Odds, Ends, and OOPS!

Please ignore much of what I wrote about concerning the resurfacing project along Western Avenue.

Since last I drove over parts of Western, north of Avenida Aprenda, much now looks different.

Lanes are being resurfaced while no delays in traffic were found on my trips along Western.

Western needs all the TLC is can get.

Odds and Ends 126

If silence is golden with regards to Ponte Vista, just about everybody dealing with the project is very, very rich.

There aren't many new revealing facts to announce, but there are some things that continue to be interesting and can lead just about anyone to their own opinion about the near future.

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This part should be attributed to me and only me. I have listened to a variety of folks and have observed things that are real and that are absent.

The Agenda for the August 13 Planning Commission Meeting where an update about the project may be given, has not be published on the Planning Department's Web site yet.

It is expected though that there will be just a verbal report provided about the progress or lack thereof regarding the progress towards readying a new EIR for the project.

I do not expect any bombshells from that report IF a report of progress is provided at all.

The report may be part of remarks provided by the Director of City Planning or a Supervisor working on the project within the Planning Department.

I know not what may be in any report.

Did you notice what is missing at many events and within programs for things all around San Pedro this summer?

Where are all the Ponte Vista advertisements?

The program for Shakespeare by the Sea does not contain any ad for Ponte Vista.

On Web sites for things like Music by the Sea and other summer activities, Ponte Vista has no advertising/marketing.

www.pontevista.com is not operating as it did for several years.

The site, established in 2004 with a domain acquisition, lost its current serving contract on April 28, 2009 and is "Under Construction" or has not been assigned a new serving provider.

www.yourpontevista.com still is operating and the last addition to it was June 5, 2009.

I could find nothing new to report from that site at 4:00 PM on Thursday.

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I did speak with Ms. Elise Swanson, the Vice President for Public Affairs and the head of the Outreach Team.

The Outreach Team is intact and working towards coming out with new ideas and views.

There is a new landscape architect on board.

According to Ms. Swanson, we can expect to read and learn more about the progress beginning next week. That is the July 20 or after date Ms. Swanson told me about several weeks ago.

It looks like a greater outreach and community involvement situations will come forward in August and September, according to Ms. Swanson.

The trailer still has Outreach Team members working and I was given no impression that any rumor that the Outreach Team may go away in my talks with Ms. Swanson.

I didn't ask Ms. Swanson when she thought a new EIR could be ready for distribution. I don't think she would know that information at this time.

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Perhaps we are actually in the dormant period for Ponte Vista that started just after April 9, 2009 and had only Mr. Oswald's interviews come to light and be accomplished.

No matter what eventually gets built at Ponte Vista, I hope everyone in OUR community wants the processes to move along at greater than a snail's pace.

It would be a very bad thing for us if we didn't get some kind of real resolution of this current project's workings.

Whether it is too many, too few, or just enough, without some kind of formal decisions by those in authority, that site and OUR community continues to be in limbo.

I do respect the concept that many want the project to remain in limbo. But pushing the project out without knowing more facts and ideas doesn't allow OUR community the input it must have.

I am sure Mr. Fentin, and the others in the funding stream of the project wish to get some resolutions understood before making more decisions.

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The State Law dealing with density bonus will continue to come up whether anyone claims Ponte Vista will not be built with a density bonus, or not.

Mr. Fentin would probably not legally be able to sell off parcels or the whole site and not have the possibility of a density bonus from any new owners of the parcels or sites. I don't think he has legal standing to demand that of any new owners of any land at Ponte Vista.

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I haven't observed any resurfacing work really being underway along Western between Avenida Aprenda and Carson Street.

I haven't been along Western near Carson for more than a week so I don't know if the work is being started on the north end of the Avenue or the south end.

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I have had multiple reports that Amalfitano's Bakery is being brought to all of us by the same great folks from the old Ramona's Bakery.

If that is the case, then a frequent person who comments may once again enjoy some of the same great tastes that were provided from that legendary bakery on Pacific.

When I played for Eastview Little League, the smell coming out from DiCarlo's was almost too much for a starving kid who didn't eat dinner before his games.

I am not a bit nervous with the thought of having the wonderful aromas from a full service bakery wafting into our bedroom in the early hours of the morning. 

Maybe in early morning dreams I will be able to enjoy the tastes that diabetes now keeps me from fully enjoying.

