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Venice News Updates

News of Venice, CA and Marina del Rey CA

VNC to Propose Three Motions — Vacated Property, Short-Term Rentals, Alcohol

Posted by :reta On : September 17, 2013
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Category: Alcohol, City Property, Short-Term Rentals, VNC Meet

The Venice Neighborhood Council will be discussing three major motions at their meeting tomorrow night (17 Sept) starting at 6:30 at the Westminster Elementary school, 1010 Abbot Kinney in addition to their regular meeting. These motions have to do with the sale of vacated property, short-term rentals, and alcohol establishment enforcement/compliance.

These motions are so significant to Venice that they are printed in their entirety here. Thru the VNC process they can be approved as stated, modified, tabled, postponed, or denied. These motions, if approved and as amended, will go to Councilman Mike Bonin

Vacated Property in Venice
MOTION: Whereas, the VNC has just learned that an LA City-owned, 10×80-foot alley (901 Abbot Kinney Blvd/Brooks Court) was recently vacated by the LA City Council and given over to private ownership; and
Whereas, this act of the City Council was voted on by the Councilman Bonin, who represents Venice; and
Whereas the Venice Neighborhood Council and Venice community had no notice about this vacation of property until after it was approved; and
Whereas, Councilman Mike Bonin states that he strongly believes in governing from the grass roots level and wants input from his constituents, (including his Neighborhood Councils) before acting on major neighborhood issues
Therefore be it resolved that the Venice Neighborhood Council shall send a letter to CD 11Councilman Bonin requesting he inform and request input from the VNC prior to making decisions on the use, sale or disposition of all city owned land in Venice; And further, that the Councilman introduce a motion to the City Council to create an ordinance requiring public notice to neighborhoods and Neighborhood Councils on the use, sale or disposition of all City owned property and to include research on fair market value of City property as currently the cost to vacate an alley is $10,000.

Short-Term Rentals
MOTION: Whereas, short-term vacation rentals are rapidly increasing in Los Angeles as the result of internet-based brokerages listing available dwellings and facilitating rental reservations – one online site lists 746 short-term vacation rentals in Venice; and
Whereas, the demand for short-term vacation rental units has resulted in long-term rental units being withdrawn from the market; and, Whereas, the City does not regulate the short-term vacation rental market as it does hotels and motels, but the City has a duty to protect both the proprietors of such dwellings and their customers; and
Whereas, the City has an opportunity to add revenues from the licensing of short-term vacation rentals by licensing such rental units, applying taxes to renters and putting in place enforcement personnel to assure such fees and taxes are properly calculated and collected.
Therefore, be it resolved, The Venice Neighborhood Council requests that Councilperson Mike Bonin introduce a motion to the full City Council requesting that the conditions surrounding short term rental of dwellings in Los Angeles be investigated by appropriate City Departments; that an ordinance be drafted regulating such rentals; and that the ordinance be submitted to a vote of the City Council prior to 02/15/2014 with implementation of the ordinance taking effect prior to May 26, 2014.

Motion Regarding Alcohol Dispensing Outlets in Venice
MOTION: Whereas, Venice has 32 alcohol outlets per 10,000 residents while Los Angeles City Council District 11 has only 21.5 alcohol outlets per 10,000 residents, and
Whereas, Venice is experiencing continued growth in establishing new alcohol related businesses, while there do not appear to be adequate local policies regarding findings of public convenience or necessity for such businesses, and
Whereas, it is recognized that alcohol dispensing establishments can create significant quality of life and safety problems in neighborhoods, and
Whereas, enforcement of city and state alcohol laws and conditions of use falls on a number of government agencies including the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, the Los Angeles Department of Planning and the State of California Alcohol Beverage Control Board, leading to uneven, inefficient environment without a single point of responsibility;
Therefore, be it resolved, the Venice Neighborhood Council calls on the City Council Member for CD11 to introduce a measure in the Los Angeles City Council that would create an alcohol establishment enforcement / compliance unit, fully funded by a regulatory fee on establishments selling alcohol

VNC Hears Committee, Votes for Town Hall

Posted by :reta On : August 22, 2013
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Category: Ocean Front Walk, VNC Meet

Park Avenue

Park Avenue where the man exited looks fairly secure from this angle with the yellow bollards and the yellow fire hydrant.

