California Coastal Commission and the Venice Dell Community ..some thoughts

by Eric Ahlberg and mostly Lydia Ponce

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I (Eric) asked a contractor friend what he thought about the California Coastal Comission, CCC, and had him tell it to Gemini AI, google’s chat ap, then asked for a summary.:

The California Coastal Commission, like building departments, operates on subjective interpretations of variable “dogma” rather than fixed rules, creating uncertainty for applicants as there are precedents for breaking almost every rule, and their power comes from defining the standards after the fact, influenced by political lobbying and conflicting interests, making the process frustrating and unpredictable.

Lydia Ponce went to the CCC meeting and wrote down her thoughts while listening to what was said.

by Lydia Ponce

GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT:

We have a failed experiment 500 plus years.

Both the English and American English languages are truth twisters.

Say what you mean, mean what you say and spell it as it sounds.

Venice Black and Brown including Japanese relatives suffer oppression as the “applicable laws” have supported gentrification and support the various wars, specific class racial settler wars that never ended. These governing laws support land theft, Indigenous, Black, Brown and yes we witnessed the Japanese inhumane treatment, including the farm theft, here on the Westside.

Reparations are never agreed upon are never made into law or settlement for anyone.

I ask whose definition of morality? The definitions utilized in common American English language are trickery.

When will we collectively agree to offer any emphasis on healing for a so called ‘civil society?’
Not so civil when laws were used to make Venice Black & Brown youth lift their shirts to show they didn’t have tattoos, who were forced to answer sweeping questions by police, the minor youth without their parents present – Cops demanding answers, asked, “Last name? Who are your parents? Where do you live?” Collecting photos of Venice Youth, while coming to or from school in Venice. These youth are the generational descendants of Ancestors who built Venice.

Venice – Westside gentrifiers, the appellants, sure have benefitted from the 99.99 percent favorable market rate plunder and blunder of land, water, and the scenic California coast.

It’s a favorably leaning of equitability when white speaks it for profit. It’s 500 plus years of colonial settler profits for the minority in white population.

We will never strike a balance of equity because today it’s comfortable politics as a fair weathered occasional pretend allies or fair weathered friends.

Isn’t that convenient amnesia of sorts? Not to remember the violence that capitalism pours over Indigenous, Black and Brown Communities? Beyond privilege, it’s criminal and so-called civil society gifts impunity, every single time. Justice is extremely rare on stolen Indigenous land.

Land, water, and air has been poisoned, polluted, dishonored not protected. The environment not defended to any Indigenous tribal cultural calling. Indigenous responsibility, as Indigenous Sovereignty is a whisper into the universe as a daily prayer.

I’m here to say – 2025 is for everyone! The following are comments submitted to the Coastal Commission, by Lydia Ponce. They are her reactions to the discussions for agenda items 11A, 12A, and all agenda items related to The Dell Project

Indigenous responsibility doesn’t rest.

It is forever ongoing 500 years plus and counting and counting and …
The first mistake pilgrim settlers made was taking Indigenous kindness for weakness.

Most of what I’ve read on the appeal is white noise – while clutching pearls of fear, it’s straight up land- racism, it’s classism.

Flooding? Sea level rise won’t discriminate with isms and for the record that Abbott Kinney Hotel will flood too. So build nothing ever – again moratorium on all of Venice.

Come to Venice to visit Monday thru Friday. Everyday there is an awesome gathering of Indigenous- Latina Women caring for children at local Venice parks for extensive hours of the day, all day.

The Nannies are good enough to care for children, good enough to clean houses and do the laundry, but not worth advocating for their affordable Venice housing.

Housing racism reached a new level with this appeal, seems the preferred developers are Lambert, Reed, Thibadeau … Sant Vanguard, Black Rock, Gates, and Black Stone.

Approx 20 plus offsite units were promised by said developers, since they ‘couldn’t afford’ to replace proven Mello units- in Venice. It was written into their approved permits as a condition to provide off site units. Where are the off site units? Pie in the Sky homes.

Developers, architects, investors – Liars cheaters and thieves oh my!

30 years of Parking variances and in lieu parking fees- where’s the parking? It’s just like where’s the beef?

Land Use Planning Committee, LUPC: 20 years of sitting members were Architects, Investors and Developers, yet no conflict of interests? They used parking regulations as an excuse to not build affordable housing. Quite a popular excuse for 20 years plus, in the wimpiest voice, “If it wasn’t for parking regs – we could build affordable housing…” whiny ass liars.

We can get so creative for parking – when it comes to market rate housing- no cars 2025 plans, now what? Calling the bluff, snake oil salesmen developers! Add lobbyists to this public comment, they’re paid to show up.

The Dell Affordable Housing project has all the parking required and building more parking in it. If appellants repeat a lie enough, it becomes the truth.

To all the opponents attempting to maintain classists status quo, I quote some of you, “If poor people can’t afford to live here then they shouldn’t” we have heard so very often at LUPC Meetings, City Planning, etc.

My response is, “MELLO – MELLO MELLO!!!! I curse you all with MELLO truth!”

Our friends, our neighbors appealed this project. The appellants who are gate keeping the public space, gate keeping the beach on their terms. Unfkgbelievable!

I must ask are the appellants in right relations with local tribal people? All four directions or any one direction?

They’re claiming tribal issues in their
document….

A few days before the California Coastal Commission, Original Save Venice were asked very last minute to take a call or jump on a zoom last week about this project….Either we do not matter as much to the ones requesting to speak with us or we are not important enough to have collaborated early on months ago. The white folks get along, it’s their language of chosen words filled with comfortable isms.

Nothing can say to sway or change my mind because my heart is broken. To see their YIMBY and NIMBY white division. They still benefit from their games played with Indigenous Black and Brown peoples lives, generationally speaking of course.

Only white supreme can be as selective to apply their kinship with Black and Brown people; it’s the white choice always.

Their discomfort comes from us not going along – getting along – not bending or flexing to their fears.

Venice Community Character is not white money only. It is not white only.

Look up alliship with Indigenous Black and Brown, here: https://search.app/f3ZVdKdDiKvMcQgQ9

So here we are Venice, here we are painted in a corner with laws – ordinances and policies that aren’t so civil, but uphold the failed experiment everywhere on Turtle Island.

We have two choices, to uphold white as in white power supreme or it is white population of friends and neighbors who are allies with potential to be a good relatives as accomplices. That is the healing social ingredient, the best definition of humanity.

Asking for Support CCC staff recommendations: bring our Elders, families and very low income back to their Venice community.

Many have great and factual key testimony and the CCC voted unanimously to support and approve – 120 affordable housing- low income homes, the Dell Project! See you at LA City Hall!!!