Our SMart Group article from the Santa Monica Daily Press on December 20, 2014. “Nonsenseland” and the Department of Common Sense A CITY’S HIPPOCRATIC OATH SHOULD read “do no harm to residents,” yet residents continue to experience frustration at the hands of the City. This sentiment was evident at the recent Town hall meeting with the Planning Commission last month. The City Government needs to establish a Department of Common Sense. A few areas where we can do better as a City are highlighted below. Curtail government policies that put the goal of a “Livable City” in jeopardy ISSUES: The number of new projects entering “the pipeline” for approval is unsustainable. If the 30+ pending projects are approved, they will result in a more than 30 percent increase in the City’s congestion adding 14,000 daily car trips to a City that is already in gridlock. Development is above LUCE projections for a “Livable City” and must be abated. Downtown development already exceeds the capacity of the current infrastructure. Although the City lacks parking, the Traffic Demand Management Program allows developers to provide fewer spaces shifting this burden into the neighborhoods. COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS: Create a City Planning document that manages future growth in proportion to the City’s ability to absorb more people and cars without detriment to the City’s livability. Develop City Owned property only with public input and within current code regulations. Require developers of commercial and mixed-use projects to compensate the City for infrastructure upgrades necessitated by their projects. Require developments to provide adequate parking until a functioning transit system is in place at which time excess parking can be adaptively reused. Make City’s new project review process more efficient & transparent ISSUES: City Staff champion developer’s projects in spite of residents’ concerns. City officials conduct public business behind closed doors leading to lack of public trust. Cronyism and special interests compromise open and fair public policy decisions. Political contributions and special favors have influenced City Council decisions. City uses outside legal firms for legal battles despite having 22 lawyers on staff. COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS: Direct staff to pay as much attention to residents as they do to outside interests. Enforce laws to insure that public decisions are devoid of cronyism, retribution or influenced by campaign contributions. Make City business that affects residents transparent and open to public scrutiny- particularly in the case land owned by the city. Pay City staff commensurate with cities of similar size and limit the use of outside consultants. Poor Public Transit Management ISSUES: Bus stops have turned into outdoor “smoking areas” without proper enforcement. Lack of digitized displays at some bus stops makes the use of transit more difficult. Some bus information is accessible only by smartphone that many users don’t have. 750 Samohi Students have to be driven to school daily due to unreliable bus service. COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS: Enforce smoking laws and designate smoking spots away from public areas. Facilitate Public Transit ridership with clear and current information available at all stops. Coordination of Bus Services with local schools to provide timely, reliable service. Learn from other cities that have been successful in providing efficient public transportation. “Opportunity Sites” that benefit the Developer rather than the Community ISSUES: Most often “Opportunity Sites” provide an “opportunity’ for the developer to build beyond current codes and restrictions to the detriment of the adjacent residents. There is no approved Master Plan for downtown that sets a clear vision for the heart of our City. City approvals are being granted in cases where there is insufficient infrastructure (e.g. sewer, water, electricity, parking etc.) or public services (e.g. fire, police, hospitals, schools etc.). COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS: The development of pivotal properties (Opportunity Sites) in the City should take into account both the positive and negative impacts on their immediate neighbors. The designation “opportunity site” should not be “carte blanche” to violate codes but rather an opportunity to provide City amenities in particular areas of the City. Developers must prove that City services and utilities are adequate and available before building. If not, they must pay the cost of providing such additional services. Provide transparency regarding the selection of “Opportunity Sites” and refrain from making public land available for private development without residents’ involvement and consent. We want the City to start using common sense in its operations, expenditures, transportation policies and finances. Santa Monica needs a Department of Common Sense. SMa.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA, architect, Ron Goldman FAIA, architect, Daniel Jansenson, Architect, Armen Melkonians, Civil Engineer, Thane Roberts AIA, architect, Robert H. Taylor AIA, architect, Samuel Tolkin Architect, Phil Brock, Chair, Parks & Recreation Commission
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 16:29:56 +0000
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