Marina del Rey is in the process of major changes in direction, operation, and density. There is a visioning statement for this. What is happening in the Marina appears to have to be reported in pieces because each piece is so vast and intricate.

There are plans to tear down Mariners Village, which is filled with trees and a habitat for birds, and increase the density. There is an argument over an environmental report. Mariners Village is not the only complex trying to skip this environmental impact report. Bar Harbor is requesting an environmental impact report. Many apartment complexes have already gone thru this process of increasing their densities. Others are yet to come. There was a boat ramp to be moved.

These changes are significant.

There are lawsuits involved.

What affects the Marina will affect Venice and the surrounding areas.

Note: Update is not capable of covering the complete Marina adequately. Update relies on input from Jon Nahhas, Boaters Coalition, because he obviously is involved with all aspects. His input has to be in the form of letters to affected groups because he doesn’t have time to write individually.

To Mariners Village and West Harbor Residents

I am sorry I haven’t responded earlier to your emails. I have been working diligently with our legal team in the Marina. As you may have heard, one of the lawsuits (Oxford Basin) just settled out of court. Another just survived Summary Judgment and will now go to trial. We have another 10 days to file our first amended complaint on Bar Harbor. Pending the outcome of the scheduled court pleading today, we should be in the driver’s seat going forward on getting a Supplemental EIR for Bar Harbor. The timing of the MV EIR could be critical and we should discuss this at some point. I have not heard any news regarding the lawsuit on Parcel 9U.

As you may have heard, the Marina del Rey Visioning Statement is scheduling to go before the County’s Regional Planning Commission on the September 17th (the day after the Scoping – of course, this is a strategic move by the County/Lessee). This will be another “ceremonial acceptance” followed by a quick push to the BOS. They need to rush this to the Board of Supervisors for a vote in November before Yaroslavsky and Molina term out and are replaced (they do not want to risk new Supervisors raising questions about what’s happening in the Marina).

Here are some suggested talking points for the upcoming MV Scoping Meeting:

1) Will independent boating study (an outside firm – NOT NOBLE CONSULTING) be conducted showing proximity to parking for boaters, ADA, pump outs, and circulation impacts in the Main Channel? I would ask for a wind study but I have almost given up on those at this point. They’ll probably provide that anyway. What mitigation will be addressed for pounding the dock pilings in (impacts to birds/wildlife)?

2) Will there be alternatives to dock configurations to lessen impacts?

3) Will a Tsunami/Emergency Evacuation Plan be part of the EIR? Will there be an alternative access plan provided for first responders should Via Marina (single access road) be impaired?

4) A timeline of all the development in MdR should be provided to the public at the beginning of the Scoping and Visioning Meetings. The County/Developers need to address the Venice Sewage Pipeline (Dual Force Main – huge project) that is scheduled to come down Via Marina. This could be a game-changer!

5) What traffic methodologies are going to be used in the traffic study? CALTRANS seems to favor “Vehicle Miles Traveled” over LOS (Level of Service) and the Governor’s Planning & Research Dept. has 9 different studies they have adopted. LA City has installed digital sensors on major thoroughfares which collect traffic data, and most importantly, is subject to the California Public Records Act. The significant issue in the prior MdR traffic studies (and part of our lawsuit) is the few number of days where data was collected for the study. Will these guys simply have to pay another Traffic Mitigation Fee and escape reducing project size? What is the threshold for the Fees?

6) Asbestos removal – will HAZMAT tents be used on the buildings to ensure safety of trees/wildlife/water?

7) Parking, Parking, Parking – what numbers are going to be used? ITE’s handbook (9th edition) is pretty controversial and the folks at Bar Harbor lowered the number of 2 bedrooms and designated them as 1 bedroom/den to get around parking requirements. With ADA (American Disabilities Act), new boater parking proposed (.6 space/boat slip) plus an increase in commercial should create significant issues.

8) Trees/Wildlife concerns. An MV group seems to be doing a pretty good job with this. While our Community lost on ESHA at the Coastal Commission level, there can be a push to look at this at the next LCP Amendment. This is another example of why ALL MV residents should be concerned about the development of ALL of the Marina (MdR Visioning) and not just Mariners Village!

Michael Tripp, DBH Special Development Coordinator, plus a Regional Planning Rep who is completely knowledgeable about the LCP (Local Coastal Plan), and members of the local citizen oversight boards need to be present at this Scoping Meeting. Please encourage residents to go to the Small Craft Harbor Commission Meeting tomorrow (10AM at Burton Chace Park) and urge the members to attend both the Scoping and the MdR Visioning Plan on the following day at the RPC downtown.

To Marina Folks

The new Marina del Rey Visioning Statement was finally released Sept. 4th, and much to our chagrin, it looks like the County did much more than what they testified they were going to change in the Plan. Gina Natoli told that Small Craft Harbor Commission that the removal of the relocation of the Public Launch Ramp would be the only changes. We now know that Supervisor Don Knabe took the fall for the Launch Ramp debacle and public records indicate that the relocation idea started before the “public” Visioning Process began. Again, the LA Times, LA Weekly, and other media agencies failed to want to report on RampGate. Knabe admits misusing his power and interfering with a public process here.

The Visioning Statement is mostly a consultant-driven planning document that conflicts with almost the entire array of public comments at the meetings, comment cards, and input from citizen oversight boards in the Marina. County agents completely avoided the focus of what the Visioning was intended to be and decided to use it as another attempt to get more development potential on the recreational lands (watch attached video). The County is asserting that this document is simply a “receive and file” and that no action needs to be taken by decision-makers. Evidence that recently was added to the plan at the last minute clearly points to this document being a change to the LIP (Local Implementation Plan), which the public had very limited input on, and will be a driving force for the development of the Marina (the land use planning has already been taken out of our hands).

If you can, please attend the Small Craft Harbor Commission tomorrow at 10AM at Burton Chace Park. The new “draft” Visioning Statement will go before the Regional Planning Commission on September 17th and can be found here.

Here are just some of the last minute additions that are most alarming (subterfuge of the MdR LIP):

1. “This framework includes recommendations and proposed implementation actions, and identifies County departments anticipated to be responsible for implementation.”
2. “Before the County commits to implementing any aspect of the Marina del Rey Vision Statement or initiates any program that would be considered a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), appropriate environmental documentation that has analyzed potential environmental impacts will be produced for consideration by the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission and/or Board of Supervisors.”

3. “Continue the use of the “bowl” concept to guide building heights throughout Marina, developing taller buildings outside of Admiralty Way and Via Marina”

4. “Implementation of the Vision Statement will take place in short-term and long-term phases,”

5. “The recommendation provided in this document are based in part on information gathered during a focused public outreach process conducted”
6. “Input continued through August 2014, as County staff continued to meet with stakeholder groups and individuals interested in providing comments.”

7. “Once people park in one of the many lots in the Marina, it is not clear how to get to their destination or travel between destinations, nor are they encouraged to travel between destinations”

8. “The Promenade is intended to be a continuous walkway along the bulkheads of the Marina del Rey harbor, providing public access to and views of the waterfront, where safety permits.”

9. “Acquire strategically-located lease parcels to implement the vision”