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MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 11th 2018
Voting Members in Attendance: George Wolfberg, Peter Culhane, Chris Spitz, Maryam Zar, Sue Kohl, David Kaplan, Rick Mills, Joanna Spak, Steve Boyers, Reza Akef, Haldis Toppel, Steve Cron, Alan Goldsmith, Dick Wulliger, Brenda Theveny, Bill Bruns, Ellie Jenkins, Jean Spark, Duke Ostendorf, Richard Blumenberg
Voting Alternates: Barbara Kohn
Non-voting Advisors and Alternates: John Padden, Barbara Marinacci, Amy Baker, Cathi Ruddy
1. Certification of Quorum. The Chair George Wolfberg called the meeting to order at 7:00pm and certified that a quorum was present.
2. Reading of Community Council’s Mission. David Kaplan read the Council’s Mission.
3. Introduction of the Board and Audience. The board and audience were introduced.
4. Approval of Minutes & Upcoming Meetings. 1) Approval of Minutes – The minutes of 9/27/18 were deemed approved. 2) Upcoming Meetings – October 25, 2018; topic: briefing from Coalition to Preserve LA on Tree Canopy Protection; the Farmers Market will not be a topic. November 8, 2018; topics: 1) announcement of Citizen of the Year and Golden Sparkplugs awardees; 2) proposed beach walk path. December 13, 2018; Holiday Meeting and Awards Gala. Note: There is only one meeting in November and December.
5. Consideration of Agenda. The Chair announced that the agenda was as distributed.
6. Treasurer’s Report. The Chair explained that Treasurer Richard Cohen is out of town celebrating his anniversary and has informed the Chair that PPCC’s bank balance is $32,022 and there were no significant transactions since the last report.
7. General Public Comment.
7.1. Linda Deacon (resident) requested that a proposed development on Marquette be placed on the LUC meeting agenda for October 25. The Chair: The LUC agenda has not yet been set. Rick Mills (Area 4 Rep and LUC member): The developer has been invited to attend the LUC meeting with his support staff and the LUC will have a meeting if the developer is willing to attend. The meeting has not yet been confirmed.
7.2. Marge Gold (resident) reiterated concerns about trash in the Village Green. She asked whether Village Green trash pick-up will be addressed by Caruso and requested PPCC support. See item 9.2 below.
7.3. Terri Simpson (resident) asked about the date for the City Council Transportation Committee hearing regarding the Preferential Parking District for the Alphabet Streets. Lisa Cahill (CD11 Palisades Deputy): October 24, 1pm, City Hall, Rm. 1010. Call Lisa for parking passes.
8. Reports, Announcements and Concerns.
8.1. From the Chair George Wolfberg.
PPCC uses many acronyms at meetings, which are not meant to confuse people or leave them out of the conversation. New board members will be receiving a cheat list as well as information regarding resources on our website. These will be a part of the new member orientation session in this room next Thursday at 6pm. All board members as well as the public are welcome to attend. See Item 8.1.4 below. The Chair encouraged board members to feel free to speak up if they hear an acronym or phrase they do not understand.
Regarding Palisades Village, the Caruso people have responded to a letter sent by the PPCC Executive Committee stressing the complaints from neighbors regarding employees parking in adjacent neighborhoods as well as confusion regarding parking validation practices. The response stated that default notices will be issued to lessees not parking their employees in the garage and that visitors will now receive one hour free parking without validation. After the first hour the rate is $1 per half hour with validation and $2 per half hour without. See these letters at PPCC Executive Committee letter to Caruso and Caruso response letter
8.1.1. 2018 Citizen of the Year and Golden Sparkplug Awards. Awards are presented at PPCC’s big, annual not-to-be-missed Holiday Awards Gala to be held in lieu of our regular December 13 meeting. An Awards Selection Committee chaired by Sue Kohl has been appointed. In addition, the Awards Event Committee is now appointed as follows: Chair Peter Culhane; members: Richard Cohen, Sue Kohl, Mary Mueller, Duke Ostendorf, Bruce Schwartz, Chris Spitz, Haldis Toppel, Maryam Zar. See Item 9.1 below. Nominations from the community are being accepted until the deadline for receipt: 9pm on October 27, 2018. See Awards Nominations Press Release .
