The Palms Representative Asembly has reversed itself and will not sponsor an advisory stakeholders' vote on the Iraq War.
Instead, a straw-vote survey will be handed to voters on June 24 at Palms Elementary School as follows:
Comments on Land Use and Development Issues:
Using each number only once, please rank the following 1 through 5 (or 6), 1 being of the most concern to you here in Palms:
___ Parking
___ Traffic Congestion
___ Public Open Space
___ Housing Density
___ Rent Cost Increases
___ Other
Do you think Palms NC should advocate to preserve the single family homes that still exist in Palms? Check one.
___ Yes
___ No
___ I am not sure at this time
The city currently allows a developer to build more units (increase density) if the developer agrees that 10% to 20% of the units will be “affordable” (50% to 65% of fair market value). In general, do you support this concept? Check one.
___ Yes
___ No
___ I am not sure at this time
Should the Palms Neighborhood Council advocate for a more pedestrian and bike friendly community? Check one.
___ Yes
___ No
___ I am not sure at this time
If an increase in density of housing in Palms was offset by an increase in accessible parks/green space, an increase in accessible services, and an increase in accessible public transportation, would you support an increase in density? Check one.
___ Yes
___ No
___ I am not sure at this time
Check one. Would you prefer
___ Buildings that are purely residential, or
___ Buildings with businesses on the ground floor and residential units on the floors above.
Questions regarding Transportation and Infrastructure issues
Using each number only once, please rank the following 1 through 7 (or 8), 1 being of the most concern to you here in Palms:
___ Sidewalk Repair
___ Street Repair
___ Traffic Mitigation (improve traffic flow)
___ Speed Bumps
___ Street Lighting
___ Alternative Transporation
___ Parking Issues
___ Underground Utility Poles and Lighting
___ Other
Check one. Do you support the Phase 2 Light Rail route using
___ The right of way through Exposition
___ Venice Boulevard west to Sepulveda north
The city of Los Angeles has proposed a Multi Family Residential Complex Bulky Item Collection Fee that would be assessed to tenants in buildings with 5 or more units. Do you support this proposal?
___ Yes
___ No
___ I am not sure at this time
The idea had been to place a nonbinding "straw vote" before Palms voters that would have allowed them a yes-or-no decision on this resolution:
“The majority of the voting stakeholders of Palms, California, U.S.A, in support of the men and women serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, urge President Bush to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq and immediately begin the safe and orderly withdrawal of all United States forces; and further urge President Bush and the United States Congress to provide the necessary diplomatic and non-military assistance to promote peace and stability in Iraq and the Middle East."
This is virtually the same question that the State Senate has determined to hand the voters in a general election. It is similar to those considered — and often approved — at New England town meetings.
The Palms Representative Assembly had approved such a nonbinding ballot on May 2.
But the Council's Outreach and Communications Committee on May 16 recommended reversing the decision. Instead, committee members said the straw vote should be limited to local matters like land use and traffic. The vote there was 3-0, with two abstentions.
On June 6 the Palms Assembly, which is the governing body of the Palms Neighborhood Council, rescinded its May 2 vote. Voting to rescind were Todd Robinson, Pauline Stout, Mate (Matt) Gaspar, John Riordan, Mario Bruhwiler and Ingeborg Prochazka. Opposed were George Garrigues and Willie Bell.
Stout and Bruhwiler changed their stand from the previous month.
The May 2 vote in the Assembly had been 5-4 in favor of holding the straw ballot, which is a nonbinding measurement of opinion. Stout, Garrigues, Bell, Bruhwiler and Charles Buffa voted yes in May, and Robinson, Gaspar, Lori Donahoo and Neal James Anderberg voted no.
Opponents in the Assembly said that the idea was not in keeping with the nature of neighborhood councils, which should concentrate on local — not national or international — issues.
But stakeholder Bea Steelman summed up the opposite view on June 6 when she told the Council that the Iraq war affected everybody in Palms.
The straw vote will have a different ballot and be counted separately from the official vote for Palms Neighborhood Council elected representatives.
Five names will be printed on the ballot for Palms Neighborhood Council offices in the election on June 24. Four of the people who own those names were slated to meet local voters June 12 in a candidate forum.