By Jon Nahaas
I would like to support the Audit Committee’s recommendation to extend the MdR Design Control Board’s sunset review date to March 31, 2019, however, there are critical details absent from the analysis (Supporting Document) that should be reviewed by the Committee and the Board of Supervisors.

1) Ethics Training
Los Angeles County Counsel has agreed that all members of the Design Control Board (DCB) need to have Ethics Training. During the review period (January 2011 to June 2014) the DCB was out of compliance with the statutes requiring the certification. The Board Members have since received all of their necessary certificates (January 2013) and are now in compliance. The omission of the required Ethics Training from this review is problematic and not in the best interest of the County residents.

2) Mission Objectives & Relevance
The DCB has a difficult task of reviewing architectural design along with landscaping improvements on the public lands in Marina del Rey. The Board Members have strived for “character” in the development of the harbor but have been plagued by very broad and unspecific code used by the developers (lessees). The 4th Supervisorial District (Don Knabe) created a Special Task Force that established the “Marina Design Guidelines”. To date, those guidelines have not been adopted which is a significant hindrance to the mission of the Design Control Board. This problem has been identified numerous times at the DCB meetings and any obstacles of the Board’s objectives should also be recognized in this review.

3) Attendance
The attendance average of 3.5 cited in the report is misleading. The actual attendance and availability to serve the County residents is well below that. Overall, the attendance would be UNSATISFACTORY. This is not to say that all of the Board Members are not holding up to their responsibilities. In fact, in this case, I believe it is one or two members which are notoriously absent and this review should indicate their poor attendance. The Supervisors and public should be made aware of their appointees inability to attend meetings.

4) Accomplishments & Results
The Sunset Review of all of the County’s commissions should include the approval ratings related to their oversight functions. Of the 86 proposals put before the DCB, how many were approved as is, how many were to be resubmitted, and how many were rejected? There must be a way to gauge that the taxpayers are getting their money’s worth ($201,500 in this case) and that there is at least an appearance of some due diligence.

The Design Control Board is a fantastic collection of architectural gurus. The current Chair, Peter Phinney, is an incredible County asset, and in my opinion, does not nearly get enough recognition for his efforts. Having said that, a more thorough review would certainly help the Design Control Board function better and could ensure that our public lands in Marina del Rey are developed more appropriately.