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The Weekly Newspaper of El Segundo Herald Publications - El Segundo, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 105, No. 15 - April 7, 2016 Inside Boy Scout Troop 267 Wins Gold This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals ....................14 Classifieds ...........................4 Crossword/Sudoku ............4 Film Review .........................4 Legals ........................... 11,12 Letters ......................... 2,6,14 On Feb. 18, Boy Scout Troop 267 was awarded 3 Gold Awards (out of 3 awards offered) for Troop Excellence in 2015. Established in 1924, Troop 267 is the oldest Boy Scout Troop in the South Bay (ES, Pets .....................................13 Manhattan Beach, Redondo, Hermosa). Photo by Ralf’s Photography. • Police Reports ....................6 City Council Takes First Step to Real Estate. ...................7-10 Clean Up Residential Building Code By Brian Simon a community workshop to receive input driving range; 120 days instead of 60 to wrap Sports ...................................5 During its Tuesday night meeting, the before going to the Planning Commission up the review of CenterCal and TopGolf’s El Segundo City Council directed staff to for recommendations. Mayor Pro Tem financial strength; and 135 days instead of 90 take steps to clarify confusing language and Carl Jacobson suggested a joint City to submit CenterCal’s land use applications. diagrams in the single family residential (R- Council/Planning Commission meeting on Attorney Mark Hensley said these additional 1) zone code, as well as simplify or possibly the issue. Although “not a fan of modulation” timelines won’t delay the project itself. even eliminate modulation requirements. The per se, he hoped to retain elements of it At the behest of Mayor Suzanne Fuentes action was in response to complaints that in order to ensure residents don’t build and to ensure the Council can take up the the City’s development standards that were walls that block out all their neighbors’ issue by the time of its summer strategic adopted in 2006 discourage homeowners to sunlight. Jacobson pointed to “people planning session, staff will look at the Weekend build in town. complaining they couldn’t get anything to impacts of the changes to the City’s Last month, Councilmember Marie Fellhauer grow in their yards.” While sympathetic ambulance transport fee policy. The study Forecast with her colleagues’ support asked staff to about potential impacts, Fellhauer argued will analyze both ambulance user stats as compile data on the number of residences that modulation puts limits on the styles of well as revenues. and major remodels/additions built in El homes that can be built in town and takes The Council also approved an updated Segundo over the past 10 years versus the away from El Segundo’s uniqueness. She Investment Policy—the first such change decade prior to the 2006 code amendments also called it a case of “government since 2011. City Treasurer Crista Binder Friday that created stricter guidelines. Planning and overstepping its bounds,” adding that “design summarized some of the new provisions, which AM Showers Building Safety Director Sam Lee reported is none of our business—it’s up to the include an annual policy update if there are 70 such homes since 2006 as opposed to property owner.” Lee earlier explained any material changes; annual policy approval 65˚/56˚ 109 from 1996-2006. Pointing to the 2007 that there are six elements to the City’s from the Investment Advisory Committee; housing market crash and recessionary period, modulation requirements that are continuing education requirements for Treasury he noted that the drop in local building understandable when read individually, but staff at a minimum of five hours per year; coincided with similar reductions statewide. “a riddle when put together.” investment tracking against a performance Saturday But looking at floor area ratio (FAR)—the After the community and Planning benchmark; and an updated questionnaire that maximum percentage square footage on a Commission weigh in on the matter, it brokers must complete before being added to Showers lot that a person can build on—Lee said will go back to Council for a decision. the City’s authorized list. Most importantly, 65˚/55˚ El Segundo’s .53 mark is the least allowed Subsequent public meetings will then consider according to Binder, the policy further defines compared to other nearby communities. He whether to change FAR. Councilmember Dave the permitted investments for the City and explained that the City had no FAR limitations Atkinson recused himself from the discussion imposes restrictions for some categories as before 2006 and showed photos of massive because he has a residential project in progress. well as listing non-permitted investments. “We homes with FARs over .70 built just before Also on Tuesday, the Council agreed to don’t want to be over-concentrated in a single Sunday the ordinance went into effect. The