Hermosa Beach - Letters to the Editor

Too much alcohol

Hermosa residents, get involved. Sign the “Lissner Referendum.” There's enough liquor downtown. Police, fire, paramedic and lawsuit costs related to alcohol downtown is drinking Hermosa's treasury dry with millions being wasted providing public safety there. Hermosa's small-town quality is being destroyed. Hermosa's beach culture has been lost to bar culture. City money needed for neglected infrastructure, safety and tranquility is being diverted to policing thousands of bar-hoppers for bar operator profits.

A burned-out lower Pier Avenue bar has been given every opportunity and more to accomplish a restoration and return to business without having to provide a single additional parking space or pay a single dollar for parking to the city. Its owner instead now prefers to increase by 2,000 square feet his alcohol-dispensing square footage on top of his present 3,600 square feet.

Hermosa's council has thus thrown all logic to the wind and agreed that more alcohol square footage is OK for lower Pier Avenue. It has thoughtlessly and ignorantly changed the city's law and implicitly agreed to build the owner's additional required parking for this bar expansion on city-owned land.

Residents and businesses in town know well that there is already too much alcohol concentrated downtown. Fill out and return the referendum form you received by mail. You will be giving the City Council the moral fortitude it needs to break the insidious grip alcohol businesses evidently have over them. Do this immediately as time is extremely short for this referendum's success.

Howard Longacre, Hermosa Beach

Supporting the referendum

Last week, Sharkeez's Ron Newman wrote, “Do not sign the referendum...” He also wrote, “Property owners on the plaza have the right to rebuild their building...” Newman does have the right to rebuild the one-story bar he had. But he doesn't automatically have the right to add a second story for use as more bar.

Newman said I should not interfere with the actions of our elected officials. Three weeks ago, four councilmen gave him and anyone else on the plaza who wishes to do so permission to build a second story. Now that they see the referendum being circulated, those elected officials seem to be realizing their mistake. At their meeting last week, they suddenly resurrected an idea rejected by the council 10 years ago and voted to look into creating a specific plan for the downtown. The Daily Breeze on March 29 quoted Councilman J.R. Reviczky as saying about the downtown, “The end result was certainly not my vision of what would happen.”

Frankly, for the council, the horse is gone and the barn door is still open. It has no legal way to take back its March 13 action that will allow Sharkeez and other plaza bars to double up. But the people have a way - a referendum. If you live in Hermosa, you should have received a referendum petition in your mailbox a few days ago. If you didn't, you can download one from www.vivahermosa.com/  We have one week.

Jim Lissner, Hermosa Beach

Bars have consequences

Our City Council has recently made a series of decisions that will facilitate bar expansion downtown. While we sympathize with the impetus (i.e., the Sharkeez fire), we have to ask, “Is allowing any bar to expand a good thing for Hermosa?”

Bigger bars equal more crime, drunk drivers, litter and burdened police. Bars have consequences on the community. If we want those consequences to be winning “Best Bar Town” every year, then our City Council is succeeding.

It recently passed an ordinance allowing expanding downtown businesses to pay fees in lieu of providing additional parking. This ordinance not only facilitates expansion of Sharkeez, it clears the way for any bar to expand in the future.

Is this favoritism or bad planning? How are establishments with bouncers, full bars and open until 2 a.m. being classified as “restaurants” and then being allowed to pay their way out of parking?

Jim Lissner is circulating a petition to overturn this ordinance. We urge voters to sign it and send a message to our City Council that we're not OK with the downtown bar situation. If you have not received his mailer, contact Lissner at jim@vivahermosa.com. Signatures are needed by April 9.

Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, Hermosa Beach

Provide meetings on Internet

I support Councilman J.R. Reviczky's idea of providing City Council meetings live on the Internet.

Because meetings would become easier to watch (and re-watch), solutions like this encourage participation and help to make government business more transparent.

That is why I call upon the council to take it even further by implementing additional web-based solutions that enhance communications between the city and its residents.

We only need to look at nearby cities for examples. In Torrance, council meetings are broadcast live online and immediately afterward, the entire meeting is made available to watch again at any time. Even better, when watching an archived meeting, residents can go directly to the agenda item of their choice. No fast-forwarding required.

Long Beach goes a step further by also offering residents the opportunity to subscribe to receive an e-mail notification on more than 80 city topics of their choosing. Imagine getting an e-mail letting you know the city is about to discuss a topic that's important to you.

The technology is certainly there, and while we may not need 80 topics in Hermosa Beach, residents deserve to have ample opportunity to be active in their city government.

Michael DiVirgilio, Chairman, Public Works Commission, Hermosa Beach

Compromised by contributions

In a recent letter, Ron Newman, owner of Sharkeez's, stated that he felt that the city of Hermosa Beach would be best served by allowing the City Council to “do its elected job” in deciding whether or not the proposed expansion of Sharkeez is warranted. This idea is in the best interest of all concerned provided any and all council members recuse themselves if they have a conflict of interest or have received campaign contributions from Newman. While all of us can appreciate the need to be active in our local city politics, we need to be careful that the thoughts, processes and actions of its elected officials are not compromised by politics but rather act in the best interests of the city and its citizens.

