Finally, More Parkland in Blair Hills

Jon Melvin

The former Linda Vista Culver City school land in Blair Hills had been used for several years by the Ohr Eliyahu School.  They became too large for the area and sold this land to LA County Parks, which allowed us to realize another piece of a very long term dream for our area: more park land.  This event follows more than 10 years of struggle to prevent a huge housing development from being built on the top of what is now the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, in which Blair Hills played a key part.  Mary Ann Greene led the final years of this effort, and a video of her talking about the Overlook can be seen in the visitors center.  Lloyd Dixon has served on the Conservancy Board and has also helped.  County, Conservancy, and State people all gathered together to help purchase the land from the developer just as the bulldozers were beginning to plow the hill.

The Linda Vista school land will now be added to this park and to a long range vision for converting all of the PXP oil fields into one of the largest inner city parks in the world.  Because of the very limited access to this new land from the narrow streets of Blair Hills (access directly from La Cienega was investigated but was not possible at this time), a quiet, passive use which would draw few people is proposed.

A number of people in Blair Hills welcome this new park land with great enthusiasm, but there are also quite a number of people, particularly along the street adjacent to the land, who are very concerned that it could bring a lot of traffic in the way the stairs at the scenic overlook has completely clogged Jefferson and Hetzler Road.  Thus, this initially welcome event has become controversial.  Park people insist that passive use proposed will not draw large numbers of people, that it will be completely different that the stairs on Jefferson.  But some Blair Hills residents insist that there will be big problems and state that they do not trust park people to assess the problem properly.

The process for development of this land consists of several community meetings where plans are discussed, each person present is asked to speak, and then there is a vote on ideas which are proposed by those present and by
landscape architects involved in the project.  An initial meeting enumerated a number of ideas.  The second meeting, on 8/8/2012, allowed us to review three plans developed from these ideas and mark which plan and which
items in each plan people liked and did not like.  These included an exercise path, a small community room and office, benches, yoga platforms, native plant and water use areas, shaded walkways, and a communal farming area.  The next steps will be to combine the ideas from this meeting into a final plan, and initiate the EIR process (which also allows for citizen input).

We in Blair Hills are very proud of successfully fighting for parkland in our area during the last 20 years.   The Scenic Overlook’s popularity is a testament to Los Angeles community’s commitment to exercise and sharing this open space.  Culver City and the County and State are now working on mitigating the traffic that was an unintended consequence, both by  improvements along Jefferson and trail changes to get traffic and pedestrians off of Hetzler Road.  With the planned new park in Blair Hills and other efforts within Culver City to bring more passive use to our city parks, we will be seeing open space development needed by older citizens in our community as well.  This is a time to embrace and support all of these changes, and work together in a positive way to resolve impacts.  I hope we all come together to do so.

Jon Melvin is a Board Member for the Blair Hills Association.

Council Proposes Sales Tax Increase While Ignoring Other Forms of Potential New Revenue

Gary Silbiger

With the economic recession continuing from 2008, Culver City’s Council passed a one-half percent sales tax increase at its July 16, 2012 meeting.  This permits an initiative to be placed on the November 6, 2012 ballot.  However, other revenue enhancements have been missing-in-action.  And not even a Public Finance Advisory Committee proposal was adopted.

As the last of the City’s 5 community meetings concerning a local sales tax increase was held on July 16, there was unanimous agreement by all Council members and City staff, with the assistance of a public survey, to propose a raise of Culver City’s sales tax one-half percent, although three-quarters of a percent was also considered.  The Council feeling was that a three-quarters percent increase would likely pass, but was not worth the small chance of defeat during this financial crisis.  Even Steve Rose, President of the Chamber of Commerce, submitted a statement in support of the one-half percent increase. 

The Council chose a 10 year sunset period for this sales tax increase although some Councilmembers original spoke of a 5 or 15 year sunset, or none at all.  The 10 year period won because some Council members felt 5 years would be too soon to determine the continuing need for this additional tax, and wanted the public to feel comfortable about a specific, rather than open-ended, termination of this program. 

