VNC Board of Officers Meeting

Board of Officers Meeting Agenda Westminster Elementary School (Auditorium) 1010 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, 90291 Tuesday, March 18, 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

February 19, 2008 Board Meeting Minutes
(see http://venicenc.org/files/080219VNCBoardMinutes-DRAFT.doc)

4. Committee Reports (no more than 1 minute per report)

5. Scheduled Announcements (no more than 1 minutes per report unless otherwise stated)

A DONE, LAPD, Mayor and Council Office Reports

B Marc Carrel (323-395-1894; marc.carrel@mail.house.gov): presentation and Q&A on LAX expansion/ regionalization proposals by Congresswoman Jane Harman’s Deputy Chief of Staff. [15 minutes]

C Mike Newhouse (310 795 3768; president@venicenc.org): April “Policy Forum” on Affordable Housing. Experts on affordable housing laws and policy to present to LUPC, the Board and the public, to be followed by a second May Policy Forum on affordable housing modeled after the homelessness Town Hall.

D Dennis Hathaway (310-399-3523; dennis.hathaway@venicenc.org): The California Clean Money Campaign will conduct a joint Venice Neighborhood Council/Mar Vista Community Council Workshop to gather feedback from board members and stakeholders on a system of full public financing of Los Angeles city elections.

E Winifred Yancy from LADWP & DWP General Manager David Nahai & Councilman Rosendahl: [30 minutes]
7 to 7:30PM forum & discussion of the proposed DWP rate hike.

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

7. Old Business

8. Treasurers Report

9. New Business: (approx. 8:00 PM)

A From President

I Vote on Communication Officer position vacancy (Sean Kelly).

II Ad Hoc Community Safety Committee (Stan Muhammad & Stewart Oscars to co-chair): The mission of the Ad Hoc Community Safety Committee is to create opportunities for the Venice Community and the City of Los Angeles to work together to create a safer Venice.

B From Rules & Elections Committee

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.

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.

C From Outreach

I Official Posting Places: It was moved and passed at the Outreach Meeting that took place on Jan 22, 2008 that the Board adopt the following as the official posting places of the Venice Neighborhood Council as listed in our certification papers with DONE:

• Vera Davis McClendon Center (610 California Avenue)
• Ground Works Coffee (671 Rose Avenue)
• The Venice Public Library (501 S Venice Blvd)
• Café Buna (3105 Washington Blvd)
• Penmar Park Recreation Center (1341 Lake Street.)
• VNC Website

The Outreach Committee further recommends that posting places NOT be limited to the above list; “unofficial” posting places should be found in each VNC neighborhood as feasible. This will be incorporated into a Standing Rule.

D From LUPC

I Challis Macpherson (Chair-LUPC@VeniceNC.org) on behalf of LUPC: Regarding SB1818 regarding state mandated density bonuses and adopted February 20, 2008 by LA City Council, substantiating documents emailed to LUPC and on VNC web site, LUPC deliberation regarding recommended the following action by VNC Board of Officers:

The ordinance implementing the state density bonus law (SB1818) as adopted on Feb. 20 by the Los Angeles City Council classifies projects seeking only a density bonus and parking reduction as “ministerial.” According to the president of the City Planning Commission (see attached letter), ministerial projects are exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act. In addition, the ordinance exempts these “ministerial” projects from filing applications with the City Planning Department.

These exemptions are totally contrary to the spirit of community planning and public process in determining environmental and other impacts of development projects. In addition, SB1818 provides these density bonuses and other incentives to provide units of affordable housing, but there is no real evidence that these incentives will actually result in more affordable housing. In fact, these incentives may encourage developers to actually demolish existing affordable housing to make way for new luxury housing that only includes some affordable units, thus resulting in a net reduction of affordable units in the city.

Therefore, the Venice Neighborhood Council urges Councilmember Bill Rosendahl to make every effort to stop implementation of this ordinance, and to work for passage of a city council resolution asking the state legislature to repeal SB1818.

