Two and a half years have passed since I last posted anything on this blog but something happened today that has driven me back to the keyboard.  

I pulled out of the driveway this morning and was sitting at the stop sign at the intersection of Sweetbay and Narcissa, and here comes a shiny white car whipping around the corner from Narcissa to Sweetbay without even a pause at the other stop sign. 

On impulse, I leaned on my horn.  The driver, who had already passed me,  stopped, backed up, lowered her window and said: "What's the problem?"

"I guess you didn't see the stop sign?" I asked.

"Yes I saw it!" she retorted sharply. "There was no one there. I didn't interfere with anyone. I didn't interfere with you. Chill out!" she commanded.

"But you're supposed to stop," I said.

"Chill out!" she yelled again. And with a look of disgust, she sped on her way. She is, of course, not the only person who has ever run a stop sign in Portuguese Bend. 

However...here's the bad news. The last time I looked at the DMV instruction book, it said the law requires drivers to come to a COMPLETE STOP at all stop signs. Period.

So, no. I don't think I'll chill out.

Instead, I offer this suggestion to the snippy woman in the white car,  and everyone else who seems to think that it's OK to whip through stop signs if no one is around:

Alternately, we could just remove all the stop signs in Portuguese Bend.

Would that make everyone happier?

A Few Thoughts About Transparency and Oversight

Happy New Year!

I seem to have fallen off the blogging horse. An entire year has gone by since my last post.  But maybe it's not too late to resuscitate this thing.

A few thoughts after the most recent board meeting...which provided ample evidence that democracy can be difficult.  (If this were a college exam, the essay question at this point might be: Two words that we hear a lot about these days are "transparency" and "oversight." Discuss.)

Prior to the January meeting, one of our residents asked for a copy of the check register for the last six months. And then the resident asked questions about checks that were written: amounts, recipients, missing checks. The questions were direct. At the meeting, the board provided answers and explanations, asked if there were more questions, there were none. The board was thanked. Everyone seemed happy, I thought.

I was wrong. At that point, a new resident commented that, based on his experience as a director of a much larger board, he believed that board members were elected to do a job and that members needed to trust those they elected to do a good job. (In other words, don't ask so many questions.)  Board Chair Bob Cumby said that he agreed, and that if members wanted to oversee every move the board made, then it didn't make much sense to have a board.

If I understood Bob Cumby correctly, what he wound up saying was that the members of the board work hard and do what they think is right and that if association members are not  happy with what the board is doing, or if they don't trust the incumbents,  members should vote them out of office.

It seemed clear to me that board members were offended by the questions that had been asked.

Time for  transparency

Long time resident Jeanne Smolley suggested that some transparency in board operations might be helpful. For instance: if the treasurer's report indicated "who got paid for what," it would clarify expenditures. Also helpful: copies of the treasurer's report available for those at the meeting. (The board stopped providing these months ago because they said, they printed them and no one took them. It was obvious at the meeting, however, that at least a few residents would appreciate having copies of these reports made available at each meeting.)

Now comes oversight 

Maybe it's not fair to compare the Portuguese Bend Board to Congress, or even the RPV City council. But they ARE all organizations of elected officials. There is some oversight with Congress and the city council. That's the job of the press...reporters for radio, tv, blogs, newspapers, magazines. The press has access to elected officials, so the electorate can learn what our representatives are doing. Reporters are able to ask elected officials questions.  And if elected officials don't want to answer: too bad. Reporters keep asking...or at least, they should if they are good reporters. And then they tell us, the electorate, who is doing what and where our tax money is being spent. (That's why the press is called the Fourth Estate.) They do this so we know who to vote for. A well-informed electorate is a basic necessity for democracy to work properly.

But there are no reporters asking questions of the Portuguese Bend Board members. There IS no press involved.  So how, then,  does our Portuguese Bend electorate get informed?

Members have to go to the monthly board meetings to know what is going on.

Unfortunately, few do.

Board members may view low attendance at board meetings as lack of interest on the part of residents.

• But maybe it's that residents are tired after working all day, 
• or they don't have a sitter, 
• or they are working late, 
• or they forgot. 

The important thing is that residents have no way of knowing what their elected representatives are doing except via direct attendance at board meetings... or rumor.

This is not the best way to get an informed electorate.

In the past there has been a newsletter. And for a while, there was a website.

At the moment, the only communication that residents have about board activities is by reading very brief minutes of meetings, which arrive via email a few hours before the next meeting...one month after events have taken place.

Our board members are our friends and neighbors and they are giving of their time and brain power to make this community what it is. And we appreciate their efforts.

But should that preclude asking questions?

What do you think?

btw: the election is next month.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You...

...To Lisa Gladstone and Dr. Milt Owens who provided a warm and inviting location for Saturday's informational meeting on the Zone 2 Draft Environmental Impact Report.

...To Jim Knight who provided background, information, explanations, ideas about and insight into the report.