It's a new business along Western Avenue that will be close enough for the Outreach Team members to be able to supply the trailer with great eats for themselves and guests.

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In summary, the wheels may be turning very slowly at this time but according to Ms. Swanson, they are turning.

Odds and Ends 125

I've learned nothing new relevant to the project in this last week.

That being written, I guess it is okay to write things that may be relevant and things that are irrelevant.

www.pontevista.com is still 'Under Construction'. What is irrelevant is that the Web site was purchased by EMG Properties on April 28, 2004.

That original contract expired on April 28, 2009 but the site was showing 'Under Construction' just after the Planning Commission Meeting where the plans were denied.

Bob Bisno had the San Pedro site of Ponte Vista on his mind more than a year before his final bid on the land was accepted, it seems.

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I am still getting comments that perhaps, the Outreach Team will reach out to moving vans as the trailers may be vacated on or around July 20.

I consider that a shame for all of us if that becomes true.

No matter what our feelings were and are about the project, to have this particular venture fold is not good for OUR community.

I hope they stay and fight it out. But current economic conditions and "The Bob Years" may have wounded the processes to much to survive.

I am sure nobody in OUR community wants to start over with another over-developer or find out that the land is parceled out to a mish-mash of different developers.

We had enough trouble dealing with you know who and I don't want to see a number of you-know-who-like people clamor for the 22 or so existing parcels.

Unfortunately, the most likely outcome according to many folks who claim they know is that IF Mr. Fentin gets entitlements, he will simply put them up for sale rather than actually building anything like what is claimed to be planned now.

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It also seems mystifying to me that the Outreach Team hasn't provided information about how they and Mr. Fentin are working with the Planning Department to move along the project.

I think there should have been some marketing news from the Outreach Team expressing the progress they are having with the Planning Department.

For a group attempting to gain support for their project, I would expect some type of real progress reports forthcoming on their currently operational Web site.

Silence may not be golden in this case. 

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The site as it was and currently is may continue to be the best thing for us.

I can't imagine what the Ponte Vista at San Pedro site would look like today if the opposition during "The Bob Years" hadn't done what it had to do.

At least we see today what we have seen for years and that may beat a conglomeration of sights at in a destruction and construction area that could have been abandoned just after it began.

If we are stuck with what we have been stuck with for so long, it means we don't have to deal with partial destruction and possible construction traffic, air, and environment.

It certainly looks like IF the current developer continues on and IF the team actually goes forward to create an approved Ponte Vista plan, it will take more years than expected to see the final move-in of the initial residents.

You know who claimed the final phase of construction was expected to be done in 2012 or 2013. Folks, that isn't likely to happen.

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I'm still sticking with my maximum number of units being 831-units. That is no matter who owns what land within the 61.53 total acreage.

That number is equivalent to The Gardens. If Ponte Vista at San Pedro includes any retail space, it is something that I don't believe The Gardens has.

So with retail it means Ponte Vista would actually have a slightly higher dwelling denstity compared to overall land area compared to The Gardens.

But again, 831 total residential units falls within the Planning Departments suggestions of between 775-886 total units.

Of course, if R1 remains on the site, don't look for me to complain one bit. Okay, just perhaps a slight frown about not having any senior housing at Ponte Vista, but I can easily live with that.

Odds and Ends 124

If you are waiting for the dates of the 'Public Information Sessions' put on by the Outreach Team of Ponte Vista at San Pedro, you wait is going to continue.

Even though YourPonteVista.com states "We will be announcing the dates for several Public Information Sessions that will be happening in June and July!", I learned news that makes even July sessions something of a question to me.

I talked to Ms. Elise Swanson, the Vice President in charge of the Outreach Team. She informed me that more information should be coming out on or after July 20.

It seems that IF there are sessions before the August 13 Planning Commission meeting to provide more information about plans for the project, they won't be held with much time before that meeting's date.

That is IF there won't be some kind of postponement of the report by the Planning Department on the status of the project which was directed to be done by the Commissioners.
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It may mean absolutely nothing that www.pontevista.com has been under construction for months now since just after the new proposals were revealed.

The site had lots of information on it about the former proposal but it looks like there is nothing to illustrate the 1,395-unit proposal by the current developer on the site.
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It looks like the beginnings of work on the resurfacing of Western Avenue between Avenida Aprenda and Carson Street is now happening.