8.1.2. [Land Use Committee.] The PPCC Land Use Committee (LUC) tentatively will meet at 5pm on Oct. 25 in the library community room prior to next PPCC board meeting. There are two or three items in the hopper and an agenda will be sent out prior to the meeting if confirmed.
8.1.3. [New Representatives.] The Chair welcomed all newly elected representatives and the organizational representatives. Names and contact information for all representatives may be found on the PPCC website, www.pacpalicc.org (click on the Leadership tab).
8.1.4. Orientation Session for new representatives: October 18, 2018 at 6pm in the Palisades branch library. All are invited, including veteran board members and interested community members.
8.1.5. Appointment of new organizational member of the Executive Committee (Bylaws, Art. 5.3.A). The officers and the Chair Emeritus have unanimously appointed John Padden to join the Committee as the representative of organizational members.
8.1.6. Appointment of PPCC Bylaws Committee. The Committee will be chaired by Richard Cohen and members will be: Reza Akef, David Card, Peter Culhane, David Kaplan, Chris Spitz and Andrew Wolfberg. See Item 9.1, below.
8.1.7. Forest Management along Palisades Dr. The Chair drove to Queen Anne Recreation Center last week to hear the Recreation and Parks (RAP) report. Unfortunately, the report was not ready; they are promising it will be ready for next Wednesday’s RAP board meeting. Peter Culhane has been working hard to get to the bottom of who is in charge. The Chair asked everyone to stand by.
8.1.8. Potrero Canyon Contract. As previously announced, the bid for the 14-month grading contract was awarded in June. After bureaucratic processes the now-executed contract is expected to get the green light in the next few weeks. The City has surveyed the park boundaries and found several neighbors have encroached on park property with fences, gazebos and decks. These neighbors have been told to remove these encroachments — this has delayed the process. See Item 8.5.1, below.
8.1.9. Forestry Issues in General. On Saturday, September 15, the Chair attended a sold-out briefing in North Hollywood by a group that is advocating for a healthy Los Angeles Tree Canopy. Among the attendees were David Card, Nancy Freedman (the former Brentwood Community Council Chair), Ileana Wachtel, Jill Stewart and Barbara Broide. It was an invigorating meeting and underscored the pathetic City tree program and the virtually toothless enforcement against scofflaws illegally chopping down trees. Things are happening. Last week the Chair and others met with retired LA City Council Budget Committee Chair Bernie Parks to investigate options for increasing the meager City budget for trees; last Sunday, the WRAC Land Use Committee approved a series of motions dealing with this issue which the Chair expects to be on the next agenda; he is setting up a meeting with the brand new manager of Street Services in the next few days, and Tuesday night the SMCCA Board approved a strongly worded letter to the Mayor pushing for more City resources for tree-related activities. The Chair is happy to share the letter with anyone who is interested. Finally, there will be a briefing from Ileana Wachtel of the Coalition to Preserve LA at our next meeting.
8.2. From Officers.
8.2.1. Peter Culhane (Vice-Chair) provided information about property tax assessments. He has attended Palisades Alliance for Seniors meetings about this subject and distributed a flyer with important information that could affect your property taxes. He also received an invitation from Santa Monica College Associates regarding a discussion about the homeless situation in this general area, to take place on October 17 from 5:30-8:30pm at SMC. Contact the Vice-Chair for more information.
8.2.3. Maryam Zar (Chair Emeritus) announced that a new film, “The Advocates,” premiered at the LA Film Festival. This is a documentary about homelessness in the City which arose from an earlier film that the director had done about the work of PPTFH in the Palisades. There will be screenings at the Laemmle in Santa Monica, October 19-25.
8.2.2. Chris Spitz (Secretary) reported on the City Planning Commission (CPC) hearing earlier this morning. 1) Processes & Procedures Ordinance: the Secretary had briefly explained this ordinance at the September 27, 2018 board meeting (see minutes of that date). The CPC approved the ordinance today and it will now return to PLUM before going to the City Council for an eventual vote. According to the Planning Dept., “the draft ordinance will improve the way applications and requests are reviewed and acted upon by the City, making those processes and procedures clearer and more accessible for all stakeholders.” 2) Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Ordinance: the CPC decided to continue the hearing until October 25 in order to consider whether to open up hillside areas to ADUs. PPCC has not taken a position on the ordinance but we will continue to monitor.
