SO LONG, FOR NOW!

It's time for me to move on, for at least a while. I know I have not posted much recently, and I guess and hope you know why.

Terri and I moved away from Rancho Palos Verdes last March 26 and we moved into our new home in Murrieta, California, on April 5.

Existence here is so very, very different than it was when we lived in R.P.V. and it is not only an extremely interesting change, it is also more wonderful than either of us had expected.

Not a week goes by when we learn new things and visit sites and have activities we didn't think we would like so much, out here in Southwest Riverside County.

We could not have imagined that it could be pool o'clock just about anytime we wanted and that jacuzzi o'clock whenever, could be so enjoyable.

It took about 4-1/2 months to get used to 100 degree days and now we get 'hot' when it gets over 108 degrees. The bout of humidity we had several weeks ago was also noted as being a bit more uncomfortable that we like, but it sounds like R.P.V. got several doses of that, too.

I truly do not miss anything in R.P.V. because I had association with the area I grew up in for over 57-1/2 years. Of course I miss the people and I hope everyone is happy and healthy.

As for issues, I will consider how two issues related to R.P.V. compares to what we are finding out here.

Ponte Vista:

830-total units in Northwest San Pedro is too many for me to be comfortable with, even though I have opined that I could have lived with 831-total units.

The fact that while the developers have added more 'single-family' units from their original number, there are still too many multi-family building being asked for, with too many truly or most likely becoming rental units.

I don't care how much traffic mitigation the developers claim they will do, with only ONE access street (Western Avenue) to and from the property, that is at least one street too few.

Remember, The Gardens have Western, Westmont AND Gaffey.

I did write my options about the project when the DEIR was published. Whether any calls for fewer than 830 units or the makeup of the types of units is changed is something that MAY bring about more acceptance for the project. Tripling the number of 'single-family, detached' units might be a good start, though.

Here in Murrieta, well actually by our Kaiser Permente facility in nearby Wildomar, there is a giant multi-family buildings comlex being built. Renewed building of residences and business is back and ongoing, and it is good for just about everyone.

HOWEVER, we down here have the space and our on-ramps and off-ramps to the TWO Interstates that we live between are being enlarged.

We have alternative routes to pass more congested areas. Yes, there are some ramps you would not believe and both Winchester and Temecula Parkway can be true nightmares, too much of the time.

We live in norther Murrieta, but the Temecula mall is closer and easier to get to than the Del Amo mall was to us.

As far as schools, thankfully, is a push between most of the Temecula and Murrieta schools, compared to P.V.P.U.S.D. Wildomar school, not so much. Menifee schools, nowhere near. Lake Elsinor school, don't belong in any comparison.

The vast majority of helicopters that pass over our home are NOT 'ghetto birds' but come from Camp Pendleton.

There are ZERO standard gauge railroad tracks in Murrieta, so we don't here the trains that belong to the Harbor Belt Line.

If I want to hear a foghorn early in the morning, I can go to the Internet for that.

The closest fire station to us is closer than Station 83 but since the trucks don't run ALL THE TIME or along Western Avenue, that is a big change we appreciate.

We also appreciate that we no longer live so close to a cemetery located along a major thoroughfare, when L    O    N    G funeral processions don't block our way.

While I don't drink alcohol and Terri barely manages one glass of wine, having GREAT selections of dining choices at regular restaurants AND wineries, provides with so many new tastes and experiences.

We got very spoiled, very quickly. There are Sunday music concerts all over the place.

You haven't really lived until you see a Shakespeare or Shakespeare-based comedy being performed at a winery where wine is served long before the performance begins. Watching some of the audience is at least as comical as watching many of the 'other' actors.

Music is all over the valley. Whether it is at a winery or in Old Temecula, the choices for types of music varies as much as the types of grapes grown around here.

The biggest drawback for me, living here, is that my work is still in the Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley areas. If you think driving to and from R.P.V. to locations in the areas mentioned, just getting me to and from Corona, Ca takes a little over half and hour. Then, the 91 freeway, through the canyon could be more better compared to driving 19 miles through the streets of Calcutta.

I try as hard as I can to have call times outside 'normal' commute times. Working overnight is more convenient and has much less stressful driving patterns.

I am (sort of) looking for 'regular' work. I may try harder for just part-time work. I'm trying to get my California Security Guard Card, but whether I'll look for a job in that line of work is still being determined.

I have not been to a Murrieta City Council meeting...yet. I have received information that their members are at least as conservative as four of the members of the R.P.V. C.C.. At this time there doesn't appear to be any issues I have and issues with, but it is good to become a better citizen/participant, than just asking others to do it.

As for the Murrieta Police, my best description is to imagine the Simi Valley Police Department, but perhaps just a bit tougher. All the neighbors tell us that they are great, just don't cross, think of crossing, dream of crossing, or plan on dreaming about thinking about trying to cross them.

According to an F.B.I. survey, done some time ago, Murrieta was judged the second safest city in the whole U.S.A. I can believe that.

I have and never will have anything against the L.A. County Sheriffs Department and the great men and women who served and continue to serve R.P.V. and every other community.

There are not enough thanks in this Galaxy that I could give to the many friends and acquaintances we made and have in R.P.V., San Pedro and other locales. My contacts have grown since we left and I'm not about to do away with any contacts.

As for the upcoming election, if I were to vote for two Council members, I would re-elect Brian Campbell and give former Mayor Ken Dyda another term. All three candidates are conservatives so I don't have a choice between a conservative and a liberal.

My consideration about former Mayor Anthony Misetich is that it seems he does so much better in his chosen field of expertise and if he is getting a new company off the ground, perhaps city business should go away for him so he can create the most successful business as possible.

Ken Dyda's dedication to the city and its residents long after he served on the R.P.V. City Council demonstrates his love for the city, his vast knowledge of city business and its people and his willingness to try to make things better for residents, is such a good thing.

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The Junior College that became a 4-year institution, that now seems to be adding post-graduate degree studies...whatever the name of it now is:

Marymount College/Marymount California University should take over the Ponte Vista site, move its R.P.V. campus there and move its Palos Verdes North housing there, too.

But that won't happen, so let's move on.

I continue to feel strongly that whatever Marymount supporters want, should be studied one element at a time. Let's see if they can do anything other than changing asphalt at their R.P.V. campus.

There is no way I would ever support having anywhere near 1,200-students and associated staff attending classes and facilities on the Southeast side of The Hill.

Once the final stripe was placed on their new parking lot, any suggestion of have that many students attending that campus made the whole parking lot obsolete. Heck, it was obsolete before it was finished.

I continue to support Marymount's efforts in downtown San Pedro and would have supported The Marymount College Facilites Expansion Project had it ever been physically started. (The newly completed parking facilities fall outside the approved plans for the approved Project.)

Let Marymount build whatever they wish to build, one thing at a time, for up to 794-students attending the R.P.V. site.

Now in contrast, even though we haven't lived in Murrieta six months yet, Terri is still enrolled in a Microsoft Office class at San Jacinto College. That campus is in nearby Menifee, about ten minutes away from our home. It would take you longer to drive from Hesse Park to Marymount than it does getting to S.J. College.

But that's only a start. Less that 1/4 of a mile from our front door is a rented space for Murrieta University. About 1/4 mile from that site is another site for Azusa Pacific. So I technically have two colleges within one half a mile from my home.

I could get to U.C. Riverside faster than someone living on the Western-most edge of R.P.V. getting to U.S.C.

There is space out here that R.P.V. simply does not have. There are no colleges among the nearby hills, but they are on flat land, with wide open spaces.