Eight individuals spoke and 3 more submitted written responses at the July 16 meeting.  Council member Andrew Weissman commented that more than 70 people had attended the 5 community presentations.  Two of the speakers advocated for a Public Finance Advisory Committee which could demonstrate transparency and community involvement.  Crystal Alexander, former elected Culver City Treasurer, explained that people want to know how the tax will be used.  Meghan Sahli-Wells, the only vocal Councilmember in support of this Committee, stated that when a City asks for tax money, it should simultaneously have a resident finance committee leading to an open process.  Although there was Council talk of the worthiness of a Public Finance Committee, when Sahli-Wells asked if it could be part of the sales tax motion, Weissman said they would need more time to consider the nature of this committee, how it would be formed and staffed.  Weissman’s suggestion to skip the Public Committee at the Council meeting was consented to by Councilmember Jeff Cooper.  The Committee concept never found its way into the pending motion; this is not unusual for the City Council because it is often reluctant to empower the public by forming a resident committee..

So, when will a Public Finance Advisory Committee item be agendized?  Weissman suggested some time between the July 16 meeting and the election.  Sahli-Wells retorted it should be agendized sooner than later because the Committee could assist in advocating for the sales tax passage.  Now, 4 weeks later, the Committee item, a simple one to place on an agenda, has not seen the light of day.  If this is an indication of the Council’s interest in real public input – despite its 5 community discussions – I will be shocked if the Committee is formed as a viable advisory partner.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Council unanimously passed a motion to place on the November 2012 ballot a one-half percent sales tax increase with a 10 year sunset period and a beginning date of April 2013 at the earliest.

Sales taxes are regressive taxes because everyone pays the same percentage of sales tax, regardless of income; and lower income buyers, who spend most of their money on necessities, spend proportionately a higher percentage of their income on sales tax than do wealthy people.  Yet, sales tax is a crucial source of revenue in our system, but if other sources of money are ignored, our city will underperform, services will be cut and denied, and the residents will surely suffer.

With lightning speed, the sales tax initiative was passed by the City Council.  But what about other ways of increasing City funds.  A short list includes:

• Recover 100% of the charges for city fees.  $660,000 in fiscal year 2011-2012 was not recovered for city fees because individuals were not charged.  Therefore, the money had to be taken from the General Fund.  When these city fees were first studied, more than $5,000,000 per fiscal year was lost.
• Create a list of every consultant, by department, and the money paid each year
• Don’t overpay department managers and cease giving perks like moving fees, loans, special leave and retirement conditions
• Evaluate each city credit card, city car use, gas payments, etc. with strict internal controls and oversight by a resident based finance committee
• Ask key cities to send its list of developer fees, taxes and other fees for comparison purposes
• Find the special funds that exist in Culver City – we’ve all read about California’s numerous special funds (with bulging money) unknown to the elected officials
• Review development fees to see which should be added and increased

It’s now time for the City Council to have a special meeting about other sources of revenues, just as it did for the sales tax initiative.  And it should take place now, not after the November election.

Gary Silbiger is the Co-Editor of the Culver City Progress Blog and the former Mayor of Culver City.

Fiesta La Ballona: Culver City's Party in the Park

Mike Cohen

In an economy where families are watching their wallets, the Culver City community celebrates the diversity and heritage of the Heart of Screenland in the 62nd annual Fiesta La Ballona, Aug. 24-26, at Veterans Park.  Admission is free.

Staging family attractions that offer safe, free and fun experiences at every corner of the park, Culver City's "Party in the Park" features bands, booths, regional cuisine, rides, activities and so much more coordinated by the Culver City Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Community Services and over 150 volunteers.

"There's free stuff happening all over the park to engage and entertain you all day.  We guarantee there's something for everyone.  It's the best deal on the Westside," said Fiesta La Ballona marketing committee member Kimberly Knab.

Live bands, community acts and roving performers deliver continuous entertainment all weekend, beginning late Friday afternoon with the Swing Set for seniors followed that evening by Fiesta Palooza, showcasing the area's top teen bands.

