Autry Masters of the American West Paintout 2104 - Descanso Gardens

Saturday, October 25th, 2014 marked the 10th outing of the Masters of the American West Paintout and was held for the first time at the beautiful Descanso Gardens in La Cañada-Flintridge.

The Paintout began as a collaboration between the California Art Club and the Autry National Center.  John Geraghty, the primary force behind the Autry's Masters of the American West  worked with CAC Executive Director Elaine Adams to come up with an event which allows top collectors from both the CAC and the Autry to enjoy the day watching and getting to better know these top flight artists.  The Autry has produced the event since the inception while artists participating in the event come from the ranks of the Masters of the American West and top California Art Club artists.  For the past several years, fellow Autry Trustee Calvin Gross and I have served as the Co-Chairs for the event.

John Geraghty and Molly Campbell

About the Organizations

The Autry National Center is host to the annual Masters of the America West, one of the largest and most successful exhibitions and sales of fine western, southwestern and California art in the world.  Every year, collectors from around the country gather together to compete to purchase paintings and sculpture by some of the very top artists of this genre, producing several million dollars in sales in a single evening.  The works of art remain on exhibit for a month or more at the Autry Museum.  The upcoming Masters of the American West will be held beginning January 31, 2015.

For more information see: Masters of the American West.

The California Art Club is one of the oldest and largest professional artists organizations supporting artists who paint and sculpt fine traditional representational art in the tradition of the great California artists of the early 20th century.  Founded in 1909, the organization hosts multiple artists workshops, exhibitions, dinners and other functions every year.  The CAC's top exhibition is its annual Gold Medal Exhibition.  The 104th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition will be held beginning March 29th at the Fisher Museum of Art on the USC campus.

For more information see: California Art Club.

The Paintout

The annual Masters of the American West Paintout has grown from humble beginnings into a highly anticipated annual event. The first Paintouts were held at Malibu Creek State Park where artists and patrons enjoyed the beautiful natural setting and enjoyed box lunches at rustic picnic tables.  Over the years, the Paintout has shifted locations to the Abalone Cove Shoreline Park in Palos Verdes, the scenic Paramount Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, the incredible Ventura Farms estate (owned by Dole Foods CEO David Murdock) in Thousand Oaks, the lovely oceanside Montage Resort in Laguna Beach.

This year's Paintout was held at the beautiful Descanso Gardens in La Cañada-Flintridge.  Many of the 25 or so artists situated themselves around the Japanese Tea Garden while others spread out to other areas around the 160 acre botanical garden.

Stephen Mirich painting at the Japanese Tea Garden

Michael Situ and Peter Adams painting the colorful orange bridge

Z. S. Liang painting the entrance to the Tea Garden

Michael Obermeyer at wor

Lynn Gertenbach painting at the duck pond

Brittany Weistling painting a rose

Morgan Weistling painting next to Brittany

JoAnn Peralta with CAC Chief Operating Officer Cathy Crowser

Gayle Garner Roski painting ducks at the pond

The grounds had their share of other attractions.  Deer roamed through the forests, ducks floated on the ponds, we came across little waterfalls and large displays of autumn decorations.  All were potential subjects for the artists.

Come noontime, all of the artists and collectors gathered together back at the Van De Kamp Hall where a luncheon was served to the 160 artists and guests.  Many of the artists displayed their finished and partially finished paintings around the edges of the room. Collectors were free to discuss purchase of individual paintings with the artists and several paintings were sold.

The photographs presented here show only a small selection of the artists, guests and paintings that were present at the event.  A full selection of photos are posted on a gallery here.  If you would like to know about next year's Paintout, send me an email and I will be sure to let you know when the invitations come out!

TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/Autry-Paintout-2014

My pledge to you is to professionally handle all of your real estate needs whether it is searching for a new home or property, selling one that you already have or helping you address your real estate needs anywhere in the world. My goal is to make your real estate experience pleasant, productive, focused and hassle free.

I would love to discuss any real estate needs that you may have.  Please give me a call at any time.