The work is slated to be done at night and only one lane at a time is going to be worked on.

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Has anyone seen or otherwise have knowledge of new studies being done for a new EIR for Ponte Vista? According to a source who lives closer to the site than I do, they have seen nothing they would describe as a new traffic study.

Of course if a new traffic study is undertaken in the coming weeks that means that the regular traffic associated with Mary Star of the Sea High School would not be studied. That would make a new study undertaken in this timeframe not realistic of what Western has on it during the school year.

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I have seen ominous markings in the number 2 lane of southbound Western Avenue between Delasonde and Toscanini.

The orange paint on the asphalt is used by communications companies and there are white markings along with the orange markings near a power/phone/cable T.V. pole.

It you see markings in the street it can mean a lane may get closed during hours of work on whatever is going to happen.

Because the markings are south of Delasonde, they are on a portion of Western Avenue that is not currently slated for resurfacing.

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Hey, would you like to fill a volunteer position.

There is a need for one more Johnston, Iowa Park Advisory Board Member. One of the parks in that town is...........Ponte Vista Park! Who knew there were lots of Italians in that part of Iowa?
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I am continuing to talk to folks about their current feelings concerning Ponte Vista.

I am considering writing a commentary that features more specific feelings from a variety of folks. It still is interesting to run into people I haven't talked with for a while and learn what their current ideas about the project are.

Maybe by "Odds and Ends 125" I'll have a better picture of what folks think, what we are seeing throughout OUR community, and what, if any, the responses from the Outreach Team are.

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On Development news and while researching information about bakeries, Terri and I have been learning more about Amalfitano's Italian Bakery in Delaware and its ownership and relationship to DiAmbrosio Bakery in the Philadelphia area.

I am pretty sure the two bakeries owned by a larger company are not affiliated with the Amalfitano Bakery that is coming to Western Avenue.

The front windows of the old Sunken City are now papered over so I am still guessing that is where the new bakery will be constructed.

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Have a happy and safe Independece Day. Terri and I are celebrating our 17th that day so we sometimes call it our Dependence Day.

Thank you all for noisily celebrating the day.

Breaking Western Avenue Development News!

Breaking news just in from this morning concerning an important development along Western Avenue!


If you didn't notice by looking at the sign above, here is a hint.

This wonderful banner was placed on the morning of Friday June 26, 2009 on the Rancho Palos Verdes side of Western Avenue, at the corner of Trudie Drive.

Now to many of you this news is not only not earth shattering, but probably not that important whatsoever.

But for many of us, this banner is more than welcome and like the Mervin's commercial stated, "Open, open, open!" is not soon enough for some.

There are so many good reasons this banner is welcome. We all lost Ramona's Bakery far too soon and we really haven't had a good bakery up this far on The Hill for as long as I can remember.

The meat market on Western does sell some terrific breads from San Pedro bakeries, but having an entire bakery along Western is so much better than the ones at Albertson's and Ralph's.

The name of the future bakery is so connected to San Pedro and OUR community. The family has been in the area for generations and I think we are going to welcome a truly wonderful place to visit and buy goods that are tasty and delightful.

Never forget that on 8th Street we have Polly Ann's Bakery. That is a San Pedro institution and must remain one.

Buscemi's, Portofino, and the smaller bakeries on Meyler and that dot San Pedro also provide great breads, rolls, and eats that provide perfection to many meals. A1 Groceries, an authentic Italian store provides many of these products for sale as well.

But welcoming Amalfitano's Bakery to Western will be eagerly anticipated and long waited for.

Terri was almost gleeful when she saw the sign even after polishing off a pancake from Rex's this morning.

To have a full bakery just five houses away from us means that we really need to watch what and how we eat so we can enjoy what little we should consume from the new digs.

New reasonable development along Western Avenue is necessary and it is change we all can live with, I feel.

It also doesn't hurt that the new bakery will help revenue generation to our cash-strapped city of R.P.V. now that our city fathers have given away the bank to Terranea.

So welcome to Western Amalfitano Bakery. Please open quickly so we all can enjoy your faire while we continue to discuss and debate what may eventually be approved at Ponte Vista in San Pedro, just two or so miles away from your front door.

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On a completely different manner, the smiling gentleman on the front page of the June 25 edition of The Palos Verdes Peninsula News is R Neighborhoods Are 1's own Mr. Bruce Horton!

