[Editor’s Note: A letter addressed to residents of Culver Crest.]
Dear Culver Crest Resident:
We need your help in our efforts in dealing with West LA College.
For the last four years, the college has periodically threatened to close its facilities, such as the track and tennis courts, to the general public.
It was for this reason we insisted that the Environmental Impact Report include a Mitigation Measure specifically requiring that these facilities “remain open and available for public use whenever the campus is open so long as such use does not directly interfere with a specific college event, class or activity, then being held on such facilities.”
Also, because of a concern about college students parking in our neighborhoods, the EIR also requires the college to operate its parking operations so as to prevent overflow parking.
Over the last few months, the college has decided to ignore its obligations under the EIR, and as a result it has closed the track and posted no parking signs on the streets surrounding the campus, thereby eliminating more than 300 free parking spaces.
When the County asked the college why it was posting no parking signs on County streets, the college (as an after-the-fact excuse) said it was concerned that cars parked on the street might present safety risks because of the college's construction programs. This ignored the fact that many of the eliminated parking spaces are not located within 100 yards of any construction.
When complaints were made about the track closure, the college pointed to the construction of a new restroom facility next to the grandstand, and said that a trench will need to be dug to run electrical lines from the former Avengers’ training room to the site. This ignored the fact that the current construction area is completely enclosed by fences and that the fenced area could be expanded to include the area where the trench will be dug.
In response to a question about why this minor construction project posed more danger than the major ones at the center of the campus, past which people walk every day, the college said that it did not have control over people who walk on the track, adding that they sometimes walk around the track in the wrong direction and might climb over the construction fence.
The college's true motivation is shown by the comment that it plans to “evaluate” whether to open the track to the public after the restroom project has been completed.
When representatives of the Culver Crest Neighborhood Assn. have complained to the college, the Community College District, Culver City and Los Angles County, the standard response has been that only one or two people care about these issues.
If you are concerned about track access and/or parking, it is very important to let your concerns be known.
Unfortunately, there is no central repository to which comments can be sent, but here are the relevant names and addresses:
College — President Mark Rocha, RochaMW@wlac.edu
9000 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA 90230.
District — Facilities Director Larry Eisenberg EisenbLH@email.laccd.edu
770 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90017.
It is also important to contact one or more of the Trustees (Kelly Candaele, Mona Field, Georgia Mercer, Nancy Pearlman, Angela Reddock, Miguel Santiago, Sylvia Scott-Hayes), who can be reached at the same address shown above.
County — Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas, markridley-thomas@bos.lacounty.gov
cc his aid Karly Kartona, KKatona@bos.lacounty.gov
On the parking issue, cc Asst. Traffic Director Bill Winter, WWINTER@dpw.lacounty.gov
Culver City — Director of Engineering, Charles Herbertson, charles.herbertson@culvercity.org
It would also be helpful to contact one or more City Council members (Scott Malsin, Gary Silbiger, Mehaul O'Leary, Chris Armenta, Andy Weissman).
Thank you for your participation in helping with our neighborhood issues with the College.
Your Culver Crest Neighborhood Assn. Board of Directors
Mr. Bauer may be contacted at culvercrest99@al.com
