Planning Commission Decision Demonstrates Value of Journalism & Activism

Carlene Brown

The Culver City Planning Commission’s August 8^th approval of both a Zoning Code Amendment and Modification to the existing Conditional Use Permit for Willows Community School is evidence that investigative journalism and community activism pays off.

This unanimous approval vote happened within a matter of minutes, as it should have happened a month before with recommendation from Culver City Staff.

Willows had been working diligently with Staff for over two years to address concerns raised by the Commission in a 2009 hearing, and on July 11, 2012, it appeared as if their proposal was airtight. But the Commission wrangled until after 11pm that night, finally voting to continue the Willows hearing to August 8^th. This postponement created even more hardship for the Willows School to move forward with their expansion project . 

Few Culver City residents knew about the anti-nonprofit agenda of Commissioners John Kuechle and Scott Wyant until, thanks to Gary and Karlo Silbiger, I attended hearings for The Help Group and Willows School to write stories for the Culver City Progress Blog.

In my Help Group article, I shared a Public Comment quote from former mayor Alan Corlin: “Non-profit organizations stifle economic growth.” It appeared to me that both Commissioner Kuechle and Commissioner Wyant shared that ideology, referred to by professor of Cultural Studies Henry Giroux as “the ideology of the Big Lie.”

Before submitting my Willows School article to the Culver City Progress Blog, I shared it with Willows parent Zoenda McIntosh, who shared it with City Council members and numerous Culver City groups. She also submitted it to both the Crossroads and Culver City Patch online papers, where it was accepted and published. Councilman Jim Clark attended the August hearing, very likely as a result of Ms. McIntosh’s activism.

Because Gary and Karlo Silbiger put out a call which I answered, both my journalism and Zoenda McIntosh’s activism contributed to waking up our community and calling forth a unanimous “yes” vote for Willows from the Culver City Planning Commission.

A few highlights from Zoenda McIntosh’s Public Comment speech follow:

I've lived in Culver City nearly 10 years. My kids are in Little League and Girl Scouts here, I'm block captain and former MOMS Club President. Culver City is our home, and I love it.

Our family is starting its fifth year at Willows Community School. My kids are in the school's theatre productions and play on the basketball and flag football teams, and I'm room parent there. Willows is our second home, and I love it.

Willows currently serves 425 students and their parents, and is a destination for people from over 50 Los Angeles-area zip codes. Families from San Pedro to Pacific Palisades to Sherman Oaks come to Culver City to this school, and those families are happy to shop at our stores and eat at our restaurants. [She even gave precise dollar amounts spent in restaurants for Willows events.]

My Public Comment speech followed Ms McIntosh’s speech, offering the following insights:

I assert that expansion of the Willows Community School campus would be a great asset to Culver City, rather than a “burden” as Commissioner Kuechle fears. I wish our public schools could follow the Willows model of student-centered learning which creates students who are passionate about life-long learning.

I question Commissioner Wyant’s concerns that Willows’ expansion would result in “lost revenues” for Culver City because, with the train now stopping near the Hayden Tract, “the next best use” of properties adjacent to Willows could be retail stores in a mini-mall.

This evening, I suggest that perhaps “the next best use” for the Hayden Tract could include an arts and culture corridor that entices train commuters into Culver City. The Willows Community School, with its emphasis on the arts, innovative education, and environmental consciousness, could be a centerpiece to make Culver City proud. What if Culver City created a model Green Village in that tract, a model of sustainability?

I love what Willows lawyer, Mark Armbruster, said about Willows School success in educating children. He said it is because of that success that Willows now needs to grow. I share with you a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt on success: “The motivating theory of a democratic way of life is still a belief that as individuals we live co-operatively and, to the best of our ability, serve the community in which we live, and that our own success, to be real, must contribute to the success of others.”

Willows’ success is Culver City’s success as well. I stand before this Commission tonight inviting you to approve the Willows Community School proposal that Culver City Staff urged you to approve a month ago!

Following the August 8^th hearing, Willows parent Zoenda McIntosh offered further comment:

“The Commissioners showed diligent attention to detail during this application process for Willows to improve and expand, and had asked the staff and school for several specific pieces of information to help them reach their decision. I was so impressed with the City staff's report, and with their helpful demeanor during last week's hearing. For the most part, it really appeared that all the involved people there were positive and working towards an amicable solution.

“I look forward to City Council's approval of Willows' master plan, which has carefully taken into consideration the financial goals of our City, and keeps the integrity of Hayden Tract's industrial use intact. With great benefit to the City and to the school, our neighbor Willows will grow conscientiously and continue its partnership with Culver City.”

Due to an appeal, the City Council will hear this issue at their September 10 meeting.  Let's hope that our message gets through then, as well.

Outside City Hall at the close of the meeting, Willows personnel thanked both me and Zoenda for the crucial parts we played in the positive vote from the Planning Commission. “I loved your Eleanor Roosevelt quote!” said Head of Willows, Lisa Rosenstein.

Indeed, “Our own success, to be real, must contribute to the success of others.” 

Carlene Brown is an educator and a resident of Culver City.