Gary Doane, Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach News

Zoning change hints at new facilities

By Chris Yang

Officially speaking, there's nothing in the works for a new high-priced facility like the one that houses both of Manhattan Beach's Police and Fire Departments. Nor are there any plans to construct a new parking structure on land directly adjacent to City Hall. But though you'd never know it from talking to local officials, a proposal aired at last week's meeting of the Planning Commission appears to be laying the groundwork for the city to move in precisely that direction.

The proposal, dubbed a “special study” by Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld, calls for the city to rezone four of its properties - the Civic Center complex, the City Yard, the Community Services building and the Community Center. With the exception of the City Yard, which is currently categorized in the “Light Manufacturing Zone,” each of these properties is designated “Open Space.”

Under current zoning requirements, “open space” properties live up to their name by including strict restrictions upon structural improvements. For example, an OS-zoned property may only have a maximum of 10 percent of its land used for parking. Any buildings are not allowed to exceed 25 feet and their footprint may only take up 10 percent of the particular OS-zoned lot.

In the case of the city's properties, such requirements make future additions or upgrades virtually impossible. It is for this reason that the city appears to no longer be satisfied with current restrictions and is thus attempting to alter the status quo.

According to a staff report presented to the commission last Wednesday, the properties in question would either be rezoned to a new more flexible designation known as “Public Facilities,” or kept in their respective categories and placed in a special “Public Facilities” overlay in the city's General Plan.

“This just simply allows the city to use public property and institutional buildings that are located on public property to make improvements,” said Blumenfeld. “At this point, there is this anomaly in the zoning ordinance, the general plan, that really prevents the city from moving forward with plans.”

Well, sort of. Plans depicting the location of two new buildings to be built at the City Yard were included in Blumenfeld's staff report. No one on the commission questioned why plans could be drawn up for properties zoned “Light Manufacturing,” but not for those designated “Open Space.”

By that late hour, opposition to Blumenfeld's proposal was nonexistent among the commissioners, who urged the Planning Department to move full-steam ahead.

“I'm all in favor of it,” said Commissioner Ron Pizer. “I think it's a good idea.”

Pizer reiterated his support in a conversation by phone several days after the meeting.

“Maybe there's a conflict between the general plan and our zoning,” said Pizer. “What they're trying to do is to have a plan for City Hall, for that complex. They should have a plan.”

He added that any future development of the Civic Center is at least several years away and contingent upon the city's relationship with the current occupant of the lot at 552 11th Place, a public storage facility.

“It's five years away before anything could happen,” said Pizer. “I think there's several years before that land is available (for use).”

But if the public storage facility is to remain as a tenant for the next few years, why then are local officials including the three OS-zoned properties in the study with the City Yard, which is scheduled for improvements right away?

“We just have the land,” said City Manager Steve Burrell. “The City Yard Š is moving forward, we just kind of do them all at once.”

That is precisely the problem for some residents. Former councilman Gary Brutsch served at a time when many sites within the city were designated as “Open Space.” He believes the city should not consider rezoning its properties unless it has a clear idea of what it wants to do.

“It was the purpose of preceding councils to establish Open Space zones (because) it allows greater quality of life,” said Brutsch. “I'm not sure I would support anything that moves toward greater density.”

He also questioned the assumption that the city's need for parking, touted by many officials, should trump the city's need for open space.

“The city has had great opportunity to purchase land to build parking structures. Now because municipal government says ‘we've defined a need,' we're going to make the city more dense because of it?” said Brutsch. “I think that's flawed ... Let's not make the town more dense because we need more parking. I think we have to look at rules, find out why they were established and follow those rules.”

Brutsch is not alone in his critique. Local activist Jim Lissner sat through hours of testimony and deliberations before rising to address the commission last Wednesday night to oppose the study.

“I think we maybe have the cart before the horse here a little bit,” said Lissner. “I don't see the citizenry behind this project. So why are we fiddling with the zoning if we don't even have a bona fide project?”

With no one else present to support him, the commission found little merit with Lissner's argument and voted unanimously to proceed with the proposed study. The matter will return for the commission's consideration at its next meeting Jan. 16.

Hermosa Beach News

We Get Letters

Lax parking requirements

Hermosa Beach is digging a deeper downtown parking deficiency hole with the Planning Commission's rubber stamp of a 30-plus-foot-tall, four-level, flat-roofed, 35-unit commercial-condominium project at 15th and Hermosa Avenue.

Among a litany of concerns is the city's day/night shared parking calculation requiring less than one parking space on site per condo. Two condos are restaurants; one is 3,000 square feet, the other 1,500 square feet. Thus 35 condo owners, two being the restaurant condo owners, will have less than one parking space each. Two other projects have an intensified-building-usage shared parking concept; however, those are each under single ownership and better parked in the first place.

This project, with 35 independent owners crammed in, has no practical opportunity for 35 shared parking plans. The developer and city are burying their heads in the sand rather than facing reality that this project lacks sensible parking.

The city acting as prostitute is extorting from the developer $200,000 for seven nonexistent parking places it will never supply given the shortage of parking waiting for a years-away parking garage. The developer is foolish to participate in this extortion. The developer would do better to submit a common-sense, less intensive design with realistic parking than being hustled by Hermosa Beach. This city has screwed up many developments and created the city's parking problems with its lax parking requirements. The project will be a pain for everyone already suffering from the severe parking shortages.