 

1 Park (2) internet and email

Park Avenue from this angle shows an easy escape, which is route he took to leave OFW.

 

Venice Neighborhood Council (VNC) voted at their monthly meet Tuesday to have a Town Hall meeting within the next 60 days regarding public safety at Venice’s Ocean Front Walk (OFW).

Cecilia Castillo, representative from Councilman Mike Bonin’s office, stated that Councilman Bonin’s report regarding public safety proposals for Ocean front Walk  would probably not come out until after 1 September.

Report of the VNC public safety committee was the main event on the VNC agenda. In addition to the Town Hall motion by Sevan Gerard, head of the VNC public safety committee, he presented another motion and had several more suggestions to report from his public safety committee.

Bollards
Gerard made the motion to install temporary, bendable, plastic-like bollards on the Ocean Front Walk until there is more study. He said they will act as a “visual deterrent.” Gerard who is a paramedic with the Venice Fire Department also mentioned that fire engines would tear up the temporary bollards because they cannot go between the bollards when making sharp turns. The tires would hit the bollards and destroy them.

The city is considering solid, remote-controlled bollards that would disappear into the ground. According to police officer Gonzalez, those bollards cost $30,000 each.

Ira Kosolov, a board member, who lived there said that both Dudley, where the car entered, and Park, where the car exited had bollards and that didn’t deter him. Kosolov was against bollards and against making quick decisions based on one incident.

Methamphetamines
Gerard reported that first and foremost for the committee was getting rid of methanphamines. The guy in the car was on “meth,” he said.

Type of Policing
Also from the committee was “type of policing” on OFW. He mentioned that the police department should reconsider their type of policing. For example: Instead of a squad car driving down OFW, that police be stationed throughout the area on foot on the OFW to create a friendly and forceful appearance. In a previous meeting it was brought out that the police would be more aware and informed.

More Cameras, Not Necessary
The committee report also mentioned that they didn’t feel any more cameras were necessary. In fact one person who lives on OFW stated that with cameras on west side, the violators would just go to the side streets.

 

 

VNC Meets Tuesday, 6:30 pm

Posted by :reta On : August 16, 2013
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Category: VNC Meet

Venice Neighborhood Council meets Tuesday, 6:30 pm at Westminster Elementary School Auditorium, 1010 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
            . History of Ballona Wetlands will be presented by Dr. Travis Longcore
            . OFW safety ideas from the VNC safety committee.  Update has listed OFW Task Force ideas, ideas from police department, and now the safety committee headed by Sevan Gerard, who is a paramedic.
            .  522 Venice Blvd will be presented to the board.
            .  Daniel Tamm, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Westside representative will be introduced.

Watermelon Eating Contest at VNC Picnic—Video Says it All

Posted by :reta On : August 3, 2013
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Category: Social, VNC Meet

VNC Watermelon Eating Contest and the Winner Is–

Posted by :reta On : August 3, 2013
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Category: Social, VNC Meet

and the winner is Laura Stoland, for as she said, “for Brooks Avenue…I won because I had a big mouth and no shame.”

 

Venice Neighborhood Council 7th Annual Picnic Packs Them In

Posted by :reta On : August 3, 2013
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Category: Social, VNC Meet

vnc crowd, internet

The park was packed for the Venice Neighborhood Council 7th annual BBQ and picnic Saturday.  There were games for the children, booths of various types, bands, adult contests and food, food, food.  In addition, all the local politicians were there to introduce themselves.

winner, internet

Check out the “white” piece of watermelon remaining.  The object was to eat the most and leave no red.  Laura Stoland of Brooks Avenue won.  She said she won for Brooks Avenue and because “I have a big mouth and no shame.”

nat,internet

Nathaniel Campbell was having a good time being who or whatever it was.

bouncie, internet

The kids were wearing themselves out to the dance of the bouncy.

