Palos Verdes Peninsula News
Thursday, March 22, 2007
By Chris Boyd  

Rolling Hills Estates officials hope to transform the downtown area between Hawthorne and Crenshaw boulevards into a European-style village. Some business owners fear they will lose their space during the process, but the city is working on a plan to help displaced businesses.

Community speaks out on Village Plan

RHE — More than 200 people packed the Harlyne J. Norris Pavilion in Rolling Hills Estates Monday night to comment about the city’s Peninsula Village Plan, which aims to turn Deep Valley Drive and portions of Silver Spur Road into a European-style village complete with high-density condominiums, apartments, offices and small businesses. At times the atmosphere was like that of a daytime talk show, as audience members applauded speakers’ criticism or praise of the proposal.

But the loudest applause was reserved for those who urged city officials to maintain RHE’s rural atmosphere, although the area under consideration is anything but rural.

Mayor Susan Seamans, a leading proponent of revitalizing downtown, led off the workshop. “We have not been hiding behind closed doors or anything like that,” she said, alluding to allegations that RHE officials discussed the Peninsula Village concept in secret meetings the last few years — actually, they held many public meetings. “I am sorry that it seems that things got out of hand a little bit, and there’s been a lot of misinformation circulating in the community. We have not decided anything yet. That’s what the environmental impact report process is for.”

Seamans asked the crowd, “What kind of shopping experiences do you want? What kind of commercial facilities do you want?”

Workshop moderator and city consultant Daniel Iacofano of Moore, Iacofano and Goltsman Inc. noted that the city already approved three mixed-use developments that include 117 residential units.

While few people spoke at the meetings where council gave the OK to those projects, public interest in the Village Plan took off after officials released the draft environmental impact report for what’s dubbed the Peninsula Village Overlay Zone. The overlay zone currently proposes a maximum density of 40 residential units per acre, allowing for 900 total dwelling units in downtown RHE between Crenshaw and Hawthorne boulevards. It also would permit commercial development of 2.3 million square feet.

 End of country living?

Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor Tom Long, one in a long line of speakers, questioned the Village Plan. Long pointed to RHE’s 50th anniversary signs that proclaim, “Celebrating 50 years of country living with style.” If officials aren’t careful, he said, that saying could change to, “Fifty years of country living with style coming to an end.”

Said Long, “How do you reconcile high-density development in this area with the infrastructure of Rolling Hills Estates and particularly the infrastructure of PV Drive North?”

According to Long, the city’s population will increase by 25 to 30 percent with the addition of 900 units.

Speaker Valerie Jones wondered if the Village Plan was merely about filling RHE’s coffers. “You can’t fit a horse in a condo,” she said. “My concern is that instead of celebrating 50 years of country living, we’ll be celebrating 50 years of condo living. If we redevelop the business area, let’s redevelop it with more businesses and not more dense housing.”

Resident Ed Hallett said he and his wife moved to the Hill in 1979. “There weren’t any booze joints; there weren’t any saloons; there weren’t any dance halls,” he said. “There wasn’t any population density, and that’s where we’re headed. This [proposal] will change [the environment] forever.”

“If we proceed with what is being proposed here … you would take an already

marginally tolerable situation and make it worse,” RHE

resident Dick Berg said of traffic gridlock on PV Drive North.

Berg joined multiple residents who expressed traffic concerns. “In looking through the EIR, it struck me that the traffic impact was not thoroughly addressed,” said RPV resident Bud Guthrie. “My primary concern is the character of the Hill. We’ve got to do everything we can to preserve what we have.”

 “One of my huge concerns is that I have not seen anything that addresses traffic at Crenshaw and PV Drive North, Hawthorne and Pacific Coast Highway,” said resident Elise Klein.

RPV Councilman Steve Wolowicz, who delivered sharp criticism of the Village Plan in November, said the EIR’s traffic reports are flawed. “Our city was founded with the idea to stop high-density growth,” he said. “What is proposed here is a bit of an antithesis to that … This [downtown] is our community.”

Opportunities for seniors

Others spoke in favor of the proposal. “We need to be able to get people off the freeways and keep them closer to home,” said Realtor Gerry Carrese. “[Residents] will have an opportunity to stay in the community we love and won’t have to relocate.”

“This concept is surely not new, but it’s new to this area,” said Palos Verdes Estates resident Joseph Braver. “As a senior citizen myself, my wife and I are thinking about maybe moving into one of these condominium projects. People living on the Hill want to stay here … If you want to downsize, where do you really go?”

“I’d like to stay in my house as long as I can,” said Jackie Balint, “but I would love a place that is dedicated to those who are over 55 or whatever.”

RPV resident Stan Keith proposed that the city limit occupation of all Village residential units to seniors. “Senior citizens don’t necessarily get in their cars and drive at prime hours,” he said. “Limiting this to senior citizens would support the city … and give all of us an opportunity to downsize and have a place to live in.”

The Avenue of the Peninsula General Manager Liz Griggs said the city should provide a community open to all age groups. “The big thing is really looking forward and trying to revitalize the area for people who have the businesses,” she said.

According to Braver, the city’s primary concern “is to have [the commercial district] friendly for people to walk around and spend some time. Now the big question is, What are you going to do as far as making the shopping area more friendly?”

“The Peninsula business center does need revitalization,” said PVP Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kay Finer. “There are needs with respect to sidewalks, traffic mitigation, streetscape and parks, as well as to assist as appropriate with the repair of the landslide behind Indian Peak Road.”

Finer noted that current zoning actually allows for 2,000-plus residences — far more than the 900 proposed under the Peninsula Village Overlay Zone. “These comparisons … have not been communicated effectively to the public,” she said.

Mike Giglia, owner of Mike’s Brickwalk Cafe, summed up the feeling of some merchants. “It’s not rural up there,” he said. “It’s an urban area, and it’s a commercial area that needs revitalization.”

But at least one local veterinarian, Dr. Peggy Herrera, is worried about the plan. “I didn’t really know I needed to be revitalized,” she said. “Please remember there are actual names attached to those businesses; there are people attached.

“There is indeed the potential for many negatives,” she added. “We don’t know where we’re going to stand. We don’t know where our buildings are going to be.”

For more information about the Peninsula Village Plan, visit the city’s Web site at www.ci.rolling-hills-estates.ca.us or contact City Hall at (310) 377-1577.

 Visit the PV News website at:  http://www.pvnews.com/local_news/