Culver City Fire Department relay races and bucket brigade pit service clubs, schools, Culver City Council and Culver City Board of Education against each other in the "Contests in the Park" site at the Disney Stage. 

Fiesta guests stay cool in the new Culver City Fire Dept. mist zone.

It's a dog's world at the Culver City Police Dept. K-9 demo by the "Stage in the Park" scene.

More than 100 booths in the "Shop in the Park" venue offer unique educational, shopping and dining experiences for Fiesta La Ballona guests.

The Exchange Club beer and wine garden taps flow with regional and imported beers.

Some 25 food booths and trucks offer value-priced regional cuisine by the large dining tent at the "Dine in the Park" place.  Participants can expect a messy good time under the dining tent in the free Essential Chocolate Ice Cream Eating Contest. 

Early risers will loosen up in free morning fitness classes at the main stage dance floor.  Besides aerobics to promote health and fitness lifestyle activities, "Wellness in the Park" includes the Robert Rainey Memorial Jog to the Baldwin Vista Scenic Overlook, laps at the Municipal Plunge, community bike rides and the Kiwanis Club Carbo-Load Breakfast.

Local tennis and paddle tennis pros lead clinics, exhibitions, and contests for youth and adults at the Tennis and Paddle Tennis-Fest at the tennis courts.

Fiesta La Ballona guests will indulge in the creative arts by participating in free workshops led by gifted local instructors every half hour, 12:00-5:00 p.m., in the "Arts in the Park" zone.  Learn yoga and Pilates, arts and crafts, hip hop and international dance, and dabble in the martial arts.  

Enjoy storytelling, navigate an obstacle course, and pitch a tent in other interactive attractions.

Vintage Culver City police, mail and movie studio service vehicles motor into Fiesta La Ballona at the "Classics in the Park" attraction on the Veterans Park softball infield.

Guests will read posters describing a bygone era, be photographed with dressed-up characters, and sit inside several antique vehicles, including Culver City Model A Ford Screenland Police car,  Culver City Post Office delivery vehicle, Old MGM service bikes, Helms Bakery Olympic coach.

The Culver City Rotary Club will imprison offenders inside the historic Pokey jail.

The Aquacade at the "Plunge in the Park" locale offers free afternoon swim games, Aqua-Lilies synchronized swimmers, boy vs. girl match races among state-ranked swimmers, and a water polo match between rivals Culver City and Beverly Hills high schools.

You and your bike are pampered in "Cycle City" with bike decorating, bike wash, repairs, tech workshops, safety skills course and bike parade.  The Palms Cycle bike, stroller and skateboard valet keeps your carriages secure.  Ride the Culver City Fire Dept. five-man bike in the "Contests in the Park" zone.

Pitch a tent and learn outdoor skills Sunday at the Culver City Boy Scouts' Scoutarama.  The Culver City Girl Scouts celebrate their parent organization's 100th anniversary by helping Fiesta La Ballona become a zero-waste event through recycling.

Fiesta La Ballona goes green with Eco crafts and classes on recycling and organic gardening.  Waste bins will be labeled for compostables, recyclables and trash.

Surpassing the white-knuckle excitement of the Rock 'o Plane ride, the new Zipper makes its debut at Fiesta La Ballona along with more new attractions in the "Carnival in the Park" scene for kids of all ages.

Assemblymember Holly Mitchell, State Senator Curren Price, Culver City Mayor Andy Weissman, police and fire chiefs, Culver City Council, Culver City Board of Education members and more dignitaries will network throughout the festival grounds.

Cathy Zermeno, the first president of the Culver City Historical Society and former Fiesta La Ballona chairperson, will receive a perpetual trophy as historical society awardee at the opening ceremonies of Fiesta La Ballona, Aug. 25, 11:45 a.m. on the main stage.  Former Culver City High School Coach of the Year Dave Sanchez will be honored as Grand Marshall

The Culver City High School Centaur, magicians, unicyclist and juggler will greet the anticipated 20,000 guests.

