Another Ponte Vista Survey??? We Need Your Help

According to a very reliable source within the membership of the Rudderless Steering Committee of R Neighbors Are 1, informed me that yet another survey is being conducted for the Ponte Vista at San Pedro project.

If anyone has received or may receive a phone call and participates or participated in the survey, we at R Neighborhoods Are 1 would very much appreciate it if you would do just two things.

Please provide the survey taker with the most ridiculous answers you can imagine and then Email me with any and all questions you remember from the survey.

My Email address is mrichards2@hotmail.com and I would not divulge any of your personal information when listing any questions you remember, from the survey.

According to an extremely reliable source, the reason the Planning Department is taking its time in publishing what it feels Bob can successfully get away with, at Ponte Vista, is because of the sheer number of comments and responses to those comments, by members of the Bisno team, all coming from the Draft Environmental Impact Report that had its comment period end in January, 2007.

The Planning Department has had many problems receiving documents it requested from Bisno Development Corp. and associates of Bob's organizations and developments.

The source could not provide me with any sort of date when the Planning Department will publish for Bob and the rest of us, what it feels could be built at Ponte Vista.

However, I learned that whatever the Planning Department suggests could be built at Ponte Vista will not be published at or near the same time the Final Environmental Impact Report is published.

Ponte Vista has quite a long way to go before any further destruction and any new construction proceeds. Patience is golden in this case and the longer it takes, the more Western Avenue becomes crowded and hopefully, the fewer dwellings can be approved of, at Ponte Vista.

A Great Victory is Announced!

Good afternoon--

Please find below this message and attached to this e-mail a press release with an update on the zoning designation of the site where McCowan's Market was located.
Best,
-Andrew


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Andrew Ausanka-Crues
April 29, 2008 (213) 473-7015
(213) 500-9334 – mobile

COUNCILWOMAN JANICE HAHN RECEIVES UNANIMOUS SUPPORT
TO MAINTAIN SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD
AT SITE OF McCOWAN’S MARKET

LOS ANGELES, CA—The Los Angeles City Council today unanimously approved a request by Councilwoman Janice Hahn to preserve the single family neighborhood located near the former McCowan’s Market in San Pedro. McCowan’s Market was purchased recently by a developer. The developer closed down the long-time market and proposed building multiple units at the site, which is located in a single family neighborhood.

“McCowans Market was a piece of the community fabric of San Pedro and it’s a shame that it is gone,” said Councilwoman Hahn. “I agree with local residents that condos or apartments just does not fit with the character of the community.”

To address the concerns of the neighbors, Councilwoman Hahn called for the preservation of the neighborhood, asking the City of Los Angeles’ Planning Department to implement a “Q” Condition on the property. The condition would keep the owner from building anything except single family homes on each of the parcel where the market and its parking lot once stood. The Planning Department supported the “Q” Condition and on March 18 more than 200 people testified at the Harbor Area Planning Commission (HAPC) to support the recommendation. The HAPC voted 4-0 in favor. Today, the City Council approved the recommendation.

“I received more than 175 letters and 100 phone calls and e-mails supporting the “Q” condition,” said Councilwoman Hahn. “I did not receive one constituent request for greater density in this neighborhood. "
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Everyone connected with Vista del Oro Neighbors Against Condos (VDONAC) thanks Councilwoman Hahn and her marvelous staff, especially Mr. Gordon Teuber and all the wonderful aides in Ms. Hahn's San Pedro office.

The vote, which was 12-0, with three Councilpersons absent, also means that there will be no second vote on the ordinance passed today. All that is needed is Mayor Villaraigosa's signature.

I want to personally thank Ms. Barbara Dragich, for her leadership in all the battles that were successfully fought and won by VDONAC and all the neighbors in Vista del Oro.

We all should thank Ms. Michele Burk, for all she has done as facilitator for VDONAC and all her great abilities at organization and administration.

A special thanks goes out to the steering committee of VDONAC who worked so very hard.

Precedence may have been set today as this may be the first vote by the City Council to adopt the "Q" Qualification Condition on a property in Los Angeles. According to Ms. Hahn, this was her first experience in watching this particular addition to a zoning code become law.

It's time to light the coals or hit the igniters on all the Bar-B-Ques on 20Th and Walker, because one heck of a feast can not happen.

Congratulations to all the fantastic residents in Vista del Oro, you have worked so very hard and I feel nothing but great pride in wishing you the best of times, you all deserve it.

The Vote On McCowan's Redevelopment is Tomorrow!!!!!

Attention, and this is extremely important!

MORE INFORMATION BELOW

This Email body comes from Barbara Dragich, the leader of Vista del Oro Neighbors Against Condos (VDONAC):

I was just notified by Councilwoman Janice Hahn's office that the McCowan's Condo issue is on the calender for tomorrow's meeting. This will be Rosenthal's last chance to rebut placing the "Q Condition" on the 3 lots he where he wants to build 18 condo's. The meeting is at the downtown Los Angeles City Council, at 10:00 am. It is #35 on the agenda. Gordon Teuber can take 3 people, and he can get us free parking passes by calling (213) 473-7015. Please let your neighbors know about this meeting. Anyone that can come, should come. We need to car pool - I can take 4 people in my car. I know this is a last minute notice, but we don't want to postpone this now. I will have more information later today. Please get the word out ASAP. Thanks so much.

Barbara Dragich
VDONAC
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This is THE MEETING all of us MUST attend!

We know this is last minute. We certainly understand if you need to "catch a 24 hour bug" and can't go to work tomorrow.

But we need you there!

San Pedrans are at their best when something comes up in OUR community and we need to band together quickly and deal with whatever we need to deal with.

Whether it is fighting the weapon of mass development known as Ponte Vista, having to deal with a greedy developer who wants profit over community at 20Th and Walker, working against placing a school that is too large directly next to a redevelopment of a marvelous and truly great Outdoor Education Center, or trying to deal with a giant shaft that will shaft so many neighbors, courtesy of the L.A. County Sanitation District, we can do anything we set ourselves up to do.

Please consider taking the time to come to the L.A. City Council meeting. I'll work to make as many new buttons as I can and have them there tomorrow.

