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Venice News Updates

News of Venice, CA and Marina del Rey CA

Don’t Do This!

Posted by :reta On : September 1, 2014
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Category: Abbot Kinney, Business, City Property, Parking, Police, Venice

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(Photo courtesy of Amy Alcon.)

Don’t park your construction paraphernalia in handicap place. There is a large fine for doing such.

Amy Alcon captured this photo of construction vehicle parked in handicap place behind Abbot Kinney in the free parking area. Looks like the place for a van with a wheelchair lift. For the handicap with the van and lift, it is a vital place when needed.

“They have parked this huge piece of machinery there much of the week if not all of this week,” she wrote. “It is in the lone handicapped spot in the city lot. There is a man who comes to this neighborhood in a motorized wheelchair. Where is he going to park? Is he just supposed to go home?”

Yes, he will. Those who rely on the side opening do have to go home if there is no other place. There is no choice for them.

Washington Blvd Gets Burglaries

Posted by :reta On : August 31, 2014
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Category: Crime

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Note: Last issue we had four robberies on Rennie in one night, the NORO area. See Stewart Oscars’ comment. Two burglaries and one attempt, same street, within 10 days in Presidents’ Row area.

Venice is definitely being targeted. Put the cop back on the dot! Venice doesn’t have time to wait for predictive patrolling.

Triangle, which is experiencing crime, is having neighborhood watch meet for first time in 10 years.

One business person on Washington Blvd is concerned with the sudden proliferation of crime on Washington Blvd in commercial area.

Owner asks that all neighbors be vigilant. Make a request to LAPD Pacific Division for an extra patrol. Write or call LAPD, Pacific Division, 12312 Culver Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066 or call 310-482-6334.

8/23/2014 Theft – petty/Larceny at 700 block of Washington Blvd
8/23/2014 Vehicle break-in/Theft – petty at Washington & Abbot Kinney
8/24/2014 Theft/Grand Larceny at 400 block of Washington Blvd
8/25/2014 Theft/Petty larceny at Washington & Lincoln

8/22/2014 Theft/Grand Larceny at 13300 Beach Ave by Redwood
8/24/2014 Vehicle break-in/Theft at 13400 Beach Ave by Glencoe

Silagi Clarifies “Flight Patterns”

Posted by :reta On : August 31, 2014
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Category: Santa Monica Airport

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Laura Silagi, who is Update’s “go-to” person for Santa Monica Airport status, wants to clarify the airport flight patterns.

“The take-off pattern for jets is completely over Venice and is controlled by the FAA,” she wrote. “Jets are required to take off over the Penmar Golf course, which is in Venice, and fly over Rose to the ocean before turning. The jet noise and pollution impacts Venice residents and those Santa Monicans who live on the south edge of Santa Monica, as well as have a tremendous polluting impact on the neighborhood to the east (across Bundy.)

“Propeller planes are to take off over the golf course as well. Once at a certain altitude, the propeller plane pilots are allowed to turn any way they wish within the designated air corridor; however, the city of Santa Monica ‘highly recommends’ that propeller pilots, if turning east, first turn south at Lincoln and then east at Venice Blvd. Most of pilots do follow this procedure, more or less.

“This recommendation is part of Santa Monica’s ‘fly neighborly’ program, which shunts planes over Venice rather than its own city. When the Venice Neighborhood Council Santa Monica Airport committee met with FAA officials, the officials said they had no control over prop planes unless they violate the air corridor. Student pilots fly south then east when practicing various procedures, so they fly over Venice too.

“Even though the city of Santa Monica has been a bad neighbor to Venice, the ballot measure LC is far more preferable to those impacted by the airport than the aviation industry’s ballot measure D, which would keep the airport open for the foreseeable future.

“We need to encourage our Santa Monica friends to vote for LC not D.”

Venice, Sing it Out!

Posted by :reta On : August 31, 2014
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Category: Venice

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A Venice Choir?—Yes! Wanted: 25 to 30 men and women over 21 for a new Venice Choir. Applicants must be enthusiastic locals who love to sing, can carry a tune, and can harmonize.

Tryouts 10 September, 6 pm, Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd. Come
prepared with your favorite song, to be performed acapella.

Venice Choir will meet once a week for rehearsals at a local
Venice space. A monthly membership is required to cover
rehearsal space and choir director fees. Please come
prepared with your favorite song, to be performed acapella.

