Italicized remarks are post-meeting comments by the Recording Secretary.
Roll Call and Introduction of Guests: Janice Santos, Parliamentarian; Chris
Nevil, President; George Gross, 1st VP and Webmaster; Wendy Averill, 2d VP;
Elizabeth Pollock, Recording Secretary; Tobyann Mandel, Director; Aaron Bernardin,
Director; Casey Anderson-Gross, Director/Membership; Lillian Jenkins, Advisor;
Marlene Savage, who became a director at this meeting.
Approval
of Minutes: The minutes of the May 1, 2006 meeting were prepared by Casey Anderson-Gross,
substituting for Recording Secretary Elizabeth Pollock. An addendum was prepared
summarizing actions taken by the board during the month of May. Both the May
1, 2006 minutes and the addendum were approved by the board. Minutes of the
April 27, 2006, general meeting were prepared for the archives. A quorum of
the membership was present at the general meeting, and approved the following
by acclamation:
1. Directors
Tobyann Mandel, Aaron Bernardin, Casey Anderson- Gross were re-elected for two
year terms (April 2006 – March 2008). At the general meeting, the position
of corresponding secretary and two directorships were still open.
2. The
bylaws were amended so that the board of directors may vote to determine the
dues to be charged by the organization.
Copies of the revised bylaws will be posted on the website and distributed to
the board members at the July 2006 meeting. Charlotte DeMeo has agreed to type
the bylaws and policies manual into a word processing document.
Approval of Treasurer’s Report: Before the meeting, Treasurer Michelle
Rudo circulated the Transaction Detail Report for May, and a Budget Summary
Report comparing the actual inflows and outflows with the budgeted amounts.
These reports were approved by the board.
Request
for DRHNA boundaries to include Glencoe-Maxella Area (Old Business):
Area A of the Del Rey Neighborhood Council (bounded by Del Rey Avenue, Culver
City, Moore Ave., Short Ave., Alla Road, Maxella Ave.) was not part of the DRHNA.
Marlene Savage obtained 53 signatures from residents of Area A, asking that
the DRHNA amend its boundaries to include that area. The board then unanimously
approved the boundary change and unanimously approved that Marlene Savage be
appointed to a two year directorship. Her term will end March 31, 2008.
Elizabeth Pollock has the signature pages so the signers can be sent membership
applications when we send out the next dues mailing.
Police/Crime
Report: The May meeting was replaced with a May 9 community meeting attended
by both Senior Lead Officers for our area, Heidi Llanes and Pete Llanes. Tobyann
Mandel and Casey Anderson Gross attended for DRHNA and prepared a report that
was circulated at the board meeting. Graffiti and the school valet program were
the two key issues. Casey Anderson will ask the principal at Playa del Rey elementary
school if his school would be willing to implement the school valet program.
We have not yet gotten Mary Anderson’s report on the April 2006 community
meeting. (She attends on behalf of the DRHNA and agreed to share her reports
with us.)
Traffic
Committee: Next meeting will be in June. Chris Nevil continues to meet with
Playa Vista representatives about restoring the left turn arrow at Inglewood
and Jefferson.
Topics
Not On the Agenda:
Before the meeting, Tobyann Mandel circulated a memorandum proposing the DRHNA
adopt new guidelines governing honoraria. The proposal was not an agenda item
at this meeting.
Wendy
Averill had been calling 311 (or 1-800-ABANDON) to report cars with expired
registration tags, but she was told that no vehicles were going to be towed
until June 15, 2006.
Newsletter:
Not yet ready. Goal is to print and distribute it during June. Wendy Averill
and Tobyann Mandel will help Steve Knight with editing.
General Meeting: As the meeting will be before the November gubernatorial election,
we may want a theme related to the election. Or we could invite the local school
principals. We should select a topic at the July board meeting and begin planning
the next newsletter.
Membership:
Casey Anderson-Gross reported that as of June 5, 2006, we have 314 paid members
and 108 members that are past due on the dues, some since 2001. On the next
newsletter/dues solicitation, we will prepare stickers to advise the past due
people that it will be their last newsletter, unless they pay their dues. She
found software to track dues payments on a rolling basis, but the software is
expensive. Also, it will be hard to integrate with the treasurer’s system
because Michelle Rudo’s computer is also used for her work.
Website:
George Gross says he is behind on posting the minutes that have been approved.
