Protesters at meet.

Mark Kleiman, who is an attorney and a member of the Land Use and Planning Committee, did not like Reta Moser’s coverage of the first meet for Local Coastal Program (LCP) revision held last week, which was interrupted and stopped by protesters within 30 minutes of arrival.

These are Mark Kleiman’s words:

How disappointing it was to read the very limited and one-sided coverage of last week’s demonstration at the “Invitation Only” meeting City Planning had organized. This coverage is all the more confusing since you were at this meeting and could hear the demonstrators’ demands firsthand. Why did you not report that:

— Of the 38 hand-picked invitees, most were realtors, architects and developers?

— That there was no notice given to Venice’s community groups?

— That none of the hand-picked invitees were tenants?

— That none of the hand-picked invitees lived in Section 8 housing?

— That although Venice Update knew about the meeting, The Beachhead was never informed?

​This is not your finest hour as a journalist, Reta.

Mark is right. There was very little said in the coverage. Two pictures were shown.
Go to the article in Venice Update at ​https://veniceupdate.com/2016/04/23/lup-meet-stopped-because-of-protesters/ with two pictures.

First of all it was a bunch of uncontrolled yelling that suddenly ran into the auditorium at Westminster. I thought it was an earthquake being reported or some other tragedy but I couldn’t tell. Frankly, I had no idea what they were yelling about because they were all yelling at once. They had a banner stating “Gentrification is Racism.” Maybe I am missing something but what does “Gentrification is Racism” have to do with the Local Coastal Program.

They appeared to be upset that they had not been invited. I am guessing. I saw as I was leaving that chairs were unfolded for them but that didn’t appease them. They kept yelling, and no one, and about five people from planning tried, to quiet them so business could be accomplished. Meeting was dismissed.

Mark’s claim that most were real estate brokers, developers and architects is unfounded. But, I will go on record and say that all brokers, developers, and architects should be there because they will be the ones dealing with this program directly with the coastal commission and more so than any group/s That was not the mix, if there was a mix. In fact, I didn’t see an active real estate broker there. Most were activists who are/were familiar with the coastal commission, planning, the rules for building. I started to list names but putting names here will not help.

Mark claims there were no tenants there. I don’t know. I never ask people whether they rent or own.

No section 8 tenants were there. I didn’t know Venice still had section 8 housing.

Comment about Update being invited and not BeachHead is incorrect. Reta Moser was invited.

Mark and all protesters, I think, would benefit by reading the purpose of the Local Coastal Program as a first step in understanding.

I hesitated answering (I didn’t hesitate reporting the remarks.) Mark’s claim at all but did because 1)there is no reason that people can’t complain about the Update or Update reporting. This is America. 2)there is no graceful way to answer Mark because he wasn’t there and he is relying on hearsay. Reporters do not rely on hearsay. Then I thought how important the LCP is to Venice, how hard Councilman Bonin has worked to get funding for this update for the LCP. For example, if we have our own LCP, perhaps, we can get preferential parking. Otherwise, we don’t stand a chance.

But, I ask: What is happening to Venice? To Venetians? Is busting into a meeting yelling the modus operandi (MO) for Venetians? Is yelling, not listening even for an explanation the MO?