Dear Councilmember:
Those of us that are residents in the Pierpont area are most impacted by STVRs. We were given our chance to voice our position during the STVR working group. I know because I was a participant. The survey that the city is disseminating on STVRs does not in any way shape or form represent what was presented to you as a result of the working group. We clearly and unanimously in writing and discussions voiced our position. We do not want more regulations or enforcement on STVR nuisance. We want an end to STVRs in our neighborhood. We simply want the city of Ventura to strictly enforce the zoning codes as written. That’s it. If there is an R in the zoning then business is prohibited.
The multi- billion dollar vacation rental industry is clearly behind the writing of this sham survey. It doesn’t come close to asking the right questions. I would answer none of the above to virtually every question on it as would a vast majority of residents in the Pierpont neighborhood. Where are the real questions? Like: Do you think grey market, unregulated hotels should be allowed in a residential area despite public opinion. Or how about: Should out of town STVR investors be able to gobble up the available ” executive housing” the city so desperately craves? Or how about: Do you think there should be a nightly rate for the view overlooking the Pierpont Elementary school playground?
We want and will eventually get what Santa Barbara got. An end to the destruction of our coastal neighborhoods and a restoration of true zoning enforcement. Give them a couple of years to unwind. And then give us back our neighborhood!
Thanks
Tim Colavito and family
Breeze:
I decided to run for the Ventura School Board for a few reasons which I was able to bring light to and talk about in open public forums and hopefully get the attention of those parents and elected officials to act on them.
I ran because of social justice issues which affect our community, explicitly kids who are falling under the radar. There is a lack of communication between teachers, school counselors and school psychologists. Part of this missing communication is our staff is overworked to actually identify issues and give attention needed to our students. I also, ran to ensure that the after school program ASES continues to be funded and open to all students who may need the after school help. I know that most of our community are working families and the ASES program is such an asset to our community. I wanted to see our students be encouraged to become engaged in civics at the local level during election time and education of on the importance.
I ran on environmental justice issues that must to be addressed at our schools. Some of our schools are lacking proper recycling programs on campus. All of our schools are utilizing single use plastics and Styrofoam containers, which are either being littered or going straight to the landfill. I wanted to see a city bus voucher program to cut down on pollution and the amount of cars coming on and off campuses. I wanted to see Green Technologies offered at the High School level with a new Green focused vocational and trade school in the future. The Farm to School Program is a great mechanism that we have going at some of our local schools, but I wanted to see that expanded upon; as well as, offering plant based vegetarian options in the cafeterias.
Lastly, it was a non-partisan race, but I let people know that the ideas and principles I was running on were part of the Green Party’s platform. I hope I encouraged others to look into joining the Green party and being part of the true political revolution!
Keep being the change that you want to see
Anthony Krzywicki
ear Editor:
Who likes the Ventura River interface with the city? Imposing walls of rip rap and long lengths of barren dirt keep people strictly apart from a natural River experience.
Up until now, the Santa Clara River has avoided the same fate. Its north bank is not artificially channelized, and hundreds of acres have been acquired in anticipation of a future nature and recreation corridor.
Not for long. The city plans to channelize the Santa Clara River with a levee made of boulders and barren dirt to expand the auto center. Nevermind that levees as flood protection are a losing battle, the city proposes to make this ill-conceived project part of the Olivas Park Drive Extension and Olivas Park Specific Plan (OPSP). Heard about it? Unlikely. Ventura community development manager has kept public engagement on this project extremely minimal. Even more disturbing is that, if approved, an OPSP revision will give the community development manager authority to make final project approvals and take away that authority from Planning Commissioners and Design Review Committee members.
On 10/17/18 the project was on the joint planning commission – design review committee agenda. Panelists expressed a great deal of concern to the community development staff about the levee. They pointed out the short sightedness of ignoring the River value and the failure to provide public access with just even a bike path along the crest! Among other things, the commissioners instructed staff to get the word out to the public about the Olivas Park Drive project.
Time to stop repeating history destroying our last natural resources for development! Sierra Club and Friends of the Santa Clara River want a living Santa Clara River and are working with National Parks Service to produce a concept for a Santa Clara River Loop trail. Join us.
Thank you,
Nina Danza, PE
Dear Sheldon,
Are playing you devil’s advocate by placing those pro-Trump letters in the Breeze today? I’ll only refute one point in Ms Smith’s letter; the one about Trump not needing money. He’s raking in the dough at his properties, including Mar-a-Lago, which Trump calls the “Winter White House,” (which has doubled its membership fee to $200,000), and Trump International Hotel, (whose managers market it as a destination for diplomats, has raised room rates almost 60 percent).
In amounts large and small, Trump takes in money from political allies, and from the government he leads.
The Republican National Committee rents space in Trump Tower. So does the Pentagon. So does China’s largest bank.
The government of Qatar this spring paid $6.5 million for an apartment in Trump World Tower — joining the governments of Saudi Arabia, India and Afghanistan there.
Trump businesses overseas have gotten foreign government help, too.
China’s government is reportedly lending $500 million for a Trump-linked development project in Indonesia. China has also approved dozens of trademarks for Trump family businesses since he won the presidency.
In two “emoluments clauses,” the Constitution forbids the president from taking money from individual states or from foreign governments
Responding to those restrictions, the Trump organization has pledged to donate profits derived from foreign entities to the U.S. Treasury. In 2017, that donation was $151,000 — less than one-half of 1 percent of the $40 million in hotel income the president reported.
A federal lawsuit filed by Democratic members of Congress and one filed by the governments of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia accuse the president of violating the emoluments clauses.
While those cases await trial, the power of the presidency remains a major financial asset for Trump.
“The stars have all aligned,” Eric Trump said last year. “I think our brand is hotter than it’s ever been.”
Much of this was lifted from an article that I read on CNBC.
Carol Spector
Carol:
Not playing devil’s advocate. Our readers have the same right to express their views as I have. Some folks don’t think that I should have the right.
Sheldon
Greek philosophers’ liar’s paradox “I always tell lies,” a man says. Is he lying or telling the truth?
