Failure to Hear Community Input Forces City to Scrap Approval of Venice Boardwalk Plan

LOS ANGELES, CA - The city will need to scrap last week's approval of the Venice Beach business improvement district, after the City Council failed to take testimony from all members of public and stakeholders who signed up to speak on the issue, council aides said today.

The city clerk is expected to restart the voting process in which commercial property owners along and near the Venice Boardwalk will decide if they want to tax themselves to pay for maintenance, security and other services for the area.

The district was approved by the City Council last week, following a vote by property owners in which 77 percent were in favor. However, after testimony was cut short, members of the public raised concerns that all speakers are legally required to have the opportunity to speak.

Attorneys representing the city this week agreed the public hearing may have been improperly conducted and advised the city clerk that balloting for the BID should be restarted.

Supporters of the Venice BID said last week it will provide more funding to pay for security measures to crack down on drug use and violent activity in the area. The BID effort has generated opposition from homeless advocates who say that as in other districts, the money will be used for hiring private security officers who could make life more difficult for low-income residents and homeless people in the area.

Councilman Mike Bonin, who supports the creation of the district, said it would lead to a "cleaner and safer boardwalk for everyone to enjoy, and I remain committed to working with property owners and neighbors in the area to get the BID approved and operational."

City News Service; Jon Rawlinson courtesy of flickr.com