“Numerous volunteers have been working all year to “develop community” at Fiesta La Ballona by providing an environment where participants can interact with local organizations, agencies, and businesses; meet and renew acquaintances; have fun in a safe venue; celebrate the city’s heritage and diversity; and experience local creativity and community enthusiasm,” said event chairman Mike Cohen.

Fiesta La Ballona (www.FiestaLaBallona.org) is held August 24-26 at Veterans Park, 4117 Overland Ave. Culver City.

Mike Cohen is the Chair of the Fiesta La Ballona Committee.

Tilden Terrace Construction Reaches Milestone

David Voncannon

NOTE: This is a follow up to an article written by Mr. Voncannon for the Culver City Progress Blog which can be found here.

Monday, July 30 marks a significant milestone in the construction of Tilden Terrace, a combined affordable housing and retail building.  Since the project groundbreaking on March 26, 2012, Dreyfuss Construction has been working on excavation for the subterranean parking, and other preparations for the pouring of the main floor slab.

The pouring of the main floor is a significant milestone because it marks the end of the underground work.  From this point forward most of the work will be above ground as the building grows to its eventual height of 33 feet.

For those of you interested in such details, the details of the main floor are interesting.  The slab is approximately 20,000 sg. /ft. in area and 12 inches thick.  That equates to 20,000 cubic feet of concrete.  A quick Google search tells me that concrete has a density of approximately 145 lbs. per cubic foot so the main floor slab will weigh about 2,900,000 lbs. when finished!  Further, this slab is designed as a single pour meaning that it must all be poured in one session.  Representatives from Dreyfuss Construction that this single part of the construction will require 100+ truckloads of concrete.

As impressive as the above statistics are, at least they are to me; even more impressive is the continued support for the project within the community.  A construction project of this magnitude will have an impact on neighborhood residents.  This project is not an exception due to the number of construction vehicles, concrete trucks and other trades moving around the work site.  Compounding the problems many of the residents on Tilden Avenue either work from home or do not work a typical work schedule.

From the first discussions about the project, Los Angeles Housing Project and Dreyfuss Construction committed to addressing neighborhood concerns during the construction.  David Sanchez, Project Manager for Dreyfuss Construction, has followed through by meeting with any concerned resident and letting the neighborhood know that any worker parking in the neighborhood will be sent home from work and not paid for that day’s work.  In another example of neighborhood cooperation I met with Mr. Sanchez to warn him of the approach of Ramadan, the Islamic holiday which begins July 20^th and runs through august 20^th, he asked if it would be possible to meet with representatives from the King Fahad Mosque.  I was able to facilitate a meeting with representatives of Dreyfuss Construction and King Farad where issue related to parking and traffic were discussed.  The mosque had already been in contact with the Culver City Police and they hire additional security for Ramadan. 

The Tilden Terrace project is significant in ways beyond being an outstanding example of cooperation.  Perhaps most significant is that Tilden Terrace represents the first affordable housing project in Culver City in over 10 years.  Tilden Terrace won approval from the City Council in early 2011 with the promise of adding to the affordable housing and new retail space.  The project will contain 33 affordable housing units when completed.  A much needed addition to affordable living space in Culver City.

A final point is the hope that Tilden Terrace will act as a catalyst for further redevelopment along this section of Washington Boulevard.  With the loss of the city redevelopment agency earlier this year, any new development will need to be privately funded.  Indeed there has already been some activity along those lines with Copenhagen Bakery opening across the street and the redevelopment of the old Albertson’s Chevrolet lot at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard. 

Mostly the residents are looking forward to the end of construction and being able to return to our normal work, and sleep, patterns.  Until that is possible, we are all trying to cooperate with construction crews, street closures, and mosque visitors while looking forward to the benefits promised by new development in our neighborhood.

David Voncannon is a member of the Culver City Advisory Committee on Redevelopment.

Trust is a Precursor to Taxes

Karlo Silbiger

It has become a mantra of the conservative right throughout the country: we need to lower taxes because the government causes more problems than it solves.  They say that it is inefficient, that it is a job killer, and that it denies the very liberties inherent in the founding concepts of this country.  They promise that tax cuts will trickle down through the ranks so that every single person will benefit from their enactment.  And they fight vigorously against any attempt to create any government program to address economic inequities calling them socialist and taking their tea party to the street.  For most of the past 30 years, it has worked and the words “tax increase” have killed many political careers.

