July 17, 2015

New City Manager, Rick Cole Speaks at the PNA Annual Membership Meeting

 On July 11th the PNA had its annual membership meeting at Virginia Ave. Park. We had more than 70 members and residents present at the membership meeting. We welcomed the new City Manager, Rick Cole as our guest speaker. The Pico Neighborhood  is the first neighborhood he visits in Santa Monica. He spoke about working closely with residents to better understand their needs and explore ways to align resources and services to all neighborhoods. His presentation was followed with questions from our members and residents.

We look forward to working with City Manager Rick Cole to improve the quality of life for our residents. In particular in addressing the impacts of gentrification due to "Transit Oriented Development" in connection with the light rail that will launch in 2016.

PNA Membership Elects New Board Members & Sets New PNA Boundaries


 During the PNA Annual Membership Meeting we help PNA Board elections.

 

The following people were elected to the PNA Board.

Catherine Eldridge-  Catherine was re-elected to the PNA Board. She has lived in Santa Monica and the Pico Neighborhood for over 20 years. She is a tireless advocate for Village Trailer Park mobile home residents which is within the Pico Neighborhood. Catherine has been a long time advocate for affordable housing in Santa Monica through her participation in the Santa Monica for Renters' Rights (SMRR). She will continue to be a voice for Pico Neighborhood residents in City Hall. 

Jamie Schloss- Jamie was raised in Santa Monica, SAMOHI class of 1981, who moved to Pico Neighborhood January 1st . Except for college, he has lived in or around Santa Monica since 1970. Formerly, he was on the Pacific Palisades Neighborhood Council and the local Marquez Knolls Homeowner's Association Board for two years. He graduated from the Haas school of Business at UC Berkeley in 1985 and from USC Law Center in 1998. I passed the California Bar Exam in 1988 and have practiced law, mostly civil litigation for individuals and small businesses, since that time. He is ready to present his ideas on how the PNA can improve our neighborhood.  

Lorriane Sanchez- Lorraine is a long time resident of Santa Monica. As a community health nurse with a masters degree in nursing, she has worked in a variety of settings predominately as an administrator of home health care agencies. Upon retiring, she spent 2 yrs as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador she became active in Friends of Sunset Park Neighborhood Association. She recently moved to the Pico Neighborhood and has since been involved as a volunteer with the PNA.


 

PNA Boundaries

 

PNA Western Boundary

Pico Neighborhood Association voted to change the western PNA boundary from the Pacific Ocean to Ocean Ave.

 

PNA Northern Boundary

Pico Neighborhood Association voted to change the boundaries to include Saint Anne Catholic Church by expanding the PNA north boundary from the south side of Colorado Blvd to end on the North side of Colorado between 20th Street and Cloverfield Blvd. and extend the boundary of 20th Street to end on the eastern side of 20th Street.

 

PNA Boundaries:

 

Northern Boundary= Colorado Blvd.

Southern Boundary= Pico Blvd.

Eastern Boundary= Centinela Ave.

Western Boundary= Ocean Ave.
 

PNA Identifies Goals for the Pico Neighborhood Zoning District


 On June 23rd the City Council voted to approve the creation of the  Pico Neighborhood Zoning District. As of July 24th the Community Development Department has 18 months to create the elements  the PN Zoning District. At the PNA's Annual membership meeting, members and residents were asked to prioritize the goals of the PN Zoning District that will be presented to Rick Cole, SM City Manager, David Martin, Director of Community Development Department and the City Council. 

 

PN Zoning District Guiding Goals: 

  1. Protect the quality of life of neighborhood residents against potential impacts related to development- traffic, noise, air quality, parking and the encroachment of commercial activities.

  2. Strengthen and Sustain the Pico Neighborhood as a cultural and ethnic residential neighborhood that maintains its identity as a diverse rich community

  3. Create a fund to improve air quality in homes affected by freeway pollution

  4. Provide for the maintenance and continuation of a mixture of residential building types that range from older single-unit family homes to multi-unit housing.

  5. Ensure that the scale and design of new and rehabilitated development is sensitive to the scale and massing of existing adjacent structures and with the surrounding neighborhood context

  6. Ensure community benefits are centered on Pico Neighborhood needs such as culturally relevant youth services and senior services

  7. On Pico Blvd.- Eliminate the designation of Mix Use Blvd. Low (MUBL) and replace it with Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zoning designation

  8. Extend the boundaries of the PN Zoning District to the following:

    1. 1.Extend from Lincoln Blvd. to east side of 7th street

    2. 2.Extend from Olympic Blvd. to Colorado Blvd.

  9. Preserve our two mobile home parks-Village Trailer Park & Mountain View Trailer Park

  10. Provide sites for institutional, residential, and neighborhood serving uses such as parks, community facilities and locally owned small businesses and neighborhood stores that provide goods and services to support the daily life of diverse residents within walking distance of neighborhoods and complement surrounding residential development.