MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 9th 2025
Voting Members in Attendance: Sue Kohl, Quentin Fleming, Jenny Li, Beth Holden-Garland, Maryam Zar, Chris Spitz, JoAnna Rodriguez, Robert Trinkeller, Kimberly Bloom, Lee Anne Sanderson/Karen Ridgley,* Lorie Cudzil, Sharon Kilbride, Andrew Wolfberg, John Padden, Rick McGeagh, Valeria Serna, David Card, Alley Michaelson, Daphne Gronich, Richard Blumenberg, Courtney Macker (*Sanderson: voting member until later arrival of Ridgley)
Non-voting Members and Advisors: Cindi Young, Michael Edlen, Carole White, Warren Jacob, Fay Vahdani, James Alexakis, Jessica Rogers, Ella Nozar
1. Call to Order and Reading of Community Council’s Mission. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. Lee Anne Sanderson read the Mission Statement.
[Note: Item 11.1 was called early in the meeting, at the request of the Supervisor, prior to Item 2 below; Item 9.3 was then called after Item 11.1 and before Item 2 below.]
2. Introductions / Roll Call. The President introduced the members and called the roll.
3. Certification of Quorum. The President certified quorum.
4. Approval of Minutes. The minutes of September 25, 2025, were approved as distributed.
5. Consideration of Agenda & Upcoming Meetings. October 23, 2025 (BOE bridge unit; presentation by Palisades Friends & Newcomers); November 13, 2025 (Citizen of the Year and Golden Sparkplug Awardees announced; guest speaker Jen Goodlin, Rebuild Paradise Foundation Executive Director); December 11, 2025 (PPCC Awards Gala/Holiday Dinner). Note: PPCC holds one meeting only during the months of November and December; the December meeting is the holiday Awards event.
6. Treasurer’s Report. In the Treasurer reported that our balances are as follows:
US Bank: $ 196,406.47
Schwab: $ 458,611.00
Balance: $ 655,017.00
Checks totaling $119,333 are pending (not yet cleared) for: Friends of Marquez $11,833; PPBA $50,000; NORC (bill #3) $57,500. Balance after these checks clear will be: $535,864.
Other activity since last meeting: Deposits: FireAid donation $50,000; other donation $23.79.
Paid bill/grant: Zoom $100; St Matthews: $25,000 (check cleared).
PPCC’s fiscal year 2025 ended September 30; we will be sending the year-end report to our accountant in the next couple of weeks for our tax filing.
7. General Public Comment.
7.1. Diane Bleak (Highlands Resident) alerted us to the amounts of trash and junk along Palisades Dr.
7.2. Jon Brown (resident) is a parent leader at Pali Elementary and noted that a request for funding from PPCC to help the school may be forthcoming; he also reminded us of the upcoming Yee Haw Day event (for which the President noted that PPCC is a sponsor).
7.3. Sue Pascoe (resident/CTN) reminded everyone to visit the YMCA Pumpkin Patch at Simon Meadow.
7.4. Bart Young (resident) asked about what is to be done about the sand bags placed around cleared properties; the President noted that CD 11 Deputy Arus Grigoryan could answer.
8. Reports, Announcements and Concerns.
8.1. From the Chair/Presiding Officer.
8.1.1. Oct. 1 – start of PPCC fiscal year and of organizational members’ term (10/1/25 – 9/30/26); welcome new organizational Board members:
https://pacpalicc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-2026-PPCC-Organizations.pdf. The President welcomed all the new members.
8.1.2. Update: New member orientation session, 9/30/25. The President noted that we had a successful orientation session with the incoming new representatives.
8.1.3. Volunteer needed: PPCC rep to the WRAC Mobility & Transportation Committee (MTC).
The President called on Chris Spitz (PPCC At-large and WRAC Vice-Chair) to explain the position.
Spitz did so, and encouraged volunteers to contact her.