Odds and Ends 123

The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project received approval from the Rancho Palos Verdes Planning Commission this week.

What this probably means to folks dealing with Ponte Vista at San Pedro is that there may be more students living along Palos Verdes Drive North in the College's 'Palos Verdes North' off-campus housing site.

The College's supporters removed the addition of on-campus housing at the Palos Verdes Drive East site and there could be as much as a 40% increase in traffic for the College along Western Avenue between 1St. Street and Palos Verdes Drive North.

If folks at the College wish to attempt to significantly increase the off-campus housing at Palos Verdes North, they will need to deal with the Los Angeles City Planning Department, local residents, and perhaps, supporters of Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

I think there could be significant opposition to expanding the housing and traffic at Palos Verdes North by Eastview Residents and residents of parts of Lomita and Harbor City.

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I've seen no announcement about any public meetings or open houses in July by the Ponte Vista Outreach Team. But then again, I haven't done a good job of asking the folks in the trailers when the meetings may be.

The Outreach Team's www.yourpontevista.com didn't have any new information on it since early June.

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The rumors still continue to come to my ears and eyes about Ponte Vista.

I don't usually deal with rumors unless I have independent knowledge about things from multiple sources.

Sometimes it is fun to consider some rumors especially when they continue to come from a variety of folks who don't necessarily talk to each other.

I guess one very long running rumor can't hurt writing about once in a while. It can be even juicer when a new wrinkle or two are mixed in.

The very old, long standing, and perhaps correct rumor is that the developers of Ponte Vista is simply doing their best to receive whatever entitlements they can glean from those in power. Then, with entitlements in tow, put the land on the market for sale and leave town without developing the site.

This old rumor has been around for quite while and was very strong during 'The Bob Years'.

If continues to be spoken about by folks in many different circles and by folks who don't usually associate with each other.

The new wrinkle that may be gaining ground is that all of this is continuing so the folks at the Outreach Team can remain employed.

I have absolutely no problem with this new wrinkle because as an unemployed person, I think everyone who can keep a job should do their best to continue to get a paycheck.

Having open houses and other public meetings when the developer has already stated his intention looks like it is a great way to remain employed and also provide some funds to other businesses.

There has not been any indication that Mr. Fentin is considering anything other than his current project's details and numbers, with or without expected open houses or public meetings.

If folks wish to gather to discuss and debate prior to the Planning Commission's status report meeting on August 13, that seems great to me.

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Come to think of it, there may be a great opportunity for students in higher levels of education to study the marketing of Ponte Vista at San Pedro during 'The Bob Years' and up until the final decisions are made or the project folds.

There is now shortage of information, statistics, and writings on all sides to help marketing other business students learn how to or how not to market a project is difficult financial and social times.

Heck, between Pat Nave's and my collection of information and the library of information from the developers and Outreach Team, perhaps one of the members of the Outreach Team or even Pat could teach an entire class at U.S.C. or U.C.L.A. on the marketing of the largest residential development project since Playa Vista was approved.

I know there are a great number of folks who have already received more education concerning development than they ever expected or wanted to.

Maybe an upper division or graduate class called "Ponte Vista----marketing during a financial and civic disaster" could be developed.

There should be some room in the class for the study of how a great number of members of a community can fight development and how a great number of members of a community can support the same development.

Ponte Vista at San Pedro being used as a model to be studied would probably become a hit class to take.

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May I offer a suggestion? It is a morbid, but sometimes necessary one when one lives or commutes along Western Avenue.

If you don't subscribe to "The Daily Breeze" you may wish to go online to www.dailybreeze.com and regularly check the obituaries.

Last Saturday I saw a funeral procession along Western Avenue making its way to Green Hills Memorial Park directly across the entrance to Ponte Vista. The procession contained five motorcycle units stopping traffic along the way.

Sadly, the more motorcycles one sees, the longer the procession.

Since I have lived five houses away from Western for so many years I have learned when to look at the paper and know when I can travel along Western and when it is stopped up by processions.

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The traffic collision on Western near Toscanini earlier this week did nothing to improve things and was quite the problem.

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Summer is here and there are Internet sites that provide quite a bit of information about happenings in OUR community we all might enjoy.

www.pedrocalendar.com is Kristina Smith's site that spells out in about the best details what is happening.

www.sanpedrocalendar.com is part of SanPedro.com and offers a different style of listing events.

www.sanpedroissuestoponder.blogspot.com is my blog that has a summer events post that isn't complete, but it may help.