8.3. From At-large and Area Representatives.
8.3.1. Steve Cron (Area 2) reported that a resident has raised the issue of trash and graffiti at a trailhead bathroom in the Highlands. It was noted that this has previously been reported at PPCC meetings and in news media. CD11 is aware and has explained that it is a complicated situation involving private property and questions about the propriety of the property transfer and about which government agency now has jurisdiction of the matter. Steve will follow-up.
8.3.2. Alan Goldsmith (At-large) announced that a resident has advised that a group of people driving Lamborghinis and other sports cars meet periodically and race up and down Palisades Drive. This has been reported to SLO Michael Moore.
8.3.3. Haldis Toppel (Area 3) informed the board that Marquez merchants recently sponsored a wonderful block party for the Marquez neighborhood.
8.4. From Organizational Representatives.
8.4.1. John Padden (PRIDE). Update on PRIDE projects.
John Padden announced that at the last PRIDE board meeting there was changing of the guard. Bruce Schwartz, past PRIDE President, did a fine job, and John is now the new PRIDE president. PRIDE’s mission is to listen to the community and consider projects to help the Palisades. Contact John with any questions or suggestions. Projects that PRIDE has either recently completed or is working on:
- The “Mini Green” at the intersection of Monument and Sunset (north side of Sunset). Maintaining the Mini Green was originally a Garden Club project. PRIDE met with the Garden Club and they agreed on PRIDE taking over the project. PRIDE cleared out the electrical box (removed old wooden enclosure that had rotted and replaced old electrical conduit, wires and lighting that were obsolete and no longer working). They replanted the circular brick planter with succulents, cleaned up the larger planter and put in nice new flowers in four small locations. They also installed two new iron PRIDE benches and added a new iron trash can. PRIDE is proud of the refurbished Mini Green as a high profile entry to the community.
- Seven people who had previously donated benches (3 stone and 4 iron) had their benches and plaques displaced due to the Palisades Village project. PRIDE advised the donors that they would be happy to replace the benches and plaques, and they are in the process of doing so.
- PRIDE also has other assets in the community, such as benches and iron trash bins, which they are reviewing and will refurbish or replace as needed.
- PRIDE is also looking at possible “median planting” projects. One is a median at Temescal Canyon & Sunset; PRIDE has been working with El Medio homeowners and is awaiting a permit from the City. They are also waiting on a permit for the Sunset & Chautauqua median (South of Sunset along Chautauqua).
- The “Donor Bricks”: There were over 1000 previous donor tiles on Swathmore that were demolished during construction and that Caruso agreed to replace. PRIDE and Caruso came up with the idea to install bricks commemorating all the donors, which are being installed on the north side of Sunset at the east end of Palisades Village. This is an ongoing project and more will be installed. Caruso and PRIDE will take care of any misspellings or typos and John is personally committing that everyone’s brick is there. When all the prior donor bricks have been installed PRIDE will consider the possibility of reopening the opportunity to purchase bricks. The previous price was $500 per tile (before the Palisades Village construction). Prices to adopt a bench or trash bin are on the PRIDE website, palisadespride.com.
- John invited everyone with ideas for other reasonable projects to let PRIDE know.
Regarding the trash issue: Some trash cans in town are PRIDE bins and some are not. He understands that a lot of trash may not be picked up as it used to be by Chrysalis or others, and suggests that the leading community groups may wish to get together to see if a solution can be found.
8.4.2. Dick Wulliger (Historical Society). The annual LA History Bazaar will take place on October 20 at 9am at the USC Library. There will be over 70 different displays, including one from PPHS. This is a wonderful, free event and everyone is encouraged to attend.
8.4.3. Cathi Ruddy (Woman’s Club). The annual PPWC Home Tour & Holiday Boutique will take place on November 11 from 11am-4pm. There will be two homes on tour and a boutique at the Clubhouse on Haverford. This is the important fundraiser for the PPWC’s annual grants to worthy individuals and groups in the community. Everyone is encouraged to support the events. If you don’t wish to attend the tour, come and shop the boutique.