...And to all our neighbors who turned out for the meeting and asked questions, provided information and expressed enthusiastic interest in our community and its future. More people showed up for the meeting than I've seen in the last two years at the monthly Board meetings!

More information, including important points to consider in the E.I.R., will be coming out of that meeting in the next day or two. Watch this space.

Until then, a reminder: Final written comments on the draft E.I.R. are due by 5 p.m. November 20. That is 10 days from now. If you have not already written to the City Council, start organizing your ideas now.

The document is here:  http://www.palosverdes.com/rpv/planning/Zone_2_Landslide_Moratorium/EIR.cfm  If you don't want to read the entire document, at least read the summary. When writing to the City Council about this, remember to relate your comments directly to specific points in the E.I.R.

Finally, there is a new communication tool only for residents of Portuguese Bend. Check it out  here: https://portuguesebend.nextdoor.com/join

Confused About the E.I.R? Saturday Meeting Should Help

The Zone 2 Draft Environmental Impact Report has been available for some time. If you have not seen it, it's here: http://www.palosverdes.com/rpv/planning/Zone_2_Landslide_Moratorium/EIR.cfm  It's huge and it's technical and for the average person (me), understanding all the jargon about geology and hydrology is a major challenge. 

So why bother? Well, if you live in Portuguese Bend, it affects you. So it really would be smart to have some understanding of what it says. You can make things a little easier on yourself by downloading the executive summary and plowing through that. But even that is a hard read.

The PBCA Board held a Town Meeting several weeks ago and fewer than two dozen residents showed up to hear a presentation by an RPV planner.  The RPV City Council heard citizen comments on the document last night.

But many people still have questions.

So this Saturday, November 10,  everyone  can get answers and hear ideas at a  3 p.m. meeting at 18 Cinnamon Lane where Lisa Gladstone has offered to host the event. 

Jim Knight, a Bend resident as well as former Planning Commissioner and incumbent RPV City Council member has agreed to lead the discussion. He really knows the ropes  and we're lucky to have him in our community.

All residents are welcome to attend and bring their ideas and ask questions. Those who already have written to the city regarding the document are asked to bring their letters to share. 

And Lisa has asked those who come to bring a lawn chair. We hope it will be crowded.

See you Saturday, I hope!

There's an OOPS In Our PBCA Election

At the January  PBCA Board Meeting, an association member announced that she had told a member of the nominating committee that she wanted to run for the Board in the upcoming election, but, she pointed out, her name was not on the ballot, which had arrived in most members' mailboxes that day, along with annual reports and an annual financial report.

The reason for the omission was not clear, but might have been related to the fact that the usual procedures for conducting an election were not followed this year. Ordinarily, the Board names a nominating committee in December and sends information about the upcoming election to all association members immediately afterward. This mailing normally includes information about dates for applying to run for office as well as forms to fill out and filing instructions for potential candidates.  Once the cut-off date has passed, ballots are compiled and mailed to all members well in advance of the February annual meeting, at which time all ballots are counted and election results are announced.

None of that happened this year. 

There was an announcement on the two community bulletin boards that the annual meeting would be delayed until March because of a problem with the annual financial report.

An announcement giving the names of nominating committee members was posted on the bulletin boards several weeks before the ballots arrived in the mail.  In fact, that notice was still up on the bulletin boards the day the ballots arrived.

In view of all this confusion, the board decided at the January meeting to have a "do over."

In response to my inquiries, an email from Board Chairman Bob Cumby, received last Friday said: "The repeat nominating/election process is in motion.  A community notice will go out as soon as the dates are set.  Tentative date for the Annual Meeting is April 17.  Nomination mailings will go out today or tomorrow."

If you have had second thoughts about running for the board, you now have a second chance.

If you have already voted--sorry; you get to vote again later.

If you have not voted yet--don't worry. That first ballot is no good anyway. Pitch it, but save the annual reports. 

Mark your calendar for April 17, tentatively, for the PBCA Annual Meeting and election.

Watch for new election information in your mailbox.

Does Anyone Know What's Going On Here?

The members of the Portuguese Bend Board of Directors are our neighbors, all of whom have volunteered to do the jobs in our community that need doing; additionally, they all have busy private lives, and they are trying hard to be of service to our community, and so, out of respect for that and a desire to "get along," I have bitten my tongue and remained silent. 

For too long.

Even though I have been to almost every board meeting for the last two years,  looking back, I realize that I have very little idea of what is going on, for a variety of reasons. 

First: it is hard to keep track of the players. Over the last couple of years three board members--Casey Porter, Mike Cooper and Tim Kelly...resigned. The remaining board members chose to replace them with Suzanne Black-Griffith, Joan McClellan and Bob Cumby. By and large, these replacements arrived unannounced and un-introduced until, at one meeting, a resident asked who was who and what was going on.