Jim Rea, Realtor
Sotheby's International Realty - Pacific Palisades

C-CAP Dinner at Redbird / Vibiana

C-CAP, the non-profit Careers through Culinary Arts Program works with underserved high school students in public schools around the country to help prepare them for college and career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industries.  Students work with chefs in some of the country's top restaurants to provide them with hands-on experience working in the commercial culinary arts environment.  This was the setting for the latest C-CAP Los Angeles dinner that was held at the new (and not yet even opened) Redbird Restaurant at the Vibiana special events center.

Vibiana is a special events facility in the beautifully restored Cathedral of St. Vibiana's in downtown Los Angeles.  Opened in 1876, the cathedral suffered heavy damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.  The archdiocese wanted to demolish the building and build a new cathedral but a protracted lawsuit with the Los Angeles Conservancy resulted in a compromise deal where the archdiocese would rebuild on a nearby property and the damaged building was deeded over to the City of Los Angeles.  A developer bought St. Vibiana's in 1999 for $4.6 million and undertook the restoration, which also included over $4 million in seismic repairs.

Celebrity chef Neal Fraser came up through several top restaurants including Wolfgang Puck's Eureka Brewery & Restaurant and Spago, Hans Rockenwagner's Rox and Joachim Splichal's Pinot Bistro and went on to open several successful restaurants including Boxer, Rix in Santa Monica, Grace, BLD and Fritzi Dog at Farmer's Market.  Fraser,  his wife and business partner Amy Knoll and  restauranteur Bill Chait operate Vibiana and also provide event catering services there.  Recently, the three took the next step to create their new restaurant "Redbird" at Vibiana.

The C-CAP event offered Chef Fraser the opportunity to give the restaurant staff a dry run prior to the official opening while working in the kitchen guiding seven C-CAP students who help prepare the banquet.

The evening opened with wine and hors d'oeuvres in the Vibiana courtyard.  Wine was served from three different distributors (Kiwi Distributing, Guadelupe Wines & Bonny Doon Vineyards) who generously donated their delicious beverages.  Chef Fraser gave the crowd a personal tour of the restaurant (still under construction) and the kitchen before everyone was seated at a single long banquet table.

The Wines

Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare

Greg Sabin & Terri Henry
Kiwi Distributing

 

Opening Reception

Chef Fraser's Tour

The Dinner

Wines Served at the Reception:
Cable Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Rosso di Montepulciano DOC (Italy)
Metairie Chardonnay (France)
Cable Bay Central Otago Pinot Noir (New Zealand)
Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare (California)
Cavas Valmar Tempranillo (Baja California)
Gaia Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah Tempranillo (Baja California)
Cavas Valmar Chenin Blanc (Baja California)
Sauvignon Blanc (Baja California)

Wines Served at Dinner:
Gamling Duck Chenin Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley, CA)
Seigneur de Fontimple Vacqueyras (France)

If you would like to learn more about C-CAP Los Angeles, you can visit their website at C-CAP Los Angeles.  There you will see information about their next event at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Los Angeles on October 19.  If you would like more information, you can contact their Director, Mitzie Cutler, at mitz207 "at" aol.com.

A full set of photos from the event can be seen at: http://www.jimrea.com/zenphoto/CCAP2014

The TinyURL for this posting is http://tinyurl.com/CCAP-Redbird

Emergency Preparedness Guides

The Big One! It is not so much a question of if, but rather when.

A major earthquake of a magnitude greater than 7.0 striking the San Andreas fault may jolt Los Angeles much harder than previously thought, scientists say.  According to a seismology study published earlier this year by scientists from Stanford and MIT, if a large earthquake hits the San Andreas fault near Palm Springs, the seismic waves will travel along a path near Interstate 10 into Los Angeles where the city and suburbs will experience stronger motion than previously believed.

According to the ShakeOut Earthquake Scenario, a study by the U. S. Geological  Survey and the Southern California Earthquake Center on the impact of a 7.8 earthquake in Southern California reveals that an earthquake with an epicenter at the Salton Sea on the San Andreas fault would radiate all along the fault line and also radiate across Los Angeles County to the Pacific Ocean.

