“College plan ignores city codes
In Chris Pisano's letter to the editor, "Marymount College's plan is reasonable" (Wednesday), he states: "I happen to feel that the plan is a reasonable one and will enhance the school and our community."
If Pisano read Pages 4 through 6 of the 51-page initiative document, he would realize that the Marymount plan would eviscerate the city's development code and zoning map, which creates a specific plan Marymount College only. The plan would also add two multistory dormitories, eliminate public input on future development on Marymount property and establish a terrible precedent for others to circumvent city rules and regulations.
Pisano states that I supplied the entire membership list, including his name, to Ken Dyda as opponents of the Marymount plan, and he asked me to apologize.
I wrote to Chris explaining that I did not give the mailing list to anyone.
At last week's City Council meeting, Lois Karp read a letter from Ken Dyda, leader of Save Our City III, in which he states that the Council of Homeowners Associations did not give him a member list.
I am confident that the residents of Rancho Palos Verdes will see through Pisano's smokescreen about mailing lists and other tactics used by Marymount and their supporters - the judge certainly did.
- Jon Cartwright, President
RPV Council of Homeowners Associations “
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So below, please find wording from Pages 4-6 of the 51-page initiative document.
No development may occur within the Specific Plan area unless it is consistent with the
Specific Plan. Only those uses set forth in the Specific Plan may be conducted or
constructed in Specific Plan District V, as follows:
A. All land uses within the Specific Plan area, shown in the Specific Plan Land
Use Table, that existed as of the date this ordinance becomes effective;
B. Academic instructional and classroom facilities (including laboratories, fine
arts studios, research facilities, etc.);
C. Administrative offices (including faculty offices);
D. Athletic facilities and intercollegiate and other athletic activities,
competitions, games, and events;
E. Auditorium;
F. Chapel and worship facilities;
G. Dining facilities;
H. Fine arts facilities;
I. Library;
J. Preschool;
K. Educational programs;
L. Residence halls;
M. Day care and day camp;
N. Ancillary educational facilities (i.e., computer labs, maintenance areas,
student health center, bookstore, and retail ancillary to educational use); and
O. Temporary special uses and developments.
17.38.100.030. Specific Plan Development Standards.
The development standards for the Specific Plan area are as set forth in the Specific Plan,
and are incorporated into this section 17.38.100.030 by reference.
17.38.100.040. Development Conditions and Limitations.
Development within the Specific Plan area shall be subject to the Campus Requirements
listed in Attachment F, which include provisions relating to restrictions and limitations
upon development and operations within the Specific Plan area. The Campus
Requirements are on file in the office of the director. The city shall have available to it
for enforcing the Campus Requirements the same enforcement mechanisms as it would
have for conditions of approval of other development projects, except that the city shall
not have the power to revoke, repeal, amend or stay the Specific Plan or any or all of its
components. The city may also substitute equivalent measures, without the need for a
vote of the people, subject to the consent of the Campus owner.
17.38.100.050. Applications for Development.
If an application for development consistent with the Specific Plan is submitted to the
city, and is also consistent with all applicable city grading and building standards, then
the application shall issue ministerially . Certificates of occupancy shall also issue
ministerially provided only that construction conforms to applicable building and grading
requirements for issuance of such certificates, and to the provisions of the Specific Plan.
Except as provided in the Specific Plan, including the Campus Requirements, no
additional approvals or entitlements, including but not limited to departmental review
approval, conditional use permit, use permit, development plan, planned development,
variance, zoning clearance, site plan approval, site plan review, minor use permit, or any
other review, approval, or entitlement purporting to regulate or guide land use or
development shall be required by the city for the development described in such
application.
B. Technical Amendments to Title 17 of the Municipal Code
Title 17 of the RPVMC is hereby amended to create and include Section 17.96.1202 as
follows:
17.96.1202 - Campus Specific Plan
"Campus Specific Plan" means the development standards, regulations, and conditions
governing Specific Plan District V, which apply to the property described therein, and
which plan is more particularly set forth in the Campus Specific Plan adopted by the
people of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes at an election called for the purpose of
enacting this measure, that is on file in the office of the director.
C. Amendment to Maps
The City of Ranchos Palos Verdes Zoning Map and all related zoning maps also are
amended to change the zone for the Campus from the current Institutional (I) District to Specific
Plan District V and are amended to substitute the diagram in Attachment C for the area of such
maps that depicts the Campus, and to include the notation "Specific Plan District V is subject
only to the provisions of section 17.38.100 ofthis Code and the Campus Specific Plan."