Less than five miles away from our home is a Loma Linda University Hospital and teaching facility.

Murrieta has about 2-1/2 times the population that R.P.V. has. We do have lots of tract housing and many multi-tenant buildings. We can put the land that the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy has into a fairly decent open space land areas here in Murrieta. But then we would still have all the city parks, city maintained trails, watersheds and other open spaces to enjoy.

Sun City is nearby but it is NOT in Murrieta. We have The Colony.

It's hotter in the Summer and colder in the Winter here, compared to R.P.V. it rains a whole heck of a lot less, here. It's dryer here, too.

So, until I write again, thanks so very, very, very much for putting up with my overly long posts and I hope you learned a little bit and enjoyed a little bit more, this blog.

It's Confusing And That Is What One Party Seems To Want.

A Ph.D. pleads with the City Council to extend Phase 1 so that there would be 'no confusion'.

The Ph.D. states his pleadings while addressing the Council in front of a slide show in which every projected slide states, in the lower right corner; "Marymount California University".

Repeatedly, the Ph.D. describes what would happen at "the college" if the extension was not granted. He stated that supporters of "the college" could be confused if the extension was not granted to allow for the construction of the 'revised athletic field'.

The Ph.D. seemed very sly in not admitting that the 'revised athletic field' has absolutely nothing to do with the extension of Phase 1, even though he pleaded for an extension for 'the college'.

The Ph.D. also stated that the City Council had to extend the time for Phase 1 to affirm its support for the athletic field...you know, the one he is not willing to build.

The Ph.D. wanted to get 'affirmation' from the City Council that it supported the 'revised' athletic field and not the athletic field the City Council repeatedly affirmed for the college.

I have to give the Ph.D. great credit for confusing the issue enough to get at least two City Council members to call for the extension to September 30, 2013 partly because it is an election year.

I hope somebody tells the member of the City Council that when the Ph.D. comes back for another extension of Phase one, on or about September 30, 2013, they acknowledge that the date is closer to the actual election date than May 7, 2013 is.

Remember when, back in 2010, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council approved for Phase 1 of the Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project 6 elements of construction to be part of Phase 1?

Well, of the three, make that three, oh yes, the Ph.D. stated that there are now three approved elements, he claims he will finish all three, not six, by September 30, 2013, possible.

Now of those six, I mean three, let's review.

The Utilitiess: Yes, most of that element is done. However, revisions to the plans for them ultimately placed a transformer and distribution panels where a building was approved to be. So, whatever happens in the future will require more study and changes IF the plans for a new athletic building go forward.

The Parking Lot: After TWO, yes two, make that 1+1 time extensions, the parking lot is still NOT COMPLETED!

The Athletic Field: This is where it all gets very confusing and why extending Phase 1, while some on the Council called it a "moot point" is a bad idea (even though there was a 5-0 vote to extend Phase 1 until September 30, 2013).

Phase 1 has an approved athletic field as a element the Ph.D. still won't say would be built if the 'revised' field is not approved, by the City Council.

The Ph.D. seems to contend that the 'revised' athletic field is part of Phase 1 and must remain that way to avoid confusion. Again, he talked about the "college" in front of slides that stated "University".

City Staff and Council Members seem to be in accord with the fact that the 'revised' field must be studied and considered separate and apart from Phase 1.

Here's a bit of trivia-stop: Unless I am incorrect, the California Secretary of State must certify the change of the name of an institution of higher learning, such as a college or a university.

As far as I know, no name change to any institution of higher learning has been granted, as of this date.

Yes, this is an election year for two seats on the Council. Had the Council voted the way of the Staff recommendation, they would not be now in a position to have to deal with yet another extension request, closer to the election date.

Also, I do think I heard a veiled lawsuit threat from the lawyer representing the institution the Ph.D. is the President of. Okay, if you really want to slow development down, bring a lawsuit.

Here's another analogy I thought of, concerning what comedy I watched Tuesday night:

Five members of the Board of the White Star Line debated, in 1913, the second voyage of the RMS Titanic. I guess nobody told them the ship sank in 1912. But that's another moot point.

Extending Phase 1 on May 7, just about insures that at least one more extension will be requested and most likely granted on or near September 30, 2013. At least two Council members admitted that dealing with the issues in an 'election year' could be risky and nobody told them that September is closer to November than May is, I guess.

No, Mr. Ph.D., the residents and governors of the city do not need to affirm an athletic field you don't even have studies done to see whether it can be built safely, in the first place.

You have not built anything on time or by the approved Project and you don't intend to, either.

With the 'revised' athletic field, should it be approved, will require many changes to the remaining Phases due to the fact that many items of construction can't be built because of the grading for the 'revised' field. Almost the entirety of Phases 2 and 3 would have to be changed.

What happened on Tuesday evening, as far as extending Phase 1 goes, was nothing more than painting a target on the feet of the Council members so they have the most accurate path to shoot themselves in the foot, again. This is my opinion.

I guess most of you missed the slide from the Lakeside Campus showing two coeds in front of a blue banner with white lettering welcoming "Marymount College" on a slide having Marymount California University on it.

The Ph.D. derides the 'confusion' then spends the bulk of his speaking confusing everyone about what he is actually the President of. I know the differences between a college and a university and Marymount is no 'University' in form or certified fact.

Marketing, donor support, donations. Three words that the Ph.D. needs to keep at the forefront of his expansion plans. It doesn't seem to matter about the facts about the elements of the expansion. It seems to matter most that whatever language works to bring in the most dollars will be used to do just that.

I firmly believe that the City Council has a duty to the residents of the city to consider their opinions, requests and needs rather that continuing to support a marketing ploy that the Ph.D. and other continue to place on everyone.

Acrimony. I saw and heard some of it at the meeting. I thought that four conservatives and one liberal would not make such an acrimonious group, (mainly by the conservatives) but it was fascinating to watch, after my recent absences.

It's Our Last Night In Rancho Palos Verdes

Aloha!

Shalom!

Hello and Good-Bye!

As many of my regular readers know, I used to attend RPV City Council meetings and cite how many years, months and days I had been associated with the home I was brought to, at the age of one-day old, on May 4, 1955.

Tonight, Terri and I spend our last night in the home on Trudie Drive and tomorrow we embark on a whole new adventure in a new home in Murrieta, California.

There was a period of about 22 years when other Wells' lived in the home and there was one Memorial Day weekend where I worked on all the appliances hook ups when my sister and my mom switched houses. Two moves on one day, two moving vans competing for space. That is not something I would do again...I hope.

A new young family will begin their adventure in the almost 63-year old house. There are two little boys who will have the opportunity to search for any 'Matchbox' cars I buried in the upper portion of the back yard, decades ago.

The memories and stories I was part of, living in or associated with the same home and area for so long, could fill volumes. But I won't begin them here.

I will ponder current and future affairs related to 'my home town' in later posts.

What a wonder it was growing up on the east side of The Hill.

Will I miss living in the home? I highly doubt it because I am so familiar with the house, the lot, the people and the area, it would take years and years and years of great changes to have me not 'see' everything around the area.

I will miss many of the people I have met, along the way. I'll deal with that in later posts, too.

I don't necessarily believe in luck or being lucky. I will certainly and happily admit I am the most fortunate fellow on the planet.

Folks like me are not comfortable saying good-bye and it would be hard to think I won't be around many, many times in the future.

There are still folks to talk to, issues that remain important to me and for us, life is just moving about 88 miles away, from here.

So in the end, March 26, 2013 gave me roughly 57 years, 10 months and 22 days here. What a trip it has been.

