Hypocrisy

Sara Wan, the Coastal Commissioner from wealthy Malibu, is a hypocrite.

Malibu, Santa Monica and other nearby cities have forced RVs and campers out and the only place left for them to go near the water is in Venice (see sign posted at the Malibu city limits).

Then Ms. Wan has the audacity to turn around and call the 200-plus RVs and campers in Venice a "social problem" and to vote against the City of LA implementing overnight restricted parking for residents 2-5 AM (an hour when hardly anyone wants to go to the beach anyway).

It's time for Ms. Wan to practice what she preaches and have the Coastal Commission require her city to create street parking on PCH and residential streets for RVs and campers so her neighbors can also enjoy these instant neighbors, with all the related crime, drug and alcohol use, piles of trash, late night noise, loss of parking and dumping of human waste.

California Coastal Commission Rejects Settlement

VSA Press Release

The public has just seen a remarkable and brazen example of deceit by a public body in the actions of members of the California Coastal Commission in their rejection of coastal development permits for overnight restricted parking in Venice.

The Venice Stakeholders Association and the City of Los Angeles participated in several months of good faith settlement negotiations with Coastal Commission staff and the Commission itself, which resulted in a compromise plan to allow Venice residents to finally have control of parking on their blocks overnight, while also assuring adequate beach access for visitors.

In executive session last month the Commission approved the settlement of the VSA lawsuit, which included significant compromises on VSA's part and the part of the City. The City had to significantly increase the early morning parking available for beach visitors, while Venice residents would have to try out an untested new Oversize Vehicle Ordinance before being allowed to implement overnight parking restrictions on their blocks. The attorneys representing all parties signed the agreement and, again, in good faith all the attorneys went into court last week to ask the judge to remand the suit to the Commission to formally adopt the agreed settlement.

However, the commission then at its hearing today reneged on the agreement, and scuttled the permits they had promised Venice residents. They oddly created new demands for the type of application the City must present and set a requirement that the City perform a study that proves that non-resident parking is a problem in Venice. This demand is bizarre as everyone who has visited Venice can see the evidence of the over 200 RVs, campers, vans, and buses that take up hundreds of spaces full time, many of them parking right on residents' doorsteps. Indeed, these vehicles are the primary cause of insufficient parking for beach visitors as they stay parked on city streets near the beach 24/7.

"This 'bait and switch' trick is reprehensible in a public body," said Mark Ryavec, president of the Venice Stakeholders Association. "Throughout this long process the Commission and its staff have acted dishonorably, first saying some years ago that no coastal development permit would be required for overnight parking 2-6 AM since State law had preempted this time period, then later reversing themselves and requiring a permit."

"Now they are setting yet another hurdle," Ryavec said, while expressing doubt that any Commission members or staff have visited Venice to see for themselves the impact these vehicles have on residents."

"Our only recourse is to remove overnight parking in Venice from this arrogant body's jurisdiction by renewing our litigation," Ryavec said.

Call To Action

We are in the final days of our fight to secure Venice residents the right to set up overnight restricted parking on their blocks if we want it.

We need to ask you take three actions:

1. Go on-line by Monday the 7th and sign the petition (text below) to the Coastal Commission to support the settlement of the VSA lawsuit against the Coastal Commission. We will deliver the petition to the Commission. You can sign online here:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/opd

2. Down-load the letter to the Coastal Commission, sign it and fax it to: (562) 590-5084. Again, please do this by Monday the 7th. Click this link now.

3. Attend the Coastal Commission hearing on this item on Thursday, June 10th at the Marina del Rey Hotel at 13534 Bali Way. Last year, when the Commission first considered the Venice OPDs, we were over-confident that the staff's recommendation for passage would lead to Commission approval of the permits for the OPDs so many of us did not attend the hearing. This year we cannot make this mistake; we need every OPD supporter present at the hearing. The hearing starts at 9 AM; we will advise you later on the time our item will be considered.

Thank you.

Mark Ryavec
President, Venice Stakeholders Association

Stewart Oscars,
Co-Chair, VNC OPD Committee

Georgann Abraham
Co-Chair, VNC OPD Committee

Giovanna Imbesi
North Venice Coordinator

Text of the letter is here if you'd prefer to copy/paste and modify it:

Petition to Members of the California Coastal Commission

Re: Re: Support for Settlement of Venice Stakeholders Association vs California Coastal Commission lawsuit / Coastal Development Permit for Venice Overnight Parking District/ Application Nos. 5-08-313, A-5-VEN-08-343 & A-5-VEN-08-344

Please support the settlement in the Venice Stakeholders Association vs California Coastal Commission lawsuit.

