Councilman Anthony Misetich is currently being considered to be the alternate to Mayor Wolowicz as the Ponte Vista Development Liaison.
Mr. Misetich was an early supporter of Bob Bisno's plans to build 2,300 condominiums on 61.53 acres of land directly accross Western Avenue from homes in Rancho Palos Verdes.
While Mr. Misetich may continue to contend that he supported Bisno's plans so that Senior Housing Units could be built, it means that his support of such a large residential project on our border needs to be considered, even though the plans have changed.
Mr. Misetich is associated with former L.A. Councilman Rudy Svornich. Mr. Svornich was a paid lobbyist for Bisno Development Co. LLC and received payments from one of Bob Bisno's organizations.
I feel there could be an appearance of a conflict of interest having Mr. Misetich have any involvement while serving as a Councilman, with Rancho Palos Verdes and Ponte Vista at San Pedro.
Our city council's history concerning Ponte Vista at San Pedro was to oppose both the 2,300-condo project and the subsequent 1,950-condo plan offered by Bob Bisno, who is now the former developer of the project.
Currently the new development team for the project has yet to publish new plans for the project worked out with the Los Angeles City Planning Department. It is hoped those new plans may come forth by this Spring.
The latest print work used by the Ponte Vista at San Pedro Outreach Team illustrated a 1,395-unit project but it is not known what the final application will look like.
Mr. Misetich was the only candidate in the past election to have been a supporter of plans for Ponte Vista at San Pedro. While he claimed to me he hadn't been to a meeting of the Advisory Board his name was associated with, he didn't seem to feel it necessary to have his name and affiliation removed from the controversial project.
To be fair and open, I am a member of the Steering Committee of R Neighborhoods Are 1, the citizen-based group of volunteers who actively opposed, and continues to oppose, a large project consisting of condominiums along Western Avenue in northwest San Pedro.
I also currently believe that up to 831-units could be successfully built at Ponte Vista. This number reflects a dwelling density equivalent to The Gardens, the large condominium housing development almost next to the Ponte Vista site.
I wish Mr. Misetich would simply reflect that while an elected Councilman of the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, he should voluntarily refrain from any activity associated with our city and Ponte Vista at San Pedro. During the time Mr. Misetich belonged to the Advisory Board, our Council along with others in our city worked very hard against the very project Mr. Misetich was an Advisory Board member for and a supporter of.
I feel there are many other qualities Mr. Misetich can afford our city with his business knowledge and contacts in San Pedro. I do feel however, that it is in the best interest of our own city that Mr. Misetich not have any governmental dealings with Ponte Vista at San Pedro.