Really, It's Not Supposed To Be A Secret.

It seems I may have shocked a friend with some news I thought I told him about, some months ago.

I guess I probably didn't explain myself too well or the information didn't get passed along as it probably should have.

For that, I am sorry and I should now continue to reveal some information that some may have remembered and others still haven't heard about.

Anyway, the timing got moved up so it is now time to post exactly what is going on with Terri and me.

Within several days or perhaps a week to 10 days, a For Sale sign will be placed in our front yard.

The house I live in was in a trust for my sister and myself and when our mom passed away last September 26, the clock started ticking towards the eventual sale of the house we grew up in.

Terri and I have started seriously looking to buy a home in the Murrieta/Temecula area of Southern California.

We have chosen to move away from the area rather than attempting to purchase my sister's portion of the home, so we can have wonderful adventures rather than being trapped with any type of home loan.

Since I first arrived at the home we still live in, by the way on May 4, 1955 I bet I loved where I live from my very first memories. I have spent time living in other places and in other homes.

When I physically leave RPV I won't truly leave and I will continue to wonder, opine and comment on things happening in an area that grew up as I grew up.

I never want to come back for a visit and find I can't travel on P.V. Drive East because San Ramon Canyon was not repaired as it must me. I also don't with to have to sit through an hour's worth of traffic getting from P.V. Drive North to Trudie Drive along Western Avenue.

I especially hope to find that someday the folks at Marymount College will have a campus EVERYONE can be proud of and live nearby.

The areas Terri and I are looking at are continuing to be built up after more than a decade of so of great and quick growth, At least one new hospital is being built in both Murrieta and Temecula and industry is seeing more growth in Temecula. Murrieta is more of a 'bedroom' community as we have found and there are churches and religious conference centers and religious schools just about everywhere you turn, in that part of the state.

The area is also about half-way between our son Daniel, his wife Rainbow and our granddaughter Monroe (22 weeks in production-all healthy and happy) and half-way between many members of Terri's family in the San Diego area.

We are both still considered too young to be truly retired so there may be more job opportunities in growing businesses and services in the area and we will use the new home as a base camp for our next phase of life, that of being active and traveling seniors.

Whether I have agreed or disagreed with folks on topics in RPV we must know that folks are so passionate about this city and the area we call home. In an area of 8 Million souls plus, we sometimes are a small town 'out there', way in the country.

Too all those who have read this blog to date, thank you so very much! I'm not done writing it, by a long shot and please expect to see more humorous and possibly biting comments coming from me.

The east side of The Hill has been a remarkable and unforgettable place to grow up and live on. The Radomes on the top helped protect us and they were burned into my memories for all of my life.

The housing market is heating up both here and where we are looking to buy. Timing is everything so we have to make our moves at a time when we can get the most new home for the least cost while trying to get the most from the Trudie house.

We're here for several more months and then another of life's adventures moves east.

Please be well.

Bits and Pieces 64

There are very few things I agree with Mr. Barry Hildebrand on, but I am with him on questioning the placement onto the Finance Advisory Committee of Mr. Eric Alegria, instead of Mr. Willie Wang.

Mr. Wang is absolutely and completely qualified to remain on the FAC and it looks like there is a 'setting up' of things 'going down' in our city.

Mr. Alegria ran for a Council seat in 2011 after recently moving into Rancho Palso Verdes, back then. He had no real experiences in Rancho Palos Verdes, but he was active and a great contributor to the city where he moved from.

Whether Eric Alegria and I are both members of The Democratic Party should be irrelevant when it comes to city matters and city elections. I don't subscribe to some of the comments Mr. Hildebrand wrote about in his recent letter to the editor, but he is another voice to mine that may be starting to think that 'the fix' is in.

If Mr. Alegria decides to run for one of the two seats to our Council this coming November and if Mayor Susan Brooks and Councilman Anthony Misetich support Eric in his race, then you will also know that something that happened this January may have been considered as far back as 2012, I am feeling.

On a slightly different note, in Mr. Hildebrand's letter he mentioned how long it took to get through all the stuff dealing with Rules and Procedures. I got a bit of a chuckle when considering Barry and I are on very different sides of some issues and reading what he wrote got me thinking again that, sometimes folks on very opposite sides of things meet each other in some agreement 'on the opposite side' of the debate circle.

It looks like the new parking lot is beginning to look like a construction area at Marymount College. This is a good thing and it is part of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project I continue to fully support.

There are 'blankets' up for dust and noise protection and that is also a good thing, I feel.

The staff of The Los Angeles City Planning Department is now in the process of reviewing the comments submitted by individuals and groups interested in The Ponte Vista Project. This is also a good thing, I feel.

What will become of the recommendations made by individuals and groups is still another matter. I do hope staff, planners and city officials look at either keeping the site with its current zoning or looking at a different Alternative than the ones submitted for study. I do believe some big 'tweeking' must be done in order to find the best results for everyone.

It's cold! There, that's it, I'm done with that.

I am on a list to receive Emails and announcements concerning The Clearwater Program and I have heard or read nothing since the meeting was held regarding the Final Environmental Impact Report for the project to place a new Outfall System from Carson to the Pacific Ocean.

What I have heard from still far too many people is there concern for what they believe will be all the surface digging going through parts of RPV and San Pedro, and other areas.

This should not be a problem to worry about. No surface disruption is being considered except for the areas noted in the reports. Gaffey, Capital, Western and other streets should not see any digging along any of their routes.

What will be seen in somewhat distant future is the huge number of trucks moving removed dirt between the Exit Shaft, not slated to be under the cliff at Royal Palms Beach and out of town. This remains highly problematic since Paseo Del Mar is still separated by a landslide.

Whether Paseo Del Mar get fixed before the dirt-haulers start their moves is not known. Let's hope that the fewest number of trips are required and that no trucks are seen north of Ninth Street, in San Pedro.

Oh, by the way. Both the DEIR for The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project and The Ponte Vista Project call for traffic signals at the intersection of Miraleste Drive and Palos Verdes Drive East. Traffic signals have been 'warranted' there, for years.

Still, do you really know anyone who wants to really see signals there? I knew you didn't.

May 7, 2013

The first Public Hearing at the December 18, 2012 meeting of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council dealt with an extension of the time period of Phase One of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project.

Here are my comments regarding that hearing:

Mr. Don Davis, the land use attorney for Marymount College was asked specifically by Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Duhovic, just what Marymount officials were asking for, as far as Phase One goes.

Mr. Davis responded that is was quite simple: get the permanent parking lot done and work on the new athletic field.

What Mr. Davis did not positively respond to was the other elements of Phase One, including the grading required for elements of Phase One AND the other two Phases.

When asked whether the grading approved for in Phase One would be required to provide elements of Phases Two and Three, the response from staff was that should that grading not take place within Phase One, none of the subsequent Phases would be able to go forward.

I took these sets of comments to indicate that Marymount officials have no interest in building any other elements of what is now in Phases One, Two and Three. Essentially to me, Mr. Davis stated last night that for all intense and purposes The Project would die after the parking lot and field are approved and completed.

However, the new field is not really part of any Phase as its elements contain new grading requirements, the elimination of the 'new' tennis courts and the placement of the edge of the field in an area where two members of this current council deemed was too close to Palos Verdes Drive East.

In written and oral communications from Marymount College officials, they intend on seeking changes in the Conditional Use Permit such that "1,200 Students" would be allowed to attend the Rancho Palos Verdes campus.

