Feige Takes Over as VNC President; Board Denies Venice Blvd Shopping Center, Forms Charter Reform Ad Hoc Committee, Defeats Redmond Removal Motion.
By Nick Antonicello
The Venice Neighborhood Council (www.venicenc.org) met via ZOOM on Tuesday evening with newly elected President David Feige presiding.
Feige, a television producer and former Bronx public defender took the reins of the 21-member, all volunteer and directly elected board when he was selected among four candidates to succeed President Brian Averill who resigned last month after controversies with several board members.
The board consists of Feige, Gary Pearl, Tima Bell, Helen Fallon, Mark Mack, Soraya Moss, Erica Moore, Alley Bean, Brennan Lawson, Clark Brown, Fran Solomon, Jason Sugars, Jim Fitzgerald, Joseph Garcia, Kenya Lee, Lisa Redmond, Nico Ruderman, Richard Stanger, Ted Henderson, Yolanda Gonzalez and Sarah Mahir.
Feige appointed Robin Rudisill as temporary secretary in lieu of Tima Bell’s absence.
With Feige’s ascension to President, a vacancy has occurred on the Land Use & Planning Committee otherwise known as LUPC, where his seat is now open.
Residents will get the opportunity to apply for that unexpired term once advertised by the Communications Chair in March, according to Feige when asked under general public comment.
Under LUPC business, 606 Venice Blvd came before the VNC for approval
The application called for a shopping center that would include retail, fitness and sit-down & takeout restaurant. An issue of additional trees and landscaping was discussed as a condition of approval and after that discussion was rejected by the full board by a vote of 8-6-2.
The most controversial application of the evening was the rejection of 1515 Abbot Kinney Blvd, more commonly known as The Brig, the longtime popular bar.
President Feige handed over the meeting to Vice-President Gary Pearl to present the staff report he prepared as a former member of LUPC.
The application called for the conversion of the existing parking lot with temporary dining to a permanent outdoor dining or “Al Fresco” function.
Originating as a phrase for eating outside, it is commonly used to describe restaurant patios, picnics, and, in Los Angeles, the “L.A. Al Fresco” program, which expanded outdoor dining options on sidewalks, parking lots, and streets to support businesses in lieu of the pandemic crisis.
It was argued that the number of complaints by neighbors was numerous, and that The Brig by definition was not a restaurant, but rather a bar and expansion was not appropriate.
The motion to deny the application was 11-2-4.
REDMOND REMOVAL FAILS
During the discussion regarding the application, a motion was made to remove Community Officer Lisa Redmond from the Administrative Committee. While Feige tried to dismiss the motion, a vote was eventually taken, and the board voted 9-6-1 to avoid removal. This was the second time an attempt was made to remove Redmond.
Redmond, a longtime proponent for the homeless was highly critical of former VNC President Brian Averill and a political opponent of Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11), an attorney and resident of Venice. Park is seeking reelection to a second term in the June Primary.
Sources tell Yo! Venice, that two unnamed members of the VNC have been cited with censure motions.
A request for information has been made with DONE, or the Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment seeking the names of those being potentially censured.
A censure order is a disciplinary action for disorderly behavior, ethical violations, or to criticize specific actions of a member of a legislative body, commission, agency or board.
AD HOC COMMITTEE FORMED
A stakeholder motion to create an Ad Hoc committee on the issue of Los Angeles charter reform was brought before the board even though the LA Charter Commission will be wrapping up its business later this month.
Several issues are being weighed by the commission including expansion of the 15-member city council, rank choice voting and new budgetary reforms that could be presented to the LA City Council for approval in the form of a ballot initiative come the November General Election.
The stakeholder motion was made by Redmond.
After long discussion and public comment, it was decided to create the committee by a vote of 10-4-3.
FEIGE APPOINTS REDMOND & RUDISILL AS CO-CHAIRS
After passage of the motion, Feige announced both Lisa Redmond & Robin Rudisill would act as co-chairs versus a single chair. The appointments were approved by the full board.
It was another marathon meeting extending over three hours, as Feige promised to invoke new procedures to decrease the length while increasing the value and quality of the content. Nick Antonicello is a thirty-three-year resident of the neighborhood who exclusively covers the deliberations of the Venice Neighborhood Council. Have a take or a tip on all things Venice? Contact him via e-mail at nantoni@mindsppring.com.