This is a battle we can win and a fight we must win. It is for all of our neighborhoods, working together to create the best that OUR community can offer.

Thank you!


New information as of 11:54

Gordon Teuber advised me to call Josie at 1-213-473-7015 about parking passes.

When you call Josie, be prepared to give her the make and model of your vehicle AND your license plate information.

Josie will provide you with directions on where to park.

ALSO, according to Mr. Teuber, item #35 may just be part of a consent or it may come up "between 10:00 and 1:00" but we should not consider that it actually might come up in the first three hours.

Unfortunately the Dodgers will be out of town. But you might want to take in some of the great sites and different foods that can be found in that area of downtown.

City Hall is close to Olvera Street, the Chinatown area, and Little Tokyo.

The Agenda Item for the City Council

Here is more in agenda item #35 which will be taken up at the Tuesday meeting of the L.A. City Council.

10 votes are needed for passage, so we need to show our support for Ms. Janice Hahn and her motion, and demonstrate to the rest of the Council members how important this item is to all of us. You can left click over any part of the document to enlarge it.

Please do your very best and attend this very important meeting.

You would be allowed to use the excuse that you had your right hip replaced just this past April 3, but since you probably didn't and I know I did, my attending should be just like yours and be "no sweat".

We are almost at the end of the line to get only single-family houses built on the three lots. The other lots have single-story houses going up on them and we want to make sure there will only be a total of six-single-family, detached houses, one per lot, on the six lots Mike Rosenthal purchased not quite one year ago.

Thank you.

An Article About Declining Enrollment

Here is an article that deals with a school district that shares not only a boundary with LAUSD, but also includes many students would would have attended LAUSD schools had the Palos Verdes Unified School District not opened their schools up to students who live in the "Eastview" area of Rancho Palos Verdes.
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District enrollment could drop

By Chris Boyd, Peninsula NewsFriday, April 25, 2008 5:44 PM PDT

A consultant for the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District told School Board members Thursday that enrollment might drop significantly in the next five years, resulting in a loss of revenue.

“Right now it looks like we could be down as much as 300 or 400 students,” said Superintendent Walker Williams.District officials want to offset the decline partially by offering extended-day, 20-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio kindergarten classes at all campuses next year in the hope that the program will woo some parents away from private schools.

“Now that we’re moving closer to a private school schedule, we hope to pick up more students,” Williams said. “We’ve heard from enough parents that it’s all about the [extended] schedule.”

While that may help to pick up 50 to 100 students, the district still faces a deficit of about 300 as enrollment across California declines. “That’s something we’re going to have to watch as we go forward the next few years,” Williams said. “We’ve gone through this before as a School District.”

While Williams doesn’t anticipate the need to close any schools, the loss of average-daily-attendance funds from the state — each student currently brings in about $5,800 — could mean teacher layoffs.

“It does drop your bottom line in terms of enrollment. When you do that kind of math, it adds up to big numbers,” he said. “You just have to watch it, plan for it and come up with solutions if it happens. You have to make the necessary cuts to go along with the drop in enrollment.”

Save Our Teachers update

There was good news for teachers Thursday, when the Peninsula Education Foundation announced it has raised nearly $750,000 as part of its district-wide Save Our Teachers Now campaign. PEF officials, in partnership with local PTAs and booster clubs, are trying to raise $1.2 million by May 15 to save 24 teachers’ jobs and keep class sizes smaller in third and ninth grade.

“The PTAs are working hard. We have students trying to raise the money … Everybody is really digging in and trying to help,” Williams said. “The way things are going, it just amazes me what this community is willing to do. I think [$1.2 million] is attainable.”

“It’s been outstanding. We’re almost two-thirds of the way to our goal,” said PEF President David Wagman. “Getting the last third is going to take a real push. We’re all kind of working double time right now.”

cboyd@pvnews.com
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Declining enrollment means loss or revenue. That is a pretty simple fact I think we can all grasp.

There are many individuals who know that enrollment in LAUSD schools is also declining, which then means that the District will lose revenue.

But still there are advocates who state that there is bond money to build entire new school campuses. Well, what might happen to those new campuses after they are built and revenue continues to drop, due to declining enrollment?

Could we see a future where our bond money builds campuses which then close and allow for the campuses to be taken over by Charter Schools, which will take students from LAUSD schools, creating more losses of revenue for LAUSD?

Are we going to see a vicious cycle that no one ever intended?

Taxpayers pay for a school site. Declining enrollment forces the District to close sites. The sites are taken over by Charter Schools. Those Charter Schools siphon off more students from LAUSD schools, causing a further loss of revenue, causing even more schools to close.

But still they build.

We are currently in Phase III of the building plans for LAUSD. In Phase III, 10 brand new school campuses will receive competition sized swimming pools.

South Region High School No. 15 is NOT slated to have a new pool built. I believe the closest swimming pool to both the SRHS 15 site and San Pedro High School is at Banning High School in Wilmington.

I guess because we have that blue patch of water so close to schools in San Pedro, some believe that a competition sized pool here is not needed.

How many of you remember spending summer days at Gaffey Street Pool? Wouldn't you think LAUSD would owe San Pedrans a new pool for all the trouble placing a new campus on a site where it clearly doesn't belong, creates?

What about all those 'snivelers' who state that the site for SRHS 15 is only 8/10 of a mile from San Pedro High School, M Richards writes with a wink? The new Mary Star of the Sea High School is much closer to Cooper High School than 8/10 of a mile.

Of course, students and parents going to or coming from the Mary Star campus have to use Western Avenue, a four-lane state highway, and not Taper Avenue, where Cooper is located.

Oh well, I digress about the ingress and egress for SRHS 15. But you must know or learn, if your vehicle is narrow enough, more than 80% of Alma, below the gate for Angel's Gate, can be taken by driving in a straight line. Naturally you have to cross over the center line, but haven't most of you been 16-years old already?

Odds and Ends 10

The beginning of this Odds and Ends includes an illustration that shows the sizes of two of the largest ocean-going vessels on this planet, that either have or will call on the Port of Los Angeles.

