Minutes
PALMS NElGHBORHOOD COUNCIL
Twenty-second meeting of the Council and its
REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006
IMAN Center, 4636 Motor Ave., Palms, California, U.S.A.

(Note: The figures in parentheses reflect the number of minutes after the voice recorder was turned on and serve to indicate the chronological order in which the items were considered.)

1. Call to order. President Pauline Stout called the meeting to order at 7:17 p.m.

2. The Secretary called the roll and a quorum was established:
Pauline Stout President Present
Todd Robinson Vice President Late
George Garrigues Secretary Present
June I. LaMoy Treasurer Present
Billie Silvey Nonprofit representative Absent
Willie Bell Palms West Residential A Absent
Mate (Matt) Gaspar Overland Residential B Present
Mario Bruhwiler Motor Residential C Present
Vacant Studio Residential D —
Ingeborg Prochazka Exposition Residential E Absent
John Riordan Pacific Electric Business 1 Absent
Lori Donahoo Charnock Ranch Business 2 Present
Neal James Anderberg Palms Depot Business 3 Present

3. Election of a facilitator for a three-month term ending December 6, 2006. Lori Donahoo was re-elected to this position.

4. Facilitator takes the chair for remainder of meeting.

5. Public forum: (0:04:30) Reza Akef of Congresswoman Jane Harmon's office, announcing Harmon's office hours from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays in the West L.A. Municipal Bldg.; Elizabeth Carlin of Council Member Herb Wesson's office; (0:08:35) Darby Bayliss of the Pacific Community Charter School; Estee Sepulveda of Assembly Member Karen Bass's office (0:09:56), announcing the launch of a People's Council on Sept. 17; Lisa Trifiletti from Council Member Jack Weiss's office (0:12:03). announcing a meeting to introduce the new L.A. City planning director at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the Cheviot Hills Recreation Center.

6. Report to community by the President (Pauline Stout). (0:14:00). The Bike Rodeo will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7. Parents workshops will be held in conjunction with Pacifica Community Charter School. Land-use committee is looking for members, and Joyce Purcell has been appointed as a member. There still has been no candidate for residential representative in Studio Residential Area D.

Minutes / Sept. 6, 2006 / Page 2

7. Committee reports.
A. Projects (Stout): No report. B. Transportation and Road Works (Prochazka will be absent). Announcement: Cancellation of meeting of Sept. 28. (Not considered.)

C. Outreach (Bruhwiler): (1:00:00) 1)  Motion to establish budget item in support of the Palms-Westside Village Neighborhood Watch Outreach to the Community with the initial budget request at $500. (Anderberg). No motion; report only.
  2)  (1:-06:24) Motion to increase the budget for the banners to $16,049.12 and to have alternative locations for the banners to include: a) Palms between National and  Overland; b) Sepulveda between Venice and Charnock Road Elementary, c) Venice between Clarington and Culver Blvd, d) Venice Between Sepulveda and Midvale Ave. (Bruhwiler). No motion; consideration postponed until later in the meeting. Upon later consideration, the item was postponed until a special meeting on Sept. 13 ((1:47:28).
3)  Motion to authorize the creation of a Palms Art Piece for the out-of-doors enjoyment of all Palms Stakeholders with the theme to be Palm Trees constructed from parts of the National and Palms Blvd overpass train bridge, if it is dismantled for the creation of a new bridge as part of the new Metro Aqua Line. (Anderberg). This item was not considered.
4) Update on the Outreach results to the Westside Neighborhood Area A (north of National Blvd., east of Overland). (Garrigues) Motion: That outreach be continued in the affected area, that the matter be returned to the Outreach Committee for further consideration and that the timetable as approved at the August 9 Council//Assembly meeting be rescinded. This item was not considered.

D. Land-use and Development (Todd Robinson):
(1) “The Regent” on Overland at 3706 S. Overland Ave. - 40 Unit Apartment Project. Developer is seeking support from the Council for 7 variances. Brief report from Todd Robinson; no action required. (Ends 1:16:48)
(2) 3417-3447 Motor Avenue – (1:16:49) Frost/Chaddock Developers, LLC seeks council support for several variances. Robinson gave his report, and comment was made by John Rizzo, an outreach consultant to James Frost, the developer, and by Frost himself (1:33:30). Garrigues moved (1:38:20) approval of the project as follows, but that if there are any issues left unresolved the Land Use Committee will return those issue to the Assembly. Seconded and carried (1:44:24) by a vote of 6 (Anderberg, Donahoo, Garrigues, LaMoy, Robinson and Stout) to 2 (Bruhwiler and Gaspar).

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Palms Neighborhood Council
Land Use and Development Committee
Report – 3417-3447 Motor Avenue

Main Benefits
The quality of the development will encourage improvement in the area.
These lots (and Motor in general) was zoned commercial by the city to satisfy commercial needs of the area.
The local neighborhood has a need for additional services.
Palms is currently at approximately 97% occupancy - additional rentals are beneficial.
Encourage foot traffic.
Minutes / Sept. 6, 2006 / Page 3

Concerns and Issues
Density vs. Supplied Commercial
Developer has increased the supplied commercial from 2500 to 8500. Some concern with overall traffic impact due to overall size of development.

Affordable Housing
The development does not offer any affordable housing.