Howard Longacre, Hermosa Beach

Political maneuvering

The restriping of Pier Avenue to four lanes was approved Oct. 10 at the Hermosa Beach council meeting. Councilmen J.R. Reviczky and Sam Edgerton now appear to be employing a stalling tactic to extend the time to reinstall the four lanes with high hopes of maintaining the two-lane striping configuration.

Why are these two councilmen defying the overwhelming majority of the Hermosa Beach citizens? Do they have an agenda to keep the said two lanes with hopes of wider sidewalks providing more tables for enlarged cafes?

Sidewalks are for pedestrian use. Don't they recall at the Hermosa Beach Public Works Commission meeting Sept. 20, 25 Hermosa Beach residents spoke? Twenty-three citizens were against the two-lane configuration and only two were in favor of the new configuration.

We do not need an extension of the lower Pier promenade to an upper Pier Avenue with more serious problems. The Hermosa Beach Police and Fire departments prefer the clean four lanes, more expedient emergency calls with faster results. The will of the Hermosa Beach residents has spoken. Put back the four lanes on Pier Avenue now. This is nothing more than a political maneuver for whose benefit?

Roger Eldon Bacon, Hollywood Riviera

Hidden agenda?

At the Hermosa Beach council meeting Nov. 28, Sam Edgerton talked so long against going back to four lanes on Pier Avenue that councilmen put aside the will of the people.

The restriping will be done after a car count on two lanes; then a month later, a car count on four lanes.

The people living on Loma, Eighth and Monterey have been heavily impacted by the traffic. I'm sure other streets have been impacted as well.

In my opinion, the hidden agenda for Pier Avenue is two lanes for traffic, enlarge the sidewalks for tables and chairs so bar business can be outside as well as in, extend the Tenderloin District as close to Pacific Coast Highway as possible.

The future for the people of Hermosa Beach is very bleak.

The continuation of the restriping for another couple of months is all about control and ego.

Edgerton is forcing his one vote to control the city and council, yet the four votes the other members had and used don't seem to count.

Shirley Cassell, Hermosa Beach


Time to move on

It is time to stop draining money from programs in our Hermosa schools to pay for legal defense. I am writing to implore the supporters of the CRSE lawsuit to stop this constant legal action against our schools and to allow our tax dollars to be used for education. Five times the anonymous CRSE supporters have been before the California courts to sue the district, to appeal lawsuits or to request stop-work injunctions. All five times the courts have ruled in favor of the district. The money to pay for this legal defense comes directly out of the general fund of our budget-strapped school district. This money should be financing programs like teacher salaries, music and class-size reduction.

A majority of Hermosans voted for the school construction and it is time to go with the majority opinion. The CRSE has exercised the legal right to dissent - several times. Now, let's go forward with the majority's wishes and start working together to maintain and improve our school system. The construction is under way after a long democratic and public process. Because of CRSE delays, my children will not have the opportunity to use the gymnasium, the new library and media center, or the two new science classrooms, but thousands of future Hermosa students will enjoy these new school facilities.

I hope that the CRSE will drop its Supreme Court appeal. The CRSE is continuing to cost our children money that would be better spent on education.

Teena Moody, Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach News

HB City Council Wrap

By Chris Yang

Pier Avenue striping project - Though the council decided to return Pier Avenue to a four-lane road in October by a 4-1 vote, six residents appeared Tuesday night to urge the council not to do so.  “With a committee coming up it doesn't make too much sense to spend money to go back to four lanes,” said Larry Peha.

Local resident Shirley Cassell wasn't buying it. “The people on Monterey and Eighth Street have been waiting for seven weeks,” said Cassell. “No more fooling around because somebody up here is trying to get this thing carried forward and forward and forward.”

Councilman Kit Bobko agreed. “I don't think we can go back and ‘reneg' on the vote that was taken. Let's get this done.” 

The council agreed and once again voted to return Pier Avenue to a four-lane road, but only after a new traffic count is completed. The council decided on a 30-day time period to conduct the count, after which the street will be returned to its original configuration. The vote was 4-1, with Mayor Sam Edgerton as the lone “nay” vote.

Zoning code amended - After a lengthy public hearing, the council agreed by a 4-1 vote to amend the city's zoning code to allow nonconforming commercial properties to rebuild in the case of a calamity.  Councilman Michael Keegan voted in favor of amending the zoning code but acknowledged it might create an incentive to commit arson. “I support approving this tonight but ... I don't think all the owners know this but there's an incentive to even create arson under some of this, because if you have a nonconforming building that's over the height limit - you can burn it and build it back brand new. That's not the case with the Newmans, theirs is a total different situation.”

Bobko was the lone voice of dissent. “Generally as a rule, nonconforming uses are uses that we want to gradually amortize out of existence,” said Bobko. “I would be in favor of at least breaking this ordinance into two different ordinances, one for commercial and one for residential.”  Councilman J.R. Reviczky echoed Bobko's comments. “I would prefer doing this in pieces, if that's possible, because I have difficulty with the residential portion of this,” said Reviczky. “I want the residential part completely looked at again because I think there's a lot of issues beyond paragraph (a) that need to be reviewed.”

Though Reviczky voted to pass the amendment, he immediately introduced a motion to have the Planning Commission review the ordinance again.  “My motion would be that we send this thing back to the Planning Commission specifically to look at the residential portion of this ordinance and also to study the ramifications of this ordinance affecting more than just the C-2 zone,” said Reviczky. The vote passed by a 3-2 vote, with Edgerton and Tucker dissenting.