 

The study notes that the overall shaking by an earthquake of this magnitude will produce more than 50 times the shaking of the Northridge quake (inset map).  An earthquake of this size will likely cause major damage to the aqueducts that transport water to Southern California from Northern California.  In addition, there will be significant damage to LADWP infrastructure which can result in severe disruption of water supplies throughout the city.  It is expected that there may be no water or power for major portions of the city for several days and complete repairs may take as much as six months or more to complete.

This is particularly onerous news for the residents of Pacific Palisades since we only have two means of getting in and out of our community: Sunset Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway.  The likely reality is that citizens should be prepared to be self-sustaining for several weeks after a cataclysmic earthquake event.

To help keep everyone prepared for such an emergency, Flo Elfant, the Disaster Preparedness advisor for the Pacific Palisades Community Council has created three important disaster preparedness guides that are available free to the community.  You can download each of these files (in PDF format) below.  As the introduction to the planning guide indicates, "During any disaster, the number and scope of incidents can overwhelm conventional emergency services.  In Pacific Palisades, because of our geographical location, we may be isolated for an indeterminate time.  Conventional emergency services may not be at all available to any of us.  We must be there for each other and therefore it is imperative that we all prepare ourselves as a unit and as a team on our street and/or in our building."

The first and most important resource for our residents is the Family and Business Disaster Information Plus Personal Survival Guide.  The Neighborhood Emergency Planning Guide helps neighbors put plans in place to protect their entire neighborhood in the event of emergency.  Finally, the Pacific Palisades Business Emergency Planning Guide helps businesses prepare plans for continuity of service during a prolonged emergency.

 

 

Don't delay!  Download these important resources, study them and take appropriate action to prepare yourself for the emergency that will befall all of us.  Don't wait for the emergency to strike, because if you do, it will be too late.

The TinyURL for this post is http://tinyurl.com/PPCC-Emergency-Prep

PPCC Elections

UPDATE:

The results of the election are final and I was unsuccessful in my bid to be re-elected to the position of Area 3 Representative.  I do wish to continue to serve the community and accordingly have applied to serve as the Area 3 First Alternate Representative.  If I am appointed to that position, I will continue to sit on the Pacific Palisades Community Council Board, will be actively involved in a number of board related activities and issues and will vote on Board resolutions at those times when the current Area 3 Representative is not present at meetings to vote.


As many of you who live in Pacific Palisades know, the Pacific Palisades Community Council is holding their once every two year elections for Area Representatives in the coming weeks.  I have served on the PPCC as the Area 3 Representative for the last four years and this year I am running for re-election.  Unlike prior elections, this year one candidate is running against me and several other Area elections will see multiple candidates running for office.

I thought it would be informative if I posted all of the public comments that I have made in the media and at public forums and elsewhere to give those who are interested a better understanding of my views on a variety of subject.  I'll also give fair warning that there are a lot of similarities in some of these statements because the main issues are pretty clear in my mind.  In any event, I hope you find this informative and enjoyable and if you live in Area 3, I hope I can count on your vote.

Voting in This Year's Election

Area residents have three ways to cast their vote this year for their PPCC Area Representatives

 1. Vote by mail ballot postmarked no later than September 5, 2014

 2. Vote in person at the Palisades Recreation Center on September 6, 2014

3. Vote in person at the Farmer's Market on September 7, 2014

Remember: only one vote per household is allowed.  Multiple votes from a single household will result in the cancellation of all votes from that household. 

Area 3 Boundary Definition

AREA 3   Marquez Knolls and both sides of Sunset Boulevard from Palisades Drive to Bienveneda Avenue, Saint Matthew’s School, and the Bel Air Bay Club, including the following:

1.      From Sunset Blvd. the western border is the eastern boundary of Area 2, north to 16882 Charmel Lane.

2.      The northern boundary is the southern border of Topanga State Park.

3.      The eastern boundary is the rear lot line of properties on the east side of Bienveneda and Shadow Mountain Drive., Via Anita and Via Cresta and thence westerly from 1479 Via Cresta to Bienveneda.