Billboard Issues
The billboard currently has approximately 16 years remaining on its lease. The developer has negotiated with the billboard company to place comparable signs on the end of each building. Considering the current situation, the committee found this to be acceptable.

Outreach
Developer has hired a professional firm to collect signatures in support of development. Submission of signatures is PENDING.

Business Restrictions
No Bar, No Club (restriction built into RAS4)

Increase In Traffic
City trip report not submitted - PENDING

Alley Condition
Developer agrees to pay for alley repair for the length of the alley between Woodbine and Palms.

Alley Ingress/Egress Safety
No issues were raised but another development nearby has had discussion related to safety due to visibility issues related to the non-red curbed parking space directly to the left of the alley when exiting the alley on to Palms.

If it is determined that the curb directly to the left when exiting the alley south onto Palms is a danger, per previous decision concerning the NE Corner of Palms and Motor, the committee felt that asking the city to red curb that existing spot was a good solution. The spot would be replaced by the removal of curb cuts on Motor in front of the development.

Delivery Concerns
Developer has agreed to set commercial delivery schedules. All deliveries will be in the internal parking areas of the building. Delivery times are TBD but will be non rush-hours Monday through Friday.

Parking Concerns
The development complies to city code (1.5 spaces per one bedroom, 2 spaces per 2 bedroom, commercial can vary). The unit sizes vary as attached and the average is presented here.

Minutes / Sept. 6, 2006 / Page 4

(35) 713 sq ft one bedrooms
(50) 977 sq ft 2 bedrooms
8,564 sq ft Commercial

(155) Residential Spaces Provided
(44) Commercial/Residential Guest

Though somewhat larger than previous developments square footage by type, due to the unit size compared to likely occupants, we feel the city code requirements are sufficient to park these units.

Second, curb cut removals should provide an additional 6 spaces on Motor.

Commercial Parking Concerns - PENDING
Developer will dictate lessee employee parking in lease agreements as follows:

Lessee must acquire commercial parking sufficient for its employees.  Employees can not park within 1 city block of building on Motor or Palms unless the lessee has leased a parking spot within the building for the employee.  Restaurants are limited to using no more than 2 employee parking spaces within the building.

Developer or designated lessee is allowed to appeal this to the Neighborhood Council and, at the developers or lessee's option, must be placed on the Agenda no fewer than 1 time per year.

Parking Meters
Parking meters are currently in place and, after removal of curb cuts, parking meters should be replace. If this does not occur, situation will be evaluated on a need basis and Neighborhood Council will assist with petitioning city if determined to be a need.

Area Look And Feel
Developer will make their best effort to match curbside landscaping (may include trees, shrubs, exterior lighting, etc) of local area and in particular, the development under proposal at the NE corner of Palms and Motor. Developer will submit a standard landscaping plan to Council and the Zoning Administrator for approval.

Motion - Issues Pending
With the above conditions, the Palms Neighborhood Council moves to support the variance required for the location change of the billboard and to support the zone change to RAS4.

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8. Outreach to Westside Village (Garrigues). (0:18:34) A proposed motion was read by Garrigues and introductory remarks were made by him. Public comment was made by Richard Leib (0:19:48) and Neil Richman (0:23:15), Remarks from Ken Alpern, sent by e-mail, were read by Pauline Stout (0:25:02).

Garrigues moved adoption of the text and made a statement favoring it (0:26:58). Seconded. Discussion ensued, and Section (3), below, was added to the motion by general consent. Subsidiary motion was made and seconded to refer the entire matter to the Outreach Committee
Minutes / Sept. 6, 2006 / Page 5

(0:50:35). Motion to refer was defeated by a vote of 4 to 4. (0:57:30) Voting in favor of referral were Anderberg, Bruhwiler, Donahoo and LaMoy. Opposed were Garrigues, Gaspar, Robinson and Stout.

The main motion (following) was adopted by a vote of 7 to 1. (0:58:28) Voting in favor of the motion were Anderberg, Bruhwiler, Garrigues, Gaspar, LaMoy, Robinson and Stout. Opposed was Donahoo.

Petitions favoring the merger of the Westside Village area with the Palms Neighborhood Council having been presented to concerned city authorities and no action having so far been taken by any city official or city agency on said petitions —

(1) It is the sense of the Palms Neighborhood Council that an Outreach Program should be conducted in the Westside Village area to determine the wishes of the stakeholders there as to the proposed merger and

(2) The Outreach and Communications Committee is directed to consider the steps whereby such an Outreach Program can be completed, and the committee is requested to report such proposed steps back to the Council and the Assembly at the first meeting in October 2006.

(3) The Mar Vista Community Council is hereby invited to attend and to participate in all meetings of the Palms Neighborhood Council concerning this endeavor before the Palms Neighborhood Council goes forward with outreach. (This section was added at 0:44:50 and restated at 0:57:59.)

9. Treasurer: Report (LaMoy). Not considered.

10.  Assembly business. Comments from Assembly members on subjects within the Assembly's jurisdiction. Comment on Assembly members' own activities and brief announcements. Brief response to statements made or questions posed by persons exercising their general public-comment rights. Introduce new issues for consideration by the Assembly at the next meeting. Discuss and decide future meeting dates or schedules. Not considered.

11. Adjournment at 9:06 p.m. (1:48:48) All items not considered above were postponed to a special Council meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13.