Public Works Commission - The council interviewed four applicants for the Public Works Commission before Tuesday's meeting. The council appointed Julian Katz and Brian Koch to the commission. The appointments are four-year terms. Keegan thanked outgoing Commissioner Victor Winnek for his service on the commission. Winnek reapplied but was not chosen.

Hermosa Beach News

HB Planning wrap

By Chris Yang

Club 705 - A public hearing to consider revocation or modification of the conditional use permit for Club 705 was continued until the Planning Commission's next meeting in December.

The proprietors of the business appeared briefly at the onset of Tuesday's meeting but left shortly thereafter once it became clear that the matter was continued.

Local officials blamed proper notification as the reason behind the delay. A placard that is required to be posted on the premises for a certain period of time prior to the public hearing was not done so until this week, putting the city on questionable legal grounds had the owners decided to challenge the matter in court.

Pier Striping Project - Local residents can expect to see the return of Pier Avenue to a four-lane thoroughfare on either the weekend of Dec. 4 or Dec. 11. Plans are currently being drawn up by the Public Works Department to present to the City Council at its next meeting on Nov. 28, after which the work on the busy street is expected to proceed.

Hermosa Beach News

HB City Council wrap

By Chris Yang

Ethics training - Public officials from various bodies packed City Hall before the council's meeting on Tuesday to hear City Attorney Mike Jenkins discuss a new law that went into effect on Jan. 1, AB 1234.  Officials from the City Council, School District and various members of the El Segundo city bureaucracy attended the event, which was required by the new law.

Pier striping project  - Local residents Shirley Cassell and Howard Longacre both inquired about the status of the return of Pier Avenue to a four-lane thoroughfare. The council agreed by a 4-1 vote to return the street back to a four-lane road in October.  “It has been five weeks since council voted to put Pier Avenue back to four lanes,” said Cassell. “I think that tonight this council better direct Mr. Burrell and staff to get somebody down there to restripe that street.”  

Councilman J.R. Reviczky explained the delay, stating, “While this council voted to restripe the Pier, it also directed staff to bring back the plan before they did that, and that's what we're waiting for. The plan will be ready next meeting. Because it can't go back exactly the way it was before, because the parking places before didn't meet Caltrans specification, we needed a new plan.”  A spokesperson with the city clerk's office confirmed that the matter will not return to the council and the changes will be enacted shortly, though she could not confirm when that would be.   

Lot merger rehash - The council voted unanimously to have the Planning Commission consider the issue of merging lots within the R-1 zone.  The city agreed to notify any property owners affected by the change, along with those properties within 300 feet of the affected parcels. “I think it deserves a little more discussion,” said Reviczky. “I think these 35 people have a right to know what is going on.” 

“The Planning Commission would provide notice at its January meeting,” said City Manager Steve Burrell. “We would provide notice at the second February meeting. Following the adoption of this policy change, we would then proceed to deal with each of the 35 properties by then providing the specific notices.”  The matter is expected to return to the council in February after consideration by the Planning Commission.

Kiwanis clock - City staff presented the council with two options on the location of a clock donated by the Kiwanis Club. The clock was originally to be mounted on the east side of the pier plaza in conjunction with the creation of a wall, but after several residents objected to the wall the council decided to instead place the clock in another location.  

Earlier this week, local officials placed a mockup of the clock at one of the two places being considered, near the entrance of Loreto Plaza. After several members of the Kiwanis Club appeared to urge that the clock be placed closer to Hermosa Avenue, the council voted by a 3-2 vote to do so. The clock will instead be mounted just inside the bollards on the east end of the plaza.

Cool Cities - Local resident Nikki Tempest urged the council to sign on to the Sierra Club's “Cool Cities” club, a program to assist municipalities become more energy-efficient. “I really encourage everybody to get educated on this,” said Mayor Sam Edgerton. “It's not flipped-out liberal theory or anything like that, it's for real.”

Vending machines - The council agreed with a proposal by the Community Resources director to place six vending machines at various locations within the city. Under the terms of the agreement, the city will receive a lump sum payment of $25,000 from the Coca-Cola Bottling Company and approximately 41 cents per unit sold. A variety of drinks will be sold for $1.50.  All proceeds from the sale of beverages will be placed into the city's centennial account. The agreement is to last for one year, after which time the city will reconsider the matter.

Noble Park light - The council punted on the issue of whether to place a light in Noble Park and instead gave the matter to the Public Works Commission. Councilman Pete Tucker inquired whether two smaller lights could be placed in the park instead of one large one, so that light would not flood the area and bother local residents. The council urged the commission to include any new lights into a larger plan to refurbish the park.

Letters to the Editor

Thanks for participating

Thank you for being part of a Show of Hands for Hermosa. Everyone involved had fun and was part of a very unique community event. 

When Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Watch was first invited to join in on the planning for this event, we were thrilled with the opportunity to collaborate with a group of creative and inspiring people such as Maureen Ferguson, Laura Raymond, Dick McCurdy, Rick Koenig and Mike Flaherty.  From that very first September opportunity for residents to put their handprints on the grey skate park walls, a magical experience began to blossom into a colorful expression of the people.  