Second: It is often difficult to follow the board discussions. At the February board meeting, I thought perhaps I was going completely deaf until someone behind me called out, "Are we supposed to be able to hear you?" The response was something to the effect that the board was meeting and we were guests and guests would be heard from at the end of the meeting. The four board members in attendance did not make any attempt to raise their voices and thus, most of their discussion was unintelligible to many in the audience. 

Third:  The first part of every meeting is devoted to architectural committee business which always is confusing for a variety of reasons.  In the first place, the committe membership changes from month to month. Most recently it appears to consist of Bob Halderman, Gordon Leon, Mike Cooper and Kim Nelson, who hasn't been there since it was announced that she has returned to the group.  Additionally, the meeting consists of conversation about addresses, names, private conversations with builders and building progress, which are unfamiliar, at least to me. 

Fourth: The architectural meeting is followed by the regular board meeting, which begins with board members each reading a copy of the minutes silently and approving them. Copies of the minutes of both the architectural committee and the board are unavailable for audience members. Copies of architectural committee minutes never have been available. However, up until five meetings ago, a few copies of the board minutes and the financial report were available for the first few community members who showed up. Apparently, at the one meeting I missed, the board voted to discontinue this practice as a cost cutting measure. Two months ago, I asked if perhaps the secretary could email me a copy of the minutes. I was assured that she would. Nothing was forthcoming. It isn't clear to me why copies of the minutes could not be emailed to everyone in the community with one click of a computer key. If anyone knows why this is impossible, please enlighten me.

The same goes for the financial report. Minimal at best, because it has never included a check register to show who got what, it at least showed how much money was spent in various categories. Copies of it are no longer available either. Couldn't that be emailed to?

Fifth: There is little or no communication between the board and the community. In December, in anticipation of elections at the February general meeting, several people volunteered to be on the nominating committee. No announcement of the appointments, nor any announcement of board positions that would be open followed. 

Two days ago, a notice appeared on community bulletin boards telling residents that three positions are open on the board and anyone who wants to apply should contact Tim Kelly. Just how to do this is unclear.

And then today, an email message from Bob Cumby that is making the rounds, explained that the nominating committee has found people to fill the spots on the board. Evidently this happened BEFORE the general notice went up. I feel as if I came in on the middle of the movie and missed the most important clue as to who did what to whom.

The same bulletin board notice tells us that the General Meeting will be delayed a month because of the fire, which cut short the January board meeting, as well as a change in our Certified Public Accountant. Who knew? Does anyone know why that happened?

Does this mean we will have a February meeting of the board? Or nothing until March?

Another example of a communication problem involves the upcoming Palos Verdes Art Center Homes Tour in Portuguese Bend. At least one resident is up in arms because Jim York has applied for a Conditional Use Permit for his Event Center so that the Art Association can have a luncheon there for people who buy tickets for the tour.  Representatives of the Homes Tour approached the Board at least a year ago, and subsequently made a presentation at a Board meeting during which they explained how they proposed to conduct the tour in our community.  Several PBCA members went on last year's tour to get a better idea of how it worked, and reported back that they were very impressed with the organization of the event, security and the entire operation. At that time, the Board approved the request. 

But no one told the community members about the decision. Too bad.

No one told community members when the Board voted to raise the assessments five per cent for the coming year, either.

In the past we had a newsletter. 

Later, we had a web site. 

Then we had occasional emails.

Now, we have nothing. 

Does anyone care?

Holidays In the Bend Get Off To A Good Start With Caroling and a Party

An enthusiastic group of singers, some on foot and some on horseback, gathered at the huge eucalyptus tree by the Bean Field last Sunday night and set out to bring a little seasonal cheer to Portuguese Bend. 

Horses and their riders sported glowing red and green holiday lights, (battery operated of course),  while carolers carried flashlights,  candles and song books. The musical group wandered down Sweetbay, turned on Narcissa,  and wound up at Five Points before  the horses grew impatient and the singers grew chilly and winded. 

After the horses went home, carolers, riders and other residents gathered at Dottie and Howard Towle's home for some conversation accompanied by hot spiced cider, hot spiced wine, cookies, brownies and figgy pudding, compliments of Gigi Greene.

It was a terrific way to get reacquainted with neighbors not seen for a while, and to meet some folks who are new to the neighborhood. If you missed it, you missed out. 

Thanks to Howard and Dottie Towle, who opened their home for the evening, and Gigi, thanks to whom we now understand why all those singers have, for years, been demanding, "Give us some figgy pudding, right now." Everyone there had a great time.

BTW: The dessert was excellent and Gigi has been kind enough to share the source of the recipe, for anyone who wants to give it a try: http://adventurouswomenblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/make-real-figgy-pudding.html

As for a repeat performance, the group probably could cover more of the Bend next year if some helpful resident would provide transportation for the singers: a tractor hauling hay, an open-back truck, or even a sleigh/wagon would work very well. The horses seem to manage very well on four legs.

Now, on to the Arty Party.

Topic of the Month: Safety in Portuguese Bend

We're spoiled.