II Challis Macpherson (Chair-LUPC@VeniceNC.org) on behalf of LUPC, Dennis Hathaway & Jim Murez & Jed Pauker, Staff: LUPC recommends (5-0-1) that the Board approve the issuance of a conditional use permit to allow the off-site sale of a full-line of alcoholic beverages from 7a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days per week and sale of wine for on-site consumption in conjunction with a wine tasting room be approved, with the following conditions:

1. The authorized use shall be conducted at all times with due regard for the character of the surrounding district and the peaceful quiet enjoyment of the neighborhood, and/or users of the adjacent properties.
2. There shall be no more than one exterior sign posted on the premises that advertises the availability of beer or wine. 3. Security cameras shall be maintained on the premises 4. All graffiti on the site shall be removed or painted over with matching color within 24 hours of its occurrence.
5. The use and development of the premises shall be in substantial conformance with the floor plan submitted with these conditions and marked “Exhibit A”. 6. All employees involved with direct sales to customers shall enroll annually in ABC or Los Angeles
Police Department approved alcoholic service training to monitor and identify potentially intoxicated patrons in order to prevent the over consumption of such beverages.
7. On-site & Off-site sales, service and consumption of beer and wine shall be between the hours of
7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
8. Beer and Wine sales shall not exceed 50% of the gross sales of food during the same period.
9. The telephone number of a responsible party shall be available from staff in the event of a problem, disturbance or complaint regarding the operation of the subject facility.
10. No wine coolers shall be sold in single bottles. No beer or wine shall be sold in cans or bottles for less than $3.50. No fortified wines shall be sold with an alcohol content of more than 22%, and no fortified wines shall be sold for less than $5.99. No distilled spirits shall be sold in pint or smaller containers.
11. The applicant shall consult with the Police Department and incorporate feasible security measures recommended by that Department.
12. A laminated copy of these conditions, along with the floor and site plans, shall be maintained on the premises in a conspicuous public place, and the manager shall be made aware of the conditions and inform all employees of same.

13. No branded alcohol advertisements shall be placed in the window or door glass of the premises which is visible from the outside of the premises.
14. The subject building and premises shall be maintained in a neat, attractive, and safe condition at all times including refinishing of the building when necessary. The applicant shall be responsible for maintaining free of litter, the area and adjacent to the premises over which they have control.
15. No adult books, adult magazines, and adult video tapes shall be sold within the premises.
16. No cigarette sales allowed within the premises.
17. No pay phone will be maintained on the exterior of the premise.
18. There shall be no coin-operated games or video machines maintained upon the premises at any time.
19. The applicant shall maintain the landscaping to a standard in accordance with guidelines established by the Los Angeles City Landscape Ordinance. The applicant shall have the condition of tree growth meeting the requirements of this ordinance measured at 3, 5, 7, and 10 years. If found to be out of compliance, the permission for wine tasting shall be reviewed.
20. Hours of usage for the loading dock are to be as follows: Monday to Saturday 7 AM to 7 PM, Sunday 9 AM to 6 PM. The store Team Leader must be available to meet with neighbors with noise complaints and must address those complaints by stopping the noise between the hours of
7 PM and 9 AM.

[Proposed by Applicant: “Hours of usage for the loading dock are to be as follows: Monday to Saturday 7am to 7pm*, Sunday 9am to 6pm. A store manager will be available to meet with neighbors with noise complaints and will make every effort to accommodate all reasonable requests. Contact information for the zoning administrator’s office will be posted in the store and delivery trucks will be instructed not to park along residential streets prior to 7am. “ Also, if a noise complaint can trigger the receiving hours to be changed to 9am, trucks would be forced to unload in the front of the store after the store has opened. This is a very serious safety issue for pedestrians and drivers in the parking lot as well as a nuisance and safety issue for customers and team members within the store. The trucks could unfairly affect the business of adjacent stores on the property as well. ]

21. Any future operator of this premises must file a new Plan Approval Application to allow the City of Los Angeles to review the mode and character of the usage.
22. If at any time during the period of the grant, should documented evidence be submitted showing continued violation(s) of any condition(s) of the grant, resulting in a disruption or interference with the peaceful enjoyment of the adjoining and neighboring properties, the Zoning Administrator will have the right to require The Petitioner(s) to file for a plan approval application together with the associated fees, to hold a public hearing to review The Petitioner(s) compliance with and the effectiveness of the conditions of the grant. The Petitioner(s) shall submit a summary and supporting documentation of how compliance with each condition of the grant has been attained.

