VNC Board of Officers Meeting

Board of Officers Meeting Agenda
Westminster Elementary School (Auditorium)
1010 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, 90291
Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 7:00 PM

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

2. Approval of the Agenda

3. Approval of any outstanding minutes submitted by the Secretary

August 19, 2008 Board Meeting Minutes
(see http://venicenc.org/files/080819VNCBoardMinutesRev5.doc)

Committee Reports are provided in written form when available

4. Scheduled Announcements (no more than 1 minute per report unless otherwise stated)

A DONE, LAPD, and other Governmental Reports

B Mike Newhouse (president@venicenc.org): 1. Ask for help breaking down sound equipment at end of meeting. 2. Announce resignations of Erica Harms and Michael Eschger, and open nominations for successors to be appointed by Board at October 21, 2008 Board Meeting. 3. Announce Challis MacPherson and DeDe Audet as VNC LANCC Area Representatives. Encourage other stakeholders to become involved. 4. Double sided copying announcement

C DeDe Audet (310-821-4417; dd1audet@verizon.net): Presentation honoring the Venice Junior Lifeguards as the winners of the City of Los Angeles Junior Lifeguarding Championship. Responsible for this winning team is LA Recs and Parks using the Venice Pool. Lydia Ponce is organizing the 18 kids to make them available for their award.

D Paula A. Daniels (213-978-0255; c/o Diana.Williams@lacity.org) – Commissioner, Board of Public Works: Presentation on Prop O per request below (10 minutes).

In November of 2004, the voters of Los Angeles authorized the city a $500,000,000 bond issue (Prop O) to clean up ocean pollition. Ms. Daniels will give us a status report on Prop. O.

E Robin Rudasill (310-745-3240; wildrudi@mac.com) & Nick Hippisley-Coxe (310-415-6504; hippisley@earthlink.net) & Linda Lucks (310-745-3240/310-450-2554; Lindalucks@aol.com):

a. Presentation on Emergency Preparedness Planning for “Shake-Out LA” a City wide Earthquate Drill and related events 11/13-16,2008

b. City of LA Neighborhood Preparedness Ambassador Progam Three Consecutive Saturdays Saturday, September 27, 2008 Saturday, October 4, 2008 Saturday, October 11, 2008 9:00am – 1:00pm Fire Station 5 8900 Emerson Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90045

To sign up: To confirm your attendance or for additional information, contact:
Mona Curry at the Emergency Management Department (213) 473- 9921, Mona.Curry@lacity.org

5. Announcements & Public Comment on items not on the Agenda (15 min, no more than 2 minutes per person) no board announcements

6. Old Business

A From Rules & Elections Committee [Placed on agenda]

Key: [deleted] & added

I REC recommends (3-0-0) that Board clarify time frame for posting of minutes by adopting, & scheduling an election for stakeholder approval of, the below amendment to Article VI B 3 – Secretary – of the Bylaws:

Responsible for producing accurate minutes of Stakeholder, Board of Officers and Administrative Committee meetings and for submitting the minutes for public posting no later than seven (7) days after the meeting at which they are approved [but not more than 45 days after the meeting at which the minutes were taken].

[NB:Material in brackets was omitted through oversight and added to conform to board intent.]

II REC recommends (3-0-0) that Board confirm current practice regarding amendment of Bylaws by adopting, & scheduling an election for stakeholder approval of, the below amendment to Article IX A 1 – Amendment by Board of Officers – of the Bylaws:

Requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the full Board of Officers …

III REC recommends (3-0-0) that Board increase LUPC from 9 to 13 members by adopting, & scheduling an election for stakeholder approval of, the below amendment to paragraph 2 of Article VII F of the Bylaws:

The Land Use and Planning Committee (LUPC) shall consist of [nine (9)] thirteen (13) Stakeholders including the elected Chair. No Board Officer may serve as a LUPC member with the exception of the Land Use and Planning Committee chair. [; EXCEPT that, for the term ending October 2007, the LUPC shall include two (2) additional members who are Board Officers as nominated by the Board of Officers. Eight (8)] Twelve (12) LUPC members shall be elected by the Board of Officers from a list of candidates who have formally communicated to the Board their desire to serve on the Land Use and Planning Committee. The Board shall, within thirty (30) days after beginning their term, hold a Board of Officers meeting for the election of LUPC members; EXCEPT that, for the term ending October 2009, the four (4) vacant positions shall be elected within thirty (30) days after the date that this amendment becomes effective. The [eight (8)] twelve (12) candidates with the highest vote totals shall be elected.

