Nature Education Facility: Part Two. RPV City Council Ignores Residents' Input

Watching our elected representatives at work is an interesting experience, and worth remembering when it comes time to vote. Perhaps if more of us did so, via tv, computer or in person, election results would be different.

I thought of this tonight as I watched the RPV City Council act on item three of the agenda, a grant application for a Nature Education Facility to be built at Abalone Cove. If you missed the details, check yesterday's blog.  as well as the actual grant proposal.

I don't know how many emails the council members received on this topic, but I listened to 10 area residents who took the time to GO to the council meeting and address this topic. All 10, including at least three from Portuguese Bend--Betty Strauss, Vicky Pinkham and Sunshine-- opposed the project. The objections included these points:

• The proposed 8,000 to 10,000 square foot building ruins one of the last natural areas on the coastline.
• Educational exhibits could be put up in a far less intrusive manner.
• People spent hours working on an assortment of city plans that call for placing an Educational Center at Gateway Park. Why did participants spend all that time if it was going to be ignored?
• There are educational exhibits at the PV Interpretive Center. The educational material planned for Abalone Cove could easily be joined to what is already at PVIC.
• There was little or no advance notice of this plan so citizens were unable to gather information about it. Why? (This complaint seemed universal among those who spoke, which was interesting inasmuch as Tom Long insisted in an email last week that "...the city certainly has given proper notice of this as an agenda item. The nearby HOA has already contacted us with its views and city staff have been in communication with a number of organizations with interest in the issue." Evidently the city didn't reach everyone who was interested, given the input from those at the meeting.

Councilmen debated the issue and listened politely to all audience comments. Then Tom Long moved that the council approve the staff recommendation to submit the grant application as it stands. The motion was seconded, and all five members of the City Council approved the motion.

So much for citizen objections.

Council members noted that if the city receives the grant, the project still will have to go through a variety of approval steps, including input from the community. Mayor Stefan Wolowicz noted that he is "not a fan of the big building" and that he would have a lot to say on the matter if the plan for the building is approved. This raises questions, inasmuch as the grant is specifically for  "brick and mortar" facilities, not landscaping, parking lot renovation and improved access, all of which were things that everyone agreed were needed at Abalone Cove.

We'll be watching the progress of this project.

What Do You Think About A Nature Education Facility at Abalone Cove?

Item 3 on the City Council agenda Tuesday night, June 1, 2010, involves a grant application from the city of RPV for funds to construct a 10,000 square foot Nature Education Facility at Abalone Cove, along with other improvements to the site.

According to the grant application, the building would contain educational exhibits about:

• tide pools
• marine life
• trails
• conservation
• protection of the habitat of RPV 
• sustainable living

Also included in the plans are renovation of the guard shack to match the new Nature Education Center, improved bathroom and storage facilities, as well as improvement of the parking lot, trail system, landscaping and outdoor picnic areas at Abalone Cove. The complete grant application is available here.  It's worth reading.

At first glance, this appears to be a welcome addition to the community, but there are some residents who are raising questions about the plan. Among these are:

• Is Abalone Cove the best location for a Nature Education Center? Abalone Cove has always been a natural open space. A 10,000 square foot building would be a major change and is not a part of the Coastal Vision Plan.
• Could the educational goals be achieved without construction of such a large building, perhaps by using a variety of kiosks and other methods of information presentation?
• The Coastal Vision Plan specifically singles out Gateway Park as a location for a Nature Education Center. Would this be a better location for the proposed project?
• Alternately, might the PV Interpretive Center, along with the planned Annenberg project, offer a better location for this project?
• Should educational exhibits be located where visitors have to pay a $5 parking fee to view them?
• The city claims it has notified the public about this proposal, but there has been no public discussion of this plan. Should there be?

This item is on the consent calendar, which usually is approved without discussion, unless a council member pulls it from the consent calendar.

If you would like to hear more public discussion of this plan, please contact members of the city council. They are:

Mayor Stefan Wolowicz: stevew@rpv.com

Mayor Pro Tem: Tom Long: tom.long@rpv.com

Councilman Douglas Stern: Douglas.Stern@rpv.com

Councilman Anthony Misetich: Anthony.Misetich@rpv.com

Councilman Brian Campbell: Brian.Campbell@rpv.com

The council meeting is Tuesday, June 1, 2010, at 7 p.m. at Fred Hesse Community Park, 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. You may also fill out a request to speak on the issue before the meeting. Or, just go and hear what area residents may have to say on the topic.