8.5. From Government Offices/Representatives.
8.5.1. Lisa Cahill, Councilmember Bonin.
Lisa Cahill advised that Potrero Canyon is moving forward. She participated in a recent meeting with BOE and RAP. All property owners on the Canyon rim who are encroaching on City land have been sent notices to comply and to remove all encroachments. If compliance isn’t met then it will be a matter for the City Attorney to enforce. Most have replied that they will remove the encroaching items. The City is waiting to hear from 13 owners. There will eventually be a galvanized chain link fence around the park. Construction (grading phase) will begin the first week or two of November. Lisa will try and find the plans for us.
Regarding the Preferential Parking District for the Alphabet Streets, Lisa reported that there will be a chance for public comment at the Transportation Committee meeting on October 24. She thanked Sue Kohl for doing this for the Village. She also explained that she and Councilmember Bonin had met with the Caruso team regarding the parking issues that PPCC had brought to their attention.
8.5.2. SLO Michael Moore, LAPD.
Officer Moore reported that crime activity in the Palisades is low. Regarding holiday crime protection, he reminded everyone that packages that are delivered and then left on the porch if no one is home are likely to get stolen. LAPD strongly suggests that homeowners make arrangements for delivery elsewhere in the event they cannot be home to receive packages. The LAPD annual Haunted House event will take place on October 27 and 28 at the WLA Civic Center. The event is free. Officer Moore will participate.
8.5.3. Janet Turner (Congressman Ted Lieu).
Janet Turner relayed the Congressman’s congratulations to all new PPCC representatives. She announced that there will be a Veteran’s Town Hall sponsored by the Congressman on Sunday, November 11, 11:30am at LA National Cemetery. Ten vets will be on stage, with one or two from the Palisades, telling stories about their experiences in the service.
She also gave a brief legislative update: Congressman Lieu is happy about the President’s signing of the Music Modernization Act as well as passage of the FAA reauthorization bill – which incudes his amendment regarding airplane noise pollution. Janet also described various other bills that the Congressman is working on.
8.5.1. Melissa Kaufler, Field Representative, Assemblymember Richard Bloom. Briefing on the new CA REAL Driver License/ID.
Melissa Kaufler explained that Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005, requiring all states to provide for more secure IDs. California is complying with the Act by requiring a REAL ID for certain purposes. Beginning on October 1, 2010, if you are flying on domestic flights you must either have a REAL ID or show a valid passport. You must also have either a REAL ID or a passport to enter a secure federal facility (such as a military base) or to purchase firearms. You do not need a REAL ID to enter non-secure federal facilities such as a post office, a VA hospital or a Social Security office. Minors under the age of 18 who are accompanied by an adult do not need a REAL ID. If anyone needs assistance in obtaining appointments with the DMV to obtain a REAL ID, contact Melissa and her office will attempt to help. Information about REAL ID requirements can be found on the DMV website at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/realid .
Melissa also gave a brief legislative update: Assemblymember Bloom introduced 25 bills this session; 15 passed successfully; only one was not signed by Governor Brown.
8.6. From PPCC Advisors – None.
9. Reports from Committees.
9.1. Three Chairs Committee (Maryam Zar, Chair; Chris Spitz and Richard Cohen). Introduction of Nominees for Alternate Area and At-large Representatives on the PPCC board; election of Alternates.
The Committee Chair Maryam Zar introduced each of the nominees for 1st position Alternates and read their background statements. She asked if any board member wished to discuss any nominee. No one asked for discussion. Secretary Chris Spitz then moved on behalf of the Committee for the board to approve and elect all nominees for 1st position (no second required because the motion was made by a committee of multiple voting members); vote taken. Vote: unanimous. All 1st position nominees were approved and elected as 1st Alternate representatives for their respective Areas.
The same process was repeated for all 2nd position Alternate nominees. No discussion; motion for approval and election made; vote taken. Vote: unanimous. All 2nd position nominees were approved and elected as 2nd Alternate representatives for their respective Areas. See attached lists of all nominees.
The Chair thanked the Three Chairs for their dedicated hard work in completing this task. He also announced that having now been elected as Alternates, David Card and Andrew Wolfberg are appointed to the Bylaws Committee (see Item 8.1.6) and Mary Mueller and Bruce Schwartz are appointed to the Awards Event Committee (see Item 8.1.2).