IV REC recommends (3-0-0) that Board enable the Neighborhood Committee to perform its mission by adopting, & scheduling an election for stakeholder approval of, the below amendment to Article VII B – Neighborhood Committee – of the Bylaws:

The Neighborhood Committee shall be considered established for all purposes upon election of seven (7) of the nine (9) neighborhood candidates. Other neighborhoods and/or Stakeholders representing other neighborhoods or neighborhood interests may then be added at the discretion of the Neighborhood Committee. The committee shall promote greater awareness of available City resources and services and act as a conduit between the Board and Venice neighborhoods, assisting in community outreach and bringing neighborhood issues to the attention of the Board.

V Challis Macpherson (Chair-LUPC@VeniceNC.org), on behalf of Budget Committee, recommends that Board adopt, & schedule an election for stakeholder approval of, the amendment of Article VII D to change the name as follows:

[Budget, Finance and Fundraising Committee] Budget and Finance Committee.

7. Treasurers Report accept report as presented

8. New Business

A Jed Pauker (310-827-0144; gojednet-fencesandhedgesreco@yahoo.com) on behalf of Fences & Hedges Ad Hoc Committee: The Fences and Hedges Ad Hoc Committee recommends a vote FOR the following motion:

That the VNC Board of Officers RECOMMENDS to the Los Angeles City Council the following actions, amendments to the Los Angeles Municipal Code and/or the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan and further initiatives regarding fence, wall and hedge (“structure”) heights in the required front yard of private properties*:

1) Provide “grandfather” protection for existing structures over three-and-one-half feet in all subareas at existing heights, with reference to Santa Monica’s process.

2) Recommend that the Board distribute a community-wide survey to provide factual basis for community support.

3) Enable neighborhoods (minimum 1 block) to establish “Specific Plan Fence Height Overlay Districts” to define their own frontage barrier heights.

a) Enable height limits of new structures to increase in proportion to the distance set back from the property line.

b) Encourage neighborhood-friendly “walkability” and visibility.

4) Establish a notification procedure regarding neighborhood regulations for new property owners.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• except where a barrier would block a public view of the Coast.

[Placed on agenda for 20 min public comment and discussion only]

B From LUPC

I Challis Macpherson (Chair-LUPC@VeniceNC.org) on behalf of LUPC: LUPC recommendation for board action regarding LUPC review of proposed sales of city-owned real property in Venice: [Placed on Agenda]

I move that the VNC Board of Officers move to recommend to Council Office 11 that all proposed sales of city-owned real property in Venice be submitted to the Land Use and Planning Committee so that the committee can hear public testimony and make recommendations on what it deems the best use of the property, and that all presently pending sales of such property be suspended until LUPC and the VNC Board have submitted a recommendation to the Council District 11 office. The LUPC motion was made by Dennis Hathaway and seconded by Arnold Springer; LUPC vote was 7-1-0.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

From the city council motion to approve property sales:

“The established City procedures for selling surplus property require that the property be offered to the appropriate governmental agencies for park and recreation purposes, open space, or for low-income housing purposes. The notified agencies either did not respond or responded with no objection during the specified 60-day waiting period. The Bureau of Engineering (BOE), Survey Section, provided the legal descriptions of the properties and any reservation or exception of portions of the real property for easements or rights required by the City were retained. Per Los Angeles Administrative Code (LAAC) 7.22©, the City Planning Department shall consider the sale in compliance with the current City’s General Plan and the property’s local Community Plan. AMD notified the City Planning Department of the sales. Planning Department concurred with the proposal to sell the properties or waived its response rights to comment on the sale. AMD notified the Council members in whose district the properties are located of the proposed sale. The Council members concurred in the sale of the properties.”

From Venice Community Plan: An objective is to “…promote the development of senior housing on City-owned vacant land.”

From Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan (VCZSP) regarding use of Venice Coastal Parking Impact Trust Fund. “Development of public parking facilities on City8-owned lots in the Venice Coastal Zone.”

II Challis Macpherson (Chair-LUPC@VeniceNC.org) on behalf of LUPC: I, Challis Macpherson as Chair of the Land Use and Planning Committee, request that the VNC Board of Officers approve the LUPC policy statement on massing, scale and mansionization as approved by a vote of 6-2-0 August 27, 2008 at a regular LUPC meeting. This policy statement will be included in LUPC’s Neighborhood Notification Policy which is sent each applicant for a significant variance to the VCZSP. [Placed on Agenda for discussion only]

LUPC POLICY STATEMENT ON MASSING,
SCALE, AND MANSIONIZATION

To be read or otherwise presented at each neighborhood meeting arranged to present a project to that neighborhood before it goes before LUPC to be heard

1. Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan (VCZSP) sets out the guidelines for new development in Venice.

2. VCZSP notwithstanding, the LUPC expects that new development projects shall attempt to accommodate neighborhood concerns regarding, in particular, massing and scale.

3. New construction projects should be designed so that they do not completely fill the buildable envelope, but are rather articulated and designed in such a way that they address the scale and massing of the immediate neighborhood for which they are proposed.