We are used to leaving our garages open, our cars unlocked and our front doors unlatched. We hike the hills and stroll the streets at all hours and never give safety a thought. We've always done it that way.

Well...here's a news flash for you. This ain't Mayberry anymore.

Over the last few months, Portuguese Bend residents have reported assorted burglaries, identity theft resulting from mailbox burglary, and one scary incident involving a young teenager and an overly-friendly truck driver. Some of these have been solved (at least one thanks to the video cameras at the Narcissa gate).

Board Seeks Possible Solutions

These incidents have been the topic of discussion at the monthly board meetings, and last month board members promised to look into various solutions such as locked mailboxes and the cost of local security companies.Other options included a full-time gate guard, a part time gate guard, more frequent changes to the gate code,  changing the hours when the gate requires a card and setting up a neighborhood watch program.

After all the discusion, most people agreed on one thing:  Your safety begins with you. That means:

• Lock your doors
• Lock your garage
• Lock any cars in your driveway (and don't leave anything valuable inside.) 
• Tell youngsters not to talk to any strangers, even if they ask for directions. 
• And finally, report any suspicious activities to a board member.

Sheriff Will Speak at July Meeting

The July 11 Board Meeting will feature a visit from a local sheriff who will address the topic of community safety.  If you are concerned about this, (and who isn't?) this might be a good time to turn off the TV and attend the Board meeting. It begins at 7 p.m. at Ladera Linda. First thing on the agenda is the Architectural Committee meeting. Once that's over, the regular meeting will begin.

New Faces on Board and Architectural Committee

Other updates to Board business over the last couple of months: Mike Cooper, who recently ran for re-election to the board, resigned one month after the election. The board did not ask for nominations for a replacement but simply named Joan McClellan to fill unexpired portion of the two year term. Also, Tim Vaughn resigned from the Architectural Committee and Joe Oliver was named to replace him.

No one has been named to update the community web site. Anyone interested in taking on that task should contact Board Chairman Tim Kelly.

Art Tour Here?

Last month, representatives from the Palos Verdes Art Association, which sponsors an annual homes tour,  addressed the meeting about their desire to make Portuguese Bend the site of their homes tour next year, April 14-15, 2012. Board members mentioned that visitors would need to be bussed into the area to reduce traffic, and PVAC representatives agreed to that. Other details remain to be worked out. Board members did not make a decision but said they would discuss the issue.

Also mentioned at the June meeting was the difficulty of walking around the neighborhood, particularly now that there are so many construction vehicles in the area. Some residents commented that it would be possible to walk around if the mandated three or five foot setbacks in front of each house were enforced.  Board members noted that this is difficult to enforce fairly and consistently but several community members Gordon Leon, Suzanne Hoffman and Lynn Petak volunteered to walk the community and try to spot problem areas and suggest solutions.

Also discussed: a revision to the Architectural Standards to cover building of homes on hillside lots. This will be a long, drawn-out process but Gordon Leon volunteered to work on the wording for this. It was suggested that he also talk to Jim Knight about the issue. Both Leon and Knight are members of the RPV Planning Commission.

Roads ... and what needs to happen to them

Finally, there was the issue of roads and access control. This includes:

• Finishing unfinished road work (budget problems here)
• Dealing with speeders and those who fail to stop at stop signs
• Installing speed bumps at stop signs (board members will get a price on this but noted that speed bumps may not interfere with water flow)
• Striping the streets. This must be done to keep our insurance current. 
• Access control: a construction truck demolished the wall at the Narcissa gate. Inasmuch as there had already been talk of remodeling and widening that gate area, this topic is open for discussion. As of last month, Board Member Suzanne Black- Griffith was waiting to hear from the truck driver's insurance company about payment for the damage.

Hope to see you tomorrow at the Board Meeting.

About Your Headlights...

Some of us like to talk a walk at night in Portuguese Bend. Yes, we know it's dark in Portuguese Bend when the sun goes down. But we're out there anyway.

We're walking dogs.

We're looking at the stars

We're just enjoying a cool, quiet stroll.

And we understand that those of you who are driving in the Bend after dark usually turn on your bright lights, so you can see where you are going. That makes sense.

But common decency, as well as common sense, would seem to dictate that when a driver with brights on, sees a pedestrian out for an after-dark stroll,  the driver TURNS THE BRIGHTS OFF! Otherwise, you blind the pedestrian! (And make them very angry as well.)

Judge Turns Thumbs Down on Enstedt Suit; Building Can Continue

There's no need to repeat what the Daily Breeze has already said. Just read their story here.

Appeal anyone ?

Court Decision Delayed Again! Maybe Tomorrow?

According to a huge story in Tuesday's Daily Breeze, today was supposed to be the day for a final Los Angeles Superior Court ruling on the last gasp of all the chaos surrounding development of the 16 so-called Monks lots in Portuguese Bend.

No such luck.

But don't give up hope. 

