PPCC Library Integration Test

1. Introduction of Board and Audience. Chairman Harry Sondheim called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with the reading of the purpose of the PPCC as stated in its Bylaws. Members of the Board and Audience introduced themselves.

2\. Adoption of Minutes. Minutes of the meeting of September 13, 2001 were adopted without change. 3\. Announcements and Concerns. 3.1 Treasurer’s Report. Patti Post reported that there is $10,916.19 in the PPCC checking account and $4,750.21 in the savings account. 3.2 Participating in discussions about cable service currently provided by the City’s contracting agency. The Chair announced that he received notice that focus groups will be formed to discuss the current city cable service. George Wolfberg contacted Diane Cunningham about the workshops and was appointed to head the committee to attend a workshop along with Isabel Kayser. 3.3 City Hearing on Secession set for October 27, 2001. The Chair announced that this hearing will be conducted to discuss and provide an opportunity for objection to the harbor and valley proposals to secede from the city of Los Angeles. The hearing is set for October 27, 2001 at 10:00 a.m. and will be held at the downtown DWP building. The Chair distributed information to those who were interested in attending. 3.4 U.C.L.A. Program in Pacific Palisades Regarding Hearing Loss. Frances Miranda, a U.C.L.A. audiologist, will discuss hearing loss and strategies to decrease communication barriers in the environment on October 12, 2001 at 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. at the Methodist Church in Pacific Palisades, 801 Via De La Paz. For reservations call (800) 516-5323. 3.5 Report on Alliance of Neighborhood Councils Meeting. The Chair and Jack Allen attended this meeting on September 29, 2001. Janice Hahn gave a moving speech during which she expressed her support for the formation of neighborhood councils, whether certified or not. The application form to become certified as a neighborhood council was revised and the chair emailed the revised application to all board members. Jack noted that the Palisades Post had misquoted him in a recent editorial and that he had in fact previously stated that our community council was very successful as a community forum but only moderately successful in terms of its ability to influence city action. 3.6 Ground Breaking Ceremony for Santa Monica U.C.L.A. Medical Center. On October 14, 2001, at 1:00 p.m., there will be a groundbreaking ceremony for this new center at the U.C.L.A. Medical Center in Santa Monica at 16th and Wilshire. There will also be free health screenings offered to the public. 3.7 Stop Signs. The issue of the failure to provide the public with notice concerning the installation of stop signs in the Palisades was discussed. Apparently, there is a difference between the procedures used to implement speed bumps and stop signs. It is the Chair and other board members recollection that Mo from the department of Transportation had been requested, and promised, that they would provide the council with notice of any pending speed bumps and/or stop signs so that there would be an opportunity for public discussion. On this occasion, stop signs were erected in Stuart Muller’s district. 3.8 Ted Mackie and others noted that there are three streets in the Palisades that do not have striping (Bienveneda, Chautauqua and Sunset). Apparently, the city has three different contractors to complete each of the three phases necessary to repave the streets, which leads to the delay in completion of the paving project, including striping. Motion: A motion was made by Larry Niles and seconded that the Chair write a letter to the DOT requesting that the council be provided with notice of any pending plans to erect stop signs and any other modifications to city streets that affect traffic and that the City Councilwoman be cc’d on the letter to the DOT. The Motion passed unanimously with Barry Kurtz abstaining from the vote. 3.9 DONE Workshops. Because of the pending application process to become certified as a neighborhood council, the city is holding workshops to: 1) answer questions about the application process; 2) help prospective neighborhood councils complete the application form and 3) facilitate a networking session amongst prospective councils. Jack Allen plans to attend the workshop. 3.10 Bel Air Bay Club. The City Zoning Administrator issued findings on this renovation project. The Chair will get a copy of the findings. The bike path remains a contingency issue and the club has been cooperative in terms of granting an easement on their property to allow bikes to travel across its parking lot. A bike path is necessary because more shoulder is needed along PCH so that bikers are not forced to ride on a lane of the highway. All agree that it is a good idea but one of the problems with installing a bike path has to do with the fact that three separate governmental entities own or have easements on the subject property. Cal Trans does not want to take the lead on the project but the City of Los Angeles may do so. Barry Kurtz attended a meeting with the club and other representatives and, in an effort to resolve these bureaucratic issues, will attempt to have the matter placed before Senator Kuehl’s PCH Task force. Debbie Dyner of the city has taken an active roll in working towards the installation of a bike path. She noted that while the request for funding of the path was denied, she has been working through Zev Yaroslovsky’s office to find ways to make the bike path more competitive so that the next time the project comes up for review; it will have a greater chance of passage. 3.11 LAX EIR Comments. The City’s mayor asked for an extension for comments re: the Environmental Impact Report. The hearings have been re-scheduled and if anyone would like to find out when the hearings will be held, they should contact the mayor’s office or Arthur Mortell. 3.12 Comments on Gym and Recreation Center. Stuart Muller noted that there has been a failure by the contractor to complete and/or repair this center. This failure has caused damage to the infrastructure of the building and the area surrounding the building. There remain several problems, including the sewer system that continues to back up and many portions of the project that remain incomplete or have been completed by using “shoddy” construction methods. Stuart also expressed concerns regarding the new library and recommend that the construction be closely monitored. Debbie Dyner noted that a different system is used for the construction of libraries in the city and that there have been no problems with the construction or renovation of libraries with this system. Stuart provided Ms. Dyner with a copy of the report regarding the Palisades project and a copy is attached to these minutes. Ms. Dyner further noted that there have been problems with the contractor used to renovate park and recreation facilities and it was agreed in principle that the this city department should only work on running the parks, not in the area of construction or the hiring of contractors. The city council is to discuss this issue in the future. George Wolfberg will head a committee, along with Stuart Muller and Kurt Toppel, which will look into the issues noted above concerning the park and gym facilities. 