Sewer level math
Dear ER:
Now that Hermosa council members Pete Tucker, Michael DiVirgilio, Carolyn Petty and Hany Fangary have scammed their million-dollar annual sewer tax onto the backs of Hermosa’s property owners (on top of the $2.5 Million ‘Utility User’s Tax’ still paid annually after 30 years), the very least these politicians should do, along with their big-spending, consultant-happy City Manager Tom Bakaly, is to fix all the outright errors and omissions in the assessed fees.
Errors and omissions including eight condominiums being overcharged some $24,000 over the next 15 years, significant highway parcel(s) that mysteriously have no sewer fee at all and other parcels having a fee that per Prop-218 can’t be charged a sewer fee (receiving no possible benefit). And then there are the 314 developed commercial parcels (of 541 total) that incredibly are being charged a fee that’s less than the $57.50 fee being charged on an undeveloped vacant parcel.
There are many other commercial vacant parcels that are being charged very large duplicate fees based on water usage of neighboring parcels, just happening to have the same parcel address. And then, there’s the exclusive 96-room Beach House Hotel on the Strand (covering almost two blocks), that’s being charged just $277, while the smaller 81-room former Hotel Hermosa on the highway is being charged a whopping $3,872 per year.
Howard Longacre
Hermosa Beach
A costly goodby
Dear ER:
In today’s cynical, political environment, it is easy to be acceptant of politicians who asked for our votes only to discard their promises at the first opportunity for personal aggrandizement. Perhaps that is why no one seems overly shocked by Hermosa Beach Mayor Nanette Barragan decision to abandon her promises to our citizens as well as her oath of office to seek greener political pastures elsewhere. Despite all that, this still should be welcomed by our citizens as an opportunity to elect a new council person who actually cares about the community and can bring new energy to the council.
Unfortunately, not content to merely abandon her promises, Barragan seems to also be demanding that the citizens of Hermosa fork over $50,000 for the privilege of a special election to find a competent replacement. By withholding her departure for an additional three weeks, the deadline will pass to hold a regularly-scheduled election. The council will then be forced to either name a replacement for the two years of her abandoned term or force the citizens to cover the completely unnecessary expense of paying for a Special Election. The city can ill-afford such a ridiculous waste of taxpayer dollars. Had Barragan stepped aside by Wednesday, July 8 the Council could have approved her vacated seat for the ballot in the next regularly scheduled election. By delaying vacating her seat until after Sunday, July 12, she is not only abandoned promise to the citizens of Hermosa, she robbed them of either $50,000 or of their chance to decide who should replace her, in a free and fair election.
Our city badly needs fresh perspective on this city council. Who that should be is a decision for the voters, not the politicians.
John Bowler, J.R. Reviczky, Robert Benz,
Editor’s note: Bowler, Reviczky and Benz are all former Hermosa council members.
Schooling the school board
Dear ER:
Statements made by Manhattan Beach School Board President Bill Fournell raise many concerns (“Time to bond,” Easy Reader July 2, 2015). “It is really a wish list of all the things we would like to do,” he said. Instead of a wish list, isn’t a detailed and refined plan more appropriate?
He added that the district wants to take into account the larger needs of the city. This is a school bond measure. The proceeds of the bonds should be used solely for things that enhance learning, not for city development plans. Second, if this is for the benefit of the city, then it should be a coordinated plan between the city and MBUSD. Third, there should be a detailed explanation of what the proposed buildings are intended for. Catering kitchens and a 750-seat performance building sound distressingly like third-party rental business.
This last concern appears validated by Fournell: “The community often times wants to rent our space. We do have an obligation to the community if it’s available during non-school hours.” “We” are not public corporations and our obligations do not lie in maximizing profit. There are various constituencies to be served at Polliwog Park, but maximizing revenue is not at the top of the list for most of those constituencies. Just as the city limited residents from short-term, third-party home rentals located in residential areas, so too our residentially located schools are not intended for short-term, third-party rental business. Our school facilities are for learning not for revenue-generation.
Alice P. Neuhauser
Manhattan Beach
More than meets the eye
Dear:
Great article (“Evicted: Beach Cities short-term rentals forced underground,” ER June 25, 2015). There’s so much more to this issue than the city took the time to review. I’ll be shocked if local business owners in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach don’t make a huge fuss over this short-sighted decision. Visitors to Manhattan Beach rarely drive. Most eat, drink and shop at our local grocery stores and shops for the duration of their stay. Manhattan Beach Councilman David Lesser was the only one who had an open mind and realized how much will be lost by the ban on Short-term rentals.