The day Marymount officials place files into our city requesting an increase in the number of students, faculty and staff at Marymount's main campus, whatever permanent parking lot, under construction or complete, will instantly become obsolete because 463 permanent parking spaces is not enough for a campus having "1,200 Students" and everybody knows that.

So, Marymount is now intending on building a permanent parking lot that would not have enough parking spaces for an enlarged student population and they continue to seek approval for an athletic field that is outside the scope and verbiage contained within The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project.

Once permits are issued for any construction on Marymount's campus, Marymount officials will have the legal right to complete the permitted construction regardless of the status of any time period of The Project, extension or not.

While Mr. Davis and others may claim they could be ready to seek permits to build their concept of the athletic field, it is more than quite doubtful that the field would be completed by September 30, 2013, the date all extensions of Phase One must be completed, according to CURRENT municipal code.

As far as truly working on the permanent parking lot, Mr. Davis also acknowledged that Marymount officials must secure the bonding issues and Mr. Davis did not acknowledge whether there are enough funds for that, at this time.

As far as the Army Corp of Engineers approvals to begin the parking lot element, they are in order and complete according to both Mr. Davis and City Staff members.

Mr. Davis also acknowledged that the permanent parking lot might not be completed by March 19, 2013 and that may have provided reasoning to some City Council members to set the Extension out to May 7, 2013.

Here is what I got out of the December 18, 2012 City Council meeting:

1. A permanent parking lot at Marymount College must be completed before any more construction will be done at the main campus.

2. Once the permits are issued to construct the lot, Marymount officials have the legal right to complete that element, whether The Project continues or ends, for any reason.

3. Mr. Davis acknowledged that college officials will seek to get approval for their new field within the guidelines of an amended Project's Conditional Use Permit, even though there is no language within the existing project (except for the recently introduced Revision) that would allow for their new field.

4. The City Council, by unanymous vote, extended the period  for completion of ALL elements of Phase One of The Project out till May 7, 2013 even though Mr. Davis stated that Marymount officials will only deal with two elements contained within Phase One.

5. With the history of Marymount officials' dealings with The Project, it is more than highly doubtful that any permits to build their new concept for the field could be processed prior to September 30, 2013.

6. As I commented last night, it remains my belief that Marymount officials be allowed the ability to request items on an element by element basis without Phasing restrictions and that those officials be allowed to set the time periods of the elements they will seek.

The City Council laid the groundwork to reject any further extension of The Marymount College Facilities Project and that is what I was generally asking for, in the first place.

Bits and Pieces 63-MAJOR UPDATE

This one should look different. Also, this is an updated post, after I learned some new information at 3:10 PM on Friday, November 30, 2012

Mayor's Legacy Attempt???   UPDATED

Originally, this section contained information about what I thought at the time I created it, was going to be a 'special' meeting or our City Council on Tuesday morning, December 4, 2012 where the agenda for that meeting could have been a ground-breaking/photo opportunity for Mayor Misetich and others on the council at the site of the San Ramon Stabilization Project.

In my comments, I related to two 'legacy items' two L.A.U.S.D. Board of Education members seemed to have been provided a new gym at San Pedro High School and a new Annex to that high school that would be considered their 'legacy' items, well into the future.

I heard that there might be a Tuesday morning meeting where there would be ground-breaking for the San Ramon Stabilization Project, a project that has not been approved yet and where funding to begin the physical ground-breaking efforts has not been fully found.

As it was mentioned that it might occur on the last day of Mayor Misetich's first term, I felt that it would be an improper way of using taxpayer funds and staff's and others' time for something that probably won't move forward until most, if not all, of the funding if finally found.

I also heard that there may have been some in our city who were seeking an approval by The Army Corp of Engineers to come through by today, so that the special meeting could go forward.

In my call to City Hall, a few minutes ago, I learned that the "meeting has been canceled", information provided to me by someone I don't remember the name of, within City Hall.

When I visited the city's Web site looking for the agenda of the next City Council meeting, I found the agenda for the November 20 meeting.

This afternoon I visited the site again and found only the new agenda for the upcoming evening meeting of our Council, this coming Tuesday.

There is other information I know about that is now moot because of the "cancellation" but I think there were some in our city who really wanted the morning meeting to go forward before the meeting was canceled. Personally I believe as much as some wanted the special meeting, it had to be canceled.

I do commend Mayor Misetich and Mayor Pro Tem Brian Campbell for their positive efforts over the YEARS that this very important issue has been in the forefront of the needs our city has. The three 'newer' members of the Council have also shown great interest in seeing that the Project gets done as quickly as possible, but Mayor Misetich and Mayor Pro Tem Campbell have been dealing with these issues for four years now.

Who Is Going To Be Our Mayor On December 5?

In the historic or 'normal' pattern in our city, this would be a 'no-brainer' question. Our city's history has included many times when a current Mayor Pro Tem is just about automatically elected the city's next Mayor. Without actually looking hard into our city records, I can't tell when or if it has been any different.

EXPECT DIFFERENT this coming Tuesday evening.

Our Mayor is elected to that position during the first meeting of the Council in December of each year.

When I heard some news that is recent to me I shuddered to think what may just happen.

After considering what I heard I think that there are some pretty good reasons to have Mayor Anthony Misetich continue being our Mayor.

Looking at the legacy item, it will allow Mayor Misetich more time to help get the money together and possibly actually view the beginning of the real project to stabilize San Ramon Canyon.

Mayor Misetich was voting member of our council when the votes regarding Marymount College were taken and he could use a second term to help deal with the future at that college.

As Mayor Misetich has already announced his reelection bid, he would have that entire campaign time frame as Mayor and not just as a Council member to run with.

I have it on pretty good authority that current Mayor Pro Tem Brian Campbell may not want his turn YET as Mayor and while I think he will make a very good Mayor at some point, perhaps he and others believe that his time as Mayor will be after his reelection, if he wishes to get reelected. (I think the reelection of both Anthony Misetich and Brian Campbell can be regarded as a foregone conclusion because of the first votes for them.)

UPDATE- You may want to keep an eye on your inbox for an Email coming soon from a V.I.P. within RPV.

Just Don't Create A Motion!

On December 18, 2012, officials from Marymount College MAY come to the Council meeting, along with Staff recommendations all dealing with the extension of the time period for the First Phase of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project.

Nothing has been completed or basically even begun according to the The Project's guidelines and Marymount officials have decided they want a '20 year' plan. They also want an athletic field different from the approved field, more students attending classes in Rancho Palos Verdes and who knows if, when and how they will actually create the 120 new parking spaces required in The Project's first phase.

If the extension of the time frame for Phase One of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project is not approved on December 18, 2012, The Project will essentially end on that date and it appears that officials at Marymount College never actually intended on building anything according to the city council approved Project.

So, without have any long debates, should staff or Marymount College officials request and extension of the time frame, I feel the best way to deal with it is to have no member of our current council place in motion any extension, of any kind.

What this would do is not put any council member 'on the spot' of coming up with a motion and no member would be put 'on the spot' for seconding a motion that is never created.

Of course, if there is a member who wishes to make a motion and a member who seconds that motion, I hope there are at least three votes to vote down any and all motions to extend something it appears Marymount official have no interest in factually continuing.

Officials at Marymount have grand plans that keep changing. They have ongoing concerns in San Pedro and even in Northern California. I suggest that they move forward on an item by item issue here in Rancho Palos Verdes. Let them bring their 'new' athletic field plans forward, independent of any other plan AFTER there are 120 more permanent parking spaces completed on campus and BEFORE any talk of increasing the student population at the Rancho Palos Verdes campus get debated and voted on.