4. LUPC believes that in order to address neighborhood concerns on density and scale, compromises between the maximums permitted under the VCZSP and the legitimate desires of neighbors and neighborhoods should be sought regarding height, light, air and space. This issue should be addressed in the Neighborhood Meeting suggested by LUPC and convened by the project applicant.

5. PARTIES MAY consult not only the relevant sections and provisions of the VCZSP, but also the plans drafted by each individual neighborhood, which can be found on the LUPC web site, www.VeniceNC.org or on www.Veniceunchained.com. (The “draft specific plans”).

These plans were created in a public process organized by the city in 1988 and address scale and massing for specific Venice neighborhoods. These documents were not incorporated into the VCZSP when it was compiled by the LA City planning department.

The Draft Specific Plans arguably represent the formally presented ‘intent’ of the Venice neighborhoods and should be consulted by both the applicants and their neighbors prior to the LUPC mandated neighborhood meeting for each new project.

6. This policy statement is issued by the Land Use and Planning Committee of the Venice Neighborhood Council only, and is not binding. Compliance with it does not guarantee a particular outcome of any kind, nor does it obviate an applicants need to comply with any other notices, policies, rules, laws or otherwise as required by city, county, state, federal government or other applicable laws or regulations.

C From Board Member [All 3 placed on Agenda]

I Challis Macpherson (Chair-LUPC@VeniceNC.org): Request that VNC Board of Officers send a letter to City of Los Angeles Ethics Committee Members and City Council E&N Committee Members (listed below) stating that the Venice Neighborhood Council adamantly rejects any neighborhood council participation, endorsing or use of City Council revised form 52 (en lieu of Form 700) which proposes that any neighborhood council board member must:

1. Within 30 days of taking office, fill out Form 52 listing all property owned by board officers, their spouses or domestic partners with a value of more than $2,000.00.
2. Within 30 days of taking office, fill out Form 52 listing board members, their spouses or domestic partners employers.
3. Within 30 days of taking office, fill out Form 52 listing all property owned by board members, their spouses or domestic partners in or within 1000 feet of Los Angeles (excluding personal residences) with a value of more than $2,000.00.
4. Within 30 days of taking office, fill out Form 52 listing businesses in Los Angeles of which board members, their spouses or domestic partners own more than 10% or more if valued at more than $2,000.00.

The Ethics Commissions resolution, based on the request of the F&N Committee is not limited to a two-year trial period but is a permanent action.

Ethics Committee members E&N Committee Members
Helen E. Zukin – President Richard Alarcon – Chair
Sean Treglia – Vice President Dennis Zine
Michael Camunez Janice Hahn
Paul H. Turner
Nedra Jenkins

II Challis Macpherson (Chair-LUPC@VeniceNC.org): Request that VNC Board of Officers endorse Venice 2000’s Board of Directors’ November fundraiser event screening Stacy Peralta’s film “Made In America.”

III Stewart Oscars (310-305-8248; stewart.oscars@gmail.com): Motion to present certificates of appreciation to the LAPD senior lead officers who serve the people of Venice everyday.

E From Stakeholders and Interest Groups:

I David B. Cruz (213-740-6830; dcruz@law.usc.edu): [IK/LL: placed on agenda 3-2]

My name is David B. Cruz, and I am a Professor of Law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, where I teach a variety of constitutional law and sexual orientation law courses. I send this email on behalf of Love Honor Cherish, an independent, grassroots organization whose purpose is to defeat Proposition 8, the ballot initiative to change the state constitution to limit marriage, on which the voters of California will be asked to vote on November 4, 2008, through outreach, a media campaign, and fund raising. The Love Honor Cherish web site may be found at http://www.lovehonorcherish.org.

I am writing to ask your Neighborhood Council to consider adopting a resolution against Prop 8, as have the Los Angeles City Council, the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council, the Mid City West Neighborhood Council, and the Reseda Neighborhood Council. Love Honor Cherish would be pleased to send me (schedule allowing) or another knowledgeable speaker to your September Neighborhood Council meeting for the purpose of speaking about Prop 8 to the Council and stakeholders.