According to Breeze Reporter Melissa Paymer, who's on the story like white on milk,  the decision has been delayed until Friday.   

Basically, the court is set to rule on whether the 16 lots now under development should be included in the upcoming Zone 2 EIR. A preliminary decision indicates that things look bleak for the anti-development folks. For more details, click the links up above and read the Breeze stories.

As for the EIR,  RPV Associate City Planner Kit Fox says we'll see the draft Zone 2 EIR some time this month. Don't hold your breath. When this all started, Fox said the EIR would be done before the first building permit was issued!

Election Results: PBCA Returns Incumbents to Board; RPV Voters Turn Thumbs Down On Charter City

Residents of Portuguese Bend voted to return the only two candidates running for the board to their positions for another two years, at Tuesday evening's sparsely attended meeting at Ladera Linda Community Center. Tim Kelly received 100 votes, Mike Cooper received 89 votes and there was one write-in for another resident.

Meanwhile, in Tueday's RPV election, voters voiced a resounding "NO" to the idea of becoming a charter city in Tuesday's election. According to the LA City clerk's office, the vote was 4634 "no" to 1790 "yes."

Whether this is a reflection on our electorate's confidence in our city council, which was overwhelmingly in favor of the change, or simply a fear of becoming another Bell, isn't clear at this point.

What do you think?

Related articles

• Bell election: Voters recall embattled council members and elect new representatives (latimesblogs.latimes.com)

Jim York Is Back and So Am I

I am so far behind with this blog that I feel as if I'm in the middle of a horrible nightmare ...you know the one...it's the end of the semester and it's the day of the final exam and you haven't been to the class all year and you don't even know where the class meets!

But the headline on the front page of Monday's Daily Breeze woke me up, so here we go again.  

If you missed it, it says, "Developer Decides to Farm Pristine Peninsula Land." Anyone who has walked around the big white gate across from the Equestrian Center, and has Point View in the last year knows that this isn't particularly news. Jim York has had avocado trees and a vegetable and herb garden up there for ages...but, wait...there's more.

If you check the RPV website, you can find the details of his proposed project, for which he is seeking a Conditional Use Permit. His plan includes:

• 17.5 acres of organic avocados
• 1.5 acres of citrus and avocados
• 8.5 acres of vineyards
• 2.5 acre non-commercial 9-hole golf course with two greens and traps that will not have any employees. It will not be open to the public, nor will it have regular operating hours and will have no clubhouse. Play will be limited to daylight hours.
• And last but not least, an Event Center, planned as an ancillary use of the property (see note below), for no more than 30 events a year including fund raising and charity events, private parties, public and community events, weddings and wedding receptions, corporate parties, outdoor conferences and educational events. (That means one event every third week if he uses it year 'round, or at least two a week if he doesn't rent the place out during the six months of what we, in California, refer to as winter. (Time of rain, wind, mud, heavy jackets, etc.)

Quick explanation: Ancillary use is the important term here. York can't get a Conditional Use Permit for a stand alone Event Center on property zoned residential.  But it turns out, under city zoning regulations, he can build a golf course on the property and he can call the Event Center ancillary to the golf course, and then it's legal!

According to the plan, attendance at Event Center events would be limited to 300 people, not including event staff, security/safety personnel, etc., with an occasional special charity event that could generate up to 750 people. Hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Way down at the bottom of this proposal, we find this interesting paragraph:

Miscellaneous – To improve on-site circulation and access, the proposal includes legalizing an after-the-fact roadway segment that was paved to provide a secondary access to the site from the Narcissa Drive gate.  Further, a new paved roadway is proposed to provide main access to the property via Palos Verdes Drive South.  The after-the-fact roadway is a 700-foot segment constructed of impervious asphalt; while the new main roadway is currently an unpaved dirt road measuring 1,880-feet in length, and is proposed to be paved with impervious asphalt.

This is very hard to understand in light of the judgement against James York and Long Point Associates in 2001 in which the Hon William G. Willett ruled in the case of Portuguese Bend Community Association Inc. vs James York, York Longpoint Assoc. Limited Parntership, et al.,  Judgment dated July 27, 2001 that:

Page 3, Number 4, line 14:

YORK LONG POINT, and it's successors, shall have the right to use the Portuguese Bend Roads for maintenance and all lawful purposes of the YORK LONG POINT property, so long as such use does not allow use of the Portuguese Bend Roads by members of the general public.

The italics are mine. And thanks to Claudia Gutierrez for providing a copy of the Willetts ruling. 

If someone can explain to me how York plans to have public events at Long Point and get access to the site from the Narcissa gate, I'd like to hear it.

But wait, there's more!

Check the agenda for the January 18 RPV City Council meeting (that's tonight folks!) and you will find that Item 6 on the agenda is the award of a contract for services to prepare a Mitigated Negative Declartion for the proposed Point View Agriculture, Golf Course and Event Garden Master Plan Project. This will cost $64,707, which amount Mr. York has ponied up to start the development process. The proposed contract, with interesting background and details on the project is here.