9.2. Village Project Community Liaison Committee (VPCLC; David Kaplan and Sue Kohl, Co-Chairs). Project update.
David Kaplan reiterated that the previously-described letters from the Executive Committee and Caruso are on the PPCC website. Progress has been made on the various concerns. He explained that he and Sue Kohl met with the Caruso management team on numerous occasions during the 20 days that the project had been open to discuss concerns and problems. The Executive Committee letter and the response from Caruso were partly a result of the information that he and Sue and had already brought to the Caruso team. He and Sue also brought the Village Green trash issue to them, including the request that Caruso pick up this trash. The Caruso management team advises that they have declined to pick up trash from the Village Green.
10. Old Business – None.
11. New Business.
11.1. Uber/JUMP Bikes (Dockless Electric Bike-Sharing).
Kaajal Laungani of Uber/JUMP explained that the company started in 2010. They operate dockless electric bikes with integrated “U-locks.” Their e-bikes are now in over 50 cities, including San Francisco, Washington DC, Denver, New York and now Santa Monica. They are doing public outreach as they did before launching in Santa Monica. These are bright orange e-bikes that operate with “pedal assist.” The top speed is 20 MPH. There are also JUMP scooters. The Uber app can be used to reserve and pay for JUMP bikes and scooters. Safety is a major focus of the company, including providing rider education, free helmets and incentives for good behavior, and imposing penalties for non-compliance. They are prioritizing deployment in underserved neighborhoods and they focus on local hiring. Uber/JUMP now has a temporary permit with the City of Los Angeles and is applying for a permanent permit to operate their e-bikes and scooters.
Q&A ensued, with concerns expressed about nuisance and public safety issues posed by riders not properly following rules about riding in the street, exceeding speed limits and leaving bikes and scooters parked or thrown down in the middle of sidewalks, thereby blocking pedestrian access. Kaajal stated that Uber/JUMP is working with the City and will work with NCs and CCs to address those issues. The unique topography of the Palisades was noted, including the fact that we have hills and the long uphill drive to the Highlands. Regarding bikes blocking sidewalks, she stated that riders are able to stand the bikes up but that installing bike racks may be a possibility. It was stressed that the company needs to work with PPCC and PRIDE on the location of any bike racks as we have worked on bike rack location in the past and it has been an important issue. She will bring these comments and concerns back to her team.
12. Adjournment. The Chair adjourned the meeting at 8:45pm
ATTACHMENTS:
ITEM 9.1 – Area & At-large Alternate Representative Nominees: 1) List of All Nominees; 2) Nominees for 1st Position; 3) Nominees for 2nd Position
1) List of All Nominees:
2018 Alternate Area & At-large Representative Nominees
Area 1
Doug McCormick 1st
Kelly Comras 2nd
Area 2
Melanie Bouer 1st
Bruce Schwartz 2nd
Area 3
Danielle Samulon 1st
Howard Robinson 2nd
Area 4
Steve Lantz 1st
Jan Ostendorf 2nd
Area 5
Robin Meyers 1st
Robert Glassman 2nd
Area 6
David Peterson 1st
Jason Sklar 2nd
Area 7
Cathy Russell 1st
Marilyn Wexler 2nd
Area 8
Andrew Wolfberg 1st
Niloo Kia 2nd
At-large
David Card 1st
Mary Mueller 2nd
2) Nominees for 1st Position:
1st Position Alternate Nominees – 2018
Area One: Doug McCormick
Doug has ably served as Area One 1st Alternate since 2014. He is a 30+ year resident with an MBA and a background in information technology. Doug has been the respected President of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness for the past two years and is interested in the issues of homelessness and affordable housing. He is fully familiar with PPCC’s Mission and process.
Area Two: Melanie Bouer
Melanie is a 30-year resident of the Highlands, has an MBA, has worked for many years in all aspects of the information services industry and is semi-retired. She has served as Treasurer of the Michael Lane Villas Homeowners Association for seven years; is a volunteer at the Getty Center where she is Shift Coordinator; and is Vice-President of Newcomers and Friends of Pacific Palisades. Melanie is very interested in serving the Highlands community as PPCC Area Two 1st Alternate and in continuing to make the Palisades a wonderful place to live, with a focus on issues such as large scale development, increased crime and traffic congestion, and protection of coastal resources and parks.