For more information contact Erin Sullivan at 310-962-8513.

Santa Monica Airport Impacts Venice; Venice, Mar Vista, LA Have No Vote

Posted by :reta On : August 25, 2014
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Category: Santa Monica Airport

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By Laura Silagi

The Santa Monica Airport impacts Venice, Mar Vista and Los Angeles, yet only the voters in Santa Monica are allowed to determine the fate of that airport. What does this mean to Venice, Mar Vista, and West Los Angeles?

Santa Monica will have two competing measures on their November ballot. If this measure D passes, Santa Monica Airport will never close or be closed or be downsized.

Here’s why:
Measure D, (the aviation industry measure) is deceptively worded. It masquerades as a no-development, voters’ rights initiative requiring “voter approval” to close the airport. The measure reads in part,

“Shall the Santa Monica City Charter be amended to require the City to continue to operate the Santa Monica Airport in a manner that supports its aviation uses unless the voters approve the Airport’s closure or change in use, and until that voter approval occurs, the City shall be prohibited from imposing additional restrictions on aviation support services to tenants and airport users that inhibit fuel sales or the full use of aviation facilities, prohibit the City from imposing upon aviation services providers new restrictions that would inhibit the sale of fuel or the “full use” of aviation facilities.”

This means, changes, such as downsizing the airport, changing noise regulations, limiting hours, selling aviation fuel, changing landing fees or any other changes such as creating a park, etc. would be impossible. And closing the airport would require “a majority of the voters” of the city voting ‘yes’ on a ballot measure approving such a change at a general municipal.” The aviation lobby has already spent $300,000 to get this on the Santa Monica ballot and will spend much more by the time of the elections.

Many worry what would happen if the airport closed. Would there be mega development in its place? Measure LC answers that better than D and leads to more options for the airport land use as an airport and beyond. This is clearly a better choice for those of us opposed to the airport.

Measure LC states:

“Shall the City Charter be amended to: (1) prohibit new development on Airport land, except for parks, public open spaces and public recreational facilities, until the voters approve limits on the uses and development that may occur on the land; and (2) affirm the City Council’s authority to manage the Airport and to close all or part of it?”

This would allow the Santa Monica City Council to control the airport while it exists. The Council could vote to downsize or close the airport and there would be no development allowed, except for parks, open spaces, recreational —until the voters voted for something else. It also means that if the FAA prevented the airport from closing, the city could still downsize it, change hours of operation, eliminate fuel sales, etc.

It is frustrating that Santa Monicans alone can determine something that affects so many. But here is what we non-Santa Monicans can do to stop this madness.

Support Measure LC by:

• Contribute money for the fight against the airport lobby.
• Walk precincts in Santa Monica and tell residents of first-hand experiences with the airport to those who have no idea of its impacts.
• Help with telephone banks
• We can reach out to all our Santa Monica friends and acquaintances to vote for measure LC and oppose measure D.
• We can organize fundraising events
• And more…

It is in our interest to have Measure LC pass and we are fighting a well-funded organization.

Go to ItsOurland.org for the latest campaign news and get involved.

SLO Reports Crime Increase in Oakwood

Posted by :reta On : August 14, 2014
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Category: Crime, Police

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Senior Lead Officer Peter Abskharon, who covers the Oakwood area, reported that he had had five burglaries in the past nine days in the Oakwood area.

“All—every single one of them–involved unlocked windows and/or garages,” he emailed. “We believe that suspect/s are specifically targeting unlocked residences.

“Also, I am experiencing an increase in vehicle break-ins. Items that are stolen include laptops, loose change, surfboards, and miscellaneous electronics. Please remind folks to remove all of their property from inside of their vehicles and to register their computers so that we have the capability to track them if they are taken in a crime.”

Annual VNC Picnic Rocks Saturday

Posted by :reta On : July 28, 2014
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Category: Venice Neighborhood Council

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zzz. VNC Picnic
Firefighters, station 63, will get smoking with those cooking “specials” at the upcoming annual Venice Neighborhood Council picnic 2 August, noon to 4, Oakwood Recreation Center, 767 California.

Bring a side dish. Games for the kids, prize for best pot luck entry, watermelon eating contest. Lots of food and fun.

