The meeting was opened at 7:04PM by Chair, Dan Scully.  Board members in attendance:  Rosemary Icardo, Jim McCaslin, Barbara Asbell, Dale Jaedtke, Sandy Bothman and Kioren Moss

 THERE WILL BE NO MEETING IN AUGUST.

Police Report:  Dan introduced our new representative from the Police Department, Commander Mark Stadler.   Phone contacts for him are desk - 339-4374 and mobile - 207-7800.

He is commander of all investigative services in the department:   crimes, investigations, narcotic crimes, gang unit, crime analysis and all property evidence.  He has been in law enforcement for 23 years, the last 20 ½ with the Ventura Police Department, has served in various positions within the department and is the liaison between the Ventura Police Dept. and Pierpont Community.  Current trends:  gang activity in prime time from about Spring Break through Ventura County Fair.  There has been a slight uptick all across the city in gang crimes.  Last Monday night there was a homicide in the “Avenue” area.  The suspect is known and there is a warrant for arrest.  There has been an uptick in activity by the “Pierpont Kids.”  Citywide there has been increase in auto burglaries.

 Member Question:  Is Marina Park a gang neutral Park?  No, in my experience it is not a gang neutral area.  I will check with the others in my department.  I don’t know of any gang neutral area.  There used to be issues with gang activity at the Fair.   However, back in 1998/99, we wrote an injunction that barred Ventura Avenue gangsters from the Fair.  Since that time it has been a lot quieter.  Darker clothing is typical attire for gang members.

 Member Question:  Is there anything new in the Keys homicide?  There is nothing new to report.  Evidence continues to be processed.  We are confident we are going to wrap up the case.

 Member Question:  How is the spike strip working at Marina Park?   It has reduced calls to the Department to let people out of the park at night.  Have you noticed people staying longer because they know they can leave at any time?   I will check with the beat officers for the answer.  Local resident, Jim McCaslin, who lives on Grenock Lane commented they seem to stay somewhat longer but no abuse. 

 CAUTION ABOUT AUTO BURGLARY:  OFFENDERS ARE CAR HOPPING, CHECKING DOOR HANDLES AND WHEN ONE OPENS, THEY CLEAN OUT THE CAR OF SMALL ITEMS.   THE OTHER TYPE OF BURGLARY:  OFFENDERS SEE OBJECTS ON CAR SEAT OR SEE A STEREO AND BREAK THE WINDOW.

Member Question: PARKING ISSUES.  Dover Lane has lots of cars that park illegally.  Does anyone drive down the streets and check on parking violations?  It is best to call Parking Enforcement during business hours to come and take care of the issues.  Tickets or impound would possibly be the result.  FOR ANY AND ALL LANE PARKING ISSUES, CALL 339-4401 after hours for immediate attention 339-4399.  ASK TO BE ANONYMOUS.  Dispatchers will let you know how busy they are and advise you of when they might be available to respond.

Barbara Asbell commented that she had gone home and noticed a light on that should not have been on.  She called and the police were very quick with response and extremely professional. 

 Committee Reports

 Beach Report - Rosemary Icardo:

At 6:38AM on July 15, I reported to Rich Rozzelle of State Parks that there were two dead and rotting seals on Pierpont Beach.  At 8:58: AM Mr. Rozzelle responded that they would have “someone out there today”.  By 4:30PM that afternoon both seals had been removed.  This was great service and I thanked him.  This is the time of year for seal beaching.  This is part of nature.  If you notify me of a dead seal and the approximate location, I will try to get the same great response from State Parks for you.

 The sand was removed from the end of lanes and turnout stairs about 5 weeks ago.  The majority of the lanes appear as if nothing was done.  The $24,000.00 used to complete that project came from the TOT monies.  If your stairs and lane ends look no different today than before the City sand removal, you might let Mr. Cole know that, as he was proud of what the City was doing.  Because I live where there is sand flowing down the stairs and onto the lane, I know the only respite from this is to move the sand back away from the turnout.  If you are not happy about the sand on your stairs, turnout or lane end it is always good for you to individually let your City Public Works Department, City Manager and City Council Members know about this.  The more people that call or email the various departments and persons, the better our chances are for a positive a response.  The squeaky wheel will get the grease.