 

 

Saturday, VNC Picnic

Posted by :reta On : July 31, 2013
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Category: Social, VNC Meet

Obstacle course for kids at last year’s picnic.

Venice Neighborhood Council’s (VNC) 7th annual community potluck picnic and BBQ will be Saturday (3 Aug), 12 to 4 pm at Oakwood Park, 767 California Ave.

Los Angeles Fire Department station 63 will be smokin’ the place with their chicken, burgers, ;hot dogs (veggie too) and pulled pork.  Grill chief will be Captain Jeremaih Johnson (ret.) and master grillers will be Barklie Griggs and Todd von Hoffman.  Bring a side dish to qualify for raffle ticket.

Councilman Mike Bonin and other newly elected officials will be there as well as a variety of musical acts including blues and funk bands with headlines, such as the Bonedaddys.

VNC Supports Storage Container

Posted by :reta On : January 23, 2013
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Category: VNC Meet

The Venice Neighborhood Council met Tuesday night and voted to support the storage container that was placed across from the LAPD substation at Venice beach to support the winter shelter program.  The storage container will be used to provide storage for homeless people’s “stuff” so they can go to the Winter Shelter.

It was mentioned many times that this is a pilot program.  It will run from the time it opens until 1 March, a little over 30 days.  Sixty days after it closes, Steve Clare will present a report to the VNC summarizing the program.

The Winter Shelter, which is the armory in Brentwood, opened 1 December and will close 1 March.  The storage container will be out of its present location no later than 8 March, according to Arturo Pina of the council office.

Councilman Bill Rosendahl attended the meeting and talked about the airport and made mention of that fact that the “storage container” not being brought before the Venice Neighborhood Council prior to almost implementation was his fault.

Bill Carter, chief deputy for city attorney, said that the abandoned belongings law is being interpreted that the City must provide storage for the homeless belongings.  “It is being addressed as not an enforcement issue but as a humanitarian issue,” he said.  This is not the same storage situation that was being addressed by the VNC.

Steve Clare and Arturo Pina field questions from board and the audience.

This storage container program is authorized by the council office and administered by Steve Clare, director of Venice Community Housing Corporation (VCHC).  Both Arturo Pina and Steve Clare fielded question from the board and the audience.

Since last Update, the container will be open for storage two hours, 3 to 5 pm.  City will be dropping off storage containers before end of this week.  People storing “stuff” will have to have paper signed that they indeed did go to shelter.  People will put their stuff in a container and sign that what is there is worth less than $100 for insurance purposes.  Volunteers, the container, and the contents will all be insured for liability. Darryl Dufay brought up the question of the insurance.  A trash barrel will be near by if a homeless person wants to discard some of his stuff.

Apparently, there are approximately 25 to 40 available beds at the armory each night.  The armory contains 160 beds.  The armory also provides case help.

Most of the comments from the audience and the board were that they were disappointed that this could not be vetted properly prior to implementation.  Many had questions that were answered, many praised the program, many had questions that weren’t answered.

One person asked why the container was placed there.  Arturo Pina asked “where would you suggest it go?   This is in close proximity to the busses that pick people up/drop off on Market.”

Another was concerned that, if volunteers didn’t search the stuff, there might be a gun enclosed.  Steve Clare said: “Yes, there might be” and indicated that it would probably be safer for all in the container.

One man mentioned that a U-Haul truck could have been rented and hauled to the winter shelter and back.

Those most affected by the homeless are those living on or near the Venice Beach boardwalk.  Gary Harris had a petition signed my business owners, property owners and the paddle tennis players from the Ocean Front Walk against this.  They are afraid this will encourage more to come to Venice.

Mark Ryavek, president of the Venice Stakeholders Association, stated he would file an injunction against the City for not having an environmental impact report for the storage container

Tom Elliott, VNC community officer who represents Ocean Front Walk, more or less summed it up by stating something to fact that “We were all upset about it not coming to the VNC prior to this but 99 percent of the people here tonight are sympathetic regarding the homeless.  It is just that this is a band-aid solution to a bigger problem.  We should work together to find solutions.”

The final vote for supporting the storage container motion was 8 for, 5 opposed, and 4 abstentions.