II DeDe Audet (310-821-4417; dd1audet@verizon.net) and Lucille Saunders, President, LaBrea Coalition:
Motion for VNC support of LANCC resolution as follows: [Placed on Agenda]

RESOLUTION – ANNUAL GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE REVIEW

On (date) the (name of NC) passed the following resolution:

Whereas, the City’s General Plan is supposed to “annually document what has actually happened to the City’s population levels, housing construction, employment levels and the availability of public infkstructure and public services” and that the report will be “..used to facilitate.. environmental review for subsequent programs and projects in accordance with CEQA”; [Growth Monitoring section of the General Plan originally adopted on December 11,1996 and re-adopted on August 8,2001 (CPC 94-0354 GPF CF
95-2259 01-1 162); and

Whereas, the annual report provides that “if growth has occurred faster than projected, a revised environmental analysis well be prepared and appropriate changes to the Community Plan and zoning will be recommend. These Plan and zoning changes, and any related moratoria or interim control ordinances, shall be submitted to the City Planning commission, the Mayor and the City Council, as specified in the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC); and

Whereas, the City has not updated its Annual Growth and Infrastructure Review Report since 1998, even though the City has experienced a great deal of growth and new constructions since 1998; and

Whereas, a lawsuit has been field seeking an order fiom the Superior Court to compel the City to obey its General Plan and require preparation of an annual report;

Now Therefore, be it resolved that the (name of NC)hereby request that the City Council create a Council File relating to the preparation of an annual infrastructure analysis and plan in conformance with the General Plan requirement, and seek a moratorium on zone changes, conditional use permits, specific plan changes, etc. until the analyses are completed.; and

Furthermore, the (name of IYC) requests that neighborhood councils be consulted in the preparation of the update for their local areas.

F From Conflict Resolution Committee:

I Mike Newhouse (president@venicenc.org): [added by president to meet CRC deadline] Recommends adoption of the Conflict Resolution Committee – Hearing Rules as follows:

I. General Provisions.
A. The Conflict Resolution Committee (CRC), as established by the Board of the Venice Neighborhood Council (VNC), has established the following hearing rules relating to complaints that are scheduled for a hearing by the CRC (the Rules) under Venice Neighborhood Council Standing Rules (VNCSR), Rule 13. The Rules as established and approved by a majority of the CRC shall be effective when ratified by the Board of the VNC.
B. All capitalized terms in these Rules that are not defined herein shall have the same meaning as defined in the VNCSR.
C. The Chair of the CRC, or an acting Chair as outlined in the VNCSR, shall preside at the hearing, and the hearing panel shall be comprised of a minimum of the Chair (or acting Chair) and two (2) other CRC members.

II. Argument in Chief.
Each party shall have a maximum of twenty (20) minutes to make statements, call witnesses and present other evidence. Court rules of evidence and procedure shall not apply, but the CRC Chair shall have the authority to exclude evidence that is not relevant to the Rule 13 complaint at issue. The party bringing the complaint (Complainant) shall present first, followed by the Board Officer or Committee Member. Parties shall provide three (3) copies to the CRC and one (1) copy to the opposing party of any documents presented at the hearing.

III. Rebuttal and Cross Examination.
Following each argument in chief, the opposing party shall have a maximum of five (5) minutes to cross examine or personally rebut the testimony of each witness.

IV. Closing Statements.
Each party shall have a maximum of five (5) minutes to present a summary or closing argument. The Complainant shall present first, followed by the Board Officer or Committee Member.

V. CRC Decision.
After adjournment of hearing, the hearing panel shall reconvene (at a time and place of their choosing), consider the evidence presented, and render a decision. That decision shall be presented to the full Board of the VNC. Within fifteen (15) calendar days after the hearing, the CRC Chair shall notify all parties in writing of the decision of the CRC.

9. Announcements & Public Comment on items not on the Agenda (15 min, no more than 2 minutes per person)

10. Adjourn (approx 10:00PM)

Supporting Documents

The supporting documents attached below include:

• a copy of this agenda
• the September Treasurer’s Report
• several documents related to the Fences and Hedges issue
• the September Neighborhood Committee Report

Location(s)

See map: Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps

Attachment	Size
FandH_Motion_Final.pdf	61.45 KB
Walkability_JoeM.doc	20.5 KB
1996_Motion_File Number_for_VNC.pdf	12.69 KB
City_Attorney_Position.doc	32 KB
COASTAL_ACT_PERTINENT_SECTIONS.pdf	12.25 KB
COASTAL_COMMISSION_RESPONSE.pdf	9.03 KB
FandH_ BrentwoodPark_Encroachment_Procedure.pdf	57.19 KB
Final_Ordinance_No._179680.pdf	223.18 KB
LAMC_12_22_and_VSP_exceptions.pdf	10.63 KB
LUPC_FHTF_Current_Policy_Report_-_Final_new_email.pdf	97.55 KB
Proposal_for_policy_recommendation_re_enforcement_of_F&H_and_Gates_4v2.pdf	20.78 KB
SM_Ordinance_2236_eff_9.14.07.pdf	333.64 KB
SM_Pergolas_etc.pdf	165.42 KB
Sept 2008 Neighborhood Committee Report.doc	26 KB
Expenditures to Date.2008-2009.Aug_.old excel.xls	42 KB
080916VNCBoardAgendaRev.doc	127 KB
CECFORM52-rev.pdf	1.25 MB