Times have been tough throughout the country leading to a decrease in tax revenue and a need for more social programs to address poverty, all of which cost money.  When government costs increase and the only form of income simultaneously decreases, there are only 2 ways to solve the problem responsibly: increase taxes for one or more groups or decrease public spending.  Given that neither of those have taken place due to the polarized political ideologies in government, we have seen irresponsible deficit and debt increases that will hurt our economy for generations to come.

It is within that political context that I have been thinking lately about an interesting local phenomenon in Culver City.  In 2009, in the depths of the great recession, the school board decided to place an initiative on the ballot (later known as measure EE) which would charge each property owner an added $96 per year to pay for our schools, then (and still) in need of help just to stay afloat.  Every one of the 5 board members at the time supported it as did the entire city council, leading to a near 75% vote of support from the community.  Earlier this year the council unanimously put a measure on the ballot increasing the Transient Occupancy Tax (the one charged by hotels) by 2% and it was so popular that no one publicly campaigned against it on the way to an 83% vote of support.  Now word comes out that the city council, again unanimously, has put a question to the voters inNovember asking us to increase our sales tax by ½%.  Once again, the polling done by the city has shown super majority support for increasing taxes.

How is it possible that in a country that supposedly hates taxes and would rather see us borrow $1 trillion per year than make Mitt Romney pay more than 12% in income taxes, Culver City voters have repeatedly raised their own taxes?  How do our elected officials feel comfortable supporting this taboo topic so hated by our neighbors outside of Culver City?

What I’ve realized is that while the GOP and conservatives have insisted that Americans are anti-tax using tax revolt movements dating from prop 13 to the tea party, that is not an accurate depiction of our populace’s beliefs.  We don’t hate taxes, we hate wasted money.  We understand that running a government costs money and we are willing to pay for good services, but we have been demoralized by generations of wasted government money.   When we vote against raising taxes, most of us are actually saying that we don’t trust our elected officials to spend that money on the things that need financing.  But when the money is spent well (like on President Obama’s initiative to save the American Auto Industry or on former Governor Pete Wilson’s plan to cap elementary school class sizes at 20 students), the vast majority of Americans are only too happy to contribute.

Here in Culver City, we trust our elected officials to spend our money wisely because we have decades of proof that for the most part, that is what’s done.  When our school board or city council comes asking for some extra tax contributions, people give knowing that it will be used to fund needed programs and services.  Sacramento and Washington DC could learn a lesson from our community on how to build the trust necessary to put aside the extreme rhetoric and begin governing.  Because of that history, I am sure that voters will once again support the council in their attempted sales tax hike in November, but I’m not nearly as sure that Governor Brown has earned that same support for his proposition on the same ballot.

Karlo Silbiger is the Co-Editor of the Culver City Progress Blog, the President of the Culver City School Board, and the Former President of the Culver City Democratic Club.

Jim Clarke, new to City Council but a veteran of council affairs

Michael Miller

Jim Clarke, one of two newly elected Culver City Council members, brings a unique perspective to his job on the dais at City Hall. He has worked in local government and politics since 1976, and while this is his first elected office, he brings a wealth of experience to the position.

Jim’s current “day job” is Director of the Mayor’s Office of Grants for the City of Los Angeles. He helps to secure federal, state, non-profit and foundation grant funding and serves as the point person in the Mayor’s Office overseeing $611 million dollars of federal stimulus funds. He previously headed the City of Los Angeles’ federal relations program, which involved frequent contact with California’s two U.S. Senators and the L.A. area’s 14-member Congressional Delegation to obtain nearly $10 million annually in federal appropriations.

Jim has also served as chief of staff to Congresswoman Diane Watson and Congressman Brad Sherman.

In addition, he has been an executive recruiter specializing in public agency boards and city councils. Jim holds a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Long Beach, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Coastguard Academy in New London, CT. Commissioned as an Ensign, he served in the Coast Guard  on active and reserve duty, retiring as a Commander.