 Member Comment:  Commander Stadler told me that if we see any narcotic or gang activity there is a hotline on facebook to report this.  If you have a facebook account anybody can join it.

Dan Scully suggested that whenever you talk with anyone in the Police Dept. you might mention routine patrolling of lanes for parking violations and fire issues on the beach.

 Vacation Rental Report – Sandy Bothman

There are now 54 registered short-term rental units, 47 in Pierpont.  The amount of money as of June 30, 2010 in the TOT account was $49,400.00 prior to the $24,000.00 withdrawal for lane sand removal.  We have July, August and September to gain revenue.  We need to have a dialog with the City about how to avoid dipping into the TOT money to continue removing sand off lanes.  Finally the last year has been relatively free of rental complaint incidents.  The prior incidents have been greatly reduced by the ordinance brought about by Pierpont Community Council.  Our efforts over the past year have been very fruitful in keeping the noise problems etc. down.  

Neighborhood Improvement Report - Dale Jaedtke.

Anastasi Project has nothing new to report.  They are going back and forth with the City.  When there is something to report, we will do it.  Nothing new on the Marriott demolition of the parking structure project yet.  We will keep you informed as it proceeds.  Marina Park car count has not occurred as yet.  He wants to get that done in the next couple of weeks.  There were a few volunteers that gave him their numbers, which he misplaced.  Please notify him if you volunteered and have not been contacted.

 Member Question:  What has to be done to get an abandoned restaurant area, Tai Star, cleaned?  We have spoken with them and it has not been cleaned.  I will make note of that and contact the property owner.

 Social Committee Report -  Barbara Asbell

We need to have some type of social activity.  We are too great a group not to have something down here.  What she is hoping is in September we could have potluck, BBQ down at Marina Park.  She can’t be a Social Committee of one person, but will not ask too much of anyone willing to volunteer.  Please contact me through my email address:  barbaraasbell@gmail.com.   She would love to have a get together and do the planning, but will not put anything on the billboard because might attract more than unwanted ants.

 Business Committee Report -  Jim McCaslin: We have been talking about this project since October, 2009.  The following posting from our web was read.

 PROPOSED PIERPONT AREA REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

 Pierpont Community Council Members & Neighbors:

As the chair of the Business Committee, we’ve been working for sometime on an idea hatched from talks with the City regarding development projects in our general area of Pierpont. There are approved projects on the acreage on Harbor & Seward (Anastasi), the hotel just north of the freeway next to Golden China, the parking structure at the Marriot & various other, either delayed or future wishes on lower Seward.

 We’ve researched various avenues such as BIDS (business improvement districts) & different assessment vehicles all of which have added costs, now is not the time to institute fee driven districts (if ever). After looking at what seems to make the most sense, is a Commercial Redevelopment Agency (RDA), commercial property only.

Lets talk facts. Nothing is in stone; we are LOOKING at this avenue and going through the motions to see if it passes the look, see, smell & logic tests. There is NO grand scheme of upgrading buildings or areas. What we have is an opportunity to take advantage of the already approved projects in our area and step up in tax basis and keep a large percentage of those tax dollars in our area.

 I’m putting in some links on Redevelopment Agencies (RDA’s) below and what the City/Westside Council is looking at. Please read these as it will help in the facts & keep the hearsay, innuendos, “I think they can take my house” out and leave it factual. This PROPOSED RDA is for commercial properties, NOT residential. We have talked to largest size commercial property owners and are continuing to do so working on a favorable draft consensus. Setting up an RDA takes approximately 2 years…..we have made great headway and crossed many bridges in looking to see if this is feasible and with, “do we really want this?” We are getting close to bringing this back to the Pierpont Council for a vote to propose the RDA ( only with a majority of the affected commercial property owners in favor) to the City Council to start the next leg of an RDA.