We would not have been able to accomplish such a task without the volunteers and Public Works staff. I would like to thank the Community Resources team, JOL Designs, Tracy Hopkins, Nancy Amato, Al Benson, Janice Brittain, Jeff Smith, Jan Barylski, Michael DiVirgilio, Danay DiVirgilio, Carol Lawson, Jen Sandoval, Susan Blaco, Nancy Nickels, Kit Bobko, Cathy McCurdy, Pat Love, Jennifer Rosenfeld, Jennifer Chew, Mary Goshtigian, Karen Renner, Terry and Fred Bose, Andrienne Slaughter, J.R. Reviczky, Mishell Balzer, Janine Bozeman, Jeff Maxwell, Marsha Halford, Jim Gierlich, Sharon Rosenberger, John Horger, Sue Horger, Claudia Castro, Dave Largent, Terrie Sanchez, Terrill Burnett, Kathy Bergstrom, Kimberlee MacMullan, Bree Hopkins, Bob McEachen, Paul Amarillas, Annie Seawright-Newton, Gloria Vialpando, Christine Hollander, Sally Field, Ray Karimoto, Howard Seeb and Joel Geffen; also the Kiwanis Club of Hermosa Beach and Hermosa Arts Foundation for their support of the project.

Kelly Kovac-Reedy, Hermosa Beach

Questions about expenses

AB 1234, an ethics law signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in 2005, is designed to reduce personal expense reimbursement abuses by politicians and other government officials. It took effect Jan. 1 and necessitates that Hermosa council members receive two hours of AB 1234 ethics training in 2006. The council members have delayed this almost until the deadline. Several meetings ago attorney-councilman Sam Edgerton even bragged that he didn't need more ethics training, having taken plenty already; however, City Attorney Michael Jenkins admonished him to the contrary.

The councilmen also still receive a $350-per-month car allowance in breach of the purpose of AB 1234. Short of Jenkins finding the councilmen a legal loophole, they apparently will need to return the car-allowance payments received in 2006 and submit actual car expense reports as related directly to their council duties if they desire such reimbursement. Except for fewer payments received by the new councilman, Kit Bobko, each councilman should return about $3,500 to Hermosa's city treasurer.

Incredibly, during the Oct. 24 meeting, the councilman (with Peter Tucker absent) voted without any discussion a 77-percent increase to their compensation. Edgerton coyly voted “No” while knowing full well the increase would pass, yet made no attempt to decline such increase for himself or any financial relation to be seated on council when the increase takes effect. Edgerton then condescendingly predicted this letter calling attention to his disingenuous vote on raising its compensation.

Incidentally, it is the city's money that Hermosa's councilmen remind the people they carefully watch.

Howard Longacre, Hermosa Beach
 

Keep Pier Avenue two lanes

Hermosa Beach needs to retain the new, two-lane restriping of upper Pier Avenue by the Public Works Department. Not only does it slow down the speeding motorists and make it safer for pedestrians, but it adds a more charming downtown/retail atmosphere to the city.

If you look both north (Manhattan Beach) and south (Redondo Beach) of us, you will note that the heart of their downtowns both have two-lane streets. Both towns also have thriving downtowns with a wonderful mix of retail, restaurants and office space.

Traffic counts proved no increase in cars on adjacent streets from the new design, and flow on upper Pier Avenue is not impaired by it.

Let's retain the new format and give it a year or two to prove itself to attract more pedestrians, diners and shoppers by being a more inviting, charming, mellow street. Hermosa has become an international tourist destination and the new format will further promote that.

Unfortunately, the majority of Hermosa residents who liked the new format for upper Pier Avenue didn't voice their support so all that was heard by the City Council and Public Works were a few shrill obstructionists, afraid to improve Hermosa.

Lisa and Robert Arnett, Hermosa Beach

Residential streets were affected

As one of the “tiny, vocal few,” one of the “shrill obstructionists” as Andrew and Leanne Clifton called us, I appeared before the City Council to ask that Pier Avenue go back to four lanes. As a point of information, 10 people are not a “tiny vocal few” considering that we represented a good percentage of the longtime residents of Eighth Street between Ardmore and Pacific Coast Highway. We have been seriously affected by the restriping; the traffic has increased considerably on our section of Eighth Street according to one of the studies that was passed around. Our group appeared at the Public Works meeting so it should have come as no surprise to the Cliftons that we also appeared before the City Council. Pier Avenue may have been enhanced by the restriping but it made our lives more difficult and we have a perfect right to point out that when you change one street, it affects others. Ours is a residential street; Pier Avenue is a commercial street. We believe that the city must find other ways to enhance Pier Avenue - ways that do not adversely affect the neighboring streets.

Joan M. Arias, Hermosa Beach

Change was an improvement

What a pleasure it has been crossing Pier Avenue with my children without fearing for our lives. Thank you.

I hear the City Council is considering changing Pier Avenue back to four lanes based on increased traffic on Eighth Street. Please continue to look at the traffic issues and resident complaints of each street as there are traffic/parking issues all over town but the change to Pier Avenue has been an improvement. Pier Avenue is a dead-end street. One lane in each direction is sufficient. Let's try to respect the pedestrian. Please stay strong; two lanes is a good decision.

Dana Cantelmo, Hermosa Beach

Needs a longer study

I am concerned that the city will make a decision regarding Pier Avenue based on a group of vocal citizens who disagree with the project. Though I understand that not everything can be put to a vote, this project deserves further consideration.