 Be sure to check the map of the proposed project here.

But wait, there's even more!

Item 4 on the Agenda is as follows: Adoption of Ordinance No. 517, to create a Ministerial Process to adjust the landslide moratorium boundary line. This is the second reading of this proposed ordinance; if the council adopts it Tuesday, will take effect February 17, 2011. 

This is the item that Jim York was talking about in the Daily Breeze article, when it said:

York is also hoping to see a new ordinance approved Tuesday that would enable him - and other landowners - to request removal of portions of their property from a 32-year-old city building moratorium instituted over concerns about landslides.

The change would allow the boundaries of the landslide moratorium to be moved if an applicant could provide scientific evidence to the city's geologist that the existing lines are inaccurate. There's already a process - the subject of a lengthy lawsuit that the city lost - to get individual properties exempted from the moratorium for specific construction plans.

The new process would be broader and would not require building plans. It would give the city geologist the authority to adjust the boundary without a public hearing.

If the line that York desires is eventually granted, about 13 more acres of his land would be developable, for a total of nearly 47 buildable acres.

Overseer for the Point View Project is Senior Planner Eduardo Schonborn. You can call him at (310) 544-5228, or email him at eduardos@rpv.com

The City Council meets tonight, Tuesday, January 18, at Hesse Park, 29301 Hawthorne Blvd., at 7 p.m. If you have anything to say about all this, this meeting is the place to say it.

If you want to keep updated on this issue, subscribe to the appropriate city listserver group here.

One last note:  During the next week, I'll be doing a little backtracking on this blog, discussing what I know about what's happened at the last few PBCA Board Meetings, what's happening on the Zone 2 Environmental Impact Report, and a bit of local art news.

If you have anything you think our neighbors should know, be sure to email me.

Kuykendall Says Late Nite Robocall Is A Fake

When the phone rings at 11:30 at night, you figure it's an emergency...someone is sick, someone died. No one calls at 11:30 p.m. to chat.

So when our phone rang last night at 11:30, my husband and I both jumped. He grabbed the phone, said "hello" and then nothing more. He listened for a minute or so and then hung up. 

"Who was it?" I asked.

"One of those calls to vote no on Prop. P."

"From who?"

"Steve Kuykendall."

I looked at the clock. It said 11:20. I was so mad, I hopped out of bed and on to the computer, looked up Steve Kuykendall's email address and fired off an angry letter.( I debated about calling him, but decided I didn't want to get down to the same level.)

This morning I received this email from Steve Kuykendall:

Hello everyone...

The recorded call you received last night was from an imposter.  I did not record the call nor did I give permission for my name to be used. In fact the caller couldn't even pronounce my name correctly. I have been an ardent supporter of the Marymount Plan and Measure P from the beginning.  These dirty campaign tactics have become all too common place in campaigns and this type of action by the No on Measure P folks is just another example of campaigns run amuck.  The opponents of Measure P owe an apology to the entire community.  Unfortunately, they know they must obscure the truth because the facts are on the side of Measure P.”

Steve Kuykendall

PS  Please forward to any others you think may have been disturbed by this call.  Thanks!

Steven T. Kuykendall
Steven T. Kuykendall & Associates
400 West Ocean Blvd, Suite 2403
Long Beach, CA 90802
Phone 562.432.8252
Mobile 310.968.9388

The best thing about the election being over is that my mailbox will not be filled with junk mail every day and my telephone will not be ringing on the hour with robocallers telling me how to vote on every candidate and proposition.

The flyers are worthless. 

The calls are annoying. 

The TV spots are ridiculous. 

None of them provide me with what I need before I go into the voting booth today: factual information, relevant background, and well-mannered, thoughtful discussion about the candidates and the issues.

Ride To Fly Kids, And Their Horses, Will Be Wearing Costumes This Thursday

Members of Ride To Fly, the therapeutic riding program that trains in the corral at 50 Narcissa Drive, will be celebrating Halloween this Thursday, October 28, from 2 to 4 p.m. 

The kids and their horses will be in costume and they will be trick or treating in the neighborhood. Please give them a friendly wave, and perhaps even a treat, if you see them.

Mr. Long, You're Wrong

I received one of those annoying robocalls from RPV Councilman Tom Long the other day. You know what a robocall is, right? It's a recorded message from someone with a political ax to grind and they're too busy to talk to you but they want you to drop whatever you're doing and listen to them because whatever they have to say is SO important. But because it's a one-sided flood of information, you can't ask questions or say anything back.

So I thought I'd have my say here.

According to Mr. Long, I should vote "no" on Prop. P because Marymount College can build everything in its plan just the way it wants to, right now.

Unfortunately, the devil is in the details, Mr. Long. But I would not have known that if I had not gone to the PBCA Board Meeting a couple of weeks ago and heard Marymount President Dr. Michael Brophy and Planning Commissioner Jim Wright discuss the pros and cons of Proposition P in a friendly, well-mannered and detailed way. 