4.      Both sides of Bienveneda Avenue south to Sunset Boulevard excluding Las Pulgas Road.

5.      West on Sunset Blvd. to Baylor Street, south on Baylor and Las Casas to its southern terminus at Grenola and directly south to the Pacific Ocean. 

My PPCC Candidate's Statement

As a Realtor with Sotheby’s International Realty and a twenty year Pacific Palisades resident, I understand the importance of a strong community with dedicated volunteers.  I have supported that ideal through my service on the PPCC for the last four years as the Area 3 Representative.  I also support the community through active service on the boards of the Autry National Center, the California Art Club and the Central Coast Wine Classic charity auction.  It would be my honor and privilege to continue this service to the community as the Area 3 Representative for the next two years.

Richard Cohen, a former chair of the PPCC and an activist in my area sent a set of questions to both candidates.  Here are his questions and my replies.

I am interested in learning about your positions on various Area 3 issues.  Could I trouble you to let me know your views on a few matters?  

Where do you stand on the DWP distribution station issue?  Are you absolutely opposed to the proposed station being built on the DWP property adjacent to Marquez Elementary School?   Or do you see pros and cons of various locations?  Would you favor carving out land from Los Liones Park behind Fire Station 23 as a preferable location?  (Note that State Parks has indicated that that will not be allowed.)  What would you think of Bernheimer Gardens as a possible location?  How would you describe your attitude toward this set of issues? 

Are you familiar with St. Matthew's Parish request for relaxation of various conditions and restrictions on their use?  There is a pending case in which St. Matthew's have asked for city permission to increase enrollment to 384 (currently capped at 325), park in front of neighbors homes (currently forbidden) and relax other restrictions.  Many neighbors on Beinveneda and in the surrounding area organized to oppose expansion of St. Matthew's.  There is an unfortunate history of St. Matthew's violating their conditions. In the school year 1999-2000 and in every school year since 2002-2003, St. Matthew’s – by their own admission — has been in violation of their enrollment cap. Where do you stand on the issues pertaining to the tension between St. Matthew's and its neighbors? 

I look forward to hearing from you as I consider my vote for Area 3 representative. 

Warmest regards,

Richard Cohen   

Dear Richard, 

Thank you for your kind words, for your interest in Area 3 issues and for allowing me the opportunity to respond to your questions. 

As you know, I served on the DWP Taskforce before it was disbanded.  One thing I learned was that every site under consideration came with significant obstacles and limitations.  Among the parcels, four or five were located near schools.  We tried diligently (and successfully) to keep our recommendations focused on locations other than those close to schools.  I do not believe that such a facility should be placed near a school. 

The Tier 1 sites may or may not be the ones the LADWP ultimately decides to pursue.  We will not know until they announce their final candidates for CEQA review.  Regardless of which sites are under consideration, there will most certainly be lawsuits threatened or filed as the final location will affect the valuation of homes in the immediate vicinity. 

As for the two locations that you inquired about, the old Bernheimer Gardens site is subject to material geological issues that may make it unsuitable for development.  If selected as one of the candidates, it will be interesting to see how the LADWP intends to mitigate those issues.  As for the parkland, the State of California has made it very clear that they will not allow the use of any land in the Los Liones Park.  I do not see any reason to believe that they will change their position in this matter. 

