Winterer Named to Planning Commission

Tweet Ted Winterer, who should have been appointed to fill the City Council seat made vacant by the death of Herb Katz, was appointed this week to fill the seat on the Planning Commission made vacant by the appointment of Commissioner Gleam Davis to fill the Council seat that should have gone to Winterer. If the democratic process had not been rendered dormant by Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR), a special election would have been held to fill the seat. But the SMRRs... Read More

This Picture’s Worth 10,000 Words

Tweet Uncropped Photo The signature photograph that appears on all of the City’s General Plan revision materials is dominated by the wide curve of the Santa Monica beach. The wonderfully eccentric upper floors of  some of the houses on the short beach streets in Ocean Park are in the foreground. The Santa Monica Pier is in the middle ground. The  Pacific Coast Highway and the Santa Monica Mountains are in the  background. It’s a perfect representation of the idyllic Southern... Read More

Court Sides with FAA

Tweet By Zina Josephs Friends of Sunset Park On Friday, May 8th, the Ninth Circuit Court issued a very brief opinion upholding the preliminary injunction prohibiting enforcement of the City ordinance that bans C&D aircraft from the Santa Monica Airport.   The Ninth Circuit’s ruling should have no impact on the Hearing Examiner’s decision, which will be based on the extensive administrative record.  The City expects to receive the Hearing Examiner’s decision by May... Read More

The Plan That Ate Santa Monica

Tweet We were all much younger when City Hall began work on the state- mandated 2004 revision of the 1984 land use and circulation elements of the General Plan (LUCE). Or perhaps we were simply relieved, and hopeful that our General Plan revision would stem the City’s building binge, during which nine million square feet of new commercial development had risen in our midst, throwing the town out of balance, and  triggering chronic traffic congestion and other afflictions. The... Read More

Whither Monotony

Tweet By Ava Tramer Beaches Warm and sunny Highs: 69-72; Lows: 58-61 Inland Hot and sunny Highs: 86-88; Lows: 55-58 Deserts Very hot and sunny Highs: 101-103; Lows: 71-72 And Santa Monica… M onday the weather will be warm and in the low 70s. O n Tuesday the weather will be the same. N ow can you guess the rest of the week’s weather? O pen your eyes, guys. T he weather is always the same. O ur fair city will be warm and sunny, with highs within three degrees of each... Read More

To the Light Rail 13

Tweet “City ‘Solution’ Far Worse Than Problem” (see below) triggered 14 comments. 13 of the 14 raged at me for criticizing and/or opposing the proposed light rail line, and accused  me of being a “nimby” and “backwards,” among other things. The thing is, I didn’t criticize light rail, I criticized City Hall’s plan for the downtown light rail station. The plan includes construction of a deck over the freeway (i.e. “new open space”) and a new road that would... Read More

City “Solution” Far Worse Than Problem

Tweet These days, when City Hall people  speak of “improvements,” “enhancements,” “beautification,” or ‘opportunity,” an ever-increasing number of residents shudder seismically. Too often, City “improvements,” “enhancements,” “beautifications” and “opportunities” have turned out  to be MORE of something we need less  of. “Less” is a concept that City Hall rejected some time ago.  Invariably, quantity tops  quality,  trendy trumps style,... Read More

Whither the Haiku

Tweet By Ava Tramer Beaches Mostly sunny Highs: 71-74; Lows: 58-61 Inland Sunny and warm Highs: 84-90; Lows: 55-57 Deserts Hot and clear Highs: 96-103; Lows: 67-72 And Santa Monica… Your weekly forecast in a haiku: Good weather is back You don’t need me any more. Predict things yourself. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Whither the Haiku", url: "http://www.santamonicadispatch.com/2009/05/whither-the-haiku/" }); Read More