Area Three: Danielle Samulon
Danielle served for the past two years as the elected Area Three primary representative. She is a third generation Palisadian, mom, lawyer and volunteer with deep roots in the community. She grew up in the Palisades, has lived in Area Three for seven years, and is a past board member of the Marquez Knolls Homeowners Association. Danielle understands the concerns of her fellow residents and wishes to continue working on the many issues of concern to constituents as Area Three 1st Alternate.
Area Four: Steve Lantz
Steve has resided in Area Four for more than two decades. He is a transportation consultant with a degree in journalism and serves currently as Transportation Director of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments. He is also a consultant to the city of Inglewood and a member of the Policy and Steering Committee of the Center for International Trade and Transportation at California State University Long Beach. He has been an active community volunteer for many years, was a past PPCC board member and recipient of a Golden Sparkplug award, and is a founding and current board member of the Palisades Alliance for Seniors. Steve believes that through his work experience and volunteer focus, he will bring valuable expertise and perspectives to PPCC as Area Four 1st Alternate.
Area Five: Robin Meyers
Robin has been the dependable Area Five 1st Alternate for the past two years and served as 2nd Alternate for two years before that. She is a 35-year resident of Area Five, has been a Palisades business owner and volunteer, and is an active member of Community United Methodist Church. She is excited about Palisades Village and hopes it will be a success without too much impact on the charm of our small town. She is concerned about other development and potential impacts on traffic and crime. Robin is grateful to live in the Palisades, and wishes to serve again as Area Five 1st Alternate.
Area Six: David Peterson
David has been the reliable Area Six 1st Alternate for the past two years and wishes to continue in that role. He is a 40-year resident of the Huntington Palisades and a retired attorney who conducts a mediation practice. He has an extensive record of volunteer service and leadership in local organizations, including our public schools, PPBA, AYSO, the Boy Scouts, the American Legion and St. Matthews Church. He served as President of the Huntington Palisades Property Owners Corporation, and is a current board member of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness and PRIDE, as well as PRIDE’s representative on the BID. David believes it’s particularly important that we encourage community dialogue that is open and respectful of differing opinions.
Area Seven: Cathy Russell
Cathy is a 40-year Area Seven resident who has served on the PPCC Board for over 10 years, mainly as the respected Area Seven primary representative. As Area Seven 1st Alternate, she wishes to continue working hard on the many issues that present themselves, including the impact of the Caruso project, traffic, homelessness and open space and parks. Cathy has great respect for PPCC and its dedication to issues and the intellectual approach that is used to problem solving.
Area Eight: Andrew Wolfberg
Andrew has been the Area Eight 2nd Alternate for the last two years. He has also served as primary representative and 1st Alternate for Area Eight, as well as PPCC Vice-President for one term. He is an estate planning attorney who grew up in the Palisades and has lived in his home in the Polo Fields for eight years. Andrew is particularly interested in the effects that Paul Revere and other public schools have on their surrounding neighborhoods.
At-large: David Card
David has served admirably on the PPCC board as representative of the Rotary and the American Legion for several years. He chaired the Election Committee this summer and would like to see PPCC revise its election rules. He was raised in the Palisades, was a graduate of the first Pali High class, and has lived here for 50 years. David was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and a lawyer, then became a landscape designer for several years before retiring. He has contributed his expertise and service to local organizations too numerous to mention. He worked on several important landscaping projects, including Potrero Canyon, Rustic Canyon, Simon Meadow and the Pump Station at PCH & Temescal Canyon. He received a Golden Sparkplug Award for his work on Potrero and the Pump Station. David sees many issues facing the Palisades, including completion of Potrero Canyon Park, park maintenance and urban tree protection, and solving traffic and parking problems in the Palisades Village, along Sunset and in the greater business district. He wishes to continue serving the community as At-large 1st Alternate.
3) Nominees for 2nd Position:
2nd Position Alternate Nominees — 2018
Area One: Kelly Comras
Kelly has served as Area One 2nd Alternate for the last two years; for four years before that, she was the elected primary representative. She is very familiar with PPCC’s Mission and process as well as her area’s concerns, and wishes to continue serving constituents so that they have a clear understanding of how to participate in local planning, building and safety, coastal development and other issues.
