A letter to Len Nguyen and Ezra Gale about the development of 12444 Venice blvd from RandyFreeman:
Please read and feel free to copy or change it any way you like. BUT PLEASE – WRITE TO THEM. Together we are strong.
len.nguyen@lacity.org
ezra.gale@lacity.org
Hello Len and Ezra,
I am writing you today to voice strong objections to the proposed seven story project at 12444 Venice Blvd. From what I understand, this is the second building that the developer is planning. The first is to be 5 stories tall and this one 7 stories. While I understand that the developer may have a “right” to build such buildings, it seems that no one is thinking of the impact on traffic and neighborhood parking.
As it is, traffic has become almost unbearable due to the Playa Vista development, which is choking all north/south passages between Lincoln and Sepulveda Boulevards. Then a very large new development is being started at Bundy and Olympic. When this is finished, traffic will be a parking lot up and down these corridors. Already, there is much “cut through” traffic, speeding down our (what used to be quiet) residential streets.
Now we are being further burdened with these two proposed high density buildings. The insult to injury is the number of parking spaces (70) that the developer is proposing. This new project is to be 77 1 bedroom rental units plus retail space. Realistically, at least half of the units will be working couples with 2 vehicles. This means that 45+ cars will be parked in the neighborhoods surrounding the area. And this does not even take into account the retail business traffic. The neighbors whom I have spoken with in the first and second blocks north of Venice Blvd are already heavily impacted by cars parking in front of their homes all day from the employees of local businesses. Even now, when these homeowners have guests come over, they have no place to park. In the recent public hearing at the Mar Vista Library on July 20th, the majority of the neighbors were opposed to this development. We believe that the City must insist that the number of parking spaces required by this developer be increased to take these issues into consideration.
If passed as proposed, we would be forced to push for permit parking on our streets, just to have some parking for our own uses. If this is the case, we strongly feel that permit parking passes should not be given to any of the residents of these buildings.
We feel strongly that these issues need much further consideration. We request that you press for public hearings on these matters. It is time for the City of Los Angeles to take some responsibility, and not allow developers to run rough-shod over area residents who want simple quality of life. The longstanding community should not have to suffer, so that this developer can profit. The developer must pay for parking for its tenant population. We are counting on you to help us fight this proposed development’s lack of proper planning.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Randy Freeman
What you can do to help:
Write the Mar Vista Community Council Board of Directors. Ask that the minutes from the MVCC PLUM meeting be posted immediately [as many as 3 MVCC Directors may already support this project]. Copy each Director individually–BOD emails are on the MVCC website. There will be a BOD meeting in August. Show up there to speak. When this project comes to a vote, ask for a roll call vote so each Director has to go on public record. BTW I am not sure how these 11 proposed low income units can be reserved for local Mar Vista artists because Fed fair housing laws would appear to prohibit this.
Wire to :mayor.garcetti@lacity.org and mike.bonin@lacity.org
and or ANDREW STILES
WWW.ANDREWSTILES.COM
310-883-5888