All of this being said, it is imperative that we upgrade our electrical distribution infrastructure in the western portion of Pacific Palisades. We must work with the LADWP in whatever final site they decide to pursue while at the same time standing ready to challenge them on material issues that may affect the health and safety of the community.
I am very familiar with the St. Matthews Conditional Use Permit issues, more as a result of my prior membership on the MKPOA board than from the PPCC.  As you know, I have long supported constructive dialogue between St. Matthews Parish and the affected neighbors, something that St. Matthews seemed largely reluctant to pursue.  I am in agreement that St. Matthews must demonstrate its willingness and ability to stick with the current terms of the CUP, prior to entering any discussions regarding changes.  In my mind, those efforts to comply with the current CUP should be pursued at least during the entirety of the upcoming two year Area 3 Representative's term 

While I have your attention, i'd like to comment on a few other long term issues that are of interest to me.  I have been active in keeping an eye on bluff-side development proposals for multi-family properties along Sunset including the projects at 17000 Sunset and 17030 Sunset (Coaloa).  This is an area that is ripe for developer over-reach and one that requires constant vigilance. Also, I am anxiously awaiting the implementation of the Administrative Code Enforcement law to allow Department of Building and Safety officials to directly cite code violators.  Likewise, I would like to see improvements in the enforcement mechanisms for the Baseline Hillside Ordinance.  I see far too many new (post grandfathered) construction projects that completely baffle me as to how they comply with the ordinance. 

Certainly the central city redevelopment project to be undertaken by Caruso Associated is a project that many, including myself will be interested in monitoring.  Likewise, I am very interested in any efforts to amend and update the specific plan for the community. 

If you have any other questions regarding my candidacy, please do not hesitate to call or email me. 

I hope I can count on your support. 

Regards - Jim

Richard had one followup question to which I also replied.

I'm curious about your sentence:  " I am very interested in any efforts to amend and update the specific plan for the community."  I'm sure that we are all interested in this important issue.  As you know, there are those who feel that the specific plan is too restrictive and should be modified to allow denser development, third stories, mixed use, etc.  This has been couched in terms of possible trade-offs for other street-level benefits by some proponents.  On the other hand there are many community members who remember the pre-specific plan days of auto shops, billboards and general strip mall ambiance in the Village.  Personally I am on the side of those who consider themselves guardians of the specific plan.  Any changes to relax restrictions on development are likely to destroy the village feeling we have come to cherish.  Where do you currently find yourself on this question? 

Hi Richard,
In this instance, my general belief is that the specific plan that we have in place has served us well.  Though I know that a review process has been initiated by the city (and I don't profess to know a great deal about the details of it), my concern is that if we open up the plan for wholesale changes, the process will be so dominated by attorneys representing development interests that the citizen voice may well be overwhelmed ... something none of us wish to see (or hear).  Thus, if any changes are to be made, they should be done delicately, gingerly, sparingly and with great caution and careful consideration. 

I hope that helps clarify my thoughts on the issue. 

Regards - Jim 

Matt Sanderson, reporter for the Palisadian Post sent around a series of questions for all of the Area candidates and I replied to all of his questions.  I suspect his article will be published this week or next.

Hi Matt, 

Thank you for your questions.  It will be my pleasure to respond to them. 

Regards - Jim 

1. How long have you lived in Pacific Palisades and what are the three most important changes you’ve seen in that time? (100 words max) 

I have lived in the Palisades for 20 years in Marquez Knolls.   The most important changes that come to mind are the death of the downtown merchant district and the potential redevelopment of the area by Caruso Affiliated.  The PPCC has grown in stature, recognition and importance over the years.  The Farmer's Market on Sundays has proven to be a healthy gathering place for the community at large.  Finally, the impact of the internet on community relations activities is a very important development. 

2. What local issues are most important to you? (150 words max) 

The location. construction and operation of the new LADWP distributing station is an important development for the whole community, but particularly for my area where several highly controversial potential sites are located.  

We are always concerned with developer overreach, particularly in the areas along coastal bluffs on Sunset and stand ready to challenge inappropriate developer's plans with local planning authorities. 

The redevelopment of the central business district is likely one of the most important things to happen in the next 20-30 years and we must insure that it is well done without disabling specific plan protections that have guarded the community for several decades.
I look forward to Administrative Code Enforcement becoming law, allowing Building and Safety to cite code violators on the spot. 

We all have to become more mindful of sustainability / climate change issues such as water and energy availability, sea level rise and wild fire conditions. 