Keep Reading The Palos Verdes Peninsula News.

I think there is going to be some very interesting articles coming forth within the pages of The Palos Verdes Peninsula News in the weeks and few months to come.

You may want to seek shelter because I think there are some bombshells headed our way.

The Clearwater Program Is Working Towards The Big Dig

The San Pedro Coast lists a meeting concerning The Clearwater Program of The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts.

The meeting is to consider the Final Environmental Impact Report for a new Outfall System, a new tunneling project from Carson, California out into San Pedro Bay.

Here is a link to the site:

http://thesanpedrocoast.com/category/utilities/clearwater-program/

I am also including two links to previous posts on this blog in which I include my comments to the DEIR/DEIS of the Project and how and why I feel Alternative 4 is not the one I feel should be approved.

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6316793289693893375#editor/target=post;postID=1444365410874827604

The link below is to a post I created on April 9, 2012 and includes my comments to the DEIR/DEIS for The Project.

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6316793289693893375#editor/target=post;postID=706091520686019340

I am not able to attend tomorrow's meeting as I will be working. My bet is that Alternative 4 will be approved and moved forward.

Wait, Wait, There's More!

I hope everyone is studying and mulling over your thoughts regarding the issues revolving around The Ponte Vista Project and your contemplations on what comments you are going to submit on that project's new Draft Environmental Impact Report.

But during your concentration, you may want to add some thoughts to another project that is being worked on, not all that far from the Ponte Vista Site.

Marymount College has an off-campus housing facility on Palos Verdes Drive North, between Western Avenue and 5-Points and here is a notice of a public hearing dealing with what Marymount officials and supporters want to do with the site they have been associated with, for some years now.

Click on image to enlarge it.

I have only posted the first page of the notice because I feel it is enough information for those interested and if folks want more information, they are able to find it out for themselves.

When you read what this project entails, please keep in mind what the developers of The Ponte Vista Project want and the four Alternatives dealt with in Ponte Vista's DEIR.

Besides Ponte Vista and Marymount's off-campus housing site, the new small lot houses along Gaffey Street are still being built. The largely uninhabited housing at 5-Points is still nearby and there are going to be a small number of large homes built along Palos Verdes Drive North, near its intersection with Palos Verdes Drive East.

Housing development is moving forward in what can be described as a small area that has not seen much residential development in quite some time.

Add to the housing, the new(er) schools and the new educational, parking and site concerns at Marymount's 'Palos Verdes North' site, we are all looking at more development in the area than has been done in decades.

I hope interested individuals and groups will look at 'the big picture' in terms of residential and other types of development and work to find ways to mitigate traffic concerns we all have and work to finding the best results for EVERYONE.

I will create a post soon that will lean towards pushing for Alternative B for The Ponte Vista Project and if this notice helps you and others to consider more carefully how much development at Ponte Vista is best for everyone, I think that is a good thing.

So It Begins...Again. On Another Blog, Too

Please hop on over to www.pontevista.blogspot.com for the newest post, with illustrations, dealing with The Ponte Vista Project.

FINALLY...IT'S HERE!!!

In today's mail, I received two copies of the new Draft Environmental Impact Report for Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

I got them the same day as the release date of the documents to the public.

It's now 4:00 AM on Friday morning and I just got home for an overnight shoot for a T.V. pilot, so I will get into the new EIR and start posting some items, later on during the day.

The wait was very long and now it is over!

Bits and Pieces 62

It's hot again, today. Please stay cool and hydrated. I know it's fall, but we're in Southern California.

From RPVListserver:

"Mark your calendars. The next EDCO sponsored paper/document shredding day for RPV residents is on Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 9 am to noon at the RPV City Hall parking area.

Similar to last year electronics waste will also be collected at the time. Free mulch (self serve and self haul) will be available for residents. This event is open and free to UWS and EDCO residential customers.

More information will be sent out by EDCO in September.

Thank you."

I am a fan of this and I hope our residents who could benefit from this, will take advantage of the service. 

But wait, there's more news.

"Caltrans will be performing paving work along Western Avenue between Avenida Aprenda and 19th Street in both the north and south directions over the next several weeks.

Work is scheduled to be performed Monday through Thursday evenings between 7:00pm and 6:00am, beginning Monday October 1, 2012, and concluding Friday October 19th. Motorists are advised to use caution and alternate routes, when possible.

Staff of Rancho Palos Verdes"

Oh goody, Mark writes somewhat sarcastically. Not only should we stay off Western between 7-9 AM and between 2-7 PM, now we need to avoid Western from 7 PM to 6 AM, the next weekday.

Oh thank goodness we can use Western from 6 AM to 7 AM on weekdays and between 9AM and 2PM. They say it is only until October 19. But have you been by the Sanitation Districts pumping station lately, at Avenida Aprenda and Western? How's that temporary work going for you?

Our side of the street power outage was far longer than 'normal' today. It lasted over one hour. Usually it only lasts for a few minutes. At night when it happens, we just look across out street and not that the other side always has power. I thought this would all end when the work along Western Avenue was finished, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

There are still those wishing to 'fight the good fight' concerning The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project. The number of those continuing the fight is diminishing, though.

They are good souls, but it has long been time to allow that massive, years long project, fade away into memory and into files, for future reference.

Dr. Michael Brophy, the president of Marymount College wants a 20-year plan approved and the 463-space parking lot finished before he brings to our city a new, larger atheltic field proposal than the one approved of, back in 2010.

Wasn't watching the shuttle/747/2-Hornets flyover fun? It didn't follow the map laid out on KCBS TV. but it you weren't looking down at the ground, it was fairly tough to miss it.

Welcome to your new home, Endeavour.

I still have not heard or read anything regarding Ponte Vista at San Pedro, lately. I need to stick my nose further onto Internet sites that may contain more information.

The October concession promotion at our very own Starlight Cinemas involves free candy with the purchase of either a large fountain drink or a large 'ICEE' at the Terraces location.

When ordering a drink or 'ICEE' say to the person at concessions: "I'd like to sweeten the deal" and your reward will be free candy. This promotion lasts until October 31, a night where free candy will be distributed all over the place.

Bits and Pieces 61

I learned something new to add to my too-much-information trivia about eastern Rancho Palos Verdes and specifically the Eastview Post Office.

Many of you know about the small post office located in a strip mall along Western Avenue, in Rancho Palos Verdes.

If you mail a letter to be opened by someone at that post office, you would need to use "Rancho Palos Verdes" and its Zip Code: 90275.

Rancho Palos Verdes and three other cities on The Hill have as their 'main' post office, the big one by the large mall, in Rolling Hills Estates.

When our mail is delivered, it comes to us after being sorted at the big office on The Hill.

Now here's the thing. The small post office in Eastivew is serviced by the large post office in San Pedro, not Rolling Hills Estates.

I never knew that, until this morning.

Zip Codes make routing mail easier.

If you believe work will ever be completely complete on the Sanitation Districts pumping station along Western Avenue near Avenida Aprenda, I've still got two acres of The Moon and I'd be happy to sell you one.

I think we will see the new Outfall System sunk, tunnelled and completed years before work finally ends at the 'popular for workers' site on Western.

Broiler Express is still a good place to get some simple, great tasting food. They have a drive-through, too.

It's not Fall yet, so I'm not looking in my mailbox to see if the Environmental Impact Report for Ponte Vista at San Pedro has been issued.

I'm still wanting a park their first. I have absolutely no problem with the existing zoning remaining on the site which allows for up to 429 dwelling units. I would try my best to live with up to 850 dwelling units.