It is time we slow or stop the amount of traffic that can now barrel freely into the center of our small town. In the summer months, Hermosa residents have to put up with the noise and traffic brought on by such events as the two Fiestas, volleyball tournaments and beach traffic. It is time to slow down the pace of the choking car fumes, noise and herds of people.

Manhattan Beach has done just fine with Manhattan Beach Boulevard closing down to two lanes, one in each direction. Hermosa needs to do the same thing. It will bring a much more pedestrian-friendly environment to our city, encouraging foot traffic and more retail businesses instead of the tiring and annoying bar scene.

Give Pier Avenue a chance to become more peaceful and more enjoyable. Give restriping a longer chance to prove itself.

Pim Murphy, Hermosa Beach


Board made a choice

With regard to the building of the gym at Hermosa Valley School, there have been so many letters written, so many opinions shared and so many arrogant responses from Gregory Breen, president of the Hermosa Beach School Board.

I am not a member of CRSE but I am a neighbor of Valley School. The most important fact for me is that the Hermosa Beach School Board chose to build a gym rather than build the much-needed classrooms. It's as simple as that.

Stacy Moulton, Hermosa Beach

Sleeping better at night

How good of Miyo Prassas to take time away from polishing her halo (Letters, Nov. 2) and how good of her to let us know that the reason that the Committee for Responsible School Expansion is continuing to sue the Hermosa School District (notwithstanding its five losses to date) is to preserve the integrity of our initiative process. Gee, and I figured that cause of action was an afterthought since they never brought it up at all in any of our settlement conferences, indeed not at all until they filed suit. I've been pretty selfish in fretting about the $2 million their lawsuit has cost the district, when after all we're looking at pretty important constitutional principles here. I can sleep better at night knowing that the altruistic members of CRSE are looking out for me.

Greg Breen, President, Hermosa Beach School Board

Misleading the public

Last week, Miyo Prassas unequivocally stated here that 59 percent of the $13.6 million in Measure “J” funds will be spent on the gym. Wrong. I would chalk it up as an innocent mistake had I not been subjected to years of misinformation from her and other CRSE members. Instead I can only conclude that it is yet another attempt to mislead the public.

Now for the facts. Although the exact number cannot be calculated because separate bids were not obtained for the gym/ classroom portion of the new building (which will also house a library/media center and two additional classrooms, and have reinforced footings to someday build the additional classrooms that had to be cut due to the delaying tactics of the CRSE and the resultant escalating prices), we do know that the new building will cost about $10.7 million; the gym/classroom constitutes approximately 60 percent of the new building based upon square footage; and as she well knows, since her CRSE tried to force the school to decline this money, $1.5 million of the gym costs are paid by a state grant conditioned on building the gym, not bond proceeds (yes, if successful they would have cost the school yet another $1.5 million). Sixty percent of $10.7 million less $1.5 million (totaling $4.92 million), divided by $13.6 million, yields 36 percent, not 59 percent. She overstated it by about 63 percent. Honest mistake, or another attempt to mislead?

Consider this the next time you read another letter from the CRSE.

Kelly Kinnon, Hermosa Beach

Board did listen, just didn't agree

CRSE's claim the Hermosa School Board did not listen to the surrounding neighbors during the planning process for the new construction at Hermosa Valley School is outrageous. The board bent over backward to hear everyone. Environmental Impact Reports were commissioned, alternate plans were considered, mediations were held. Just because the CRSE did not get its way does not mean its concerns were not considered. To suggest otherwise is insulting to the board members who work hard to improve our schools and to the Hermosa Beach citizens the CRSE is attempting to mislead.

The CRSE members can demonstrate their claim they have the best interest of the school at heart by reimbursing the school for the $140,000 in legal fees we (yes, the taxpayers of Hermosa Beach and their children) have been forced to waste on what four judges have ruled a meritless lawsuit. By taking their case to the California Supreme Court after four consecutive defeats, the CRSE continues to waste the Hermosa Beach taxpayers' money and the Hermosa Beach School Board's time.

Jennifer Alvarado, Hermosa Beach
 

Hermosa Beach News

HB City Council wrap

By Chris Yang

Donations - The council acknowledged a donation from local resident and Public Works Commissioner Janice Brittain in the amount of $500. Another donation was received from the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $3,000. The funds were raised at this year's Fiesta Beer Garden. Both donations will be used to pay for the city's centennial celebration.

HBPD electronics purchase - Funds totaling approximately $15,000 were appropriated by the city to pay for a “base station radio unit,” “six remote desk top units,” a “Blackberry communication system” and another Dell computer for the Hermosa Beach Police Department.

Slurry seal - The council held off awarding a contract worth approximately $148,000 to Pavement Coatings Company for work that includes crack sealing, slurry sealing, and the replacement of traffic striping on both Aviation Boulevard and Prospect Avenue.  The council's decision was delayed until its meeting on Nov. 14 and was enacted to accommodate the installation of trees along Aviation Boulevard.  “The reason why we want to change this, we want to sequence the work that is going to be done on Aviation with the new trees and so forth, and let this follow it,” said City Manager Steve Burrell.

Pay raise - By a 3-1 vote, the council agreed to increase its monthly pay from $300 to $530 a month. Mayor Sam Edgerton was the lone dissenting vote. “I guess I'll get another letter from Howard Longacre for voting no,” said Edgerton. Councilman Peter Tucker, who did not attend Tuesday night's meeting, opposed the pay raise at the council's previous meeting on Oct. 10. The increase becomes effective in November 2007.