What I learned that night is that on the last go-round of the Marymount plan, when the college received its final approval from the city council, the council had made two minor changes to the plan, which no one seems to be discussing.

First: the council lowered the height of the gymnasium 10 feet.  This seemed, to Dr. Brophy, to be a somewhat arbitrary change because the issue of view obstruction had been discussed at length during the previous years of negotiation about the plan.  The question was, would the height of the gym, as planned, obstruct the view of any neighbors who lived above the site?  According to Brophy, the college had agreed that when the time came to build the gym, they would put up flags to mark the intended roof line, and if it impacted any views, they would lower the roof of the gym. But the council, in its wisdom, made the change in the final plan anyway and never explained why.

Second: the council changed the location of two of the four planned tennis courts, making that part of the plan, in Marymount's eyes, unworkable. Here's why: The planned soccer field is adjacent to Palos Verdes Drive East, a curvy, heavily-traveled road that runs right by the campus. Although the field will be 10 feet below the level of the road, and is topped by a five foot wall, leaving 15 feet between road and field, there were concerns on the part of some council members that a wayward soccer ball might fly up on to the road and cause an accident. To mitigate the problem, Marymount agreed that during games and practices, they would raise a net to make the barrier between ball and road even higher. Up until the last meeting, everyone on both sides had agreed to that solution.

Now comes the bothersome detail that no one is discussing:

The original Marymount plan called for construction of four tennis courts to be located between the soccer field and the rest of the campus.  When Marymount got the final approval for its plan, it discovered that the city council had split the courts, putting two between the edge of campus and the soccer field, and two in the original location, on the other side of the soccer field. The purpose of this was to move the soccer field farther from the adjacent road, further decreasing the likelihood that a soccer ball would fly up on the road and cause an accident. 

But, this change meant that the four tennis courts would be split by the width of the soccer field. Brophy said that this situation is completely unworkable for both instruction and competitive use of the courts. And if you look at the plan, you have to agree. 

None of this had anything to do with dorms, libraries or any of the other land-use issues associated with the plan and Prop. P. And admittedly, these two things might be considered minor points. But Mr. Long, if you want me to listen to your calls, please get all your details right.

As for the other, perhaps bigger, issues surrounding Measure P, more on that later.

But I hope the person who invented the robocall rots in hell.

Related articles

• New California Poll Shows Robocalls Largely Fall on Deaf and Hostile Ears (prweb.com)

Let's All Go See What the Artists See This Saturday At Zask's Gallery; Saturday's a Big Day for Portuguese Bend

Some people call it "old junk." 

But artists see with different eyes...(which is why they are artists)...so they see "interesting,"" beautiful," "opportunity for creativity" and even "fun."

You can see the result of all this Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. at the grand opening of the new show at the PS Zask Gallery, in the gallery's new location, 31246 Palos Verdes Drive West, upstairs, across from the entrance to the Admiral Risty restaurant.

The show, Lost But Profound, will feature works by a group of artists whose primary medium is the found object. These include M.C. Armstrong, Charity Capili, Pat  Cox, Peg Grady, Jen Grey, Beanie Kaman, Geoffrey Kieran, Dorothy Magallon, Kelly O, Stan Resnicoff, Marian Seiders, Silvia Simmons, Mark Tanner, Patrick M. Tierney, Susan Levin, Joyce Weiss, Michael Wood and last, but certainly not least, Ben Zask.

Also on the agenda for the evening: live jazz by the Mark Fitchett Trio, and if you come early, you can watch the sunset.

With its  new location, the Gallery also has new hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. The gallery is closed Monday. 

Coming soon: arts and crafts for sale on the patio on weekends. Also some classes. 

This all sounds like lots of fun. Why not make Saturday a Portuguese Bend day? We've got the community garage sale in the morning, college football on tv in the afternoon, and the opening of a new show in the Zask's new gallery in the evening. Saturday's a big day for Portuguese Bend. 

See you at the show?

Flyers and Letters to the Editor Don't Do It For Me; I Hope Monday's Board Meeting Clears Up My Confusion

I am really looking forward to Monday's PBCA Board meeting, particularly the part where neighbor and Planning Commissioner Jim Knight and a representative from Marymount College discuss Proposition P. 

I gather, from the proliferation of Pro and Anti Prop P signs in our neighborhood, that many neighbors have made up their minds on this issue. However, I'm still confused and I'm hoping to get enlightened Monday.

In general, I tend to be pro-education and I think that a college is a great addition to the community. I've read the news stories and letters to the editor in the PV News, and I've read all the mailers that have arrived in our mailbox, but I still don't feel as if I really understand the issue. 

A recent telephone call from a Marymount booster did not clarify things at all. 

"Ring, ring."

"Hello."

"Hi. I'm calling about Proposition P. Are you familiar with it?" a cheerful woman's voice asked.