The largest ship ever built, the Knock Nevis, is over 1,500 feet long, but thankfully, it no longer sails the seas.

The blue vessel is an illustration of the Emma Maersk, which may have already called on the Port of Los Angeles, probably at Berth 400. It is 'only' about 1,300 feet long.
The next ship is the first of the Genesis class of 'cruise ships' or 'ocean liners' depending on what you prefer to call something that is 1,180 feet long and will carry 6,400 passengers.

The ship is already well under construction, and a second ship of its size has been ordered.

I don't know yet if this ship, a Royal Carribean Cruise vessel will be able to back up and down the main channel to get to our current cruise ship terminal, if and when it or its sister ship come to call.

Currently, the plans for this monster ship is for it to home port in Florida.

If you got a chance to see the Queen Mary II as it called on San Pedro, you might get an idea how huge both ships are.

The discussion about building a new cruise ship terminal at Kaiser Point has already spawned some debate, but it is still early in the games between the Port of Los Angeles and members of OUR community.
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Below is and illustration from the Clearwater Program of the Los Angeles County Sanitation District.

We are fairly well into the first discussion periods of this issue and it will figure in next month's annual meeting of the Palisades Residents Association.

If you look closely, you can see where the existing tunnels and outfall utilize areas of OUR community that are not downtown San Pedro, or Terminal Island. Where the new tunnel and its access shaft will go, is still a few years in the actual selection of where the Sanitation District will place the tunnel and the shaft.

The shaft is a major concern, as it should be because it will take up about 5 acres of land and be the focal point for thousands and thousands of truck trips to deal with the tools and materials necessary to bring in a giant tunnel boring machine and removing the dirt the machine spits out.

As you can also view the band of alternative alignments, you will get a better picture of where you may want to stand on this issue.

The initial dig may not start before 2012, just about the time SRHS 15 is completed, IF it is built, and whatever is going to happen with the Ponte Vista site has been long determined and has building, at least, fairly well completed.

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Here is the part of this week's Odds and Ends that deals with South Region High School No. 15 (SRHS 15).

First up is an enlarged but fuzzy photograph of one of the foxes that calls the Palisades Residents Association area AND the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur, home.

I believe this particular photo was taken while the fox was on Meyler, quite close to 36Th street and the fence of 'Angel's Gate'.

This photo was used in a presentation by Neighborhoods Organized and Involved to Support Education (NOISE) when it was announced that the company hired by LAUSD to handle soils testing for a new high school campus at 'Angel's Gate' is also the same company that would handle any and all cleanup of hazardous materials found in the soils, of the site.

The presenter referred to this company as a fox guarding the hen house because it will do whatever discovery it deals with, then deal with whatever clean up is done.

NOISE is not resting since the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council acted to oppose construction of SRHS 15 on the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur. The group has a Steering Committee that continues to meet regularly and they are not slowing down in their attempts to inform, instruct, and communicate with residents, business owners, and others who share their goal of keeping SRHS 15 from it preferred site.

NOISE members will also continue to repeat that they are not necessarily opposed to a new campus in San Pedro, or alternatives that will help ease over crowding at San Pedro High School without building a whole new campus.

NOISE members are looking forward to the completion of the Point Fermin Outdoor Education Center, as early as Summer, 2009, and some of the members wish that the name of the Outdoor Center be changed to the John Olguin Outdoor Education, because of Mr. Olguin's lifetime of special gifts he has brought to OUR community and so many thousands upon thousands of others, especially children in his long life of teaching, supporting, informing, and counseling so many people.

You are still encouraged to write to NOISE at nohighschool15@cox.net to get on their Email list, find out how to sign a petition demanding that SRHS 15 must not be built at Angel's Gate, or learn how you can support the efforts.

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On the McCowan's site redevelopment, Vista del Oro Neighbors Against Condos (VDONAC) recently learned that Mike Rosenthal, the developer of the six lots that made up the former market's building site and parking lots, filed a last minute appeal to seek to counter the Harbor Area Planning Commission's motion to state that only single-family, detached houses be built on the three lots, currently zoned C1-1XL, where the actual market stood.

VDONAC is waiting for the entire Los Angeles City Council to approve an ordinance that will change the current zoning on the three lots to QC1-1XL.

Single-family, detached houses are currently under construction on the three lots that were already zoned for those types of dwellings. The houses are one-story houses, which fit in nicely to the surrounding area of homes.

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With the Ponte Vista issue, we are all still waiting to see what the Planning Departments posts as their feelings as to what could be built on the site.

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Development and redevelopment in downtown San Pedro continues, but at a seemingly very slow pace.

The "G8" proposed 18-story tower, on land previously considered for the Urban Village development has been publicized. "G8" may get you to thinking "gate". Where that 'gate' leads is any body's guess right now.

I have been looking for any plans to build a new supermarket in downtown San Pedro, but I haven't seen any, and that is not very good. I feel there needs to be at least one more major supermarket to serve all the current and future residents down there.

I recently learned of an individual's idea for the redevelopment of Rancho San Pedro.

This person did not endorse removing the residents who call Rancho San Pedro home, but he considered a redevelopment that could allow for a new high school on the west side of Rancho San Pedro, mixed-residential units that would include current residents, and also welcome others into a new community of all types of multi-unit residences, all in the middle of the area.

On the eastern side, the side closest to the harbor, the idealist considered building commercial structures for residents and tourists to visit.

Now, if that kind of redevelopment was to come to the area, perhaps it would be the best place to build a new supermarket.
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Maybe a review of what may come to pass is worthy of this post.

Ponte Vista-1,950 condo units, all access on Western Avenue.

The two largest vessels that will travel the oceans making port calls in the Port of Los Angeles.

A five-acre parcel, with a very large shaft drilled 500 feet deep and having thousands and thousands of double trailer dump trucks accessing it for up to 9 years.

1,400 or so new condominium units built many blocks away from any major supermarket.

A new cruise ship terminal that will require 600 bus trips through San Pedro each day a vessel is in port, not to mention the taxi's shuttle buses, and charter buses that will converge on the southeasternmost point in San Pedro.

The prospect that any or all of the remaining four storm drain structures under Western Avenue failing, requiring a major repair operation.