But probably the most important date we all are waiting for is August 13, 2009 when the Los Angeles City Planning Commission is expected to make more considerations concerning Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

During the last meeting, the Commissioners wanted the developer and the Planning Department to offer an update or ongoing comment on what is happening concerning Ponte Vista and the necessary steps all must take to move the project forward.

If not much has been happening between the developer and the Planning Department, that may signal something and mean more time is necessary to either move the project forward or watch it fade away.

I have no idea how long Planning Commissioners are willing to wait on a project's development or lack thereof.

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Odds and Ends 122

During this past week I have encountered more local residents who have opinions concerning the dwelling density that may be at Ponte Vista.

What shouldn't but continues to surprise me is the number of folks who still want R1 density or less!

"R1" density would be equivalent to having one dwelling unit per a minimum of 5,000 square foot lots on the site.

I know and fully understand that there are many members of OUR community who want higher dwelling density there, but it still remains an issue that there are quite a few members of OUR community who continue to insist on keeping the site with its current zoning and not allowing any zoning changes to occur.
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I still don't know the date of the first Open House the Ponte Vista Outreach Team is planning for July. When I learn it I will update this blog.

In the mean time, you are encouraged to submit your ideas, comments, reasoning, and density ideas to Mr. Jim Oswald, the facilitator who is accumulating information for the developer of Ponte Vista and the Outreach Team. Mr. Oswald's Email address for this is:

jimoswaldcomments@gmail.com.
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I continue to stick with my current belief that Ponte Vista at San Pedro could be built with no more than 831 dwelling units.

This would keep it equivalent in dwelling density with The Gardens which has been around for decades and has better access routes than Ponte Vista.

The Planning Departments suggestion that Ponte Vista should contain between 775-886 units allows my concept to fall within those numbers.

The Gardens has easy access to both Gaffey and Western while Ponte Vista residents and others at the site will have only Western.
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During more than one conversation I had during the week, several people asked me about gestures the development team could do to really demonstrate their intentions to build at Ponte Vista and improve OUR community.

One individual asked why Ponte Vista would not go ahead and provide at least one pocket turning lane somewhere.

I thought it might be a good idea to see the left turn lane into S. John Montgomery from southbound Western elongated ASAP to allow more turns towards Mary Star.

What about placing tarps around the perimeter of the property to help shield views of blighted dwellings and yards?

Of course these measures would cost money, but it could demonstrate to members of OUR community that Mr. Fentin and his team are really here for the long haul and not just to acquire entitlements to the site, then sell those entitlements off and leave the area.

So far, and including the upcoming Open House, there is still the strong air that everything the developers and Outreach Team is doing is just marketing the site. 

It would probably take a dramatic, positive, and deliberate step to convince doubters that they are all here to develop Ponte Vista at San Pedro according to approved ordinances and not just getting the place ready to get sold off.

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"Jim" offered the first comment to this post and it was so good, I am putting it here with my response:

I don't understand why you are surprised that people still want R-1 density. Most people in town still insist on R-1 because it's what is best for the community. We're full, there's no more room here, trafic is already a nightmare. Enough is enough. There is no reason for the density to increase, or the zoning to change.

Why should our entire community and our quility of life suffer simply so a few people can make a huge profit. If they can't make a profit with the current zoning, than tuff luck, that's their problem, not ours. They should have been more carefull and done more research before handing over money for such a project. Their attemps to wear the community down are not working. I don't trust them any farther than I can throw them. They don't care about you or me, or anyone else who live around here. They only want to get the maximum number of units approved so they can sell off the property to someone who will no doubt use the density bonus and then try build something nobody wants

Thanks Jim, for your comment.

What the is surprise to me is that there are still so very many members of OUR community who continue to insist on R1 and that is perfectly fine and even wonderful to me.

On the supporting side, those folks support whatever a developer proposes, no matter how many units are in the offering.

But staunch R1 supporters took their stand and never budged, no matter what the developer is attempting to market.

I have written many times about what Janice and Bob said at the very first CAC meeting and how it didn't look likely at all that R1 would eventually remain on the property.

But by golly, the great number of folks who have stuck by their guns and continue to call for keeping the current zoning is still impressive to me.

If R1 remains on the site, that will be proven to be the best solution for OUR community.