"As a matter of fact, I've just been reading about it in the paper, so I sort of know what it's about but I do have a few questions," I replied.

"Well, then you know that voting for Prop P will give the community a library, a gymnasium and all sorts of other facilities that will be open to the public," she enthused.

"But I thought that the city had already approved that," I replied. "I thought that the major issue here was dorms."

Silence.

"Isn't that right?" I asked. More silence. 

I continued: "I think your approach isn't quite honest. You're telling me all about the things we're going to get  if I vote for Prop P, but I thought that those things had already been approved by the city. Isn't that right?"

The next thing I heard was "click." She hung up.

The pro-Prop P flyers are equally unhelpful.  The latest one features a local father  and five-year soccer coach telling me that if I vote for Prop P my kids will get new playing fields, at no cost to the taxpayer. But none of the changes approved by the city called for any tax money in the first place.

So I'm still confused. I thought the issue was dorms.

I could use some explanation pro and con, in words of one syllable, from both sides so that I can understand the issue and make an educated decision when it comes time to vote. I'm hoping to get that Monday. 

See you there? Ladera Linda. 7 p.m. 

Residents Turn Out In Force to Discuss Problems and Solutions; Main Concerns: Appearance, Safety

It was really exciting to see so many people at the September PBCA Board Meeting. The room was so full that latecomers had to set up extra chairs! Hopefully this community involvement will continue at the next meeting, October 4.

Applause greeted the board announcement that Suzanne Black Griffith will fill the board position left empty by the resignation of Board President Casey Porter. Suzanne, who grew up in Portuguese Bend, is now an attorney, and she and her husband, Mike, live in what used to be her parents' home. The board announced that Suzanne's first task will be to review the revised CC&Rs and the By-laws and make sure that all comments submitted by residents are either included or give reasons why they were excluded.

The remainder of the meeting was filled with a good deal of discussion about the general appearance of the Bend, kicked off by Jeanne Smolley's question as to whether there were different enforcement policies for the East and West Sides of the area. Tim Kelly, who appears to be serving as the new Board president, said that it was his understanding that the rules were enforced more loosely on the East Side because of the unique problems of land movement faced by residents living there. 

Continued discussion of related issues throughout the evening seemed to reveal that many residents, including those on the East side, would like to see the regulations enforced  equally throughout the Bend. 

Long time resident Betty Strauss said,  "We're not here to be critical but there are issues" and she asked how residents could work together with the board to solve them. That eventually led to formation of a Safety and Security Committee, which Mike Griffith volunteered to chair. Primary concerns at this point seem to be gate maintenance, possible remodeling of the Narcissa gate, and fire prevention. Residents who are interested in serving on this committee should contact Mike.

Several questions were raised about specific properties on the East Side. Board members reported that one owner has purchased a chipper and is at work removing a large amount of accumulated foliage on his properties. Additionally, it was reported that the eight containers stored at the end of Peppertree would be gone by the end of the week. (As of two days ago, three remained.)

Board member Mike Cooper said that the piles of dirt and ground up asphalt stored at the end of Peppertree, and at Pony Club, will be gone when the road work, including work on Limetree, is finished. He noted that the large equipment stored at Pony Club belongs to the contractor doing the road work throughout Portuguese Bend.  A discussion between board members and a Limetree property owner about how to widen the end of the street did not reach a mutually agreeable conclusion.

In response to concerns about a coming onslaught of tumbleweed, Pat Burt reminded everyone that property owners are responsible for maintaining  their own property, including pulling out tumbleweed, keep trees trimmed and property looking attractive.

As to enforcement of architectural standards throughout the community, it was suggested that two people be added to the architectural committee to deal specifically with this issue. No one volunteered for that job. Anyone interested in taking on that task probably should contact a Board member. Betty Strauss asked just what enforcement capabilities were available to the Board.  The response: the Board can send letters asking for compliance with architectural standards within a certain time frame. Failure to comply can result in a fine. Finally, the Board can put a lien on the house for the amount of the fine,  which would be paid upon sale of the house.

A property owner who bought an East Side lot 15 years ago said that he wants to grow plants on his property and has discovered that a driveway that formerly existed has vanished and access is now blocked by a water line. He was advised to contact the water  company. He also said he wanted to put a small building on his lot to store his gardening equipment. He was informed that this was a violation of the architectural code.

Bob Halderman asked about a community garage sale and the Board agreed to schedule it for October 23. No chairman was named.

A Local Artist Talks About the Beauty of Our Special Area

When you set up a Google alert, you never know what you're going to find in your email. Today, I found this lovely video by Dan Pinkham, in which he extolls the virtues of our special area and the efforts of the Portuguese Bend Artist Colony to capture its unique beauty and quality of life. He also talks about the group's relationship to Terranea.

Try it. I think you'll like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDXRlsP68zM

And thanks, Dan, for speaking so eloquently about our wonderful area.