Pavilion car wash - The council once again assumed jurisdiction over a decision by the Planning Commission to approve a business within the Hermosa Pavilion. The council, which had previously assumed jurisdiction over the commission's approval of an upscale restaurant, did it again in the case of the Pavilion's car wash. The Planning Commission approved the car wash by a 3-2 vote. “This would be pushed into that meeting so we have all the issues preserved and no doors shut on the issue that relates to the parking plan,” said Edgerton.  The public hearing encompassing both the car wash and the restaurant, which was originally to be heard Dec. 12, was again postponed until sometime next year.

Kiwanis lease - The city agreed to continue leasing the property at 2515 Valley Drive to the Hermosa Kiwanis Club for another 25 years. The agreement calls for the lease to begin Aug. 12, 2006, and end Aug. 11, 2031, “unless earlier terminated as provided herein.” In return for use of the property, the Kiwanis Club agrees to pay the city rent in the amount of $1 per year.

Holiday parking - The council agreed to offer three hours of free parking between Wednesday, Nov. 22, and Monday, Dec. 25. The rule applies only to the silver meters located in the downtown area.

Public Works Commission - In other city business, two seats on the Public Works Commission expire at the end of this month. Interviews, which were originally scheduled to occur before the council's meeting Tuesday, were rescheduled until the council's Nov. 28 meeting.  Four applicants applied for the open positions - Julian Katz, Brian Koch, Sean Krajewski and Victor Winnek. Winnek is currently a member of the commission and is reapplying for his seat. Commissioner Robert Beste did not reapply for his seat.

Vending machines - A potential agreement between the city of Hermosa Beach and the Coca-Cola Bottling Company was placed on the agenda for the council's Nov. 14 meeting. Community Resources Director Lisa Lynn will present the proposal to the council. For more information, see a story that ran in The Beach Reporter Oct. 11, titled “City looks at sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola.”

Hermosa Beach News

HB City Council wrap

Pay raise - Instead of the 100-percent raise requested by Councilman Michael Keegan, the council agreed to a raise from $300 per month to $530 per month. The vote was 3-2 in favor of the measure, with Edgerton and Tucker dissenting.

“I think this 100-percent raise is way out of order,” said Tucker.

Pier striping project - By a 4-1 vote, the council agreed with a recommendation by the Public Works Commission to end the test along upper Pier Avenue and return the street to its original configuration. Edgerton was the lone voice of dissent.

“Your own agenda doesn't count,” local resident Shirley Cassell said to the council. “You people should never have done this. I don't know what the hell got into you guys.”

Councilman Kit Bobko reiterated his call for a “comprehensive study of the entire Pier Avenue ecosystem.” He advocated the creation of a steering committee to “decide what it is that we want to do.” The committee will include two members from the Public Works and Planning commissions, as well as other members of the community.

According to Public Works Director Rick Morgan's staff report, the city will appropriate not more then $20,000 to return Pier Avenue to its original configuration.

Neighborhood brawl - Local resident Eric Conrad addressed the council about an incident that occurred near his house at the intersection of Eighth Street and Ardmore Avenue. According to Conrad, a crowd of approximately 20 people chased an individual down his street sometime last week, engaging in a physical altercation. After he was “beat unconscious,” the crowd fled after being alerted to the presence of police officers. The victim was allegedly driven away by acquaintances while still unconscious.

Police Chief Greg Savelli addressed residents' concerns. He stated that the department's response time was approximately two minutes and 20 seconds. According to Savelli, the incident arose from a neighborhood party. “My plan is to talk to that homeowner,” said Savelli.

Meistrell tribute - In honor of the recent death of Bill Meistrell, Mayor Sam Edgerton presented a certificate of recognition to the Meistrell family. Local businessman Roger Bacon joined Meistrell's brother Bob to offer some thoughts about the famous waterman during an intermission.

Coke sponsorship agreement - The council pushed a decision on the installation of nine vending machines back to its next meeting Oct. 24. The potential agreement with the Coca-Cola Bottling Company calls for a “donation” of $25,000 to help fund the city's Centennial.

Pier plaza clock - “I just don't understand the wall,” said resident Dallas Yost. The council agreed, deciding to forgo the creation of a wall along the east edge of pier plaza. A clock donated by the Kiwanis Club will instead be placed at the center of the plaza and will be surrounded by benches.

On the issue of a runaway vehicle, the council agreed to consider upgrading the bollards currently in place to prevent an accident similar to the one in Santa Monica. “There is a remote possibility that a vehicle could lose its brakes and cause a problem,” said City Attorney Mike Jenkins.

Long meeting - Tuesday's meeting was the longest council meeting in months, adjourning shortly before 1 a.m. “We need to make it policy that if we go past 12:30 a.m., there is no closed session,” said Edgerton.

Hermosa Beach News

Residents want Pier Avenue back to four lanes

By Chris Yang

Local residents appeared en masse last Wednesday night to deliver a clear message to the city about the Pier Avenue Striping Project - return it to the way it was.

Bowing to community pressure, the Public Works Commission voted unanimously to end the test along upper Pier Avenue and return the street to its original condition, excluding a stop sign at the intersection of Bard Street and Pier Avenue.