So why, with all this experience under his belt, did Jim decide to run for Culver City Council? “It was very sudden. I went to an event last year that (California State Assemblywoman) Holly Mitchell was running, called Christmas in July, for underprivileged children, and I became a volunteer. It sparked my interest in what was happening in Culver City on the political level.”

With four spots open on the City Council after Scott Malsin resigned and Chris Armenta decided not to run again because his job was taking him to Sacramento, Jim saw his opportunity and announced his candidacy last December.

But he knew he was facing an uphill battle. "I had to put together a new campaign from scratch.  I had no group, no campaign committee, nothing.” But undaunted, Jim set about contact ring previous mayors, school board members and anyone else who he thought could help his fledgling run for office.

Jim sees the fiscal issue as the most important facing the city. “We are not San Bernardino or Stockton, but we do have a structural deficit of $7 million to $8 million a year. While we can cover it at the moment, in four or five years we will run out of reserves, so we have to figure out how to move forward.”

The loss of Redevelopment Agency money has hurt the city badly and left a legal mess over projects that can no longer move forward. It has also cut into the city’s Cultural Affairs programs, which were funded by Redevelopment Agency money.  The concert series is now privately funded and has been reduced to four concerts instead of eight. This, said Jim, is an example of how the city needs sponsorship and public support to keep cultural programs going.

When California decided to terminate Redevelopment Agencies and take away their funding, it left many projects in Culver City in the lurch, including Parcel B, the unused parking lot stretching from the Culver Hotel along Venice Blvd. to Trader Joe’s, which was to have become a mixed use project of high end stores and condominiums.

It also impacts the development of a boutique hotel and stores adjacent to the new Metro Line station at Washington Blvd. and National Blvd.

Culver City is part of a group of eight to ten California cities considering taking the state to court over what are known as “obligated expenditures,” or projects that had been agreed on with developers before Redevelopment Agencies were cut off.

“The waters are very muddy and it will be to the end of the year before we see any sort of determination. Developers may drop out and we need to force this issue to get a determination that these are valid contracts and the sale is valid,” said Jim,

But the outcome is very much in the air. “Everyone is waiting to see if you’re going to get your head handed to you.”

The first step in the city’s battle comes during the third week in August when it will argue before the Oversight Board that the contracts between the city and the developers are valid and should go forward. “If they veto this we will go to court with the other cities, “ said Jim.

Michael Miller is a staff writer for Culver City Progress and the co-founder of the Culver City Downtown Neighborhood Association.

Willow School Request Postponed Based on Planning Commission Bias Against Non Profits

Carlene  Brown

My second participation in a Public Hearing scheduled by Culver City’s Planning Commission left me in a state of “shock and awe” even more profound than what I had experienced at my first meeting —which is perhaps what Commissioner John Kuechle intended.

Upon my initiation into Planning Commission territory, Wednesday evening, June 20, Commissioner Kuechle led the charge to deny the Conditional Use Permit application from a non-profit special needs educational facility, The Help Group. (See my previous Culver City Progress blog, “Silver Lining for The Help Group and Culver City.”) I was shocked at both Kuechle and Commissioner Scott Wyant’s thinly veiled disdain toward the expansion of innovative educational facilities and their outright disregard for the value these institutions bring to our community.

That June 20^th display of disdain was nothing compared to the spectacle that shocked me at The Willows Community School Public Hearing, July 11, however. Commissioner Kuechle, in particular, dragged out his arsenal of assault weapons in an attempt to demolish The Willows Community School proposal.

The Willows application called for allowing the school to phase in a maximum of 150 students and expand school operations to abutting properties in the Hayden Industrial Tract.  Two other existing private schools in the Industrial General (IG) zone would be required to present their own applications for Conditional Use Permit Modification if they chose to expand their operations. The Willows proposal provided a template for that process.     

Culver City Staff recommended that the Commission adopt a resolution approving The Willows application. Staff report included 24 letters of Willows support from local businesses, 13 letters of support from local residents, and 304 letters of support from School parents.