3. Where is Pacific Palisades going from here? (150 words max) 

I hope we manage to maintain the small town charm of today's Pacific Palisades.  There is little room for development growth, so new development will have to take place by creative reuse of existing properties.  I hope that such reuse is done with the spirit of our specific plan and character of our community in mind. As we look to refine our specific plan in the coming months and years, I hope that we do so with great care, protecting the planning laws that have protected our community so well in years past. 

4. Optional: What is your career and educational background? What are your hobbies? (50 words max) 

I love working in residential real estate with Sotheby’s International Realty serving Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas.  I have a BBA and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.  My professional specialties include finance, technology and marketing.  My hobbies include, photography, fine wine, fine art and travel. 

Finally, the PPCC held a candidate's forum last week where each candidate delivered prepared statements and answered questions from the audience.  This is the prepared statement that I delivered.

My name is Jim Rea.  My wife Jodie and I have lived in the Marquez Knolls neighborhood of Pacific Palisades for the last 20 years.  I work here and in surrounding communities as a Realtor with Sotheby’s International Realty.

I have served on the PPCC as the Area 3 Representative for the last four years.  I also served on the LADWP’s special taskforce regarding the location of the proposed Distributing Station in the western part of Pacific Palisades.  I also worked for four years on the board of the Marquez Knolls Property Owner’s Association.

I know that in order to maintain the value of our communities it is important to protect against unfair and unsafe development while at the same time respecting and protecting individual’s property rights.

I believe there are a number of highly relevant issues in my area including enforcement of the baseline hillside ordinance, the ability of the building and safety department to issue on the job citations for code violations (otherwise known as administrative code enforcement), protection of the coastal bluffs from irresponsible development and a strong and effective community care facilities ordinance.  That said, the upcoming site selection for the LADWP’s Distributing Station No. 104 will be a highly contentious event for the community in Areas 1, 2 and 3.  I am committed to doing everything I can to prevent the station from being built near any of the many schools in the area and will assist any property owner who has legitimate concerns about the location of the station.

As a Realtor, I regularly reach out to members of my local community and I always include a reminder that I am available as their Area 3 representative to assist them with any issues they may have.  In addition, I am excited about the ability to use Nextdoor.com to message local area residents about current issues.  I intend to continue and expand that outreach in the next two years.

As for the community at large, certainly the redevelopment of the central business district looms large on anyone’s radar screen, including mine.  As well, any efforts to reform, modify or update our specific plan is of vital interest to the community and to me.  Our specific plan has served us well in the past and any efforts to modify it must be done carefully, judiciously and sparingly.

Thank you.

Pacific Palisades Parklet - To Be or Not To Be

UPDATE:

At its September 11, 2014 meeting, the Pacific Palisades Community Council after hearing input from the community, passed two resolutions regarding this Parklet project and future proposed Parklet applications.

Passed 16 / 4

“The Pacific Palisades Community Council finds a consensus in favor of parklets in general but is opposed to the specific parklet proposed for the Alma Real and La Cruz intersection. Accordingly, PPCC requests that PRIDE withdraw its application and/or that the City reject or rescind its approval.” 

Passed Unanimously the following motion recommended by leadership of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (coalition of all 13 Neighborhood and Community Councils on the Westside of Los Angeles, of which PPCC is a member):

“WRAC urges the Mayor, LADOT and the City Council to amend the process for consideration of design and location of L.A. People St projects (including Plazas, Parklets and Bicycle Corrals) to include a requirement for advance notice to and consultation with Neighborhood and Community Councils. To the extent applicable, designs and locations should comply with local Specific Plans. We also urge the program to comply with CEQA as necessary.”

The City of Los Angeles introduced a program named "People Street" that is intended to transform neighborhoods across the city.  Administered by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LA DOT), the program seeks to transform portions of the 7,500 miles of streets into public spaces.

The program features three different types of spaces: Plazas, Parklets and Bicycle Corrals.  Working in collaboration with Community Partners, the program re-purposes a portion of the street in front of a designated property and converts it into a public space.

