Norman Kulla, senior counsel to Councilman Bill Rosendahl, announced at last week’s Potrero Canyon Citizens Advisory Committee meeting that while he and other city staff have stepped up efforts to facilitate the project, it has now been determined that only 22 lots’and not 35 as originally thought’will eventually be available for sale: one on Earlham, two on Alma Real and the rest on DePauw Street. According to Kulla, the 13 lots on Friends Street “which were acquired with city funds,” have been dedicated exclusively for park use, which protects them from private development. He also said that the city is still preparing the brief to go to the California Coastal Commission to have the existing permit regarding Potrero changed to allow for the sale of the two Alma Real lots (615 and 623), which the city leases out. The current permit requires that the park be completed before any of the lots can be sold. The proceeds from these two sales, estimated to be at least $5 million given current real estate values, will be used to complete Phase II (which is 95 percent complete) and for the design of Phase III’the proposed park which has become controversial in recent months. However, a trust fund must be established prior to the sale of these lots to assure that the funds are used exclusively on the Potrero project. Kulla reported that Mark Brown, the assistant city attorney, has yet to draft the ordinance to establish the trust fund as directed by City Council in December 2004. Further complicating matters is the fact that the sale of the two lots cannot proceed until the city has received certification from The Byers Group, the consulting geotechnical engineer, verifying that the compaction of the fill on both lots is complete. Kulla indicated that since a “search of Building and Safety records did not turn up the necessary documents,” John Byers, who apparently has the certifications needed, would have to be paid the $27,000 the city still owes him for work on Potrero before he will release the documents. Kulla also reminded the 16-member Potrero committee and the 30 residents gathered in the old Palisades gymnasium that the Potrero project is encumbered by a $5 million loan from the city’s reserve fund. However, the senior counsel did indicate that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would be asked to waive repayment. Alice Gong, project manager for the City Engineer, stated that there is currently about $500,000 in funds earmarked to complete Phase II compaction work, from which she expected the funds due John Byers to be paid as soon as this week. “He wants to get paid before he meets with me again,” said Gong, who explained that Byers will also have to be paid from the funds remaining in the Potrero construction account to consult on completing Phase II grading, “as there have been some changes in site conditions since work stopped on the canyon several years ago”. She said she had no idea yet what his fee for that new work will be. Gong noted that after the certifications are received and the Coastal Commission approves the permit change, “the sale of the Alma Real lots can proceed.” Gong also said that at this point, the earliest the brief could be on the Commission’s public hearing agenda “is October,” at least a year later than originally thought. The basic Coastal requirements for the proposed “passive” park include provision for two access points (one from Frontera, the other from PCH), at least 10 additional parking spots, restoring the riparian habitat and widening the fire road. Also discussed at the meeting was the possibility of adding more access routes, which was rejected by several residents who live on the rim of Potrero, as well as the possible addition of an off-leash dog park. There were several suggestions as to where the additional parking should be located but no consensus was reached. While the next Potrero Advisory committee meeting is July 19, the recreation subcommittee will meet Wednesday, July 5, at the Palisades Recreation Center in the old gym at 851 Alma Real starting at 7:15 p.m. to continue discussion on the three most contentious issues: west rim access, parking and the off-leash dog park. The public is invited.
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