 Some basics:

An RDA takes the increased tax base of a project…here is a SIMPLE HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE… a large vacant lot for an hotel………empty, the property tax is $1,000. Built & developed, the property tax is $100,000..an increase of $99,000. (look at $10,000 base and stepped up tax of $1,000,000. ,more realistic) Approximately 35% of the $99,000 goes to government in many forms, approximately 65% stays within the RDA District to be spent only within that specific RDA. There is No cost to people within the RDA area and no cost to the commercial property owner other than with what their increased tax base is already from their property improvements. That roughly 65% stays out of the State, County and City general funds to be done with as they wish and must be spent in this defined RDA area.

 ·  A RDA is somewhat flexible in the way it is setup

·  Generally, the City Council is set up as the governing board

·  It can or cannot have condemnation rights (as defined in setting up RDA)

·  It is set up with a 40 year lifespan

·  Monies can be borrowed against district

·  The step up in basis begins with the finished project and the tax assessors new assessment of that finished project.

·  Allocation of monies relatively flexible in use (within reason) tree, street, sand maintenance, purchasing of property, signage, beautification etc.

Again, much leg work has been done and we are doing it by the numbers. We don’t know what we don’t know and only by starting the process will we learn if this is worth continuing. We feel it would be a shame, no, almost criminal to loose out on the monies from the increased tax base of these projects by waiting until after the fact and it went into general government funds which frankly, do not have the best track record. We will be keeping you informed along the way and will come back to you to ask you to vote, IF and WHEN it is deemed as plausible (we are close). To date……….we have had favorable INITIAL responses from involved parties (approx. 75% of affected commercial properties) and are moving forward.

 Respectfully,

Jim McCaslin

Chair, Business Committee

www.cityofventura.net/cd/neighbor/westside

 Look at Redevelopment 101 and other links like what an RDA did for downtown Ventura to get a good idea of funding & process.

 This is FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY ONLY.  Please take the time to read it.  There are links in the report.  Use them to gather more information.  75% of contacted commercial property owners have expressed an initial positive response.  Nothing is set in stone.  No projects are being looked at.   This affects new tax base projects only.  Taxes only increase with improvement by the county tax assessor with or without RDA.  We are about 1/3 of the way through this.  We will meet with them again to try to define and refine some of the issues.  We will come back to the general council and its members and seek a vote to move forward and take it to the City.

  We can’t see any downside to this.  The process takes about two years to complete.  The designated area is still under determination.  City has indicated that they do not want to start this project unless our community endorses it.  The RDA is set up for 40 years.

 Member Question:  Are there favorable tax benefits for RDA?  Generally yes. 

 
Treasurers Report - Dan Scully

The account balance is $3,003.33.

 Guest Speaker Oscar Pena, Ventura Port District General Manager

There are lots of things happening in the Harbor.  This summer we implemented a Water Taxi.  We have been meeting with the Coastal Commission off and on about the Sondermann Ring Project.  One of things they mentioned was public transportation.  Two free passes to ride were given to each person attending.  We are testing it.  The operator is paid on fee basis.  There is a stop at Marina Park.  Most of those using the water taxi come from Pierpont.  There is room on the boat for 2 or 3 bicycles.  Operation hours are 11-7 Sat. and Sun.only.  Fee is $2.00 a trip and each boat holds less than 20 people. 

There is a paid parking program at Harbor Village weekends only currently in force.  City has changed traffic on Spinnaker.  There is only one lane each way with a bike lane and 260 free street parking spaces.  The one lane each way has also slowed traffic.   We are midway in our parking plan.  Please spend your money in the harbor.

 Sondermann Ring Project will go back to the City in August back to square one. CC advised last year the project be withdrawn with no negative mark and reapply this year.  Hopefully CC will not appeal this project.  If we are lucky by mid 2011 we could begin work on the project.

 Water taxi available at west side of Marina Park docks.  There is a yellow sign, marking pick up site.  Taxi runs about every half hour.  Phone number on sign to call Ventura Harbor Water Taxi operator.

 Member Question:  Can you reserve boat for a group of people?  Call 805 498-6682 to see if that could be arranged.

 Service after 7 PM fee will be $5.00.

 Meeting adjoined by Dan Scully at 8:10PM with the reminder that THERE WILL BE NO AUGUST MEETING.  

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