1,135 dwelling units at Ponte Vista at San Pedro must never happen.

Please have a safe and happy last few days of the true Summer season.

Resigned But Not Resigning

After what I heard from Dr. Michael Brophy, President of Marymount College, I am finally resigned to some truths I wish had not been shoved down the throats of those of us living in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Over a year ago, Dr. Brophy stated that his goals for what Marymount College becomes is a TWENTY YEAR goal and has relatively nothing to do with any eight year time frame established for The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project. It finally sank in.

College administrators and many supporters have basically no interest in following guidelines established in the Expansion Project and recent activities have proven that, repeatedly.

Dr. Brophy did state during last night's City Council meeting that, after the 120 new spaces are constructed such that Marymount meets the goal of creating a total of 463 permanent parking spaces on its Rancho Palos Verdes campus, he signaled that he and his associates will work strongly for the creation of a 'new' athletic field on the western side of the campus that is larger and in a slightly different position than the one approved of by the City Council in 2010.

I doubt he ever intended on following those guidelines for those approved plans for a field.

I have absolutely no confidence that Dr. Brophy and/or his associates will have many of the other plans approved for Phase One, completed in any near term, such as two-three years from now.

Dr. Brophy also offered a truism that he intends to ask for an increase in student enrollment at Marymount's main campus to "1200 students", as he stated last night.

Folks need to be reminded at this point that even with 463 permanent parking spaces built on the campus, still required a variance in at least one municipal ordinance because it if fewer parking space ratios than for other businesses in our city.

Last night, the council voted unanimously to extend the time period to complete Phase One of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project, from September 30, 2012 to December 18, 2012.

Whether the permanent parking lot facilities are completed or not is any one's guess, but it probably no longer matters, in my opinion.

Since the eight year approved project doesn't contain what Marymount may really want to do and Marymount representatives claim that whatever they do is part of a TWENTY YEAR project, I must resign myself to the fact that The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project is a moot endeavour and it is time to simply deny any further extension of the Phase One time completion period because what Marymount representatives now intend on doing next is NOT PART of the Project and it will required more extensive studies and approvals than originally thought by some.

A wise member of our city's staff advised me to consider that whatever Marymount representatives ask for should be considered to be the last thing they will ask for, until they either ask for something else or simply stop for some reasons.

So, is there really any reason to continue with the ongoing charade between council members, staff, residents and college representatives? I have to now opine that the Project has been 'over' and that we all need to move on.

This is where the NOT RESIGNING bit for me comes along.

I won't resign from continuing to believe that our city's residents DO HAVE a stake in what happens at Marymount College and I put residents first!

I have opined that the majority of our current City Council membership 'SEEMS' to put businesses first before government and government before residents' wants.

I have not seen or read anything yet, during this current term, that would point to anything else.

That is why I continue to feel that residents need to stand up for their beliefs and work to help create the best RPV possible, no matter what the council or businesses do or attempt to do.

Marymount College is a business. It is vastly smaller and offers far less than a Catholic University less than 20 miles away from it. What it does offer, according to documents created by and for Marymount College, is an environment where just about anybody with enough money can attend, whether you have a high school or equivalent certificate or not.

I am also resigned to the knowledge that it only takes three members of our city's council to approve the construction of on-campus housing at Marymount's RPV campus and knowing that Marymount has a TWENTY YEAR plan, it looks like Dr. Brophy and/or others will simply wait until there are three members of the council who would approve dorms on campus, and then seek approval for dorms at that time. I don't think eight years is a long enough time span for people to forget what Measure P was and what happened over the over ten years of talk, studies and approval-gathering that continues to take place.

Personally I also have a 'bigger fish' to fry, dealing with Ponte Vista at San Pedro. Whatever is eventually built at Ponte Vista will also impact traffic for Marymount College students, so that needs to also be considered.

Increased student enrollment at Marymount College, increased student housing at Palos Verdes North, along with Marymount's other plans for Palos Verdes North, will impact those of us who live on the east side of The Hill in both the Miraleste area and the 'Eastview' area.

Whatever happens at Marymount AND Ponte Vista at San Pedro, those 'double-whammies' will affect us more than any other residents in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The new athletic field plan for Marymount College will create the need to export material from the site. with San Ramon Canyon not fixed yet and the idea of having many dirt haulers traveling along Palos Verdes Drive East and Palos Verdes Drive South, it looks pretty clear that folks living in the Miraleste area of eastern Rancho Palos Verdes will be adversly impacted.

I'm still going to be writing this blog. I'm not going anywhere, for the moment.

I encourage any and all of you who are concerned about issues swirling around Ponte Vista at San Pedro to look at my "Ponte Vista Blog" via its URL:  http://pontevista.blogspot.com/

It's time that the extension just passed for the completion of Phase One be the first and LAST extension granted and we let The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project die and fade into memory. It appears that Marymount officials would like to see that happen so they can build their college according to what they want and not be tied down by something, I believe, they never intended on doing in the first place.

To Extend Or Not Extend, That Is The Question.

On September 4, 2012 the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council, at its regular meeting, will have on its agenda the matter of extending the time frames for Phase One and Phase Two of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project.

Below is the URL for the Staff Report dealing with the council's Agenda Item:

http://www.palosverdes.com/rpv/citycouncil/agendas/2012_Agendas/MeetingDate-2012-09-04/RPVCCA_CC_SR_2012_09_04_01_Marymount_College_Expansion_Project.pdf

You may also go to the city's Web site: www.palosverdes.com/RPV and look under the city council current agenda link to find, view and download the staff report.

Marymount College representatives would like a one year extension to complete Phase One of the Expansion Project which is now slated to end on September 30, 2012.

Representatives would also like approval, on September 4, 2012, to extend the completion date of Phase Two of the project from September 30, 2015 to September 30, 2016.

The Staff Report recommends extending the completion date for Phase One to December 18, 2012 with an additional recommendation to also provide for a further extension, should Marymount representatives need such an extension, to September 30, 2013.

The Staff Report recommends a denial of the request to extend the completion date requirement of Phase Two.

As of today, I seem to be warming to the idea of allowing an extension of the completion date requirement of Phase One, to December 18, 2012, which is the date of the last meeting of the city council in 2012.

HOWEVER, I hope for a vigorous discussion about any extension of Phase One and I believe there can be requirements placed on any extension of Phase One that should be considered, before any extension is granted.

Marymount officials have a list of what I term as 'roadblocks' to being able to complete all portions of Phase One during the more than two years they have had to complete anything on the Palos Verdes Drive East campus.

Yes, it has been a bad economy and yes there have been problems receiving enough financial support to complete items considered as part of Phase One.

But when 'roadblocks' are stated as being the needs of physical improvements in areas other than on the campus of Marymount College in Rancho Palos Verdes, there are more than a few RPV residents that question the use of dollars in other areas rather than on what Marymount officials committed to do, in RPV.

Furthermore, Marymount officials seemingly changed their road map for Phase One construction plans when they did not build the required 120 new parking spaces mandated to allow for the current student body population allowed for on Marymount's main campus.

Instead, they constructed a 'temporary parking lot' which did open on time but, as of today, has not been studied to see whether its construction has provided the necessary mitigation required from Marymount officials to lessen the number of vehicles parking off-campus.

IF a majority of the member of our city council vote to extend to December 18, 2012 or any other date, I hope there are stipulations created and adhered to such that nobody will have egg on their faces should things not go according to how it should go.

One of the large pieces of Phase One is the construction of a new athletic field on the western side of the Marymount College campus. The field approved of back in June, 2010 stood some chance of being built had Marymount officials worked towards that goal.

