Every Spring, I look forward to the Peninsula City Managers at our Palos Verdes real estate Board Breakfast Meeting with presentations from the City Managers from all 4 cities on the Peninsula – Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates. Yesterday’s meeting did not disappoint and of great interest to me was that in the City of Palos Verdes Estates beginning July 1, we will no longer separate recyclables from household trash. Athens Waste Collection Services will be doing that themselves at their plant. Here is a summary of the City Managers’ updates:
Carolyn Lehr, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Manager, reported that the number one public work project was the San Ramon Canyon area to control mudflows that sweep down over 25th Street. It is a $20,000,000 project and they will receive $9,500,000 from the State and are looking for other funding sources. The City will also be going some improvements on Palos Verdes Drive East to improve safety making room for equestrian, pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The pilot program for the Dog Park at the beach below Trump National has been rescinded. The City is working with the City of Los Angeles on improvements on Western Avenue. In the planning stage on Crestridge (next to Mirandela) is a 60 unit condo for 55+; these will be 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage and 1685-2090 square feet. There is a new city website. They are expecting a 1/2% increase in the TOT tax from Terranea Resort and the restaurants are doing well; the weak area is sale of units due to restrictions in owner occupancy.
Douglas Prichard, the Rolling Hills Estates City Manager, reported that they have a backlog of neighborhood road maintenance. The Palos Verdes Drive North bicycle project widening the road to include bike lines will be extended from east of Crenshaw (existing) west to the city limits at Palos Verdes Estates. Construction will begin summer of 2013. Many pepper trees along Palos Verdes Drive North are at the end of their life span (rotted and hallowing from inside of trees) and will be replaced. Many of the mixed use (commercial/residential) projects are on hold. the old car was site is rumored to have been sold; the approvals to date are still valid. In Planning Commission is a new Chase Bank at the old Arco Site. Chandler development was approved last summer but has been held up by a lawsuit that is working its way through the settlement process – probably 5 more years before that development is ready to go. Butcher property at Palos Verdes Drive North and Palos Verdes Drive East has been approved for 12 homes and utilities are going in now.
Judy Smith, the Palos Verdes Estates City Manager, reported on their Neighborhood Watch, PVE Cares and Disaster Preparedness projects. The City completed 2 sewer projects w/new pumping stations at Paseo del Mar and Rocky Point. Southern California Edison is to give a presentation to the City regarding capital improvements to the electrical systems. Beginning July 1, trash pickup will go to a 2 barrel system – one for greens and one for household trash. Residents will no longer separate their recyclables as Athens Waste Collection Services can do that more efficiently at their plant and it will reduce the number of trash trucks on the streets.
Tony Dahlerbrach, the Rolling Hills City Manager, reported that the 2 lots redone as part of the Poppy Trail landslide mediation will be completed in June and put on the market. There is a new overlay zone for front setbacks which are currently 50 feet and some areas will now only have a 30 foot front setback (he mentioned Chuckwagon and Williamsburg as examples but indicated there were more streets involved). The sewer line on Johns Canyon may be continued to Crest Road.
