Jan 2024 - Safety and Financials

PVE Community Newsletter

Serving Lunada Bay, Malaga Cove, Montemalaga and Valmonte

Photo by Mo Kim

This issue:

Safety
- FBI’s Crime Stats Show Year-Over-Year Burglary Spikes in PVE
- New Fire Abatement Trimming Contractor Quits
- Fire Dept Designates Mandatory Tree Removals
Financial / Good Governance:
- Tax Increases
- PVE Staff Vacancies
Land / Housing - see Q&A
Community
- Our Endangered PV Blue Butterfly
Q&A:
- Deed Restrictions Prohibit Density on George Allen Field
- Objective Criteria for Density Projects
- PV’s first Builder’s Remedy Forced Density Project (500 units)

PVE’s Reported Crime Statistics

The City of PVE provides reported crime statistics on its website LINK and to the FBI LINK

Why do these crime stats differ?

PVE’s reporting to the FBI shows significantly more crime in PVE than is publicly shared. Example: PVE reported 22 burglaries in 2020, 48 burglaries in 2021, and 48 burglaries in 2022 to the FBI LINK. Yet, the crime reports the city shares with the public only show 34 burglaries in 2021 and 2022 LINK.

SAFETY IMPACT: The 118% spike in burglaries after 2020 went undetected. This hampered the Council’s ability to require action to mitigate, which resulted in a burglary rate that has remained elevated for three years. A Burglary Abatement Program was the residents #1 priority in the budget survey last year LINK

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PVE Tax Increases

The city’s preliminary forecast LINK (shown below)

We pay $5 million in taxes for Measure E, after 2027. Below, the City shows $20 million in unfunded needs, which increases the taxes for the average cost to homeowners from $1,000 to $4,000 annually. LINK

Status: City Council is continuing to refine the amount. Repairing City Hall is included, but not a new City Hall or a new Fire Station. Each will cost tens of millions more.

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County Fire Dept will Require Tree Removals

Representatives from County Fire joined a community meeting in Montemalaga on Dec 3, 2023.

County Fire advised residents, if requested, they will evaluate the stability of trees. If they find a tree “dead or dying” within 200’ of a structure they will require removal. This includes trees on private and public property, which becomes a liability for the owner if not addressed.

Contact information: Assistant Fire Chief Brian Bennett. 310-329-3315. Email brian.bennett@fire.lacounty.gov

Tree Failure

Valmonte (Feb 2023)

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PVE City Staff Vacancies

Do you know someone qualified and available?

Vacancies for a year or more:

Police Chief
City Clerk
Finance Director
Senior Accountant
City Planners (2 vacancies)
Police Officers (2 vacancies)

Newer Vacancies:

Police Community Relations Officer
Management Analyst (new position)
HR Analyst

More vacancies to be announced soon…

At the Jan 9th PVE City Council meeting, the City Manager mentioned staff vacancies were added during the holidays.

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New Fire Abatement Contractor Quits, Seeking Substantial Increases

On Jan 23rd, Staff recommended accepting the contractor, BATS’ (Bay Area Tree Specialists) new terms: LINK

Payment increase: from $1.4 to $6.4 million
Duration Extension: from 1 year to 5 years
This work is to address LA County Fire’s requirement to provide 200’ foot defensible barrier for our homes. Most trimming is on parkland.

Outcome: BATS agreed to continue work until Feb 27th, while Council considers reducing their scope of work.

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Our Endangered PV Blue Butterfly

Have you seen one of our precious indigenous Blue Butterflies?

Send your pictures to: Info@PreservePVE.org and we will post your pictures with location sightings.

Please consider planting plants that allow our local species to expand and flourish here in Palos Verdes LINK

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Newsletter Inquiry

Q1: At the Jan 23rd Council meeting I heard a Council member state the Land Preservation Act was the reason the density zoning could not move from Lunada Bay Plaza to the George Allen Field on Via Zurita. Is this true?

No. The prohibition for development on the George Allen Field is the deed restrictions. Details:
The George Allen Field is on parkland. PVE Parkland has deed restrictions that prohibit rezoning. This was affirmed by trial and appellant courts. LINK These deed restrictions have no means to be removed by anyone including voters, PVHA or the City.
The Preservation Act is a law that requires a 50%+1 to approve rezoning Open Space, giving residents a choice, not a restriction.
George Allen Field is both Parkland and Open Space, so both apply.

Q2: What are Objective Standards?

Forced Density Projects are approved over the counter, rather than reviewed by the Planning Commission. Density projects must pass defined “Objective Standards” by the city.
PVE has no Objective Standards so Forced Density Projects can utilize cheap and unsightly designs, inadequate safety requirements, ignore neighbor impacts to views and privacy, demand waivers and city taxpayer subsidies.
PreservePVE alerted then-Mayor Roos to this issue Aug 25, 2023 LINK Then-Mayor Roos was non-responsive and took no action.
Recently, Council member Kemps raised the issue to Council and received Council support to begin the process.

Q3: What is Builder’s Remedy?

If a city does not have a CA approved Housing Element, they are subject to Builder’s Remedy density projects.
RPV just received their first Builder’s Remedy forced density project:

LINK 5323 Ironwood, near Silver Spur Elementary

The developer is demanding 21 waivers of the city including taxpayer funding for some of his infrastructure.

Similar to PVE, RPV has not implemented “Objective Standards” for density projects. Once implemented, future submissions can not utilize cheap designs and minimum safety standards.

The project is 7 stories high, 84’ above grade, 500 apartments, buried in a ravine behind homes, near an Elementary school, with limited emergency exiting through a four story parking structure in a high fire zone. Safe?

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We are residents preserving and supporting our beautiful city.

Newsletter subscription requests: Link

Comments: email Info@PreservePVE.org

Palos Verdes Estates’ unique charm is reflected in its magnificent trees, ocean vistas, architecture, dedicated open space, protected coastal habitats, and scenic roadways.

The PreservePVE Newsletters focus on land, good governance practices, safety and community.

Prior Newsletter Editions: LINK

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This newsletter and PreservePVE do not provide legal advice or legal information. Information is shared by volunteers who are not attorneys which is general information and not a substitute for legal information or advice. The use of reliance of any information from PreservePVE, including this site, is solely at your own risk.