Readers of Update were asked to provide a to-do list, wish list of things they wanted Councilman Mike Bonin to accomplish for Venice. And this is what readers did. There were not many individual neighborhood requests. Most were for Venice. There were two miscellaneous for all of Venice and they are listed under miscellaneous. Almost all Venice input fit four categories—Clean Venice, Create and Control Parking, Remove Drugs and Paraphernalia, and Homeless.

1. Clean Venice

a. Clean the streets where the tourists are particularly but also everywhere else. This was a priority for many and that included those in individual neighborhoods. One person just wrote: Clean the streets! Apparently, streets need to be cleaned and cleaned more frequently.

Note:Street cleaners say that no more “scheduled” street cleaning is available, with petitions etc., except once a year which is unannounced!

Perhaps, street services could clean east and west streets one day and north and south streets another day. It could be published widely. That way no sign   s would be required. People would just know.

b.Put more trash cans out on the commercial streets. Bus stops particularly, at least most, require at least twice as many trash cans as are now provided. Summer months are critical. 1) Establish a service to maintain the trash cans or make it more frequent than now established. 2) One person suggested put posters at bus stops showing people how to put trash into hole of big can.

c. Clean the bus stops. Hire another service or ask trash pickup people to clean the bus stops. If there is a service, ask them to do it more frequently.

2. Create and Control Parking

Note: Perhaps, we need an independent parking study of Venice—now and future, for proposed changes we should take.

a. Remove from the Los Angeles Municipal Code any parking formula that allows a change of use within same zone to not require any parking. For example: change of commercial use from retail to restaurant, working the figures such that no parking, “0” is required.

b. Provide a “protective parking area” for those in Venice in certain commercial zones, strips such as Rose, Abbot Kinney, Washington, and Lincoln. Extend this to other areas that can demonstrate a parking problem. These are “quality of life” issues.

c. Create a “never-wait” transportation system for the commercial areas. Residents and visitors could eat, go to beach, and all without a vehicle.

d. Create more parking spaces. Double deck Venice Blvd, build a structure somewhere, and add more at Rose Ave. One writer said that Santa Monica has many places on the beach side. Writer felt residents will continue to suffer until visitors have other alternatives other than to park on the residential streets. Restripe streets diagonally on the very wide streets near the beach to double, triple parking spaces. (Cost is paint.)

3. Remove Drugs and Paraphernalia

Note: We do know closing illegal marijuana stores is in the offing. Responders just want you to know they want this done.

a. Close all illegal marijuana stores.

b. Stop methamphetamine dealing and use in Venice. Clamp down on it.

c. Remove all stores dealing in drug paraphernalia in Venice.

4. Homeless

Note: Much of this input was emotional with examples. The salient points were sought in each statement.

But most feel that Venice will never get homeless off the street even if there was sufficient housing, because Venice has become the destination for homeless, transients, druggies, alcoholics, mentally ill from all over the United States. One leaves, another comes. They are not from Venice. They are from other states. Many are transient and Venice accepts that. Venice even allows begging and thus advertising on our major highway corners that this is the place.

Politicians, please understand that Venice cannot solve the United States’ homeless problems. Many residents feel it is not fair for the Venice working resident to be confronted with this. Those who want shelter should be given shelter, but not from all over the US. Consider this limit. Those who are sick should be hospitalized. Those who don’t want help or shelter should find another place to bum-out. Residents of Venice are tired of being congenial.

a. Determine if required Lavan Decision housing stock has been built. If so pick up the trash being deposited in Venice. (When so many housing units have been built, then police can pick up unattended trash.)

b. Use ads to illustrate proper use of public toilets in hopes of cleaning OFW toilets.

c. Check all homeless to see if they have a record. Remove all criminals from the streets.

d. Build more shelters for the homeless.

e. No winter shelter bus program. Writer said: It just dumps the overflow of the homeless shelter folks on the boardwalk all day to linger. The boardwalk is a park, not a homeless encampment.

f. House veterans. One asked: Why are the acres and acres of VA lots in Westwood that used to house veterans now empty and often leased to private well-to-do entities of Brentwood and Westwood? (This has not been verified.)

g. The confrontation of those who don’t want help doesn’t seem fair to those who go to work, pay taxes, and provide for their families. “It is not fair that they sleep on our sidewalks, beg at our corners, defecate all over, leave their drug paraphernalia once used lying on the street for animals or children to pick up,” was the summation of one.

5. Individual Neighborhoods & Miscellaneous

a. Oxford Triangle is used as relief driving for Washington Blvd. Something is needed to stop this use. Drivers get up to 60 miles per hour, maybe more, negotiating the 25-mph streets. The alleys are congested with cut-through traffic.

b. Removal of Thatcher pedestrian fire gate. Plain fence works. Doubt if pedestrian fire exit is necessary. It is open all the time now and is used to load and unload, ingress/egress into Triangle. This is all a violation of ordinance 162,509 and conditions of approval for complex.

c. A marked crosswalk at Abbot Kinney Blvd and Marr – Boccaccio streets.

d. No murals on R-1 residences.

e. Hire tough, smart, competent negotiators to work for the City to create settlements to budgetary issues that benefit the City rather than the opposing parties.