Hypocrisy

Sara Wan, the Coastal Commissioner from wealthy Malibu, is a hypocrite.

Malibu, Santa Monica and other nearby cities have forced RVs and campers out and the only place left for them to go near the water is in Venice (see sign posted at the Malibu city limits).

Then Ms. Wan has the audacity to turn around and call the 200-plus RVs and campers in Venice a "social problem" and to vote against the City of LA implementing overnight restricted parking for residents 2-5 AM (an hour when hardly anyone wants to go to the beach anyway).

It's time for Ms. Wan to practice what she preaches and have the Coastal Commission require her city to create street parking on PCH and residential streets for RVs and campers so her neighbors can also enjoy these instant neighbors, with all the related crime, drug and alcohol use, piles of trash, late night noise, loss of parking and dumping of human waste.

California Coastal Commission Rejects Settlement

VSA Press Release

The public has just seen a remarkable and brazen example of deceit by a public body in the actions of members of the California Coastal Commission in their rejection of coastal development permits for overnight restricted parking in Venice.

The Venice Stakeholders Association and the City of Los Angeles participated in several months of good faith settlement negotiations with Coastal Commission staff and the Commission itself, which resulted in a compromise plan to allow Venice residents to finally have control of parking on their blocks overnight, while also assuring adequate beach access for visitors.

In executive session last month the Commission approved the settlement of the VSA lawsuit, which included significant compromises on VSA's part and the part of the City. The City had to significantly increase the early morning parking available for beach visitors, while Venice residents would have to try out an untested new Oversize Vehicle Ordinance before being allowed to implement overnight parking restrictions on their blocks. The attorneys representing all parties signed the agreement and, again, in good faith all the attorneys went into court last week to ask the judge to remand the suit to the Commission to formally adopt the agreed settlement.

However, the commission then at its hearing today reneged on the agreement, and scuttled the permits they had promised Venice residents. They oddly created new demands for the type of application the City must present and set a requirement that the City perform a study that proves that non-resident parking is a problem in Venice. This demand is bizarre as everyone who has visited Venice can see the evidence of the over 200 RVs, campers, vans, and buses that take up hundreds of spaces full time, many of them parking right on residents' doorsteps. Indeed, these vehicles are the primary cause of insufficient parking for beach visitors as they stay parked on city streets near the beach 24/7.

"This 'bait and switch' trick is reprehensible in a public body," said Mark Ryavec, president of the Venice Stakeholders Association. "Throughout this long process the Commission and its staff have acted dishonorably, first saying some years ago that no coastal development permit would be required for overnight parking 2-6 AM since State law had preempted this time period, then later reversing themselves and requiring a permit."

"Now they are setting yet another hurdle," Ryavec said, while expressing doubt that any Commission members or staff have visited Venice to see for themselves the impact these vehicles have on residents."

"Our only recourse is to remove overnight parking in Venice from this arrogant body's jurisdiction by renewing our litigation," Ryavec said.

Call To Action

We are in the final days of our fight to secure Venice residents the right to set up overnight restricted parking on their blocks if we want it.

We need to ask you take three actions:

1. Go on-line by Monday the 7th and sign the petition (text below) to the Coastal Commission to support the settlement of the VSA lawsuit against the Coastal Commission. We will deliver the petition to the Commission. You can sign online here:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/opd

2. Down-load the letter to the Coastal Commission, sign it and fax it to: (562) 590-5084. Again, please do this by Monday the 7th. Click this link now.

3. Attend the Coastal Commission hearing on this item on Thursday, June 10th at the Marina del Rey Hotel at 13534 Bali Way. Last year, when the Commission first considered the Venice OPDs, we were over-confident that the staff's recommendation for passage would lead to Commission approval of the permits for the OPDs so many of us did not attend the hearing. This year we cannot make this mistake; we need every OPD supporter present at the hearing. The hearing starts at 9 AM; we will advise you later on the time our item will be considered.

Thank you.

Mark Ryavec
President, Venice Stakeholders Association

Stewart Oscars,
Co-Chair, VNC OPD Committee

Georgann Abraham
Co-Chair, VNC OPD Committee

Giovanna Imbesi
North Venice Coordinator

Text of the letter is here if you'd prefer to copy/paste and modify it:

Petition to Members of the California Coastal Commission

Re: Re: Support for Settlement of Venice Stakeholders Association vs California Coastal Commission lawsuit / Coastal Development Permit for Venice Overnight Parking District/ Application Nos. 5-08-313, A-5-VEN-08-343 & A-5-VEN-08-344

Please support the settlement in the Venice Stakeholders Association vs California Coastal Commission lawsuit.

Many Venetians have had to live for years with the noxious impacts of those who camp on our doorsteps in RVs and campers. We have had to face the frustrations of not being able to find street parking anywhere near our homes, been kept awake at night by running generators and late-night partying, been accosted by drunks residing in these vehicles, and had to clean up the human waste and piles of garbage left on our yards, alleys and sidewalks.

It is time for your commission to honor the requirement in the Coastal Act that the Commission balance resident concerns and needs with those of beach visitors.

This compromise agreement will allow Venice residents to finally exercise control of late-night parking on their blocks and enhance neighborhood security while it also provides adequate beach access for early-morning visitors.

This agreement is supported by the majority of Venetians, as demonstrated by the February 21, 2009 Neighborhood Council plebiscite in which almost 60% of residents voted in support of residents having the option to implement overnight restricted parking on their blocks.

Please vote for the settlement!

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

[Your Signature / Name Here]