Instead, they came up with a new plan for an athletic field that will require new studies and a new Environmental Impact Report being studied and then approved of, before their concept of a new field goes forward.

Marymount officials changed their plans away from what was already approved and that should mean something to those making the decisions for our residents and our community, I feel.

So, I feel it is fair and not too late to inquire from Marymount officials what the truly intend on doing during any extension of the timetable for Phase One. The changes or 'minor modification' to the originally approved parking lot on campus also mandated a longer time frame that also needs to be considered.

City officials still don't have a clear picture as to what Marymount officials intend to do with the structures slated for demolition as part of Phase One or what may or may not happen to the tennis courts considered to be within the scope of Phase One construction plans.

I should think that before granting any extension, city council members should ask Marymount representatives for a more exacting timetable expected for the elements contained within Phase One, not needing a new EIR. Knowing what Marymount officials truly seek to do provides more foundation for considerations.

There is also the wish by Marymount officials, that the student body population levels existing at Marymount's main campus be raised to a number that is higher than it is now.

I feel it is within the scope of the discussion to require Marymount College officials to complete all of the elements of Phase One, minus the new athletic field, before any further consideration as to the increase in student enrollment at the RPV campus happens.

Marymount officials changed their own plans. They want more students taking classes in RPV. They have used monies that could have to towards work according to Phase One guidelines on other things, in other places. There has not been any study, to date, that their required mitigation of off-campus parking has been successful now that the new temporary parking lot has been installed.

Now, Marymount officials are claiming they will construct the new permanent parking spaces during the Fall semester when they originally signalled they would do the work during the Summer recess.

While I will not object to an extension of the Phase One timetable, I believe it should only be until December 18, 2012 and that there is true,  significantly varifiable movement forward to complete all that Marymount officials want to do, according to Phase One guidelines, prior to December 18, 2012, before any further extension up to and including September 30, 2012 be granted.

Bits and Pieces 60

It seems it has been over three months since my last post. I guess I kind of had a vacation from blogging. The vacation must end because of new developments in our area and more things to write about.

If you haven't read or heard already, the Ponte Vista at San Pedro housing development is coming back to life this Fall.

Ponte Vista at San Pedro was originally considered by its former developer to be a 2,300 unit condominium project across Western Avenue from Green Hills Cemetary.

My first blog "Ponte Vista Blog" at: http://pontevista.blogspot.com deals with the Ponte Vista at San Pedro project and is too filled with information and comments from as far back as 2006. I will do most of my future writing about the project on that blog.

I feel it would be more fair for discussions about Ponte Vista to be from the standpoint of what the new development team is seeking, rather than rehashing all the bad things that occurred during "The Bob Years".

"The Bob Years" refers to the years when the developer of the project was Robert H. (Bob) Bisno and he came into town telling everyone HE knew what was best for OUR community and he spearheaded the fiascoes dealing with trying to get approval to build 2,300 condos (finally he 'relented' to 1,950 units) on land smaller than the 80 acre/1,000 home The Gardens complex.

Bob is gone from the picture, yet it would not be fair to anyone to suggest we forget those times. When we forget the past, we tend to repeat them, many think.

The new development team is not really all that new to the project, but they seem to have learned a whole lot of lessons from what Bob tried to do and they began their tenure.

Also, the financial team is associated with iStar Financial which has had a very bumpy road over the last few years.

The 'new' project details include a request to build 1,135 dwelling units with 392 of them being 'rental' units. There are a small number of single-family residential units planned, I think about 49, but they are on small lots and would also be considered to be condominium units.

During The Bob Years, a group called 'R Neighborhoods Are 1' was created and worked to strong object to Bob Bisno's plans for his development.

Working with many concerned residents, the group circulated petition pages to provide to (then) Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn, illustrating a collective call to keep the site of the development continue to have the zoning established on it, years earlier.

"R 1" stands for a zoning type in which one single-family dwelling unit is constructed on a lot of not less than 5,000 square feet in size.

The current zoning on the site contains R 1 zoning along with some open space zoning such that by keeping the zoning as it is, up to 429 single-family houses would be the only type of dwelling units allowed on the site.

I'll be posting some trivia and information on my Ponte Vista Blog about some of the history and analysis of the site.

Now, while Ponte Vista at San Pedro seems to be back in the picture, The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project has been and will continue to be 'back in the news' and it does concern those of us living on the eastern side of The Hill.

Classes for the Fall 2012 term at Marymount College begin on August 27.

A new 'temporary' parking lot, covered in gravel, just might open on time, this Monday.

Administrators and supporters of Marymount College will be seeking an extension of the Phase One timetable at an upcoming Rancho Palos Verdes City Council meeting, with the issue scheduled to be heard at the September 4 meeting.

I'll have to devote an entire post to issues related to the possibility of having the timetables extended.

Chipotle Grill is open! Yes, I know it is San Pedro, but it is viewable on the eastern side of Western Avenue by some folks in R.P.V.

The newly opened restaurant is near the Ross store in the Park Plaza shopping area.

There is work going on at the pumping station for the Sanitation Districts near the corner of Western Avenue and Avenida Aprenda.

Many residents believe that school starts this coming week. Wrongo Bucko if you consider that 'school' in our area consists also of two LAUSD campuses that have been back in session for a bit of time.

Crestwood Street Elementary School and Dodson Intermediate School, both LAUSD schools are on land within the city of Rancho Palos Verdes. Traffic is almost back to school-year 'normal' and when PVPUSD schools open back up this coming week and along with traffic associated with Mary Star of the Sea High School AND Marymount College, the most honest suggestion I could give you is to AVOID WESTERN AVENUE!

Thankfully, the city of Los Angeles had the street surfaces near Via Colinita refinished and restriped before PVPUSD schools and Marymount College went back into session.

Bits and Pieces 59

Remember that 'minor modification' that our City Council approved for Marymount College where they were going to mitigate the on-street parking problems, FINALLY, with a 'simple' addition of a few parking spots?

Remember when their Land Use Attorney got up in front of the council and made comments that seemed to indicate that the College would have the new parking spaces in by the beginning of this Fall's term?

Remember when folks like me questioned whether there is any true or real things to believe in as part of Marymount's ideas of how they want to proceed with Phase 1 of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project?

Remember when I mentioned about the concept that some within the staff or our city consider that whatever Marymount currently wants should be the last thing considered, until something else might come along?

I seem to remember all of that, but it appears there are only a few of us in our city that wish to remember.

In a recent letter, it appears that Marymount, through what they contend is no fault of their own, has no intention of providing even the fifteen additional parking spaces on its main campus prior to the start of classes this fall.

I wonder how much more of this our current council makeup will tolerate.

I expect that during the upcoming August 7, 2012 council meeting, Marymount officials will do their best to illustrate why they must have more time (my guess is two years) to comply with what they agreed to do, as far as Phase 1 goes, by September 30, 2012.

I also expect to hear and read language that will be offered to our council that Marymount MUST have an increase in student enrollment numbers at their Palos Verdes Drive East campus before they find out if they get their extension on what they originally promised to do.

I was hopeful that Marymount officials would (at least) begin to do what they said they would do, several months ago. I may not like their new ideas about Phase 1 but I was encouraged that they said they wanted to have the new parking spaces in, on time.

Silly me!

We did have occasions to visit the new Broiler Express on Western Avenue. It is run by the same team that provide us and San Pedro with Fantastic Cafe.