Planning

Posted by :reta On : July 20, 2014
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Category: Planning

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AT&T tower at 737 Washington Blvd. is scheduled to be heard 7 August, 10 am at West LA Municipal Building, 1645 Corinth Ave, 90025.

It is unlikely it will be heard because the 500-foot notification has not been mailed and a hearing cannot be heard until 22 days after mailing. It has not gone thru LUPC. This was also heard a few years ago under a different address, same hotel. When it came up before, a group hired an attorney and won.

3rd Avenue Gets Cleaned

Posted by :reta On : July 14, 2014
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Category: Uncategorized

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Venice thanks Councilman Mike Bonin and Venice Deputy Cecilia Castello for this cleanup. The people who live on the street were particularly grateful.

Before
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After
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West and east sides of street.

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Officer Gonzalo Barriga, Environmental Compliance Inspector, records contents of the debris on paper and camera. Biohazard crew checks the contents.

After that the Green Machine takes over. Update dubbed them the Green Machine because they operated like a bunch of determined pac-men disposing of the stuff. The Green Machine is a group of students who were hired for the summer by the Conservation Corps. They wore green t-shirts. Their job is to clean up alleys and streets like this for the City. They operate mainly in Watts, according to their supervisor Gloria. Gloria, in brown t-shirt and hardly in any photos, was in charge. “It gives them some money and some work,” she said. They pushed the stuff off the curb, then shoveled it into the garbage truck. Then they swept the sidewalk clean. There was very little chitty-chat amongst them. They were too busy. They were the muscles behind this operation.

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Biohazard men pick up toilet paper on private property as a courtesy.

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Sharp things have a special disposal.

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Biohazard crew stands beside three bags that were tagged for storage.

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Two girls who gathered as many things as they wanted before the items were to be garbaged or bagged and tagged. They were both happy the cleanup was happening.

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Shawn, who lives on the street, claps his hands for the group for cleaning “his” street. He watched the complete operation. He was so glad it was being cleaned. He just couldn’t say enough about it.

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A man who works at Rose Café passed by to take a photo. He confided that it had been so dirty.

VSA Accuses City of Unequal Park Treatment

Posted by :reta On : July 13, 2014
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Category: Uncategorized

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Venice Beach recreation area.

Venice Beach recreation area.

The Venice Stakeholders Association (VSA) released a letter to City officials which again documents that the City of Los Angeles is blatantly engaged in unequal enforcement of city park ordinances, which has resulted in “Skid Row” conditions along Venice Boardwalk and beach park.

The letter, prepared by attorney John Henning for the VSA, shows the pristine condition of City Hall Park, once the site of a large “Occupy LA” encampment, and LAPD Headquarters park, and compares them to the Venice Beach Recreation Area where there is frequent use of banned camping equipment and trash dumps along the Boardwalk. (The VSA previously brought the lack of enforcement of City ordinances to the City’s attention in 2012.)

“LA’s politicians are enforcing every park law to keep City Hall Park and the LAPD’s park safe and attractive,” VSA president Mark Ryavec said, “but along Venice Boardwalk, the Department of Recreation and Parks and the LAPD allow campers to violate all the city laws against storing personal property on park land and the use of banned camping equipment.” The result is that squatters have taken over the park from residents and visitors, many of whom do not feel safe using the park, the neighborhood leader said.

For example, Henning notes in the letter: “…occupying a sleeping bag or bedroll within a City park for any purpose is forbidden by City ordinance. Specifically, the phrase “for any purpose” is unequivocal and strips the ordinance of any requirement that a violator have the specific intent to use the sleeping bag or bedroll for lodging or living accommodation as opposed to recreation.”

“Yet Rec. and Parks staff and the LAPD allow the wide use of sleeping bags in the park on a daily basis,” Ryavec said.

“These conditions are alarming to residents and clearly having a negative effect on visitors, who frequently complain about being harassed on the Boardwalk and are fearful of bringing small children to the beach in this part of Venice,” Ryavec explained.

Henning noted the lack of enforcement has led to a lawless atmosphere in the beach park which last summer resulted in the tragic murder of a young Italian woman by a meth-addicted transient driving illegally on the Boardwalk. “Conditions at Venice Beach have only gotten worse since then,” Henning said.

The Henning letter notes that a lawsuit could be brought under the California Civil Code to abate the public nuisance the City is now allowing at Venice Beach. Ryavec said the group is currently raising funds for a public nuisance suit.