1:35 pm (10 min) – Introduction & Response to Questions – Nick Karno, Linda Lucks, Joe Murphy
1:45 pm (1 hour) – Board Discussion
2:45 pm (30 min) – Board Posting of Ideas

3:05 pm (20 min) – Retreat Feedback

3:25 pm (5 min) – Public Comment (1 min per speaker)

3:30 pm (1 hour) – Adjourn & Mingle

PROPOSED VNC BOARD GUIDELINES – STANDING RULES

As we begin our retreat, the retreat committee thought it would be a good time to step back, reflect on the work we’ve done, and find ways to take the VNC to the next level. This document is meant to stimulate the focus and vitality of the VNC. We hope you will agree that these proposals will streamline the deliberations of the VNC Board and its Committees so that we can better serve our community.

I. Vision Goals

Although the VNC is a political body, and inevitably it will become embroiled in issues that divide the community, these goals will promote a more proactive, collaborative vision for VNC Committees to include in their deliberations as they formulate recommendations for Board consideration. The intent is to create a working framework of integrated strategies capable of achieving, over time, broader consensus and increased:

• Walkability (or Mobility)
• Diversity
• Creativity
• Dialogue Dynamics
• Brainstorming

Walkability (or Mobility): Consider strategies that reduce the use of cars and to promote alternatives such as walking, skateboarding, biking & bike racks, circulation systems (trolleys), park & ride rather than additional parking, street-narrowing/sidewalk widening, walk/bike/skateboard lanes separated from traffic, easier neighborhood pedestrian access to commercial stores, etc. …

Diversity: Consider strategies that encourage & facilitate realistic recommendations designed to increase economic diversity, including affordable housing, etc. …

Creativity: Consider strategies that promote the arts, encourage & facilitate creativity. This can apply to architecture, public art, social events (neighborhood gatherings/street movies/theatre/dance/pottery/…), etc. …

Dialogue Dynamics: Consider strategies that encourage & facilitate ‘level playing fields’ for collaborative negotiation; opt for procedures & policies that ‘promote flexibility & dialogue’ over ‘reacting defensively to rigid criteria’, facilitation training, etc. …

Brainstorming: Consider strategies that encourage & facilitate exploring of non-traditional options for achieving shared objectives, etc. …

II. Increase Community/Stakeholder Participation (Outreach)

At times, matters come before the board that have gone through a board committee, and yet major organizations, community groups, and City institutions have not been consulted or notified.

Therefore, it is proposed that each committee identify the major organizations and community groups within its purview, add them to mailing/email lists and invite them to meetings and/or include their written positions on all topics brought before the Board. (i.e., if the Environmental Committee brings a motion that will have a significant impact before the Board, it will include the positions of Sierra Club, SM Baykeepers, Heal the Bay, Green L.A., etc.). The purpose of this is to provide as much information to the Board members and the community so that decisions can be well-informed and carefully tailored for Board action.

III. A proposed adjustment of the LUPC function

• Considering that the LUPC caseload is heavy and that expansion is unlikely; and,
• Considering that the Board spends large amounts of time deliberating on LUPC cases that require technical expertise and large amounts of information; and,
• Considering that the Board finds itself, without training, in the midst of many controversial policy issues that create animosity, contention, and division within the community; and,
• Considering that the hearing authority is shirking its duty by making it the responsibility of the VNC to make urban planning decisions on a case by case basis in its stead…..

It is therefore proposed that the Board consider a more specific set of functions for LUPC.

It is our understanding that there are four areas of concern that LUPC currently addresses. These are listed below with our suggestions of how each might be addressed moving forward:

1. Clarity & Consistency: There are a limited number of provisions in the land use regulations that are unclear or conflicting which hearing authorities acknowledge create confusion:

• LUPC identifies these issues and proposes a consensus solution for each that is reviewed by REC and presented to the Board. The Board reviews, amends and adopts these as a LUPC Standing Rule – Interpretative Guidelines – which can be expanded or amended by the Board as experience dictates.
• This Standing Rule is intended only to provide clarity and consistency in LUPC deliberations where the land use regulations are acknowledged to be vague and the interpretation could be helpful to the hearing authorities.

2. By Right Proposals:

• LUPC neither reviews nor advises and makes no decision regarding By Right Proposals but, instead, offers the services of its members (or of others in the community with the necessary experience and skills) to help the parties (owners, neighbors) negotiate to reach an agreement. Success or failure only is reported to the Board.
• This can be made into a second LUPC Standing Rule – Facilitation Services.

3. Proposals Requesting [Significant] Variances (and other land use matters of significant impact on Venice):

• LUPC hears the matter and, based on criteria suggested by LUPC and adopted by the Board (as a third LUPC Standing Rule), [makes a recommendation] and/or [presents the pros & cons] to the Board, including any minority LUPC member opinions.
• LUPC provides the Board with a proposed definition of “Significant” for these purposes, the Board reviews, amends and adopts (as a fourth LUPC Standing Rule – Hearing Procedure).

4. Changes to City Land Use Regulations (likely to be contentious):

• LUPC was envisioned as an impartial and unbiased staff advisor to the Board and therefore not political (which was the reason for not permitting Board members to serve on LUPC).
• Under Standing Rule 13 – Principles of Representation – members of LUPC can appear in any forum and communicate their personal opinion in conformance with SR 13.

By making the above LUPC Standing Rules under the LUPC section of the VNC Standing Rules, the board would provide future VNC boards with a form of useful institutional memory. This approach also provides hearing authorities with useful information in their decision-making functions and minimizes VNC involvement in case by case development determinations.

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