The food was equal to what we have always enjoyed at the two Fantastic Cafe's two San Pedro locations and the added bonus of having another drive-thru,  increases opportunities to those of us in R.P.V. and elsewhere.

Do you think our city's Fourth of July Celebration will be different this years as it has been in the past? Aside from this not being an election year for our city's council, I wonder what, if anything, is new.

The celebration takes place this year on the 20th anniversary of Mark and Terri's wedding so thank you all so very much for celebrating, year after year.

Here is my first big 'shout out' for Scalawag Production's "Oklahoma" playing at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro on August 10 and 11.

I am the set builder for the youth production and I think audience members will enjoy a great show with spectacular performances by talented performers, ages 13-18.

While I have been to wonderful performances by youth productions on The Hill, "Oklahoma" will feature talent from on The Hill and off.

It's not July yet and this week has provided some hot days. Terri says 'June Gloom' may be returning to end June on a cloudy mornings note, but I think it will be nice to keep it as cool as it can be, for a bit longer.

Are you going to attend any of the festivities revolving around the public opening of the Battleship Iowa's first week?

There are quite a number of veterans in eastern R.P.V. and even though we all may not be Navy vets, I think we can enjoy this new attraction on the waterfront so many of us can see from our homes.

There is also the opening of a giant crafters' shopping area inside Warehouse 10 in the Port of Los Angeles. This old warehouse is close to 22nd Street and Minor Avenue, if I am not mistaken.

Perhaps there are crafters from R.P.V. who will have stalls in the shopping area. Please support them and others working to create artful things.

Right now I wish today was the first Wednesday in November. I am sick and tired of National and Statewide politics for the time being. I wonder if any readers of this blog have a working time machine I could use.

It looks like most of the work on the power polls along Western Avenue in R.P.V. is finished. THANK GOODNESS!

5-0 Vote Raises Your Fee and City Revenues

Hey conservatives, when you voted to elect (now Mayor Pro Tem) Brian Campbell, (now) Mayor Anthony Misetich, Councilwoman Susan Brooks and Councilman Jerry Duhovic, did you know you would be voting to elect folks who have no real trouble raising fees and generating revenue at the MAXIMUM level requested?

Being a very liberal person, I thought is was folks like me and the three former council members, Wolowicz, Stern, and Long who would raise fees to the highest level possible.

By a vote of 5-0, the R.P.V. City Council voted to raise the fees for Residential Customers of EDCO by the MAXIMUM allowable increase of 2.3%.

Sure, that's not really a big amount as far as how much we are going to pay, but what about the principle and campaign rhetoric we heard from all of the candidates.

With the MAXIMUM increase requested, our city's coffers also get an increase of about $10,850 this coming year from EDCO.

Then, let's take into account that everything that Marymount College's administration and supporters have asked for, from this council, has been approved.

It kind of continues to prove my point about the conservative-dominated City Council.

It looks like as far as they are concerned, business interests within and for our city come first.

Government size and increases in revenue come second.

Residential interests come last, of those three.

Is this a good thing? Not for me! I continue to think and feel that our elected representatives represent the residents who voted them into office, FIRST!

I then think the members should consider government working for RESIDENTS, second.

I would like to see business interests, especially one who are owned and/or operated by non-RPV residents coming in third, within the group of three.

Lower taxes? Well, considering the increase in revenue (tax) this council will require EDCO to pay, I guess all of them who claim or claimed they were interested in lowering your taxes might be saying something on one side of their mouths, but it comes out quite differently from the other side of they mouths.

Remember, the increase in revenue the city gets is from the increase in fees we are all going to now have to pay.

As for me, I didn't see my EDCO service improve even 2.3% during the previous year. We see a staggered collection time, during the day. Our waste is picked up fairly early in the morning and our recycle and green waste may hang around until late afternoon.

Sometimes we have to make trips at different times of the day to bring in our cans. Wouldn't a one-time period per day be better to bring our cans from the street, rather than taking one back in the morning or having it linger out there empty, until the last truck picks up the last container?

We all understand that costs go up. One chart in the package for the increase stated that there was an increase of 1.9% (in total for that graph), .4% less than the rate increase was approved for.

In one Email to one council member, I suggested that no rate increase should be voted on, but I did state that I thought a 1.15% increase could be considered favorable. As a liberal and someone who can afford the 2.3% increase, I really don't mind that too much, especially if it leads to raises for working folks at EDCO, they could all use a raise, I think.

Time and votes have demonstrated that business interests in our city, what businesses want and how they go about getting what they want, is going to be a major issue, for at least the next two years.

Watch Marymount get every extension they request. Sit back and witness Marymount being given an increase in student body counts at its Rancho Palos Verdes campus.

Consider what we might see in the awarding of contracts.

Gaze at the length of time it takes to make even emergency repairs necessary when dealing with San Ramon Canyon, when it could involve possibly great delays in traffic by our residents.

I'm the leftest. I'm the liberal, yes, you are most welcome to consider me a progressive. It would normally be odd for someone like me to mention the increase in fees to residents, approved of by this council. But after all the campaign jargon, literature, statements, ideals, mentions and now votes by the majority of members of our council, it appears they favor business more than they support our residents, in my sole opinion.

So, Where Is The Truth?

Today, Marymount College is having a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Athletic Field. That is true.


What is also true is that the plan check for the new parking spaces and upgrades in the electrical utility system has been going on for a few days.


What is true is that zero permits have been approved to begin turning over one shovel for any piece of work dealing with parking spaces, electrical utilities or a new Athletic Field.
It is as if Marymount is going to build the field first and then PERHAPS deal with the new parking spaces and electrical grid, after they turn shovels on the field.


I really can't write what the truth is because no permits have been issued and the plan check process is still ongoing.


It should make for good press, though.


According to a press release, Dr. Michael Brophy is going to be at least one of the Professors teaching post graduates of the school's Bachelors' degrees in graduate classes and offering up to 12 credits of graduate course work for FREE.


That is something, isn't it? Well, since the college has been afforded no accreditation to offer, teach or allow post graduate courses on its campus, I continue to wonder how many students will take up the offer that the academic community has not granted Marymount College.


Perhaps the lure of FREE credits for courses not authorized to be offered will make them look like other 'colleges' who state in thier advertisements that course credits may not be transferable.


So, if Marymount does begin offering 'post-graduate' courses, how long will it be before they change their name to Marymount University? 


Might it be a marketing tool to change the name to Marymount University to try and syphon off students...and their parents' money from going to Loyola Marymount University?


So, I think the truth lies wherever you feel it does, whether factual or not.


I would love to see a wonderful Athletic Field built. I think it would be far more and better utilized if it were built at the college's Palos Verdes North facility, where so many students live.
I also will love to see all 463 parking spaces built at Marymount College. I will have to wait unti sometime in the future, if at all. Please don't expect them to all be in by this September...or even September, 2013.


I think if you are waiting for the new Athletic Building to get built, don't hold your breath. Also, don't have your children or grandchildren hold their breaths.


What to look for in the future are two things:


Marymount's administration and supporters are going to ask for an extension on the Conditional Use Permits for Phase One of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project.


Marymount's administration and supporters will ask for the student capacity at Marymount's Palos Verdes Drive East campus to be increased.


What I fully expect you won't see is the total of 463 parking spaces being constructed before Marymount seeks to have its student capacity enlarged.

The jury is still out on the new William Hannon Library. I am a fan of libraries, even digital and online varieties. I think Marymount could work with Loyola Marymount's William Hannon Library to create a multi-faceted brick and motar (Westchester) and digital library system to rival any super top rated educational library systems.