D. Zoning Code; Conflicts with Specific Plan
Except as may be otherwise expressly set forth in the Specific Plan, the standards and
definitions of the Specific Plan shall govern in lieu of any provisions of the City of Ranchos
Palos Verdes Municipal Code and all related zoning regulations and definitions that conflict with
any provision of the Specific Plan.
SECTION 4: CAMPUS SPECIFIC PLAN
A. Campus Specific Plan
The Campus Specific Plan ("Specific Plan") applies to the property, which is commonly
known and currently used as the Marymount College campus, and is located at the southeastern portion of the City, immediately south of the intersection of Palos Verdes Drive East and Crest Road. The approximately 24.57-acre Property is located on a site overlooking the southern tip of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and the Pacific Ocean that is more particularly described in Attachment G ('Legal Description") to this ordinance. The only zoning district that is consistent with this Specific Plan is Specific Plan District V.
The Specific Plan permits all existing uses and activities within the Specific Plan area,
renovation to the existing Campus consisting of the demolition of some existing buildings, the
modernization and expansion of existing buildings, the construction of new academic,
recreational, student and staff housing, and related ancillary facilities, and the relocation and
reconfiguration of recreational facilities, athletic fields and parking facilities as shown on
Specific Plan Land Use Table below and on Attachment D-Specific Plan Land Use Plan.
The Specific Plan Land Use Plan sets forth the anticipated locations of the various land
uses and facilities within the Specific Plan area. As more particularly described in Section B.5,
below, the Specific Plan Land Use Table represents potential development within the Specific
Plan area.
So to Chris Pisano and others, let me repeat some of the Measure and place in bold some of the language that is so alarming and illustrates what so many of us truly feel is a power grab by Marymount, one that could spell great trouble for the residents of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Our residents voted for representatives to represent them and not have our City Council become a stand-by group of people who would be legally helpless to stop over development by Marymount and possibly other businesses and very wealthy persons who are more interested in their profits and revenues compared to the rights and will of the people.
17.38.100.040. Development Conditions and Limitations.
Development within the Specific Plan area shall be subject to the Campus Requirements
listed in Attachment F, which include provisions relating to restrictions and limitations
upon development and operations within the Specific Plan area. The Campus
Requirements are on file in the office of the director. The city shall have available to it
for enforcing the Campus Requirements the same enforcement mechanisms as it would
have for conditions of approval of other development projects, except that the city shall
not have the power to revoke, repeal, amend or stay the Specific Plan or any or all of its components. The city may also substitute equivalent measures, without the need for a vote of the people, subject to the consent of the Campus owner.
D. Zoning Code; Conflicts with Specific Plan
Except as may be otherwise expressly set forth in the Specific Plan, the standards and
definitions of the Specific Plan shall govern in lieu of any provisions of the City of Ranchos Palos Verdes Municipal Code and all related zoning regulations and definitions that conflict with any provision of the Specific Plan.
Chris and others, it is opined that should Measure P pass, Marymount's representatives would sell the rights they would acquire to other business interests to build, maintain, and operate the on-campus student at no cost to the College and also supplying the College with monthly or yearly revenue. This would be as the expense of the local neighbors and others driving or visiting in the area because it also means the Marymount officials probably have the right to rent our or lease portions of the campus to varius non-academic groups for parties, sporting events, concerts, other entertainment productions, summer camps, and entities that would pay Marymount College a fee for site usage with operations under the authority of Marymount College and not the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.
These are some of the reasons that the yard signs state that our city is NOT FOR SALE.
Other opponents of Meausre P and The Marymount Plan oppose them because they feel it is not appropriate, ethical, responsible, or realistic to place high density housing in a low density residential area.
The fewest percentage of opponents to Meausre P and The Marymount Plan share my deep conviction that placing on-campus student housing on the Marymount site is a safety concern that cannot be mitigated to a level close enough to be considered 'safe' by any real standard.
My position has, as of this date, gone unchallenged by anyone and there has been no defense offered to counter or even challenge my contentions, facts, or opinions that is would be unsafe to have young students living on the Marymount College campus up to 24 hours per day and up to seven days a week.
I'll debate anyone, anywhere, and at any time about the safety issues and I am quite sure after any debate, all will learn the truth about safety at Marymount and why on-campus student housing would be unsafe for students, faculty, staff, visitors, local residents, area visitors, tourists, businesses that use P.V. Drive East, and it would put greater liabilities onto the city of Rancho Palos Verdes and its taxpayers due to those safety issues that cannot be mitigated.
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