8.1.4. Recent E.C. decision on grant funding. The President explained that the Executive Committee has decided not to disburse funds to Lotus Rising, because the funds were not needed and the request did not meet our guidelines for the award of grants.
8.1.5. Update: Recreation Center Rebuild Community Meeting, 10/7/25. The President announced that hundreds of persons attended this meeting, hosted by the City Dept. of Recreation and Parks and SteadfastLA, and spoke briefly about the meeting discussion.
8.1.6. Update: Gladstones redevelopment project/Coastal permit hearing; EC letter requesting postponement: https://pacpalicc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PPCC-EC-Letter-Gladstones.pdf.
Additional letter sent 10/7/25 (EC letter requesting waiver of the PSA):
https://pacpalicc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PPCC-EC-Letter-PSA-Gladstones.pdf.
The President announced that the Coastal Commission unanimously approved the project at its meeting on October 8. She thanked Maryam Zar and Beth Holden Garland for attending and waiting through the long meeting.
8.1.7. Update: SB 79. The President stated that the Governor has not yet signed or vetoed the bill.
He has until October 12th to do so, and if not, the bill will become law. She thanked the Mayor and Councilwoman Park for requesting that he veto the bill, as has PPCC.
8.1.8. Letter written since last PPCC meeting – Support for CW Park motion/impacts of SB 79: https://pacpalicc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/PPCC-Letter-CF-25-1083-Park.pdf.
8.1.9. [NEW] YMCA Glass Pumpkin Sale and Community Picnic. The President noted that these fun
events will take place on Saturday, October 11, at Simon Meadow in the Palisades.
8.2. From Officers/Chair Emeritus.
8.2.1. Maryam Zar, Chair Emeritus, reported on the City Council Budget Committee hearing on October 7, 2025, regarding permit fee waivers for Palisades rebuilds and a climate resiliency district (CRD) for the Palisades [CF 25-0006-S57 and CF 25-0006-S38].
8.3. From At-Large and Area Representatives.
8.3.1. Sharon Kilbride (Area Seven Rep) reported good news that speed humps have been installed on Entrada Dr. near Canyon Square. The Hillside Task Force event (consisting of LAPD, LAFD, other agencies, PPTFH and community volunteers) will take place on October 22, 2025 at 7 a.m.
8.3.2. Lorie Cudzil (Area Six Rep) noted the good work of Palisades Beautiful in recently planting four new trees along Swarthmore Ave. near CVS.
8.3.3. JoAnna Rodriguez (Area One Rep) stated that a camper is now parked again at the former Jack in the Box site; she will ask for help from Arus Grigoryan.
8.3.4. Lee Anne Sanderson (Area Four 1st Alternate) announced that the City has now declared the Palisades Bowl site (long uncleared of debris by the owner) to be a public nuisance.
8.4. From Organizational Representatives.
8.4.1. Jim Kirtley (Lowe Family YMCA) provided information about the Pumpkin Patch, the Glass Pumpkin Sale and Community Picnic on October 11th, and Cindy Simon’s Winding Way Installation at Simon Meadow. He also announced that the Holiday Ho!Ho!Ho! will take place on December 13 near the Y’s Christmas Tree Lot at Simon Meadow.
8.4.2. Valeria Serna (Resilient Palisades/RP) reported that RP will participate in an event with the U.S. Green Building Council in the spring. There will be a community event on resilience, hosted by RP in November 2025.
8.4.3. Dave Card (Palisades Forestry Committee/PFC) advised that the water trucks are out watering Palisades street trees. The PFC has started planting free street trees in some residential areas.
8.5. From Government Offices / Representatives (as available). Contact information: https://pacpalicc.org/index.php/government-contacts/.
8.5.1. Brian Espin, LAPD Senior Lead Officer (SLO), Pacific Palisades – Not present.
8.5.2. Arus Grigoryan, Palisades Field Deputy, CD 11 (Councilwoman Traci Park) spoke about speed humps being installed on Entrada, about the City’s work clearing storm drains and catch basins, and about the sand bags on private lots, which can be placed on the parkways if no longer in use.
