Heather Beeman-Kahler

Geniuses at work with no concern for existing residents, as usual.

Rick Swinger

Darryl DuFay

Division 6 – Venice, site of Bonin’s third homeless development, has very little information this month.  I see we are going to have another “community visioning effort.”  Just like we are currently experiencing from VCHC and HCHC on the Venice “median” project.  

JD staff will soon be initiating a community engagement and visioning process for this three-acre property located in the heart of Venice. In the meantime, environmental assessment is underway to ensure that the site meets the highest standard for reuse.  Look for an update in our next newsletter on timing for the community visioning effort. 

Anonymous Store Owner

24 Jan  Over the weekend, we noticed that the Green House Smoke Shop had a new fence. The owner told me that his glass frontage was shot by what he suspects is a bb gun. He mentioned that Goodyear tires on Lincoln Blvd sustained the same damage to 4 glass panels (story not verfied). As a vendor, it is a challenge to keep yourself, your staff & your property protected while keeping a nice front facade to attract perspective customers & avoid the cross hairs of the criminal element.

Chris Cerbo

Yes, California needs taller, denser development near transit. But not at the expense of affordable housing.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-housing-near-transit-20180123-story.html

Peter Griswold

Oxford Triangle residents were pleasantly surprised to find Department of Transportation men installing  “oversized vehicle” signs last week. 

Vehicles over 22 feet in length or over 84 inches in height are prohibited from parking from 2 am to 6 am in signed area in accordance with Ordinance 181413.

 Cumbersome to get….pre- purchased only from a city office facility……

Special Form…….$10 per night…..3 night maximum….

One day permits may be purchased in accordance with LAMC 80.69.4.

https://prodpci.etimspayments.com/pbw/include/laopm/oversize_permits_bymail.htm

Mark Ryavec

At the moment the City does not have official clearance under the Coastal Act for the beach closure ordinance, which operates citywide.  (We could debate whether they need such clearance, but I’ll leave that for another time.) They have now passed the first of two steps in getting that clearance, a city-issued Coastal Development Permit.  Now their application will go to the Coastal Commission for their approval of a CDP.  On a parallel track, the  City Council passed an amendment to the park closure ordinance which allows the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners to allow access the restrooms in just Venice, despite the 12-5 am closure.  So, if the Rec. and Parks Commissioners pass a motion allowing access, it will constitute an exemption to beach park closure just for persons going to and from the restrooms. 

     Comment:  That would make an interesting policing event.

Rick Feibush

Rick reports that apparently NY Governor Andrew Cuomo 

got a law passed last year saying communities could regulate car-sharing services but couldn’t simply ban them outright, as many had done at the behest of local taxi companies.

Reta Moser

. Steve Lopez wrote a most impressive, all encompassing summary article regarding the homeless situation in Los Angeles.  Sounded like “all this money spent and all the monies to spend, and yet, the numbers keep climbing.”

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lopez-homeless-20180128-story.html

.  Getting rid of a limo and the motor home parked in the 2-hour site were challenging. Taylor Bazley, Venice Deputy, said he would be happy to meet with disgruntled residents regarding “response” from parking enforcement.

It was explained to Bazley that it took three weeks to get rid of wrecked car that was towed to street in front of a house.  Bazley explained that it is a serious problem for the City to prove that a car in inoperable.  A missing engine or no tires, something else as silly makes is easier to prove that vehicle is inoperable. City has a liability problem.  One would hardly think the City would have a liability problem but.  Sometimes we only see one side.

.  Homeless count was last Tuesday and Wednesday.  I went but got there at 7 instead of 8 and was only one there other than VCH people.  For some reason I decided not to participate.  I assumed the count would be up.

.  Lee Curreri, of Howard near Thatcher,  was held up at gun point 23 or 24 January while sitting in his car listening to the radio before going in the house with groceries.

Description of person involved – Top: Blue sweatshirt with hoodie, Bottom: Dark Pants, Age: 25-35, Build: medium, Race: African-American, Sex: male

.  Nana Reeves just moved into the area at Thatcher and Howard.  She was moving things into her house and her purse was stolen.  That happened a day or so after the armed robbery just down the street.

.  Pacific Division Captain James Roberts has ordered more patrols for the Triangle.  Two officers were seen Sunday morning moving two drunk young men out of the area.  Officer said they were harmless. He knew them; one was Richard and the other was Nixon.