III Challis Macpherson (Chair-LUPC@VeniceNC.org) on behalf of LUPC, Jed Pauker, Staff: In the matter of 251 Market Street, ZA 2007-5515 ZAD, Owners Robert and Carol Ward: Applicant is requesting construction, use and maintenance of a new wall/fence and wrought iron gate with heights of 6 feet on the property line in front yard setback area of an existing duplex. Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan permits a maximum fence height of 6’ in the front yard for this area of Venice provided the fence is set back one foot from the front property line. Proposed amended motion as follows:

MOTION #1:

Whereas the LAMC regulations limit frontage barrier heights to three feet, six inches, absent unique or geographical circumstances, and,

Whereas the VCZSP entitles property owners, in a specific area of North Venice Subarea in which 251 Market Street is located, to maintain fences and hedges up to six feet in height in the front yard, provided they observe a setback of one foot. Reference: VCZSP Section F, 4, a.

We therefore move that the VNC recommend approval of the project, provided that the proposed fence observes a setback of one foot as specified in the VCZSP.

MOTION #2:

LUPC recommends that the applicant provide a largely open view for that portion of the proposed fence that exceeds three and one half feet in height.

E From Budget Committee

I Barkley Griggs & Mindy Myers (310-962-7614; mmeyer@pacbell.net) on behalf of Budget Committee: Request funding out of community improvement funds of up to $4,600.00 to fund BBQ at Oakwood Recreation Center which would be a community improvement event for entire Venice. Budget committee unanimously approved this item.

II Stephen Fiske (310-396-8205; stephen@fiskemusic.com) on behalf of Budget Committee: Budget committee unanimously approved a $3000 request from Stephen Fiske, stakeholder, representing Venice Eco-Fest 2008 to purchase a Silver Sponsorship of this event which is scheduled for June 21.

F From Board Members

I Stewart Oscars (310-305-8248; stewart.oscars@gmail.com): I move that all task forces and working groups operating within the bounds of Venice Neighborhood Council (VNC) be encouraged to post public notices and locations of their meetings 72 hours in advance of said meetings on the website.

II Linda Lucks (310-505-4220; Lindalucks@aol.com): Request for approval of Disaster Preparedness Flyer as a living document.

G From Stakeholders

I Todd von Hoffmann (310-398-9231; BDBooks@aol.com) on behalf of the Venice Heritage Foundation: Request of Board to send a letter to Councilman Rosendahl and/or “To whom it may Concern”, supporting the Venice Heritage Foundation’s efforts to establish a Venice Heritage Museum along the lines of the Red Car Historical Museum in Seal Beach. Letter is:

On behalf of the VNC, I’m pleased to add my support to The Venice Heritage Foundation. Their mission statement – “Envisioning a Venice History Museum” – focuses on an important goal for our community. Abbot Kinney’s “Venice of America” has had a full and fascinating life and that continuing story deserves to be shared. While the need for a museum heritage center has often been discussed over the years, the VHF was created solely with this purpose in mind. The founding members – all lovers of things Venice – include collectors, successful community volunteers, and, significantly, noted author and historian Elayne Alexander.

The VHF plan is particularly exciting. It calls for the restoration of an original Pacific Electric Red Car to serve as the initial museum space to be located in Venice. The Seal Beach Museum has demonstrated the success of this idea with their own Red Car museum and public library residing similarly (and very appropriately) on old Pacific Electric right-of-way property.

The Foundation has located a 100 year old Red Car (PE511) ready for a home and restoration volunteers are standing by. The restored trolley itself will evoke a charming period of our history and add another treasured sight along our gateway to Venice. The VHF plan tastefully suggests an additional adjunct building replicating the old pagoda-style PE substation that used to stand nearby along Venice Blvd. called “The Tokio Station”.

The museum space will be available to all local collections, public and private, and serve an important community function for residents, visitors, scholars, and students. We can’t think of a better theme than a celebration of our incredibly interesting past and a legacy for our future.

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

11. Adjourn (approx 10:00PM)

Location(s)

See map: Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps

Attachment	Size
080318VNCBoardAgendaRev.doc	112 KB
9EI-OakwoodBBQ2008FundingRequest.doc	55 KB
9F2-DisasterPrepBrochureVeniceNeighborhood21908.pdf	610.15 KB
9DIII-251_Market_staff_report_FINAL.pdf	113.39 KB
9DI-LUPC March 12, 2008 recommended motion to VNC 3-18-08-2.doc	28.5 KB
9EII-VB Eco-Fest Proposal.doc	1.04 MB
8-080229BudgetStatus.xls	57 KB