Many Venetians have had to live for years with the noxious impacts of those who camp on our doorsteps in RVs and campers. We have had to face the frustrations of not being able to find street parking anywhere near our homes, been kept awake at night by running generators and late-night partying, been accosted by drunks residing in these vehicles, and had to clean up the human waste and piles of garbage left on our yards, alleys and sidewalks.

It is time for your commission to honor the requirement in the Coastal Act that the Commission balance resident concerns and needs with those of beach visitors.

This compromise agreement will allow Venice residents to finally exercise control of late-night parking on their blocks and enhance neighborhood security while it also provides adequate beach access for early-morning visitors.

This agreement is supported by the majority of Venetians, as demonstrated by the February 21, 2009 Neighborhood Council plebiscite in which almost 60% of residents voted in support of residents having the option to implement overnight restricted parking on their blocks.

Please vote for the settlement!

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

[Your Signature / Name Here]

VSA Opposes Rosendahl Raid on Venice Surplus Property Fund for RV/Camper "Park and Snooze" Camps

Councilman Bill Rosendahl
Los Angeles City Council
City Hall
200 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Re: Motion to Allocate $1,200,000 from Venice Surplus Real Property Fund to Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to Fund RV/Camper Program (Rosendahl/Parks)

Dear Councilman Rosendahl,

I am writing on behalf of the Venice Stakeholders Association to indicate our opposition to your Motion to allocate $1,200,000 from Venice Surplus Real Property Fund (VSRPF) to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) to fund an RV/Camper Program in CD 11 (Rosendahl/Parks).

This proposed allocation violates the intent and letter of the City Administrative Code section which governs the VSRPF.

The Administrative Code requires that the net proceeds from the sale of any Venice properties shall be devoted exclusively to capital or non-capital projects generally within the “Venice area” for purposes which will be of benefit to citizens of the City of Los Angeles or tourists to the Venice Beach area. The perimeters of the “Venice area” are tightly prescribed, and the eastern boundary is Lincoln Boulevard.

The intent of the ordinance establishing the VSRPF was to fund physical improvements from the sale of physical property, so as to not squander these rare assets

The allocation of these funds to LAHSA does not represent a capital or non-capital project. LAHSA is a service provider. There will be no “project” – no improvement, no structure, no physical repairs – from this allocation.

While the Motion’s language calls for the services funded by this allocation to LAHSA to be provided in CD 11, this is not legally permissible under the Administrative Code. Any expenditure outside of Venice would invite legal challenge. To avoid legal action, the City and LAHSA would be forced to expend the $1,200,000 to provide safe parking and services only in Venice for people living in their vehicles as long as they were citizens of any part of Los Angeles or were tourists. This would have the following three results:

1) Fund the placement of hundreds of RVs, campers and vans parking in close proximity to residences, schools, parks, canals, the beach, etc., in Venice.

2) Make Venice the destination RV/camper park for all of Los Angeles, and formally open the door for providing parking spaces and services for a large number “tourists” living in RVs/campers/vans.

3) Violate LAMC 85.02, the ban on lodging in vehicles.

As you know, our organization supports a Vehicle-to-Housing Transition Program, as outlined in the report of the VNC Ad-Hoc Committee on Homelessness and Vehicle Occupation, under a conditional use permit, limits on length of stay, and setbacks from residences of at least 250 feet. There is no definition in your Motion of the proposed program, which gives us serious concerns, as we do not believe that the Santa Barbara model is appropriate in several aspects for the much denser environment of Venice. In addition, LAHSA has no experience in operating a program to assist vehicle dwellers transition to housing.

Further, we understand that the Grand Canal Restoration Project – a capital project in Venice – has an immediate need for $1,600,000 to complete the western side of the Grand Canal from Washington Boulevard to Driftwood.

We would strongly recommend that you revise your Motion to allocate the $1,200,000 to finish this long delayed restoration project, which complies with the intent and letter of the language of the VSRPF.

Sincerely yours,

Mark Ryavec
President


cc: Mark Winter, Director, Marina Peninsula Neighborhood Association

Members of the Los Angeles City Council

Pacific Legal Foundation support

The PLF has begun preparation of an Amicus Brief to support our legal efforts to protect the rights of Venice residents to control vehicles illegally parked overnight on Venice streets.

City of L.A. agrees with the VSA

The Los Angeles city attorney's office filed legal papers today indicating that it agrees with the Venice Stakeholders Assn. in our claim that the city may establish restricted-parking districts in Venice with out obtaining permission from the California Coastal Commission.

Contribute to the legal effort

Contributions to the legal effort to allow Overnight Parking Districts in Venice may be made by sending a check directly to our attorney:

John Henning, Attorney at Law
125 N. Sweetzer Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Please include the note: Venice Stakeholders Association / Venice OPD legal effort

Suggested amount: $100 to $250, though all contributions welcome. Contributions are unfortunately not tax deductible.

You may also use the Paypal button to contribute to this legal effort.