Robert Reyes
Website comment
Six pounds on a 4 acre site
Dear ER:
At the March 19 Public Hearing on the Legado Mixed Use project, the City of Redondo Beach Planning Commission sent the developer back to the drawing board and asked their team to do more community outreach and to come back with a plan more in character with the surrounding neighborhoods.
Legado still plans to demolish the old market building and retail shops at the former Bristol Farms market site at 1700 S Pacific Coast Hwy. The latest proposal calls for 149 apartments (3 stories), 37,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, 649 parking spaces (in an underground garage and mezzanine parking field) and an on-site alley. The Palos Verdes Inn, closed because of a recent fire, will remain closed. Its 110 rooms will be remodeled. All of this density on just 4.275 acres.
Increased traffic will have a significant impact. Traffic mitigation measures are inadequate to fix this busy and dangerous intersection. It will be less safe for pedestrians and bicyclists if this massive project gets approved and built.
There is still time to speak out and let your voice be heard. Join area neighbors at this very important Planning Commission Public Hearing on July 16, 7 p.m.
Jane Abrams
Redondo Beach
Locals’ protest
Dear ER:
After hearing from numerous citizens who spoke out to oppose Legado’s massive multi-use development at Pacific Coast Hwy and Palos Verdes Boulevard, Legado was directed by the Commission to do community outreach. Unfortunately, their faux outreach was not very productive. This development is still too massive and will have a negative impact on neighborhood traffic, crime, density, police and fire department response and schools. In this era of mandatory water restrictions to even consider allowing this massive development to build seems more than irresponsible.
The site for this development is at an already treacherous corner. This heavily traveled, often gridlocked intersection surely cannot withstand an additional 2,600 + a car per day, yet that is what the developer is proposing for our neighborhood.
We are not opposed to development of this property. Most neighbors would welcome a vital development of this currently unused space. We just object to corporations with no ties to Redondo Beach coming to our city and trying to maximize their return on investment at the expense of our small town way of life, instead of taking a more reasonable profit and building something that will enhance, not degrade, the neighborhood feeling. It’s insulting that a massive development proposed by outside interests with no personal interest in protecting and preserving our Beach Cities way of life can tell us what our community needs and insist that traffic will not be an issue because they base their findings on national statistics instead of the more realistic demands of coastal communities.
If you feel the residents who live here, pay taxes, support our schools and shop locally are more entitled to be heard than the outside corporations who claim they are entitled to build here, please come to the Planning Commission Meeting on July 16 at 7 p.m. at the City Council chambers and let your voice be heard.
Julie and Don Moore
Redondo Beach
Sterling trolling
Dear ER:
Last week our local Word Troll, Greg Breen, wrote another flagrantly obnoxious, snarky, and lie-filled letter attacking my wife Miyo Prassas (“Sue losers,” ER June 2, 1015). It’s telling that Breen admits to relying on Donald Sterling for advice on invented quotes. Why is the Word Troll suddenly reviving the 10-year old Measure ‘J’ fiasco that traded needed classrooms for a low-priority gym?
The Word Troll continues to falsely accuse my wife of being involved a leader of a citizens group that attempted to stop the misappropriation of Measure ‘J’ priorities. He must believe that community groups should not have the right to question foul-smelling politics or organize to protect neighborhood rights. In October 2014, HBCSD officials falsely reported spending $500,000 on the lawsuit in an Easy Reader article. According to the Oversight Committee Final Report of 9/30/09, the correct amount was $148,000. The district determined recoverable costs to be $1,651.
After three failed elections, the Hermosa Beach School Board has a clear message that they need to do a better job of investigating and evaluating facility options, mitigating community concerns, and communicating future plans. The Hermosa community is waiting for a professional-grade facilities plan, at a cost that balances both school and neighborhood needs.
Miyo has been one amongst a number of interested community members who have attempted to add facts and common sense to the school facility conversation.
Jim Prassas
Hermosa Beach
Redondo council members MIA
Dear ER:
I’m thrilled to see the Redondo Beach City Council finally begin to support the overwhelming opposition to a new power plant, so consistently indicated by both its residents and the greater community. What was the basis for councilman Jeff Ginsburg’s conflict of interest claim that prevented him from voting on opposing a new power plant? And where was councilmember Laura Emdee? This entire Council must stand united against both a waterfront powerplant and the despicable management by deception of AES. Council members who do not stand in such opposition must be taken to task. 3-0 votes get the job done., but 5-0 votes present an even clearer and stronger front.
Gerry O’Connor
Manhattan Beach