A new high school campus built where very few people want it built, built on a hazardous former military installation, for a student population that will be lowering as the years go by.

The very remote possiblitiy that a private two-year college with have much increased off-campus housing along Palos Verdes Drive North, between Western and five points.

See, who says San Pedrans don't like development?

NOISE Shouts With a Victory!

"Be it resolved that the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council opposes the construction of South Region High School No. 15 on the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur."

A record shattering turnout at the Monday April 21, meeting of the Governing Board of the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council witnessed the members of the board pass two motions regarding the proposed high school, with a preferred site being at the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur.

The old attendance record for a Board meeting was only two months ago when the Vista del Oro Neighbors Against Condos packed the meeting room and the Governing Board listened and then voted to support only the construction of single-family, detached houses on the sites of the former McCowan's Market, in San Pedro.

The new attendance record established at this meeting is over 151 people, according to the official counter for Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council.

Not only did the Governing Board of the Neighborhood Council state its opposition to building a new campus on what we all lovingly call, "Angel's Gate", they strengthened that motion by stating that the officers of the Neighborhood Council will draft a letter to many government agencies opposing the construction of South Region High School No. 15 (SRHS 15).

A second motion overwhelmingly passed by the Board dealt with demanding answers to certain questions the Board has asked during the comment period for the Notice of Preparation and Initial Study for SRHS 15.

There was supposed to be two-ten minute segments of the night's meeting allowing first, a representative of LAUSD speaking in support of the new school.

Ms. Rita Davis, of Local Area 8 spoke and answered, or referred questions asked by the audience.

Unfortunately, Ms. Davis left the meeting before everyone had a chance to ask specifically her, questions about the proposed school.

Then Neighborhoods Organized and Involved to Support Education (NOISE) took its turn to demonstrate why it opposes building a new campus at Angel's Gate.

Ms. Yvonne Schueller gave a ten minute, or there abouts, Power Point presentation that seemed to rock the place. I don't know if there has ever been a standing ovation at a Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council meeting before that meeting, but Yvonne and her husband Robert deserved the loud clapping and standing ovation.

This blog will place some of the information from the presentation on future posts, but every single question asked of Ms. Davis during AND after her speaking, then leaving, were truthfully answered to what can only be described as a very appreciative audience.

NOISE members who probably made up the majority of audience members are only going to find more folks to become members and more involvement in opposing any new high school campus at Angel's Gate.

NOISE members know that there are alternatives to building a new campus at Angel's Gate and so many of them support education all students with the redevelopment of the Point Fermin Outdoor Education Center, which will serve at least twelve times the number of students EACH YEAR, that only a new high school campus could serve.

NOISE members have commented on the many alternatives to building an entire new campus at Angel's Gate, and have even offered alternative sites to build a new campus.

NOISE members have yet to chime in on the recall effort started in Wilmington against Dr. Richard Vladovic, the District 7 member of the Board of Education. Perhaps NOISE will need to join with those in Wilmington who are standing by quietly and allowing LAUSD to build a school with grades K-8 in an area where a beloved market, other businesses, and some residences will have to be taken by right of eminent domain and demolished to build a new campus.

Something To Think About

Hey, let's spend about $89 Million Dollars to build a new campus in San Pedro because San Pedro High School is so over crowded!

Do you or did you buy that line? If so, please think about it, for just one minute.

I have occasionally addressed the fact that when I attended S.P.H.S., the Classes of 1972, 1973, and 1974, made up the largest student population ever at San Pedro High School, during the time it was a three year institution.

Between September, 1971 and June, 1972, according to graduation records, 2,953 students crammed the halls and classrooms of a smaller school site, with fewer classrooms, than is seen now, at the campus.

Well, the current student body population at San Pedro High School is currently 3,437 students divided into four grades, with one-two story classroom building added, and with more bungalows on the larger site.

The difference is 484 students.

How about we divided the $89 Million Dollars by 484. That would give us the dollar amount LAUSD wants to spend per student to build a new campus to ease "overcrowding" at San Pedro High School.

Let's see, wait a minute, my calculator is overheating. There! $183,884.30 per student just to build SRHS 15 at the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur.

Surely there must be alternatives to building such a costly campus. Shouldn't we look more carefully at all of the alternatives?

Now I know what you are thinking, how come there are 1,202 9th graders at S.P.H.S. and by the time students become seniors, like the current senior student population of only 574 students, it all must be because the halls are too crammed with students who have to share lockers, sit on floors, and create massive havoc in the cafeteria.

But wait a minute. If it is so true that there are over 1,200 9th graders who start S.P.H.S., but fewer than 600 to make it all the way to becoming seniors, you MUST NOT blame just the overcrowding of the halls and classrooms on this terrible problem.

Something else is terribly wrong and the fact that a new campus in San Pedro would NOT REDUCE class size at S.P.H.S. per an LAUSD Board of Education member, doesn't necessarily mean we need to create a whole smaller problem with another campus that may very well find the same dismal results.

"FIX PEDRO HIGH FIRST" is one of the sayings on the three different yard signs that are cropping up in the area from the Pacific Ocean all the way to sunny Rancho Palos Verdes.

Why must we rush to build when we may be transferring problems from one campus to a brand new site?

I know I have been repeating myself when I state that a new campus is "PROBABLY" needed, but I am more sure than ever, that new campus CANNOT be next to the Point Fermin Outdoor Education Center, where real great accomplishments in education are just on the horizon.

Furthermore, if smaller learning communities are the true assistance to the best learning possible, why don't we look at alternatives that include campuses of no more than 500-550 students?

We have all been given numbers as to the student population count at San Pedro High School. Those figures range from a low of "859" on a Web site, all the way up to 3,900 students, as some have been quoted as saying.

3437. It is not 3,600, it is not 2,953, it is not even 3,700. We know the number. It will shrink in the short term and most probably rise in the years to come. But it is a number we can now work with to create alternatives that are less costly to taxpayers and the environment, provide more possibilities for other means of educating our high school age students, and come to common grounds with all the facts, to do what is best to support education.