Council’s extend a few deadlines related to completing asset,” Binder explained of the importance of Partly goal at the time, as was also the case in the TopGolf due diligence lease agreement. diversification. Manhattan Beach and in other cities, was These include allowing six months instead of In a consent agenda item pulled by Mayor Cloudy to curb the impacts of mansionization. The 60 days to pull records in order to approve over Fuentes, the Council approved a contract with 63˚/54˚ process of revamping the code took a year 50 exceptions to the title report; six months Excelsior Elevator to complete the long-awaited and a half and included 11 public meetings. instead of 60 days to work with Edison to refurbishment of the Joslyn Center Elevator. Fixing up the language and addressing complete negotiations to extend the licensing Installed in 1980, it last underwent an update modulation should only take a few months, agreement for the power line easement that in 1997. While not a replacement, the elevator Lee said, and would involve coordinating runs through the golf course and behind the See City Council, page 12 Page 2 April 7, 2016 EL SEGUNDO HERALD ESPD Shoulder Patch Letters By Eric Ramos means something. New Leadership Segundo. As a young woman living in El The El Segundo Police Departments shoulder “The patch signifies I belong to a family,” At St. Anthony School Segundo I want this city to be the best it can patch is a unique piece of the uniform that Garcia said. “We have an added responsibility. Thank you for the 24Mar2016 article, “New be. I am voting for the two candidates which police employees and volunteers wear on a We are representing every person in the city.” Leadership, St. Anthony School, Families Seek will represent me best. Those are Drew Boyles daily basis, but don’t take for granted. Each one of the four stars on the patch and Alternatives”, by Cristian Vasquez. Although and Marie Fellhauer. They are the most The shoulder patch portrays many attributes on the City Seal represent an El Segundo Police a small institution St. Anthony School became dynamic, reasonable, and qualified candidates associated with the City of El Segundo. The Officer who has lost his life in the line of duty. a fine pre, elementary and middle school - the on the ballot. – Jenica Brigham airplane represents the proximity to the Los July 22, 1957, at the intersection of Rose- result of enthusiastic administrators, teachers, Stood Out Among Others Angeles International Airport. The smoke stacks crans Avenue and Sepulveda Boulevard, El staff and families embracing Judea-Christian I am a homeowner and have children who depict the Chevron El Segundo Refinery, which Segundo Police Officers Richard Phillips and values throughout. attend El Segundo schools. I have been fol- was established in 1911. The refinery was Milton Curtis observed a car run the red light. It’s important to emphasize since Parish lowing this election very closely because I care Chevron’s second on the West Coast, hence Officer Curtis and Officer Phillips pursued Pastor, Father Robert Victoria, arrived eight about the direction of our city. I have listened the name: El Segundo. the vehicle until the suspect pulled over near years ago conflicts in management emerged - to both public candidate forums, and studied all The house reflects the importance of the Pacific Avenue, a semi-rural road fringed with the school-community’s collaborative inclusive the issues at hand. From what I’ve seen, there residential community and its support for trees, fields and a large oil refinery. merit-base style versus pastor’s dismissive, au- is one candidate who has stood out among the strong family values. The water represents the One of the two additional officers asked if thoritative cronyism style. Families’ discontent others due to her intellect, humility, knowledge isn’t exclusively for the new principal, rather of the issues, and vision. Marie Fellhauer the cumulative mismanagement of Victoria. is exactly what El Segundo needs. She had Last Summer Victoria appointed his personal provided a breath of fresh air on the council friend, Sylvia Kawjaree, to principal without for the last 4 years and she has demonstrated consideration of qualifications nor peer review. clear leadership. She sincerely cares about El Kawjaree is merely the pastor’s conduit making Segundo and the future of our beloved city. She the ultimate responsibility for school failings has my vote for sure. – Ryan Quinnan directly attributable to Victoria. Kawjaree is Gouging Hotels a symptom, not the cause. To my dismay, I see the City Council has Pastor and principal were amply cautioned come back to us yet again with the immoral pious aloof management wouldn’t succeed. proposition of gouging hotel customers for the As an immediate result of Victoria’s mandates, crime of not being us. The argument in favor and principal’s implementations thereof, fami- is based on the bromide “every one else is lies began leaving.

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