With that recommendation from Staff, I expected The Willows agenda item to move through just as quickly as had the first agenda item of the evening—a business enterprise application for which Staff recommended the Commission’s approval.  Environmentally conscious Commissioner Anthony Pleskow raised questions about fulfillment of photovoltaic requirements. With very little questioning, Commissioner Kuechle readily agreed to allow the business construction site next to the Culver City Dog Park to exceed maximum height requirements by nearly four feet. The rationale for allowing this modification to a previously approved Administrative Site Plan Review was “economic hardship” for the contractor. The Planning Commission reached a decision in a matter of minutes, with unanimous approval for the modification.

I was unprepared for what followed as the Commission moved to the second agenda item, with Commissioner Anthony Pleskow recusing himself because two of his children had attended Willows Community School. 

Lisa Rosenstein, Head of Willows, introduced their presentation on a positive note: “We are excited to be back,” she said. “We have crafted a 20-year plan that offers a win-win situation for our school and Culver City.”

The proposal certainly looked like a win-win to me, as various presenters took their turns at the microphone explaining a highly detailed and attractive Power-Point presentation that outlined three phases of a 20-year Master Plan.  Willows presenters emphasized that they took very seriously concerns raised by the Commission at a 2009 hearing. For the past two and a half years Willows had been working with Culver City Staff to address those concerns.

“We believe The Willows presented an application that not only allows the School to achieve its goals, but goes further than any other school in Culver City has ever gone with making the City whole financially,” said Denise Gutches, Chief Financial Officer, when I spoke with her following the hearing.

Financial Analyst Paul J. Silvern, Architect Dwight Long, and Lawyer Mark Armbruster took turns narrating The Willows Power-Point presentation, which outlined the three phases and addressed all concerns Council had raised in 2009, especially concerns about lost revenue. Ms. Gutches occasionally stepped to the microphone to answer questions posed by Commissioners following The Willows presentation.

The Willows presenters indicated that Willows would reimburse the City for its lost “opportunity cost” for the properties they hope to expand. Presenters explained that this is a significant departure from similar school and non-profit expansions approved by the Planning Commission. “Opportunity cost” reimbursement would provide revenue to the City based on the difference between the tax revenues the City will receive after implementation of the School’s plan and what it might otherwise receive if the plan were not approved, thus providing opportunity for other types of private development to occur on the adjacent properties included in the School’s plan.

Positives for the City regarding The Willows reimbursement plan:

·         Reimbursement payment includes several categories of potentially lost property tax reimbursement.

·         Reimbursement payment also includes potentially lost sales tax, business tax, and utility users’ tax.

·         City will receive significantly more revenue after the school expands than it does today.

·         City will receive it sooner than it might otherwise see those revenues in the absence of the School’s plan, and with more certainty.

·         Based on the analysis of HR&A (retained by the School), as reviewed and approved by the City’s staff and financial consultants, at the completion of the phased development of the School’s expansion, the School shall contribute approximately $104,000 annually to the City’s General Fund. 

Other positives for the City:

·         The Willows has agreed to participate in a variety of traffic mitigation parking management measures in the Hayden Tract. The traffic study determined that the flow of traffic would actually be improved over the course of the three phases.

·         According to architectural drawings in the PowerPoint presentation, it is obvious that both the parking situation in the Hayden Tract and exterior building aesthetics will be greatly enhanced.

·         The Willows will continue to provide theater and gym space for public schools, the police department and the City’s recreation department.

“For us this is more about community value, not dollar value,” said Denise Gutches, Chief Financial Officer. “We did not include that in our proposal as an offsetting credit.” Other presenters mentioned that neither were such benefits as out-of-town parents shopping, eating, or buying gas in Culver City calculated as offsetting credits.

During Public Comment, Michael Hackman, Real Estate Developer and owner in the Hayden Track, stated that he views Willows as a great asset to the area because it creates a sense of community, a sense that this is a safe and interesting place.  “Tenants don’t want all concrete,” he said.

Hackman cited the Crossroads School in Santa Monica as an example of surrounding property values increasing.  “I would never have been exposed to Culver City were it not for Willows,” he added. 