This is something Neighborhoods Organized and Involved to Support Education is trying to do. It is not simply to oppose SRHS 15 at the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur. It is here to provide the best possible outcome for all students, including high school students and students attending the Outdoor Education Center.

Working together, we will work as hard as needed to find resolutions to the things that divide us and allow all of us to work for the best education experiences of all students, no matter where they are from, or what grade they are in.

Odds and Ends 9

Well, let's start off this Odds and Ends with yet another illustration of a ship.

O.K., it's not really just any old cruise ship. Here is The Genesis Project.

Still under construction, this ship would only be able to call on a new cruise terminal at Kaiser Point.

Remember the giant Queen Mary II that had to back up the main channel to get to the current cruise ship terminal. It is only about 15,000 tons is weight and corresponding length.

But Princess Cruises is building Genesis Project to be about double the size of the largest Princess Cruises ships that come to the Port of Los Angeles.

When completed, this ship will displace 220,000 tons and carry somewhere in the range of approximately 5,400 passengers.

And yes, there is going to be an approximately 3 acre park on the ship, that will mimic Central Park in New York.

The first place the new mega,mega ship will call port is in Florida. But it shouldn't take long for it or a sister ship to visit and cruise the Pacific, possibly out of a new cruise ship terminal, if it is built.
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Nothing new to report on the Clearwater Program of the Los Angeles County Sanitation District.

Information about it can be found at: http://www.clearwaterprogram.org/clearwater/.

For those of you who still don't know where the Sanitation District's property is at, as far as Eastview Park goes, here is a photo that might help you.

Eastview Park is the semi-green and brown patch of land between the shops along Western Avenue and The Gardens, just to the right of it.

Notice how close it is to the Ponte Vista site in the upper part of the photo?

No worries though, IF the Sanitation District uses the parkland it owns to drill the construction and maintenance shaft, they won't begin until at least 2012, when whatever may be built at Ponte Vista, might be built out. But then again, nothing is for sure.
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On the Ponte Vista issue, I guess silence is golden. But for whom the silence is really golden will probably be determined when the Planning Department reveals, some day, what they feel Bob can build at the site.
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It is now time for a refresher course in what you were told would be at South Region High School No. 15, (SRHS 15) and what will most likely truly be constructed, if it is constructed at all.

So far we "KNOW" that SRHS 15 would be an annex to S.P.H.S.
It would be built initially with 810-seats and then have 405-seats added in years to come.
There would be no competitive athletic teams on the new campus.
The Marine Sciences Magnet and possibly the Police Academy Magnet would be moved from the current S.P.H.S. location to the new campus.

But these "facts" were told to us by LAUSD representatives who probably hadn't talked to Ms. Linda Del Cueto, the local area Superintendent and the 'decider' in how the new campus would look like.

At what may have been Ms. Del Cueto's first Advisory Committee meeting on the SRHS 15 project, here are some of the things the 'decider' considers to be what SRHS 15 will become.

The school will be initially built with three academies and 1,215 seats.
It will be a completely independent school, separate from S.P.H.S. (Does this mean San Pedrans have to root for two different public regular high schools?)
It will NOT have any Magnet programs.
It will have competitive athletic teams, but not a football (American) team.
It will be for San Pedro residents, probably even those who use a relative's address in San Pedro.
Parents get to decide which school to send their kid(s) too, according to Ms. Del Cueto, at this time.

So I thought I would include an illustration that nobody else has. It shows the three small learning communities that will compose the classroom settings at SRHS 15 IF it gets built and IF it gets built on the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur.
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But wait just a cotton-pickin minute! What about the Point Fermin Outdoor Education Center that is slated for completion of its redevelopment as early as Summer, 2009?

Isn't that new Center going to have trouble fitting next to a large high school?

In the photo below, I have placed both the proposed SRHS 15 and the Point Fermin Outdoor Education as they might have looked. But as you can see, both facilities can't fit on the available land.

The Outdoor Education Center that may host up to 280 students and faculty members each week, including overnight stays, may be completed before issues are decided by the Board of Education as far as SRHS 15 goes.

Oops! Those LAUSD folks, trying to fit a rectangular peg in a much smaller square hole.

The members of Neighborhoods Involved and Organized to Support Education (NOISE) want you to know they support the Point Fermin Outdoor Education Center that will be able to supply great educational experiences to upwards of 13,000 students per year, in varying ways.

NOISE believes if a new high school campus is necessary, then there are alternatives LAUSD can look at to find a much better place to build SRHS 15 than on the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur, where is just doesn't fit and can't be safely accessed.

Let's let the Outdoor Education Center become the jewel in the crown of LAUSD and Ms. Del Cueto. It will offer so much more, to so many more students.
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If I have missed updating anything, then I probably don't think much is going on with that issue and I may need reminding.

Worried About More Traffic From a New Cruise Ship Terminal????

So, you are probably thinking that if the Port of L.A. builds a new cruise ship terminal at Kaiser Point in the outer harbor, the increased traffic will be just another nightmare.

But wait, might there be something on the horizon to put those "little" ocean liners to shame, as far as traffic is concerned?

Looky here: The Emma Maersk
This is how Wal-Mart gets all it's stuff from China.
Get a load of this ship!
15,000 containers and a 207' beam!
And look at the crew-size: 13 people for a ship longer than a US aircraft carrier which has a crew of 5,000 men and officers.
Think it's big enough?
Notice that 207' beam means it cannot fit through the Panama or Suez Canals. It is strictly transpacific.
Check out the cruise speed: 31 knots means the goods arrive 4 days before the typical container ship (18-20 knots) on a China-to-California run.
So this behemoth is hugely competitive when carrying perishable goods.

This ship was built in five sections. The sections floated together and then welded. The command bridge is higher than a 10-story building and has 11 cargo crane rigs that can operate simultaneously.

Country of origin - Denmark

Length - 1,302 ft

Width - 207 ft

Net cargo - 123,200 tons

Engine - 14 in-line cylinders diesel engine (110,000 BHP)

Cruise Speed - 31 knots

Cargo capacity - 15,000 TEU (1 TEU = 20 ft3)

Crew - 13 people

First Trip - Sept. 08, 2006

Construction cost - US $145,000,000+

Silicone painting applied to the ship bottom reduces water resistance and saves 317,000 gallons of diesel per year

That's a really tall house for just 13 people. I bet they may take a few passengers from port to port.