For now, we will still adhere to not posting minutes until they have been approved
by the board.
Del
Rey Neighborhood Council: Will be meeting on Thursday, June 8, 2006, at Marina
del Rey Middle School to discuss the adult cabaret issue (see below). Marlene
Savage is on DRNC’s Land Use Committee. Tobyann Mandel prepared and circulated
a report on the meeting.
U.S.P.S.
Facility Park Task Force: The property is in escrow, and Home Depot is going
to buy it. Elizabeth Pollock suggested that we do an assessment of our territory
to identify vacant land that might be usable for parks or gardens.
Motion
Regarding Green Line (Light Rail) - At the May 2006 meeting, Ken Alpern submitted
proposed language to be used for a resolution in support of an extension of
the Green Line from Imperial and Century to Lincoln and Sepulveda, with the
money to be provided by the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). Three board members
were ready to vote on the proposed resolution; four wanted to wait until the
July meeting. The extension would create a stop at Century and Aviation and
would open the door for an eventual extension of the Green Line to meet up with
the Expo Line.
Starbucks
at Centinela/Jefferson – The Zoning Administrator held a hearing on May
14, 2006, and Casey Anderson-Gross and George Gross attended and handed over
the DRHNA endorsement letter. The Zoning Administrator was concerned with the
deliveries to be made between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.. A.J. Kool from Starbucks listened
to those concerns. Entry into the North/South alley will not be allowed. The
firepit and signage are not shown on the plan, but they will be built. The Department
of Transportation will regulate signage. The City of Los Angeles will regulate
the gas lines for the fire pit.
Problem
with Trailers and Other Potentially Illegal Use of Vehicles on Little Culver
Blvd. west of Mascagni. – Chris Nevil will send the letter of concern
that we approved at our March 2006 board meeting. He had been holding off because
of an alleged ordinance change that would render the letter moot.
Report
on Community Meeting about Condo Conversions – Wendy Averill and Tobyann
Mandel attended the meeting at Walgrove Elementary School, monitored by Herb
Wesson and Ed Reyes. From 1995 – 2006 there has been a 220 per cent increase
in the approval of new residential units. Doing a condo conversion takes one
to two years, and three are planned in the area bounded by Inglewood Ave., Culver
Blvd. and Stoner Ave.. The City Planning Commission can reject a conversion
proposal if the apartment vacancy rate is less than five per cent. For our next
board meeting, Wendy Averill will draft a letter in which the DRHNA would request
a moratorium on condominium conversions. After the meeting, Tobyann Mandel circulated
an article suggesting that market shifts may be making condo conversions less
attractive, making apartments more attractive.
Proposed
Adult Cabaret (Nude Dancing) at 6820 S. Centinela Ave.
Because the property is zoned for this use, and the owner will not be selling
alcoholic beverages, construction already had started when we learned of the
project, shortly before the meeting. However, Playa Vista already has planned
a park for the land directly across Centinela from this location, and strip
clubs cannot be operated within 500 feet of a church, school, park. Parking
for the business would have been on neighboring parcels. It was moved and seconded
that Chris Nevil should prepare a letter of opposition to the project and circulate
it for an electronic vote of approval.
At the June 8, 2006, DRNC meeting, the DRNC approved a motion to express concern
about the project. Soon thereafter, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said he would
not grant any permits that might be needed for the project. It appears that
the approved, but not yet built, park trumped the strip club.
Motion
to Provide Annual Valedictorian Scholarships at Marina del Rey Middle School.
For the past several years, DRHNA has given a $100 savings bond to the valedictorian
of Marina del Rey Middle School and to the valedictorian of the Performing Arts
Magnet school, i.e. $200. Lillian Jenkins proposed that we also give $50 bonds
to the salutatorians at each school. Chris Nevil pointed out that Marina del
Rey Middle School has allowed us to use their auditorium for meetings without
charging us the $91 permit fee. Elizabeth Pollock pointed out that making $100
more awards would require us to have 20 more dues paying members. Lillian Jenkins
said she would contribute the $100 to make the donation. The board unanimously
approved giving the awards – two funded by DRHNA, two funded by Lillian
Jenkins.
Los
Angeles Neighborhoods Initiative – Chris Nevil attended this program and
will circulate copies of the handout that outlines the zoning process in the
City of Los Angeles.
NEXT BOARD MEETING ON MONDAY, JULY 10, 2006.