Diana Kunce, of Culver City Middle School Arts Program, spoke of the “incredible gift” Willows is to Culver City. In support of an award-winning, parent-volunteer theater production with Culver City Middle School students, Willows donated their theater, including lights and sound, plus access to the lunch area and a paid custodian for two full weekends. “I say a big thank you to a private school that supports public schools!” Kunce concluded.

A parent spoke of Willows Community School taking the idea of community very seriously. The JASON Cosmetics plant manager who, like Willows, runs his business from “a service perspective,” said he “totally supports the project” and believes that “it will greatly enhance the area.”

Once Public Comment was closed, Commissioner Kuechle dragged out his arsenal and launched his attack, most of it related to fear, a word he used repeatedly. “The 2009 application was turned down due to fear of unlimited expansion,” he said. “I want to make sure that schools don’t checkerboard their way through the Hayden Tract.” If this lawyer had studied Staff’s report, he would have known those fears were irrational and unfounded.

“Schools always evolve and grow,” said Staff representative Joshua Williams. “As was stated in 2009, it is unreasonable to deny those opportunities. Staff believes these issues have been addressed.”

As questioning continued, it appeared to me that, regardless of Staff recommendations and the impeccable nature of Willows’ application, lawyer Kuechle’s fierce anti-nonprofit agenda drove his obsession to refuse approval, just as it had with The Help Group.

Commissioner Scott Wyant echoed that anti-nonprofit agenda, raising additional concerns about lost revenues. With the train stopping near the Hayden Tract, Wyant asserted that “the next best use” of properties adjacent to Willows could be retail stores in a mini-mall.

Some repeated questioning implied character attacks on Willows personnel. Willows lawyer returned to the microphone occasionally to rebut the attacks, saying on one occasion, “I do not want Willows’ character impugned any further. We want you to make a decision tonight based on our presentation here.”

As they had done more than once throughout the evening, various Staff members chimed in, urging the Commission to decide. They underscored their reasons for recommending approval of the project.  One Staffer even uttered the word “hardship” in reference to the effect that either denial or postponement would create for Willows.

Commissioner Linda Smith-Frost favored postponement, however, saying that she liked both the project and presentation, but thought it needed to be fine-tuned. “You’re very close,” said Smith-Frost.

Finally, after 11pm, the Commission made its decision. Kuechle moved to continue the hearing until August 8^th, followed by a second from Smith-Frost and yes votes from the remaining two commissioners: Scott Wyant and newly-sworn-in Kevin Lachoff.

Those of us who remained in the audience looked at each other in disbelief and bewilderment. I dared not try to verbalize what I felt. How could this have happened to such an immaculately conceived project? What started out looking like a win-win looked like a lose-lose.

The next day, Willows Chief Financial Officer, Denise Gutches, validated my lose-lose perception when I asked about the “hardship” imposed by the Planning Commission’s decision. “Perhaps the biggest impact the delay will have is on our ability to finalize financing for the proposed improvements and start improving our campus,” she said. “The campus improvements will not only address our program needs, but we will also address the City’s needs by providing additional on-site parking in the Hayden Tract which is severely constrained by a limited parking supply in the area.”

Living up to what their school name implies, Willows personnel have demonstrated that they can “bend gracefully in the wind but do not break.”

I would love to see large group of informed Culver City citizens showing up at City Hall on August 8^th at 7pm to support The Willows project, especially a contingent from the Downtown Neighborhood Association.

Along Jefferson Boulevard, a large Cannon sign now towers almost four feet above the maximum height requirement—evidence of the Commission’s pro-business bias.  Simultaneously, the anti-nonprofit agenda of two commissioners has put on hold the Willows School’s win-win plan for themselves and Culver City.

Concern about the disparity between these two decisions made by the Planning Commission on July 11^th should bring out a big crowd to hold the commission accountable on August 8^th, as they continue the Public Hearing and make a final decision regarding the Willows School proposal.

Carlene Brown is a retired teacher and a Certified Life Coach who is currently writing a memoir.