I feel very strongly that 1,395-units, the current number proposed by the developer, is still far too many and definitely NOT the best solution for OUR community.

If R.P.V. is about to allow voters to levy higher taxes on hotel/motel businesses, perhaps the five closest zip codes to Ponte Vista should be used to offer a referendum to folks living in those areas on what should be built at Ponte Vista.
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Odds and Ends 121

I begin with an old photo.

This is a photo of the first 215 houses in a tract west of Western Avenue.

This is Western View Homes, now just part of the Mira Vista neighborhood.

The apartments at the bottom of the photo are part of the Channel Heights complex.

Yes, that is one car on Western Avenue passing through the intersection with Trudie Drive.

The house with the yellow outline around it is where I was brought when I was one-day old and it is where I am writing this blog from.

For all the folks who commented that I may have trouble with change, please understand that change in my neighborhood has occurred.

To get you better oriented, the small road intersection with the other small road behind the big building towards the bottom of the photo is just about where In And Out Burger now stands.

The photo was taken in May, 1950. and we still have some of the paperwork my dad signed to purchase the house back then.

An article written in the old News Pilot appears at www.sanpedroissuestoponder.blogspot.com 

and it tells of the 'new' housing development.
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A ruling by the City Attorney of Rancho Palos Verdes finally put the nix on NIMBY neighbors of the Marymount Expansion Project as it relates to enlarging the off-campus housing on Palos Verdes Drive North.

The "Living Campus/Academic Campus" Alternative to the Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project cannot be voted on by the Planning Commission of the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.

That Alternative would have the college furnish MORE housing at the 'Palos Verdes North' off-campus housing site now occupied by about 300 students and staff.

The Alternative was greatly supported by members of Concerned Citizens' Coalition/Marymount Expansion (CCC/ME) who strongly objected to have on-campus housing built for 250-students and 5-staff members on the College's campus on Palos Verdes Drive East.

The ruling provide by the City Attorney stated that the Planning Commission cannot vote on matters outside its jurisdiction.

Since the Palos Verdes North facility is in the city of Los Angeles, the Rancho Palos Verdes Planning Commission cannot vote to approve or disapprove that Alternative.

This may or may not be a major factor when dealing with Ponte Vista but it should be stated that 40% of the ADDITIONAL traffic generated by any expansion of the College's facilities will pass along Western Avenue, according to the E.I.R.

Of course it is well expected that once the College finally builds out any approved expansions their administration will come back to the city of R.P.V. and demand on-campus housing.

So unless the folks at the College got ahead and try and expand the Palos Verdes North facility, there probably won't be any changes to that area for some time.
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August 13 is just over two months away. That is the date there will probably be an update provided by the Ponte Vista development team and the Planning Department to the Los Angeles Planning Commission.

In the mean time, please watch for the Open Houses scheduled for July by the Outreach Team.

I don't feel it is worthless to provide your input. Sure, the Outreach Team may  be doing the Open Houses for more of a marketing ploy, but providing your insight, no matter what you think, can add to the discussions.

If you don't want 1,395-units on the 61.53 acre site, you may have two more chances to provide your reasoning and post you written comments that should make it to decision-makers.

For those of you who want whatever Ted, Tim, and the rest of the development team want, these will be opportunities to voice your opinions without using talking points developed by the Outreach Team.

Let's see some differing reasoning for wanting so many units at the site, Okay?

According to a post at www.yourpontevista.com, you are also most welcome to send an Email to Mr. Jim Oswald at: jimoswaldcomments@gmail.com.

He is the facilitator conducting the second round of interviews and I posted his Email address during the first set of interviews so everyone has the opportunity to share with Mr. Oswald their thoughts.
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All is certainly not inactive with R Neighborhoods Are 1. Concerned members of the group continue to provide comments and discuss issues. They (we) are still here, working to find the best outcome of OUR community.

Be sure to watch for comments concerning this most recent batch of interviews and the upcoming Open Houses.

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My Interview with Mr. Oswald

In this second round of interviews I finally had my turn with Mr. Jim Oswald, the facilitator hired by the Ponte Vista Development Team in this second round.

I had met and spoken to Mr. Oswald at the April Open House and I found him interesting and willing to listen.

During my interview with Mr. Oswald, he was pleasant and seemed to really want to know my thoughts.

So of course I gave my thoughts to him.