I hope there will be enough clean fuel burning trucks and railroad engines to transport the containers for this and its sister ships.

They better get started on either double-decking the Vincent Thomas Bridge or building a whole new bridge from Terminal Island to the mainland.

Looks like Piers 300 and 400 will be getting used to their maximum potential as will other terminals throughout the port when more of these container liners call on the Port of L.A.

A Post Concerning "Overcrowding" Now and In the Past

So much has been stated and written as to how S.P.H.S. is so overcrowded, I would like to create a scenario that suggests that the campus is less crowded than in earlier times.

The first thing we need to understand is that the campus is now a four-year campus, compared to years I attended the school, when it was a three-year campus.

Let's take a look at what the facts were and what is claimed now and how the two sets of numbers might demonstrate that, back then, with fewer classrooms, the campus was essentially more overcrowded than it is now.

Here is a list of the number of graduates from the decade of the 1970's as compiled by a historian/teacher at S.P.H.S. for use during it Centennial Celebration in 2003:

Winter, 1970 57 Graduates

Summer, 1970 751 Graduates

Class of 1971 900 Graduates

Class of 1972 1053 Graduates

Class of 1973 955 Graduates

Class of 1974 945 Graduates

Class of 1975 920 Graduates

Class of 1976 940 Graduates

Class of 1977 808 Graduates

Class of 1978 771 Graduates

Class of 1979 717 Graduates

I am now going to imagine that between September, 1971 and June, 1975, the campus would have been a four-year campus and not the three year campus, that it is now.

Taking the classes of 1972-1975 we find that 1053, 955,945, and 920 seniors would have graduated, had it been a four-year campus.

The total of that count is 3,873 possible graduates, or folks who could have attended a four-year campus.

Now it seems to me that nobody has claimed that there is anywhere near that current attendance at the four-year campus, today.

It seems to me that proportionally, the four classes of 1972-1975 would have provided a much more crowded campus than is found today.

I do understand that folks will state that this is an apples to oranges debate, but taking into account that far fewer percentages of students actually graduate from S.P.H.S. and the condition that the campus is now physically larger than it was during the previous time, I am still amazed that some folks continue to decry how crowded the campus is.

I think if folks take a look at the average daily attendance of the school, today, they would find a lower percentage of students attending classes.

But lets consider that we do not use the four-year campus concept for the 1970's and go back to using just the factual numbers for the classes of 1972, 1973, and 1974.

Adding just those three classes into the pot of a smaller campus back then, at S.P.H.S. and you will see that 2,953 students crowded the halls of a smaller campus, were most probably attending classes more often and graduated and much higher percentages than we see today.

Let's say that there are currently 3,500 students attending S.P.H.S. or are supposed to be attending the school.
That is 547 actual more students than graduated in the three years of 1972, 1973, and 1974.

Should we pay at least $88 Million Dollars to construct any new campus for at least that number of students?

How come the Mystics, Ke-Alians, and Prometheans were able to be schooled well enough and have a campus managed will enough to come up with the percentages of graduates they actually had?

It certainly doesn't seem to be reasonable, realistic, responsible, or respectful to build a new campus that would NOT ease classroom overcrowding, but might call for cross-town movement between campuses, be situated in an area of such significance to OUR community, and not necessarily produce one single more percentage of graduates.

Also, many individuals supporting the construction of a new campus at the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur are allow staunch supporters of the concept that the two magnet programs now being done at the main campus, should be moved to the new campus.

This means that if only two "academies" were built for the Marine Sciences and Law Enforcement programs, at any new campus, they are the only two programs currently being conducted at the main campus that allows students from all over the district to attend. Less cars, buses and drop offs at the main campus, with the bulk of that drop going to a new campus.

Odds and Ends 8

Boy, isn't a total hip replacement fun?

During my incarceration at Torrance Memorial, the Exterior Obstetrics Department hosted a family of ducks.

Mom duck had 11 chicks in tow as dad hung around the fountain by the parking structure. Mom duck led her brood right into the lobby of the Medical Center while I was rolling by in my wheelchair. a couple of humans suggested that Mom duck not take her kids to the Interior Obstetrics Department, and escorted the furry, fluffy, funny family back towards the "nest" at the Exterior Obstetrics Department.

By the end of the week, animal control took the family to a more duck-friendly area, reported to be on Skypark somewhere.
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Ponte Vista. Thankfully nothing of any real note passed by as I was attempting to eat the driest chicken ever created in the known universe, via the kitchen of Torrance Memorial.

The service, people, and environment of the Center is really top form, I just wish the food had tasted.
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A few more San Pedrans are perking up their ears and eyes concerning the proposed third tunnel for treated water from the plant near the Harbor Freeway, out into the Pacific.

I'm still keeping this issue slightly behind the proposal to build a cruise ship terminal in the outer harbor, but both will show their teeth in the future.
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It's looking like Bar-B-Que weather is fast approaching. The good folks at Vista del Oro Neighbors Against Condos may be right on time, by the time the full L.A. City Council votes to restrict the redevelopment of three lots, currently zoned C1-1XL, from having any other residential type dwellings built, other than single-family, detached houses, one per 5,000 square foot lot.

We can't tap the keg yet, but we're keeping it very, very cold!
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Neighborhoods Organized and Involved to Support Education (NOISE) is going forward with attentive speed and a strong willingness by its members to oppose the construction of South Region High School No. 15 (SRHS 15) at Angel's Gate.

You too, can have a yard sign opposing the school. Just send and Email to nohighschool15@cox.net and you will be informed how to get one.

NOISE has a post office box now, too. NOISE, P.O. Box 5151 San Pedro, CA 90733-5151.

NOISE even has a bank account where your donations are greatly appreciated.

Members of NOISE are watching two motions going before the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council on April 21, 2008.

One motion is to request more intensive consideration of specific items in the Notice of Preparation and Initial Study.