8.5.3. Marian Ensley, West Area Representative, Mayor Karen Bass, gave brief remarks on the recent meeting at the Recreation Center (which Mayor Bass was unable to attend), about recent arrests by LAPD, and about speaking with AECON regarding improvements.
8.5.4. Zac Gaidzik, Coastal & Westside Field Deputy, County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath (present only during presentation by Supervisor Horvath, Item 11.1 below).
8.5.5. Sean Regan, District Representative, Congressman Brad Sherman – not present.
8.5.6. Sophia Liebman, Field Representative, SD 24 (Sen. Ben Allen) – not present.
8.5.7. Anthony Avila, Field Representative, AD 42 (Asm. Jacqui Irwin) – not present.
8.6. From PPCC Advisors and Liaisons – None.
9. Reports from PPCC Committees.
9.1. Awards Selection Committee (Daphne Gronich, Chair). Reminder: nominations for Citizen of the Year and Golden Sparkplug Awards due by 5pm on October 17, 2025. Chair Gronich spoke about the process and noted the deadline for submitting nominations.
9.2. Grants Committee (Quentin Fleming, Chair). Committee update; possible recommendation and request for Board approval of grants from donations received by PPCC. Chair Fleming explained that the Committee is recommending a grant of $10,817 to the Palisades Village Green Committee to fund a new Hydration Station at the Palisades Village Green. He stated that a Committee report on the recommendation has been distributed to all Board members and further explained the request [https://pacpalicc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Grant-Recommend.VillageGrn.pdf].
He then asked all voting members with conflicts of interest to announce any conflicts and recuse themselves, pursuant to the Committee’s Conflict of Interest Rules regarding Grants. No one identified themselves as having a conflict of interest related to this grant. After an opportunity for discussion, a vote was called. Result: unanimous approval of the recommended grant to the Palisades Village Green Committee.
9.3. Rebuild Committee (David Schwarz, Chair). NORC-PPCC community survey update. [Note: Item called early in the meeting, before Item 2 above). Chair Schwarz explained the importance of the survey, as well as the process and steps taken by NORC to ensure eligibility and improve communication, and he encouraged residents to complete the survey soon. [See link to his full remarks which can be found immediately following the presentation by Supervisor Horvath on this recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTNjx5DaAAc.]
9.4. Undergrounding Committee (Reza Akef, Chair). Committee update. Chair Akef briefly reported that the Committee has been conducting research and speaking with officials on the status of undergrounding public utilities in the Palisades. Going forward, the Committee will share with the Board all relevant information that it receives.
10. Old Business – None.
11. New Business.
11.1. Guest Speaker: Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, with update on proposed County Authority for Pacific Palisades. [Note: Item called early, prior to item 2 above.] The Supervisor presented information and responded to questions and serious concerns about the Coastal Commission’s decision to approve a Coastal permit for the Gladstone’s redevelopment project; about the process involved in reaching this result; about potential impacts of the project; and about whether or not SB 79 will be implicated by the bus turnaround and bus stops/stations in the parking lot. Supervisor Horvath assured us that it is the County’s position that the Gladstones project will not create a “major transit stop” and that SB 79 will not be triggered by what is planned for the project. She also spoke about the status of the proposed County Authority for Los Angeles County fire areas. The President thanked her for speaking with us. [See a recording of her presentation at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTNjx5DaAAc.
11.2. Team Palisades presentation, by Darragh Danton and May Sung. Danton and Sung (leaders/ Block Captains with Team Palisades) presented slides and shared interesting information about the work of this all-volunteer organization – formed to assist with the Palisades’ recovery – and about the many resources available on its website: https://teampalisades.org/. [See a recording of their presentation at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=E93v9OVGV5M&feature=youtu.be.]
12. Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 8:16 p.m.