liquor license. She offered those of us in opposition a consolation prize which
was the possibility of 'some affordable housing under the Mello Act'. By mail, I
received the written approval of this project. It stated that this project is
'exempt from the Mello Act because it is proposing to build only 7 units for
living space', hence no affordable housing prize.
I went downtown and paid $71.00 for an
appeal on the grounds that we, 131 signatories, were not properly notified about
this meeting, under the Brown Act. The proposed development was heard by someone
who does not know the Venice Specific Plan regs, rules, and ordinances. We want
another hearing.
We collected another
100 plus signatures opposing this project and $26.00 towards reimbursement of
the expense of the appeal at the Grass Roots meeting. At the October GRVNC Town
Hall meeting I was approached by one of the monster developers and he asked,
"What exactly is it that you want?" I replied," What we want is that you scale
down, you have three lots to build on. If you scale down, you can offer the
proper parking for your project. You can surely be creative enough to come up
with something better. Progress is for everyone not just a select
few."
He said, "If we do that, then we
lose the gourmet restaurant. You don't want us to do that, do you? (While he was
talking I was wondering how many of my neighbors in Oakwood would actually be
able to afford eating at his restaurant.)
“Come down to our office and
we’ll show you how we have compromised, he continued. “We have
already made so many compromises."
“Compromises?”, I said.
“It's going to affect your pocket? Oh, I see. You can't do what's right
for all the residents who live in the neighborhood.” I told myself to keep
calm. Forcing a smile I said, "This just isn't about this development. It's
about what is the right thing to do for everyone. We’re talking about five
hundred year's plus of cultural devastation. You don't get to bend the rules,
just because of who you are. He walked away shaking his head.
To date, I have yet to receive word by
mail about our appeal. The way that I understand it, it stops the project in its
tracks for up to three months. If the appeal goes through it will be heard three
different times again. Maybe then it will be heard by someone savvy and
knowledgeable about the Venice Specific
Plan.
When we celebrated and enjoyed
the Abbot Kinney Street Fair, we all witnessed the best use of this property in
the last 10 years. With the big bucks guy’s approval and permission, Free
Pony Rides for everyone.
If you agree
that these developers should scale down the size of this project and offer a
better plan with enough parking spaces, please contact me. We need more
affordable housing not more gourmet
restaurants.
We need to
sign petitions, get together and mobilize…
Nulydia@aol.com
Posted: Sun - December
1, 2002 at 04:17 PM