Quality of Life in Rancho Palos Verdes

By Paul L. Tetreault

It is our combination of open space, diversity of neighborhoods, coastal access and excellent schools that make RPV special. It takes work to keep it that way.

As a Planning Commissioner for six years I have fought hard to limit inappropriate development that threatens our quality of life. This is primarily a bedroom community and our neighborhoods must not be violated by inappropriate, overly large or incompatible residences.

View Restoration/Preservation

Twenty years ago the residents of RPV passed one of the toughest view restoration ordinances in California, recognizing the importance of views of the ocean, coastline, islands, mountains, harbor and city lights. It is just as important today as it was back then.

I believe that there are inconsistencies in our view ordinances that need to be fixed. I also believe that property owners who have a view that is blocked by encroaching trees need to speak up and request trimming within a reasonable time. It is unfair to allow years of overgrowth so that trimming can no longer be performed without killing the trees.

Equestrian Heritage

This is a community with an equestrian heritage. A few residents own and stable horses in barns on their property and ride on local trails. But over time these trails and the number of equestrian homes are being lost. Although most of us do not ride locally, all of us in Rancho Palos Verdes benefit from this continuing tradition. We need to support the equestrian community and encourage those with horses to keep and ride them right here.

Business Community

We are also a community where people work and shop. We have world class golf and resort facilities, markets, shops, a college, theaters, restaurants and professional services. Our business community is a vital part of the City, providing jobs, services, goods, recreation and personal growth opportunities to our residents. They also provide an important source of revenue to the City in the form of property, sales, hotel and other taxes and fees.

We need to support our business community, facilitate appropriate growth and promote improvements where needed. The business district along Western Avenue is in particular need of updating. As a member of City Council I will work with merchants, developers and the Chamber of Commerce to promote projects that better serve our residents and the business community.

Marymount College

Nearly everyone agrees that the school needs to update its facilities. However, the proposal that it submitted to the Planning Commission for two on-campus dormitories to house 255 students was simply not compatible with the neighborhood. While on the Planning Commission I rejected the dormitory element of its proposal (in a straw vote) because high density housing in a neighborhood of single family homes combined with woefully inadequate on-site parking would place too high a burden on the neighbors.

The schools enrollment is declining and the college needs a modern library, administration and student life facilities. Although the college's plans do not currently include keeping the Pre-School open, it is hoped that they will find a way to do so. My son is among the hundreds of young people who were introduced to education at Marymount.

The impact on the community caused by the school's recently announced change to a four-year college has yet to be studied, but it will be limited by the city imposed enrollment cap of 792 students. There are two significant problems that need to be addressed. First, there has to be adequate on-campus parking for day-to-day operations of the school, and as a four-year school the parking load will increase. Second, the construction schedule has to be shorter than the proposed eight years. That is simply too long for the community to endure. If those problems get resolved, the community should get behind the project.

Annenberg Foundation Project at Lower Point Vicente

Although the plans for this ambitious project have yet to be finalized, I support it in its current form. It does involve private development of publicly owned land next to the Palos Verdes Interpretive Center, but the public will realize enormous benefits from the project. The low impact Annenberg structure will cover less than five percent of the land while the Foundation is promising to preserve open space and add new trails, linked to existing ones, provide habitat restoration and native planting. There will be public facilities, teaching and education opportunities and exhibits that will compliment the Interpretive Center. You can review the plans at the Foundation's website, http://www.annenbergfoundation.org/tsprojects and click on "Annenberg Project at Lower Point Vicente."