The other motion is to show support by Coastal's Board of Governors, in opposing the construction of SRHS 15 at the proposed site.
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Odds and Ends 7

I can't thank all you enough for having some of you actually fall for my Odds and Ends 6.5. April 1 has always been my favorite "holiday" and yesterday was quite a grand day.

The Skateboard Park between two houses being built near 20Th and Walker brought out the most folks who believed such a thing might actually be built!

The gray animal in the top photo is a wallaby, which is related closely to the kangaroo. The center photo is a cassowary bird. The bottom photo which I identified as a "dog" is a tasmanian devil and an animal you wouldn't want to try and pet.
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The surgery I am having on Thursday is not to move my eyes in my skull, those two surgeries happened in 1995 to correct the problem known as exotropia of the ocular sinister. For most of my life, my eyes pointed in different directions. Now they both appear to see the same thing.

I get a brand new right hip! I have been waiting somewhat impatiently for this surgery since the first surgery, a core decompression osteotomy failed late last year.

I will be offline for about a week, so I needed to get my Odds and Ends in today.
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The following is an anonymous comment on my www.pontevista.blogspot.com blog and it is on the April 1 post which I tried to make as absurd as my post, yesterday, on this blog
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Nice job! Keep up the great work!

P.S. I work at SPHS and I wanted to leave a FYI that I believe our school is crowded with over 3000+ students. 10 years or so ago we were at or near 22-2300+ and the vibe on campus was probably a little more calmer and more conducive for achievement. I wanted to give this information out because I believe another HS will be needed at some point in our area
[I live here too]. It's not about class size but the actual dynamics of passing periods, nutrition, lunch, etc...

As a citizen/taxpayer I believe I see the big picture of our society and the need for education for the young. I hope we all don't get too NIMBY. We need to figure out a safe, reasonable way to address this current/future issue of OUR community.

All the best and have a great day!
10:12 AM
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"It's not about class size but the actual dynamics of passing periods, nutrition, lunch, etc... "

This sentence I found particularly interesting because it is another suggestion that we spend approximately $88 Million Dollars to attempt to relieve "dynamics" rather than provide a better classroom education to students.
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April is going to be an active month for Neighborhoods Organized and Involved to Support Education (NOISE). The first batch of 750 yard signs will come in and be distributed throughout many neighborhoods in San Pedro. The list of residents requesting signs grows every day.

I hope everyone concerned is working on, or has already submitted their comments to the Notice of Preparation and Initial Study for the proposed campus. If you still need to view the documents, you can find access to the documents on earlier posts to this blog.

Several organizations will be submitting comments of letters of opposition to building a large campus on the Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur, and NOISE has written a letter and will be submitting further comments in the near future.

You are all welcome to Email me, using the address at the top of this blog, to state what NOISE members feel are important concerns that environmental studies need to take more careful looks at and provide the best monitoring possible.

NOISE is still planning a public meeting in the next several weeks and we will get information to you as soon as a date, time and place has been formalized.

You can always reach NOISE at nohighschool15@cox.net
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There are apparently, traffic counters on Alma Street as I write this post. You may use this information as you see fit. These counts may be dealing with the Traffic and Transportation section of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed school, now fully in the study stages.

Be on the lookout for traffic counters on many other streets in the area, including Gaffey, 30Th, 36Th, 37Th, Paseo del Mar, and the streets from Emily to Roxbury, between 36Th and Paseo del Mar.

Look for all kinds of study equipment on the proposed site and in surrounding areas.
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We may be getting closer to the third meeting conducted by the Facilities Services Division of LAUSD to talk about and take more comments about the project plans for South Region High School 15. After the Feb, 2008 meeting, I thought I heard Rod Hamilton state that the third and final meeting of its kind will be held in "mid-April" if I heard correctly.
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Moving on to Ponte Vista at San Pedro issues, nothing new has been reported to me as far as what the Department of Planning is considering for the project.

It will be just my luck that I will be "under" when the Planning Department states what they believe could and should be built at Ponte Vista.

Hopefully, folks will keep me informed if anything breaks in the next week.
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The Los Angeles County Sanitation District is considering building a third tunnel between its waste treatment plant off of the Harbor Freeway and the Pacific Ocean.

You can learn more about the project by visiting: http://www.clearwaterprogram.org/clearwater/

If the decision is made to build a third tunnel, there will need to be a shaft dug and driven to provide access for the digging machine and other access to the tunnel's site.

There are now many sites being considered for where the placement of the shaft might be.
One of the possible sites is where Eastview Park now stands on Westmont, east of Western Avenue.

Eastview Park is within the City of Rancho Palos Verdes which leases the land from the L.A. County Sanitation District, which actually owns the land.

If a third tunnel follows nearly the same routes as the two existing, at capacity, tunnels and pipes, a shaft may be close enough at Eastview Park to be used.

Also IF a third tunnel is actually approved for construction, the construction will begin in around 2012 and last about eight years.
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Vista del Oro Neighbors Against Condos is waiting final City Council approval of a restriction being placed on the three lots currently zoned C1-1XL, on the site of the former McCowan's Market in San Pedro.

All is going smoothly, however, the "Skate Park" mentioned in Odds and Ends 6.5 brought out the most number of folks who actually believed it was going to happen. Ah what a fine day, yesterday was!
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I don't know how many people realize that real development is going on all around OUR community.

Please consider that Vue topped out in its height this past week. Centre Street Lofts still seems to be selling. We have 8Th Street Lofts, the Bank Lofts, LaSalle Lofts, Seaport Luxury Homes, Kaiser Point cruise ship terminal, Trapac, China Shipping, the renewed work on the Port of L.A. projects along the main channel, the Clear Water Project, Terranea, the Marymount College Expansion project, The Point Fermin Outdoor Education Center redevelopment, Ocean Fails/Donald Frump Irrational Golf Coarse, and many smaller projects all going on in OUR community. The CRA redevelopment of Pacific Avenue is also a very big undertaking.

Three projects I left out of the list are Ponte Vista, McCowan's site redevelopment, and South Region High School No. 15. The three projects appear to be the only over development of areas that need or needed to be checked. It looks more than encouraging that OUR community will see only six beautiful single-family, detached houses built at the McCowan's site redevelopment.