As with all recommendations from city commissions, the City Council will have the final say in the matter. The council is expected to consider the striping project at one of its two meetings in October.

In addition, the council will be asked to decide upon a body known as the “Pier Avenue Enhancement Committee,” an ad hoc committee charged with overseeing the recommendations found in a 1994 study known as the Downtown Implementation Plan.

The study divided the city's business district into three categories: Lower Pier, Hermosa and Upper Pier. It listed two goals for Upper Pier: To create a comfortable shopping environment for the community and visitors; and to ensure that there is a design link between Upper and Lower Pier so both areas work together and enhance the character of downtown.

The plan included nine recommendations, one of which was reducing Pier Avenue from a four- to two-lane road.

In light of this, Morgan used his time to separate the highly unpopular striping project from the other recommendations within the study, perhaps in an attempt to keep the project alive. “Whether we do two lanes or four, we're still going to want to incorporate amenities,” said Morgan. He added that the city has approximately $2 million of Proposition C funds saved to use on upper Pier Avenue. The 1994 proposal estimated the cost of improvements to upper Pier would run approximately $1.5 million.

Some residents, like Eric Bails, issued a fiery denunciation of both the striping project and the city's larger goal of revitalizing upper Pier Avenue. He sarcastically remarked that altering Pier Avenue's configuration during the summer would not solve the street's drainage problem, drawing chuckles from the crowd. He concluded by stating, “In sum, we don't know the cost, we don't know the benefits and we don't know why the city is doing this. Fix the drainage and enforce the traffic laws!”

But the award for the evening's most unruly speaker went to Redondo Beach Public Works Commissioner Dean Francois. Francois was more than two hours late, appearing shortly before 10 p.m. after most of the crowd had left and the commission was busy deliberating the issue. Chairman Victor Winnek refused Francois' request to speak, advising him that the time for comments on the striping project was over. Francois exploded.

“This is a violation of the Brown Act!” said Francois.

“Please sit down,” said Winnek. “You're out of order.”

“I'm not out of order!” replied Francois.

“You're late,” said Commissioner Dan Marinelli.

After sitting down for a few minutes, Francois returned to the dais and continued his tirade.

“I'm Dean Francois! You are in violation of the Brown Act,” he yelled.

Winnek pointed out that public comments would be taken just before the meeting adjourned, hinting that Francois should wait until then to speak. But Francois left shortly thereafter.

Letters to the Editor

Changes harmed other neighborhoods

The question should not be whether we like the changes to Pier Avenue or not, it's more about what the test has done to our neighborhoods. One cannot deal with the proposed Pier Avenue changes separately without including the changes the proposal makes to Eighth Street and others. They are reflecting the test more than Pier Avenue. It has been awful, dangerous and unacceptable. Also the worst times are in the morning and evening commute times, and on warm weekends when a lot of beachgoers and other walkers are trying to fight their way down and up Eighth Street with all the extra heavy car and truck traffic on this street. Guaranteed, it will be a serious accident on this street that will really open people's eyes on Eighth Street between Valley and PCH.

Steve Pinard, Hermosa Beach

Contributing to congestion

Regardless of how many lanes Pier Avenue ends up with, the city should be proactive to help ease traffic congestion. Twice last week, in high traffic areas, I observed parking enforcement blocking lanes of traffic while issuing street-sweeping citations.

First, on the south side of Gould, a single car sat on street-sweeping day. Rather than park his chariot in front of or behind the offending car, our city official chose to park in the eastbound lane next to the violating vehicle. This caused all of us leaving Hermosa via Gould to attempt to pass his vehicle by crossing into the opposing lane. We were further hindered by the fact that we were facing uphill, and could not see traffic approaching over the crest of the hill. It was a very unsafe situation, and caused unneeded congestion.

Last Thursday, I was southbound on Monterey Avenue, just past Eighth Street, when parking enforcement blocked the northbound side of the road. At that time, a person who was moving their offending vehicle at the last minute performed a three-point U-turn and parallel parked just opposite the parking enforcement cart. This caused both directions of Monterey to be blocked, and southbound lanes backed up past the intersection at Eighth Street.

In both cases, there were ample spaces in front of and behind the offending cars. In both cases, parking enforcement, either by policy or personal decision, blocked traffic. In both cases, I was avoiding Pier Avenue due to recent lane revisions.

Glenn Forbes, Hermosa Beach

Likes the two-lane configuration

Changing four-lane streets to two-lane plus bicycle lanes worked on The Esplanade and Grant. It has improved safety, the environment, slowed drivers and encouraged alternative transportation modes such as cycling.

While I believe that two lanes with bike lanes can work on Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, the council acted too swiftly on this two-lane test without a complete plan in place and insufficient public comment. Staff gave a City Council presentation without it being on the agenda.

The next day, the Public Works Commission was asked to take public comment. Public Works felt obligated to recommend ending the test and bringing the street back to four lanes in reaction to many who complained of taking longer to drive a short distance, or complained of increased traffic diverted to other streets. However, the meeting was not a public hearing and was agendized to discuss public input. It ignored the fact that it is probably safer with two lanes. The commission could not deal with safety or the diversion of traffic problems. There were incomplete data and traffic studies to compare to pre-existing conditions.

I caution the wisdom of returning to four lanes, since it is safer with two lanes. The city should beware of potential liability in changing this back.

In making changes to our streets, we must be able to answe