A Plaza is the largest facility and it converts a portion of a street into a public space with tables and chairs.

A Parklet expands the sidewalk into one or more on-street parking spaces to create people-oriented places.

A Bicycle Corral installs bike racks within on-street parking spaces or Plazas.

According to the program materials, the goals are to:

• Convert underused street space into people space  

• Emphasize streets as venues for social interaction and vibrancy

• Support high-quality streetscape experience and improve the day-to-day life of the street

• Create venues for community gathering, events and celebrations

• Increase safety for people who walk, bike and take transit

• Encourage increased levels of walking and bicycling which, in turn, support local business communities

• Foster future investment in more capital intensive infrastructure to support walking and bicycling

 Community Partners can be a Business Improvement District (BID), a Community Benefit District (CBD), a Chamber of Commerce, a ground-floor business owner, a fronting property owner or other eligible Community Partner.  Those Community Partners agree to be responsible for the design, installation, operation, management and maintenance of the facility.

Here is an example of a completed Parklet (before and after) on Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles.

A Parklet Proposal for Pacific Palisades

Pacific Palisades PRIDE (PRIDE) is a non-profit organization that seeks to undertake projects to enhance the visual appeal of the Palisades, particularly in the business areas of the community.

A member of PRIDE's board brought information about the Parklet application process to the attention of the board which then voted to submit an application to see what happens.  PRIDE searched for property owners willing to participate in the program, which involves a commitment to maintain the Parklet and found a willing owner in Elliott Zorensky, owner of the property where Palisades Garden Cafe is located at the intersection of La Cruz Dr. and Alma Real.  PRIDE then submitted the application which LA DOT approved.

The PPCC invited various parties from PRIDE, City of Los Angeles and the Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce to come discuss the project at the PPCC's July meeting.

At the PPCC meeting on July 10th, it became apparent that there were two principal concerns with the project.  The first concern was the lack of community input.  LA DOT had determined that the project was not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and so no environmental impact studies would be required.  At some indeterminate time in the future, according to LA DOT's schedule, they will open a 10 day period when the public may submit their comments regarding the proposal.

According to the City's People Street website, these are the next steps:

What’s next for these projects?
Prior to installation, LADOT will post public-notice posters at all approved project locations for 10 business days.  During this time, members of the public can submit public comments directly to LADOT via our website.

Additionally, LADOT will work with these Community Partners to collect baseline information about the site before project installation,  and guide them through the design development process.  People St looks forward to continuing to work with the approved Community Partners to create these innovative people-oriented spaces throughout the City!

The second concern focused on the proposed location.  Looking at the map above, it is clear that the site for the Parklet is at a (very busy) T-Intersection.  Furthermore, it is to be located a block away from Seven Arrows Elementary school and in the nearby proximity of two other schools (The Village School and Palisades Elementary Charter School).

Notwithstanding any decisions coming as a result of the public comment period, if the project goes forward, it will require a substantial fundraising effort to cover the cost of construction and maintenance of the Parklet.

After its meeting, the PPCC did address a letter to the City of Los Angeles pointing out a very recent traffic accident involving a downtown Parklet, asking the City to "reconsider the advisability of proceeding on a fast track with this or other parklets in light of potentially serious liability issues" while at the same time making it clear that the PPCC has no objections to the goals of the Parket program.  The full letter is available here.

A public forum is scheduled to be held this Thursday, August 7th at 7:00 PM at the Palisades Garden Cafe at 15231 La Cruz Dr.  The public is welcome to attend.

The PPCC will hold a second forum on the Parklet project on at its regular meeting on September 11 to solicit community input regarding the project.

For further information:

Pacific Palisade PRIDE
http://www.palisadespride.com

Pacific Palisades Community Council
http://www.PacPaliCC.org

LA City Parklet News
http://peoplest.lacity.org/news

City of LA Parklet Manual
http://peoplest.lacity.org/app_material/PeopleSt_ParkletAppManual.pdf