All Politics, All the Time
IV. What General Plan? When work on the revision of the land use and circulation elements of the General Plan (LUCE)_began, residents stated emphatically that they wanted less not more. They didn’t want Santa Monica to be a “tourist mecca” or a “regional commercial hub” or a “brand,” They wanted it to be what it has always been – a beach town. Earlier this year, when it was clear that City Hall’s very orderly plans had no place for less, only for more,... Read More
All Politics, All the Time
III. It’s A beach Town, Pal! Though we’ve spent four years on the revision of the land use and circulation elements of the General Plan (LUCE), we have yet to agree on what Santa Monica is. A great many residents believe it’s a beach town, and live here because it is a beach town. At the beginning of the LUCE revision, they said the revision restore the scale and character of the beach town they cherished. In contrast, City Hall describes Santa Monica as “beach... Read More
Canyon Garden Destroyed
George Wolfberg, President of the Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association, reports that the landscaping at 2 Latimer Road was attacked with a potent systemic herbicide, which killed the grass, roses, azaleas, fragrant jasmine, fruit trees and other plants. as well as squirrels. It also endangered dogs and children in the vicinity. The property is immediately across Latimer from the park and nursery school. The owner estimates it will cost at least $50,000 to replace all... Read More
New Yorker Strikes Out
Wherever the Algonquin round table gang is now, it has got to be amused by the mess the smart young men who run the New Yorker have got themselves into. . The round table habitués’ lives were incredibly messy. They suffered every sort of domestic, romantic and emotional mishap. They had affairs with one another, and feuds. They drank a lot, As Dorothy Parker was wont to say, “What fresh hell is this?” But she and all the other members of the round table who... Read More
Be There, or Be Squared
The City Council will devote most of tonight’s special meeting to its continuing review of the proposed revision of the General Plan’s land use and circulation elements (LUCE) as described in the staff’s “ Strategy Framework.” . . As the staff and its consultants are proposing radical changes in the townscape, anyone who expects to be here next year should pay attention, attend the meeting, ask questions, make comments. The meeting will begin at 5:45 p.m.... Read More
New PCH Closures Set
We just got word that the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will close one lane of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in alternating directions at spot locations between La Tuna Canyon and the McClure Tunnel for manhole frame and cover adjustment and between Cross Creek and the tunnel for pavement markings from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly from tonight, Monday, July 14 through Thursday, July 17. The closures are part of a $7 million, 11.6-mile paving project from Malibu... Read More
Whither the Weather 7/13 -7/18
By Ava Tramer Beaches Mostly sunny Highs: 72-74; Lows: 65-66 Inland Sunny and clear Highs: 95-99; Lows: 65-67 Deserts Mostly clear and hot Highs: 102-112; Lows: 81-85 And Santa Monica… It appears that each day will seem like the next this week. With highs covering an astoundingly wide range of 72 to 74 degrees, and the predicted lows ranging between 65 and 66, each day might as well be part of one long continuous day of beautiful summer weather. Lovely, but dreadfully... Read More
Veterans Administration Fiddles, Veterans Suffer
Santa Monica City Councilman Bobby Shriver said, “A man burned to death in a dumpster in Santa Monica last week, and a growing number of women Iraq war veterans and their children are living on the streets…(but) these buildings have been empty effectively for 20 years, and we cannot figure out how to get them occupied. I find it really outrageous.” Shriver was responding to a statement by Ralph Tillman, the local Veteran Administration’s director of Assets Management,... Read More
Whose Traffic Is It Anyway?
City Hall’s latest traffic expert, Jeffrey Tumlin, talks faster than traffic moves in Santa Monica. And he’s very emphatic. He has stated categorically that, no matter what we do, we are oomed to suffer a certain amount of traffic congestion forever, because the region is chronically clogged.. L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who represents West L.A. and lives in Mar Vista, disagrees. He recently said that every day 200,000 cars roll through his neighborhood on their... Read More
Downtown Assessment District Approved
The City Clerk reported today that the qualified voters have approved the creation of the Property Based Assessment District in Downtown Santa Monica, The special election was held earlier this week. At its July 22 meeting, the City Council will consider adoption of the assessment. California Streets and Highways Code Section 36624 provides that the City Council may adopt or modify the proposed assessment by reducing it, determining the activities to be funded, and/or... Read More
