This was the second time the Council approved the construction of a field, first on the eastern side of the campus and then now on the western side of the campus.
During the March 31 City Council meeting when the elements of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project (The Project) were being voted on and mostly approved, the Council voted to allow construction of a regulation size soccer field on the eastern side of the campus.
Immediately after the vote was taken Marymount's Land Use Attorney, Mr. Don Davis rose to categorically state that Marymount would not build a new field on the eastern side even though the current field remains there.
Mr. Davis, along the Marymount's President Dr. Michael Brophy pleaded with Council members at that meeting to ultimately deny approval of the field due to their strong opinions that any new field must be built on the college's western side or no field would be constructed at all.
Also at that March meeting, Councilman Brian Campbell also sought to have increased mitigation items voted on if he was to support the new field being approved along the west side.
At the Tuesday meeting, Councilman Anthony Misetich and Mayor Stefan Wolowicz remained strong advocates for approving the new field on the east side of the campus, just as it was previously approved to be placed. Ultimately the two gentlemen offered "No" votes but they were in the minority when the final vote was taken.
Councilman Campbell originally talked about three mitigating elements he would like to see for a field on the west side:
Increasing the overall height of the retractable netting from 20 feet to 30 feet.
Increasing the overall height of the permanent chain-link fencing surrounding the tennis courts that were eventually approved to be located between the large field and near the curb of the curve along Palos Verdes Drive East.
The final element Councilman Campbell wanted was some type of permanent barrier along the one-thousand feet of the center median of Palos Verdes Drive East as it goes around the long curve of the western side of Marymount's border.
As it turned out, not only did Councilman Campbell get what he was calling for, but Marymount's Land Use Attorney offered the college's support for even more mitigation and even some help funding the barrier.
By a three to two vote, the City Council approved the following:
A regulation sized soccer field as an athletic field for multiple uses constructed on the western side of Marymount college but further east than what Marymount prefers and with two of the four tennis courts being constructed just to the west of the large field.
The height of the retractable netting from 20 feet to 30 and the Marymount supported condition that the netting be placed not only on the ends of the field but also along the western side of the entire field.
Also, the height of the fencing around the two ends of the western tennis courts was raised from 10 feet to 20 feet and fencing was approved to encase the entire tennis court on all four sides.
The wrought iron fencing that creates the physical boundary for the campus along the north, west, and southern sides along Palos Verdes Drive East had its height increased to six feet tall.
A provision was approved to decrease the number of lanes along Palos Verdes Drive East from what they are today to one lane in each direction. This provision is within the general recommendations of the recently completed study of the entire Palos Verdes Drive East roadbed and siding.
The final approved mitigation was the approval to seek studies and bids to construct a permanent concrete median barrier 36 inches tall along the center line of the curve within lines established by the city's Traffic Engineer.
Marymount officials announced on Monday that, although it has nothing to do with The Project or The Marymount Plan, the college is willing to donate $200,000.00 to help defray taxpayer costs for the center line median barrier.
The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project has now been completely approved of at probably over 90% of the elements being identical to Marymount's preferred plan and elements.
Now the City Attorney can draft resolutions and regulations that support the approved Project for final approval of the new codes and ordinances by the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council, perhaps within the next 30 days.
Now some comments.
I supported the Council's first approved location of the field on the east side of the campus. I fully understand and consider the comments made by Councilman Misetich and Mayor Wolowicz. I know they have safety of everyone as their primary concern and I could have lived very comfortably had a third member sided with the two others and approved the field construction on Marymount's eastern side.
I also supported Councilman Campbell's position that to approve the field for the west side, increased mitigation needed to be considered and also approved.
I feel Councilman Campbell and I got more than we were seeking to have the field on the side requested by Marymount and I agree with Councilman Campbell that we can all sleep comfortably with the approvals voted in by the Council.
I could have also slept just as comfortably if Councilman Misetich's and Mayor Wolowicz had found a third vote for their positions.
Since the entire Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project elements the City Council could vote on were approved and I agree with every single element and vote by the Council, I must be the only resident of Rancho Palos Verdes who got all that I wanted and even some other good things, too.
I hope we can finally demonstrate that The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project is the best Project for Marymount, its nearby neighbors, and all of the rest of the residents of Rancho Palos Verdes.
I will create a post about The Marymount Plan, how it is so similar to what has already been approved, and the newest complications Marymount has added to the quagmire it continues to sink into, because too many of those folks just are not willing to accept what they have been given and cause many of the problems themselves.
As it is, it is 1:57AM Wednesday morning and I need to get some sleep.
I would like you readers to know that a group of Rancho Palos Verdes residents are going to all parts of the city to enumerate Census questionnaires of residents who did not turn in their Census Questionnaires in time.
Please participate in this 23rd. decennial Census and get counted.
Thank you and....
Please don't sign the petition.
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