This is my response to the recent email sent out by Mike Newhouse (President of the Venice Neighborhood Council).

Hi Challis,

I did receive this. Sorry I didn't get back to you promptly. We have been very busy with family and visiting friends due to the holidays. Honestly Challis, while I appreciate Mike's desire to have a "friendly and civil atmosphere" where we can reach a consensus compromise, I honestly do not think that can be attained. Nor do I think any of these meetings are necessary due to the fact that 3221 Carter Ave. has not been in violation of their original contract/permit pertaining to the pedestrian access. The Oxford Triangle residents, no matter how much they complain and moan and throw derogatory elitist classist comments at "the apartment dwellers" or "transient renters" (taken from written emails and meetings), does not have the authority to take away those pedestrian accesses even if LUPC or VNC recommends it.

Mike speaks of a compromise. A compromise implies that both sides would be giving up something they want and all we hear about is what the OTC wants to TAKE AWAY from the 3221 Carter residents. No matter what compromise is made, if there is a compromise, WE lose something pertaining to our freedom to walk down public streets! What are the Oxford Triangle residents willing to give up? What would THEY have to give up. They only stand to gain and we only stand to lose by compromising.

Also, the "hole in the fence" issue is moot as well because Harbor Crossing has not even filed for a permit to close that gate and if they did, they would most likely be denied due to it being a) a prescriptive easement and/or b) not even being owned by the Harbor Crossing and actually belonging to the city.

These meetings have been nothing but a waste of time and energy and emotion for the residents of 3221 Carter Avenue. We have tried to reason with the owners who would like to block us from being able to walk down public streets in our neighborhood, but they have their mind set on segregating us.

I ask you again, what kind of "consensus compromise" do you think will occur? Is there really something the 3221 residents have to gain from a compromise? What is our incentive is to show up to another meeting?

In reality, everyone from the city that is involved in this issue has confirmed that the OTC residents' plans are never going to happen, no matter what the LUPC or VNC recommends.

Lastly by us attending these meetings, we are actually lending an aire of validity to the OTC residents' plans when they are completely invalid and unacceptable.

I did post Mike's email to our apartment community blog but I have no idea who is going to go. Thank you for trying to spread the word and get everyone involved. If you have any advice to help the situation let me know.

Thanks again,

Simone and Ryan Barton-Grimley

From: Challis Macpherson <challis.macpherson@verizon.net>
To: Lital Klein <lital.klein@hotmail.com>; ryanandsimone@yahoo.com; ryanbartongrimley@hotmail.com
Sent: Sun, December 27, 2009 7:58:12 AM
Subject: FW: Community Meeting, Wednesday, December 30th, 7-9pm at Chabad of the Marina, 2929 Washington Blvd.

Hi – did you receive this earlier?

Didn’t hear from you and really important that this info be distributed to residents at 3221 Carter.

Eagerly awaiting response.

Later, Challis

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From: Challis Macpherson [mailto:challis.macpherson@verizon.net]
Sent: Saturday, December 26, 2009 2:09 PM
To: 'Lital Klein'; 'ryanandsimone@yahoo.com'
Subject: FW: Community Meeting, Wednesday, December 30th, 7-9pm at Chabad of the Marina , 2929 Washington Blvd.

Hi – would you please forward this email from Mike Newhouse and the attached flyer regarding the meetingWednesday December 30^th at Chabad to residents at 3221 Carter that may not be on the email list?

Really appreciate it.

Later, Challis

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From: Mike Newhouse [mailto:mnewhouse@newhouseseroussi.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 4:39 PM
To: 'Mike Newhouse'
Subject: Community Meeting, Wednesday, December 30th, 7-9pm at Chabad of the Marina , 2929 Washington Blvd.

Hello Everyone and Happy Holidays:

For those of you I do not know, my name is Mike Newhouse, and I currently serve as President of the Venice Neighborhood Council ("VNC").

As you are all aware, at the request of some residents of the Jefferson at Marina Del Rey Apartments ("Jefferson Marina"), Harbor Crossing, and the Oxford Triangle as a whole, the VNC's Land Use and Planning Committee ("LUPC") has proposed a motion, and held a public meeting on November 18th, in order to make recommendations with respect to vehicular access on the western side of Jefferson Marina and Thatcher Ave., and pedestrian access at Carter and Berkeley. Some other community meetings have also taken place on these issues, as well as on the issue of the "hole in the fence" at the southern most end of Thatcher. Obviously, these issues have a long history.

While I am a resident of President's Row, and have not personally attended these recent meetings, I understand that they have been at times acrimonious, and have failed to achieve a clear airing of all positions or a consensus solution to disagreements between residents of Jefferson at Marina, Harbor Crossing, and the Oxford Triangle as a whole. In light of the fact that I routinely have the "distinct pleasure" of moderating or chairing meetings in our community on contentious issues, I have been asked to, and agreed to, moderate a meeting on these issues this Wednesday, December 30th, at 7-9pm at Chabad of the Marina , 2929 Washington Blvd. at Thatcher. I hope you will all attend, and thank the Chabad for hosting.

The focus of the meeting will be to take input from any and all attendees who wish to speak on the three above issues: 1) vehicular access on the western side of Jefferson Marina and Thatcher Ave. ; 2) pedestrian access at Carter and Berkeley; 3) and the "hole in the fence" at the southern most end of Thatcher. All comments will be transmitted to LUPC in order for that body to make a recommended solution to the full VNC, and for the full VNC to then debate and pass a recommendation on to Councilman Rosendahl. Of course, as always, additional public comment will be welcome and taken at the subsequent LUPC meeting on January 13th, and the subsequent full VNC meeting on January 19th.

While the main focus of this meeting will be to clearly air all opinions on these issues, and gather all of that input for LUPC, VNC, and ultimately Councilman Rosendahl to digest, I am hopeful that we can all create a friendly and civil atmosphere which may actually produce a consensus compromise on at least some of these issues.

As a final thought, please note that while I am the President of the VNC, this is not a VNC meeting. This is a neighborhood meeting, and I encourage you to invite all interested friends and neighbors who no doubt were inadvertently left off of this invite email.

Attached is the agenda for the December 30th meeting. Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday night.

Mike

Mike Newhouse

President

Venice Neighborhood Council

(310) 795-3768

President@VeniceNC.org