In Brief

June 2008 – In Brief

•  Save Venice Manor Apartments
•  Military Plane Violates Venice Airspace
•  Colonoscopy Required on Homes 
•  VNC Tables Homeless and RV Task Force Committees 

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VNC Tables Homeless and RV Task Force Committees 

The Homeless Task Force was to have been put on the agenda for a later date last Monday but instead both the Homeless Task Force and the RV Task Force were tabled. New committees and members are to be established at the 15 July meeting from applicants.

According to the final board of officers meeting agenda, dated 15 May, for the 20 May meeting “An Ad Hoc Homeless Committee and an Ad Hoc RV Parking Committee have been formed with the chair/co-chairs and members to be chosen and ratified at the July 15 Board meeting from solicited applicants.”

Mark Ryavec, head of the petitioning movement against the RV Task Force, spoke at the meeting as did others.  Ryavec’s contention was that the Homeless Task Force violated the Brown Act and was composed mainly of “service providers, homeless advocates, and homeless persons” with few residents from the community at large.

The Homeless Task Force was tabled at the meeting but the RV Task Force was included in the tabling in the final board of officers meeting agenda.

– Reta Moser

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Colonoscopy Required on Homes 

L.A.’s Bureau of Engineering has adopted a policy requiring homeowners to pay for and provide a video inspection of their sewer lateral line when making an application for a building permit on any structure built prior to 1965. 

A city inspector will review your colonoscopy to determine if you need a costly operation on your waste disposal. 

–Thanks to Betsy Goldman, 

http://www.betsysellsvenice.com

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Military Plane Violates Venice Airspace

Just when the noise ordinance went into effect on Ocean Front Walk, the deafening sound of a large plane, seemingly about to crash into our homes, was heard around Noon, May 26. 

Observers said the craft was a four-engine cargo plane about the size of a 747. It appeared to be flying slowly at about 200 feet. 

It was not immediately clear why the military chose the anti-war community of Venice for this show of force. 

Several residents reported to the Beachhead that they believed the plane was about to crash into their homes, and that they feared for their lives.

Buzzing a populated area is definitely illegal – unless the military is above the law – and complaints can be made to the Federal Aviation Administration at 800-255-1111 or by filling out an online form at http://www.faa.gov/safety/ safety_hotline.

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Save Venice Manor Apartments

A mass uprising against RAD Ventures, in 2006, defeated its plans for a gated community at the MTA lot on Main St. 

Now RAD is back with plans to destroy 28 rent-controlled apartments, called Venice Manor, and replace them with 18 multimillion-dollar houses. The garden-style apartments at 542-568 S. Venice Blvd. resemble those at Lincoln Place (where a long battle has been raging for affordable housing), but they are actually older, having been build in 1947, two years before LP.

At its May 23 meeting, the Venice Town Council voted to oppose the destruction of the Venice Manor Apartments. Various other organizations will likely be lining up to save these affordable units, which are vanishing from Venice like an endangered species.

Want to help? Contact VeniceManor@gmail.com or http://www.savevenice manor.org.

Categories: In Brief