Home OP-ED Overwhelming Turnout (Today) for South Sepulveda Committee

Overwhelming Turnout (Today) for South Sepulveda Committee

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More than a dozen rolled in today alone.

Technically, that means 4 candidates for every seat. It probably will not work out so abundantly, however, since the seats are apportioned on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood geographic basis.

In the first three weeks after City Hall put out the call for residents and entrepreneurs to apply, starting Jan. 16, 19 residents filed for the Advisory Committee.

Where Are Store Owners

Oddly, though, there did not appear to be a single business owner among them.

The board of the Redevelopment Agency — Chair Steve Rose, Mayor Gary Silbiger, Vice Mayor Alan Corlin, Carol Gross and Scott Malsin — will make the final choices.

Selections will be made at the Monday, March 19, meeting of the Redevelopment Agency.

Transparency Promised

A spokesperson said there will not be anything “mystical” about the way committee members are selected. “No background checks or unusual tests will be made,” he said. “They will be picked the same way city commissioners are.”

Conflicting numbers have been bandied about in recent weeks regarding the number of affected businesses — mainly mom-and-pop kinds — and the size of the land.

• 77 businesses.
• 22 parcels of land.
• 19 property owners.
• 12.5 acres.

“We are very encouraged by the turnout from the community,” Joe Susca, the Project Manager for the Community Development Dept., said this afternoon.

Since last summer, when information about the planned massive teardown — on the west side of South Sepulveda, from Sawtelle to Jefferson boulevards — interest started, and stayed, at fever level.

Blue Skies and Green Lights

Although numerous hurdles remain before construction can begin, every indication is that the project is a cinch to receive a green light.

It is the largest rebuild in Culver City in more than 30 years, or since the original Fox Hills Mall was erected in the early 1970s.

Division of Power

Here is how the seats on the Citizens Advisory Committee will be divided:

Sunkist Park/Studio Village residential neighborhoods, 2 seats.

Fox Hills residential neighborhood, 1 seat.

Blanco/Culver Crest residential neighborhood, 1 seat.

Sepulveda Redevelopment Area, businesses/property owners, 2 seats.

Other community residents, 2 seats.

Other community businesses, 1 seat.