Area Two: Bruce Schwartz
Bruce is a long-time Highlands resident and realtor with Palisades Realty. He received a Golden Sparkplug Award in 2013 and was honored as PPCC’s 2018 Citizen of the Year for his extraordinary record of volunteer service to the community. As President of Palisades PRIDE, he served on the PPCC board as PRIDE’s representative for several years. He is also an active board member of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness. His many substantial contributions to the safety and beauty of the Highlands and the entire Palisades community are widely-known and appreciated. Bruce wishes to continue serving the community as Area Two 2nd Alternate.
Area Three: Howard Robinson
Howard has been the Area Three 1st Alternate for the last four years. He is a 23-year resident of the area, loves the Palisades, and as a land use consultant brings professional expertise to the board. Howard has been the respected Chair of the PPCC Land Use Committee for more than a year. Under his leadership the LUC has held thorough, fair and professional meetings while at times tackling controversial issues such as the Highlands eldercare facility and the proposed project for the Jack-in-the Box site. He wishes to continue serving as LUC Chair and Area Three 2nd Alternate.
Area Four: Jan Ostendorf
Jan is an almost 30-year resident of Area Four. With an MA in kinesiology and dance, she worked in the dance, exercise, and health & wellness industry for several years before becoming President of Todd Rutkin, Inc., an apparel fabric company in Los Angeles, where she held that position for 35 years before retiring. She has volunteered in many capacities over the years with her children’s activities in the Palisades. She is currently on the board of the YMCA, where her husband Duke serves as board Chair. Jan is particularly interested in land use, development and protection of the environment and coastal resources. She wishes to learn more about the issues facing our community by serving as Area Four 2nd Alternate to PPCC.
Area Five: Robert Glassman
Robert is an attorney who has lived with his young family in Area Five since August 2017, having moved to the Palisades from Brentwood, where he served on the Brentwood Community Council and worked on land use issues. He has held several leadership positions in the L.A. legal community, including most recently serving as president of the L.A. County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. Robert loves the sense of community in the Palisades, its proud history and enthusiasm for the future. He would like to work on public safety and keeping our neighborhoods safe, as well as on community outreach. He would be honored to serve as Area Five 2nd Alternate.
Area Six: Jason Sklar
Jason has lived with his family in Area Six for eleven years. He is a finance professional with at a Los Angeles-based private equity firm. His children attend Palisades Elementary and participate in numerous local sports and enrichment activities, and he is a strong supporter of our local businesses and public charter schools. He cares about businesses thriving in our neighborhood as well as environmental protection and preservation of our coastline and natural resources. He wishes to be proactive on combatting crime and wants to band together for better communication to prevent criminals from targeting homes. Jason cares deeply about the future of the Palisades and believes he will bring a unique combination of skills and expertise to PPCC as Area Six 2nd Alternate.
Area Seven: Marilyn Wexler
Marilyn has been the PPCC Area Seven 2nd Alternate for the past two years. She is a 26-year resident, has served on the board of the Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association (SMCCA) for 18 years, and for the past five years has served as the respected President of SMCCA. Marilyn feels she has much to offer PPCC and wishes to continue to serve as Area Seven 2nd Alternate.
Area Eight: Niloo Kia
Niloo has lived in the Polo Fields neighborhood of Area Eight for ten years. Issues of importance to the Area include interactions with Riviera Country Club and Paul Revere, as well as traffic concerns, safety on Sunset and privacy and security within the community. While receiving an MBA in 1995, she resided in Area Four, which gave her exposure to issues within the Palisades community that residents of Area Eight may not be concerned about, but are still important to PPCC and Area Eight constituents as a whole. Niloo believes the skills learned from the exposure to issues that are important to the wider community will help her serve not only as a better Area Eight Alternate, but overall as a representative within the PPCC.
At-large: Mary Mueller
Mary is a 23-year Palisades resident and a Marketing Partnership executive in the entertainment and sports industry. She operates a business, Madison2Sunset, located in Pacific Palisades. Her two grown children were raised in the Palisades and still work here. With the new Palisades Village she sees many opportunities for our “seaside village” to grow yet stay relevant as a local community. Mary is concerned about traffic but notes that she likes to problem-solve and hopes to add a fresh perspective and new ideas to address issues. She is thankful for the opportunity and wishes to learn more about ways to help the community as At-large 2nd Alternate.