That leaves two, just two projects that are both too large for the area they are planned to be in and not compatible in OUR community.

With the high school issue, there are alternatives that haven't even been explored yet and need to have careful studies done on all alternatives.

With Ponte Vista, Bob's plans are simply too large to be built in OUR community.
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It is simply unfair, unjust, and not true that members of R Neighborhoods Are 1 are against development. As you can view the partial list included in this post, there are many developments welcomed by R Neighborhoods Are 1 members. We are also NOT truly "ranting elitists" as Bob claims many of us are. As you can see by my list, I am just mentioning three developments that do not fit into OUR community and one of them is being successfully challenged.

So, in all of OUR community, it looks like just two sites need to continue to be challenged, I strongly feel.
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Odds and Ends 6.5

Since I will be having a surgery to move my eyes back into their original positions in my skull, I figured that I will need to write my Odds and Ends today.

I am first going to write about the South Region High School No. 15 (SRHS 16) issue.

I have been on disability for several weeks and have not been able to go to work at my job at Verizon, so my wife and I took our camera to the proposed site of the new campus to see if we could get photos of the wildlife in the area.

Below are three photos we took during what turned out to be only about 1/2 hour visit.


We took a photo of the bird as it was standing in an area that got flooded by a sprinkler that malfunctioned.

The dog in the bottom photo was quite happy we fed it some cheese after we took its photo.

Yesterday, I was also able to confirm that the new classrooms at SRHS 17 will have no windows. This is because the archetects decided that the Sun's reflective glare on any windows would hamper students during their physical fitness classes at the new campus.

It was also decided sometime last week, that the new campus would not need expensive central air conditioning due to its placement in an area that has much cooler climate than the main campus of San Padro High School.
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On the Ponte Vista issue, some dramatic news was uncovered over the weekend.

Now it seems, Bob Bisno will build at least one single-family detached house on the 62.35 acre site so he and his family will have a place to live, after his mansion in Beverly Park North is auctioned off.

The planners for Ponte Vista have also seriously considered planting Jacaranda trees near all the curbs on the streets in the development. They were heard stating that placing many of these beautiful flowering trees, with their purple flowers would enhance the area and force residents to park in their regular stalls.

David Shinder, Bob's traffic engineer, is planning to recreate the traffic patterns at the site by making all the streets one-way. Apparently Mr. Shinder believes now that having all one-way streets within the project site would allow for more smoothly moving traffic and less congestion at the gates along Western Avenue and Gaffey Street.
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As far as the McCowan's redevelopment issue, Mike Rosenthal will NOT appeal the Harbor Planning Commission's ruling that the lots currently zoned C1-1XV will have only residential structures that are single-family, detached houses.

Mr. Rosenthal has decided to build five beautiful and spacious houses on five of the lots he purchased last year.

Since the "Q" Qualification Condition only is used in residential development, Mr. Rosenthal has decided to keep one lot as a commercial lot and not subject to the "Q" Condition.

Mr. Rosenthal will not build a house on the second lot on the northwest side of the intersection of 20Th and Walker.

Instead, Mr. Rosenthal has Emailed me an illustration of a skate park that is fenced in and will be accessable only via a swipe of a credit card or a swipe of a debit card.

Mr. Rosenthat believes he will recoup money he loses by not building condos by keeping his "San Pedro Neighborhood Skate Park" open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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On the new cruise ship terminal at Kaiser Point issue, another big piece of news was mentioned last week.

It appears that the Disney Corporation is having four giant new cruise ships built in Rotterdam, over the next seven years.

The four new ships will be too big to use the existing cruise ship terminal at Berth 93, so the four ships and all other giant cruise ships and ocean liners will need to use a new terminal in the outer harbor.

Disney has decided to build a monorail, much like the one at Disneyland, between a new parking structure at Berth 93 and the new cruise ship terminal.

Disney will recover the cost of building the monoral through San Pedro by charging a small fee for riders.

When a potential rider of the monorail wants to take a ride, they will deposit coins into a machine and an "E Ticket" will pop out which the rider can keep as a souvigner.
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I am learning more about the "Clean Water" project the L.A. County Department of Sanitation wants to build.

The project looks to build a new tunnel under San Pedro to add capacity that has already been reached by the two other tunnels that have been in use since 1958.

The new tunnel may go under Gaffey Street, or it may parallel the two existing tunnels that leave the mainland on the cliffs of Rancho Palos Verdes.

If a new tunnel is built along the same route, Western Avenue will have to be reduced to one lane in each direction for approximately five years.

There would need to be a 30 foot diameter shaft built 500 feet from the ground level to the bottom to place the boring machine and allow access to the tunnel.

Currently the shaft is being proposed either at Green Hills, where graves will have to be moved, or on the site of the Albertson's Market's parking lot.

Construction equipment and buildings will take up about two acres around the shaft's site and will be fenced off from public view.
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Truck traffic, specifically container truck traffic is becoming a greater problem than anticipated, in the port.

The Port of L.A. officials have determined that the best way to move container traffic by truck from the port to downtown L.A. and access to the train yards is to make the Vincent Thomas Bridge a one-way bridge during certain times of the day.

There will be an experimental program, beginning today, to allow traffic to head over the bridge towards Terminal Island during even hours of the day. During odd hours of the day, the traffic pattern will be reversed to have traffic head towards San Pedro.

You may have noticed the new markings and barriers on the approaches to the bridge structure. They were installed during the last three weeks.
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One really neat thing is going to happen on the tracks where the trolleys now run.

Since the trips of the trolleys will be lengthened to accomodate the greater distance to the new cruise ship terminal, the Port of L.A. has invited folks who own a live steam locomotive to bring it down and have several old passenger cars pulled along the expanded route between Wilmington and Warehouse No. 1 in San Pedro.

The new locomotive and cars will arrive on April 31 and will begin taking passengers and tourists along the current route of the trolleys, beginning at the end of May.

The new steam locomotive will need to alert folks when it passes over intersections, so we will all now be able to hear that wonderful sounds of a steam locomotive's whistle throughout the day and well into the evening.
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There is just one more thing I want to add to this post:


APRIL FOOL'S