Not a Done Deal
Ms. Kim will join City Hall officials in traveling across town to two communities where the developer has gone through a similar redevelopment process.
Advisory Committee Chair Allan Goldman tried to tamp down repeated assertions from the audience that South Sepulveda was a done deal, that the present community meeting process was window dressing, and that his groups only task was to approve what is destined to go forward.
Decision to be Made
Echoing other officials, Mr. Goldman said the teardown was far from being decided.
Fruther, he said, it was pr that the committee was largely silent for the third meeting in a row.
Its job is to patiently listen to all perspectives, and only at the end of the process, following the final meeting on June 27, forward its views to the City Council. Eight of the nine committee members were in attendance, one turning out for the first time. All nine never have been together in one sitting.
Civil Behavior
Uninhibited in their comportment, opponents of South Sepulveda routinely called out from the audience. Frequently, they spoke out of turn, and they seemed to flaunt rules of civility.
Many indicated a lack of familiarity with the citizen-participation process. Numbers of them had no compunction about making personal attacks on Mr. Champion.
Deja Vu
Reprising his strong performance last Dec. 5 at El Rincon School, when he faced another rowdy crowd, the developer remained steady and unflappable.
This crowd appeared to dare him to lose his temper over constant haranguing of the project and of his values.
But Mr. Champion never blinked, although several times he was forced to scold an elderly man, uncommonly loquacious, who insisted on drawing attention to himself with a running, disruptive monologue.
Following the Rules
Responding point-by-point to a series of fiery complaints filed by the noisy, foul-tempered crowd at the Senior Center, Mr. Champion, no revolutionary, explained several times he was closely following City Halls General Plan and zoning regulations in mapping a strategy.
To complaints that the teardown and rebuild was outsized for the neighborhood, Mr. Champion again declared he was interested in conforming to what residents wanted, partnering with them.
A Consensus
Possibly anticipating what the developers rejoinder would be, a number of speakers harshly criticized the density of buildings/people, the height of buildings and the resulting increase in traffic.
Just because you are legally allowed to create this degree of density does not mean you should, was a consensus view
As for the most stormily expressed complaint, that ordinary citizens were being deprived of meaningful input, the developer said that was his No. 1 priority to address.
Rejects Claim
I cannot tell you how far it is from the truth that ordinary citizens are not being listened to, Mr. Champion said. The fact the advisory council is here, the fact that you all are here and participating, voicing your objection, is proof (your claim is not true). This project is not being done in a vacuum. It is being done with you.
This is a huge difference from a lot of projects I have seen.
Skepticism in the audience was palpable when Mr. Champion said, I have a reputation as a consensus builder.
Changing Minds
Whether he succeeded in mollifying much less winning over angered residents of Sunkist Park remained questionable.
Chip Netzel, president of the Sunkist Park Neighborhood Watch, and perhaps Mr. Champions most ardent critic, gave an emphatic no to the mollification question.
Separate Committee
Further, he announced the immediate formation of a citizens committee to directly deliver his communitys most important concerns to the City Council. Mr. Netzel can be contacted at cjnetzel@ca.rr.com.
It is anticipated, but not certain, that the Council will vote in July on whether to proceed with the redevelopment of the west side of South Sepulveda Boulevard, from Sawtelle on the north to Jefferson on the south.