3.13 17633 Castellammare. Jack Allen stated that an appeal has been filed concerning this project but he has not heard anything about it yet because he has not received any written notice of a pending hearing or the reports to have an independent geologist review them. The owner of the property asked for a continuance to respond to the concerns of the city concerning grading at the site. On October 1, 2001, a neighbor stuck water at 10 feet while drilling boring holes, evidencing the fact that more review of the geology of the area is necessary prior to the granting of any permits to the owner of the property. 4\. Old Business. 4.1 Continue Consideration of Proposed Changes to the Bylaws. Discussion: The Board considered the maps as provided to the board and audience by Randy Young. Present from the Brentwood council were Ms. Flora Gil Krisiloff and Ms. Loretta Ditlow. There remained issues concerning area 8 and what portion of it is in the PPCC jurisdiction and what portion of area 8 is in the Brentwood jurisdiction. Randy Young will conduct additional research and further discussion with members of the Brentwood council and report back to the council. It was also agreed that verbalization of the maps to be included into the bylaws could not be performed until the final maps are agreed upon. 4.2 DONE Letter. The Board’s letter to DONE containing questions regarding the certification process and membership was revised after opportunity to review the letter and make comment was had. Larry Jacobs, Jack Allen and the chair will discuss the concerns and additional questions proposed by Larry Jacobs and will send the final letter out. A copy of the draft letter is attached to the minutes [note: attachment not included/unavailable]. 5\. New Business. 5.1 Consideration of whether California registered historical landmark #881 relating to the site of Port Los Angeles, a pier which was previously located in Pacific Palisades, should be moved to accommodate the redevelopment and renovation of beach facilities at Will Rogers Beach. This discussion was taken off calendar and will likely be discussed in November because the Board has not been able to reach city representatives to have them present at the Board meeting to discuss the proposal. 5.2 Consideration of the relationship between the Pacific Palisades Community Foundation and the Pacific Palisades Community Council and whether the Council should incorporate the functions of the Foundation as part of the Council. The Chair introduced Mr. Bob Schibel, founder and past president of the PPCC. He discussed why the Foundation was established some 30 years ago as a method to raise money and permit the donations to be tax deductible without encountering problems related to lobbying efforts. Mr. Schibel also thanked the Board and community for continuing to support his founding efforts and giving the public a means to express its concerns over the years. He further noted that the laws concerning non-profit associations and tax deductions have changed over the years and it is the current consensus that the existence of the Foundation is no longer necessary. The Chair noted that there is a new form “5768” which is filed on an annual basis and provides that if 25% of the funds are used for lobbying, the tax-exempt status of contributions remain intact. Ron Dean, the board’s legal advisor, agreed with the opinion of the Chair and others concerning the fact that the existence of the Foundation is superfluous. Motion. Larry Niles made the following motion, which was seconded: "That the PPCC Foundation merge with the PPCC. That after the Board of the Directors of the Foundation resign, the Board of the PPCC will become the Board of Directors of the Foundation. And, that the Articles of Incorporation of the Foundation become the Articles of Incorporation of the PPCC." The motion was unanimously approved. 5.3 Marquez Market Liquor License. Mr. Bob Shields was present to discuss his opposition to the proposed application of the market to obtain a license to sell hard liquor, along with the beer and wine already being sold at the market. Mr. Shields is opposed to the grant of the license because the area is densely populated with children, that the market is across the street from a private school, near a bus stop where children board the bus, and because the area is visited by workers who may consume hard alcohol at or near the premises. There was discussion concerning how far away liquor could be sold from schools and also the area to which a notice is sent regarding a pending permit to sell liquor in a primarily residential area. Also present at the meeting was Ms. Mayaei-Khoury, sister of the owner of the Marquez market who noted that her brother is very cautious in his sales of alcohol to persons who look even close to being within the legal age to purchase liquor. She also noted that her brother could not be present at the meeting because he had to work and that he was a young man trying to make a living. The market has available copies of the notices of the public hearing if anyone is interested in attending. It was pointed out that a market a few doors down from the Marquez Market called, “Ronnie’s Market” already sells hard alcohol, as do Sav-On and other businesses in the Palisades. Larry Niles noted that the president of the Marquez Knolls Residents Association takes no position on the issue. There was discussion by the Board as to whether the Board should ever take a position on these kinds of issues. Some stated that the Board should not and others stated that the Board has and should continue to take a position on issues that have an impact on the residents. Motion. Stuart Muller made a motion, which was seconded by Isabel Kayser as follows: "That the Council take no position on this particular issue." The motion passed unanimously. _Adjournment_ : The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. The next meeting will be at Mort’s Oak Room on Thursday, October 11 2001 at 7:00 p.m. Minutes submitted by Secretary Lisa Maki _________________________ [Return to top of page](https://pacpalicc.org/index.php/minutes-from-2001/)
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##### MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 13th 2001

Board Members Present (including Alternates and Advisors): Harry Sondheim (Chair), Jack Allen (Advisor), William Snyder, Lisa Maki, Isabel Kayser, Patti Post, Scott Wagenseller, Randy Young, Arthur Mortell, Kurt Toppel, Frank Wilson (Chair Emeritus), Larry Jacobs, Richard Blumenberg, George Wolfberg, Stuart Muller, Paul Glasgall (Advisor), Maurizio Vecchione (Alternate), Barbara Kohn, Barry Kurtz, Laura Tan