You may view the complete agenda for the meeting here.

Boxscore for Landslide Moratorium Exemptions for Monks Lots. 15 Down; 1 To Go

On May 24 two more  applications for a Landslide Moratorium Exemption by Monks plaintiffs were approved by the Community Development Director for lots on upper Cinnamon Lane. A third Monks LME application for a lot on Plumtree Rd. was approved by the Director on May 26.  As of that date, the last remaining Monks LME request for a lot on Narcissa Dr. is under review by the City's geotechnical consultant.

Two Weeks of Jury Duty....

...has sort of put me off track. I've lost my focus and it's hard to get it back.

I've been called up for jury duty before, but never actually served on a jury... this was a first. It wasn't like the courtroom TV shows, but it was a chance to see the system up close. It was an educational two weeks. An interesting two weeks. An exhausting two weeks. A difficult two weeks. It was a murder trial.

When it was over, the judge thanked the members of the jury, as did the prosecuting attorney and the defense attorney, who also pointed out that, "If people don't serve, the system doesn't work."  She's right of course.  

The next time the summons arrives in the mail, I won't drag my feet.

HELP! We Need Someone to Love Us!

Dusk and Sandy need a home. 

The owner of these two cats moved to Hawaii and planned to have them shipped over after she got settled and they had received their various shots and medical clearance to move to the islands.

My daughter, Shari, who already HAS two cats, agreed to foster them while they got ready to move.

After four months, the owner wrote to say that she'd  discovered that life in Hawaii was more expensive than she expected and she can't afford to have the cats live there. Shari really can't handle FOUR cats.

These are indoor cats, Dusk (the black one) is female, Sandy (the beige one) is male; both are neutered. They play with each other, are affectionate and friendly.

They come with three beds each (!), a play tower, large carrying containers, litter box,  dozens of toys and a month's worth of food.

If you'd like to have two wonderful additions to your home, email Shari at twidjr@yahoo.com, or call (310)  947-1323 and tell Shari you want to help save her sanity.

If you know anyone who needs a couple of wonderful cats, please alert them about Dusk and Sandy.

P.S. And for everyone else: please neuter and spay your cats! And then we won't have dozens of cats looking for homes.

How Much Oil Has Leaked Into the Gulf of Mexico?

I know that the oil is not leaking right here...but what happens in the seas around us affects everyone. And, if anyone ever again suggests that we should drill for oil off the coast of California, remember this latest calamity and go out and buy solar panels for your house or get a windmill or put on a sweater or SOMETHING.

You Can Get Filled Up AND Emptied Out This Saturday If You Plan It Right

How's this for a game plan for Saturday, May 8?

Get a couple of big boxes and spend this week piling up hazardous waste and old electronics that are sitting around your house.  This includes:

• paint (oil or water based)
• household and car batteries
• pesticides
• used oil and oil filters
• pool chemicals
• old medicine
• propane
• medical sharps (in a secure container)
• old and obsolete electronics such as:
• TVs
• VCRs
• Computer monitors
• CPUs
• key boards
• networking cables
• cell phones
• fax machines
• microwaves
• printers

On Friday night or Saturday morning, load all the junk in your car.

Start early and have breakfast at the Pony Club's annual Pancake Breakfast between 8 and 11 a.m. at 2 West Pomegranate Road.  Call 310-377-6058 and tell them you want to come. Tickets are $7. Breakfast includes pancakes, sausage, orange juice, coffee and trimmings.

When you're done eating, head on over to the RPV City Hall/City Yard at 30940 Hawthorne Boulevard for the city's annual FREE household hazardous waste and electronics waste roundup. . There will be temporary traffic signs for this event and there may be a line-up of cars. Be patient. When it's your turn: Dump the junk you stashed in your car. They will be taking stuff from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Once collected, these items will be recycled or disposed of properly.

Then, you can either go home and take a nap, or go for a walk in the park. Either way, you'll feel much better.

P.S. Board meeting tonight (Monday, May 3, 2010) at Ladera Linda. Architectural meeting begins at 7 p.m. Board meeting begins right afterward.