Folks who normally read this blog know pretty much what I spoke to Mr. Oswald about, but I did add some new twists when he asked what questions I specifically had for the next round of open houses.

I am a firm believer that there has always been a real underlying problem concerning access through the Ponte Vista site for the new Mary Star of the Sea High School campus.

I provided to Mr. Oswald what I knew of the history as to how the 'deal' went down between supporters of the high school's development and the neighborhood surrounding Taper Avenue.

My questions I would like real answers to is whether a governmental agency can require an easement to a private, religious school over and through private property owned by others.

I also wanted to know if the folks at Mary Star would allow Ponte Vista residents access through their property to get young children to and from Taper Avenue Elementary School without needing to go along Western Avenue.

It seems to me that if Ponte Vista allows Mary Star students and parents access over their land, then, for safety reasons, accessing Taper Avenue School through the Mary Star property is logical and fundamentally necessary.

Of course all of this could and should end up in the court system.

Traffic can be somewhat mitigated along Western Avenue by not allowing students and parents access through Ponte Vista to get to and from Mary Star.

Why should drivers using Western but not needing access to Mary Star suffer because of a private school and the 'deal' made with residents local to the Taper Avenue end of the private drive?

I don't think it was legal to allow access to the Mary Star campus through the site when the Federal Government owned the land now known as Ponte Vista. 

Let's say you owned property and a governmental agency came to you and demanded that you allow access over your land for not only another private property, but also one that is a church-based school.

Also, who ultimately pays for the road to Mary Star through Ponte Vista? Would it be fair to pass on the costs of the road to buyers of units at Ponte Vista when they probably won't sent children to the campus?

Should buyers be assessed charges for a private, church-established campus?

This issue is not about a specific religion. Consider if you will, that the campus is run by the Muslim faith and test yourself to see whether that changes your mind. If it does, then what does that say about the whole issue?

During my talk with Mr. Oswald, I opined that I thought that if there is some senior housing, then some of that type of housing should be town houses.

I would also trim back the number of senior units receiving lower prices and more more of that category into the "multi-family." 

Since only about 20% or up to 168 of the total units would be 'workforce' housing priced or lower prices for some seniors, I also opined that the marketing strategy should have an asterisk placed next to the wording for lower priced units and then an explanation of how few of these units would probably be available.

I also opined to Mr. Oswald that the folks who want R1 and/or equivalent population density to R1 need to still be considered.

That opinion was borne out later in the day when I talked to a group of local residents who are still very much concerned with keeping the population density to that of what R1 or the current zoning allows for.

The Ponte Vista developer is using numbers for senior units to mitigate the population of the project. 

I spent some time talking about the real need for objective considerations and studies to state once and for all whether senior housing units are really needed and/or wanted in the community.

Since the strongest support for Ponte Vista comes from a strong and vital group of seniors that have populated advisory boards, it is a marketing goal to provide senior housing to attract and keep the strongest group of supporters possible.

Had there never been a consideration of having senior housing on the site in the first place, I am sure that there would not have been anywhere near whatever support was given for the project for the get-go.

I stop here to remind everyone that the Los Angeles City Planning Department contends that Ponte Vista at San Pedro should NOT have any specific senior housing unit section.

I also suggested to Mr. Oswald that a pedestrian bridge be built over Western Avenue for the students going to and from Dodson and other folks who want to cross Western Avenue.

Too many of us older residents remember too many kids getting hit by cars and even buses while they were trying to cross Western Avenue when the Navy Housing was occupied.

One of Mr. Oswald's questions he repeatedly asked me was what was I hearing 'out there'.

I pretty much answered "nothing" or "not much" to those questions. There are reasons I gave those answers and there have been times recently that I have been to busy to deal with the issues surrounding Ponte Vista.

But the musical is done and I am getting back on track. It will be interesting to see what happens at the July Open House(s). I think the number of units Mr. Fentin wants will still be 1,395, but he may package them slightly differently to better market the project through the Planning Department and Planning Commission as it weaves its way to the City Council.

At the trailer where the interview was conducted, the old boards with the current marketing wording and illustrations were all over the large room. Either they are keeping them up for folks who are not being interviewed or they are still going to go with what they currently want.

I did commend the Outreach Team and Mr. Fentin to Mr. Oswald for their seemingly new approach to OUR community.

Time will tell and I hope we all get to learn who was re-interviewed or interviewed for the first time.