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WESTSIDE - Despite the best efforts of locals seeking to end the constant proliferation of illegal RV parking along Washington Boulevard, the Venice Neighborhood Council voted 8-4-3 to reject a community driven petition seeking enforcement of parking restrictions along Washington Boulevard.
This is the third time the VNC, or a committee of this body has rejected any support for those who live, work and reside on one of the most traveled corridors here in Venice, especially as a gateway to the beach.
This meeting will be the last of this all-volunteer board for 2025.
The meeting was conducted via ZOOM.
City officials led by Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11) initially had overnight parking signs installed that led to a significant reduction in RVs, but as the signs were removed, the RVs returned.
Since that time, city officials back pedaled on any towing action, and the problem is now evident once again like never before!
This petition just asked the City to aggressively ticket the RVs and OVs even if it could not tow them to see if aggressive ticketing alone could work.
The second ground of opposition was that the VNC Board plans to hold a Town Hall on the RV OV problem within a couple months.
That too apparently is going nowhere at this juncture.
The petition was extremely relevant and insightful because it contained 105 valid signatures of area residents which demonstrated the seriousness of this ongoing and persistent issue with RVs and OVs.
Sources say several stakeholders spoke on the harm the RVs and OVs are inflicting, and that the lack of support by the VNC was incredibly frustrating and disappointing. Supporters included the CEO and General Manager of the Kinney Hotel and other businesses about how RVs and OVs are damaging their patronage and safety.
These pleas fell upon deaf ears as the VNC stood with transients over actual residents.
Retired attorney and Community Officer Clark Brown, who engineered the petition drive, was clearly disappointed in the results.
Nevertheless, the petition will be forwarded to Councilwoman Park's office for continued community outreach and action.
Despite the setback, Washington Boulevard residents were determined to continue their fight against illegal transient parking of RVs in Venice and in particular, Washington Boulevard.
Brown and Venice local Chris Cerbo organized the opposition at Thursday's meeting as residents of Washington Blvd ask themselves who represents their concerns?
While the battle was lost, Brown and Cerbo will continue to explore other options far beyond the ineffectiveness of the hapless VNC. The board seems to be in a state of flux with two recent resignations and potentially more to come after the holidays.
Former board members Christopher Lee and Steve Bradbury resigned over conflicts with several unnamed belligerent, and uncooperative officers, and that conflict continues with others according to sources.
"The VNC has become paralyzed by agitation and conflict inflicted by these board members who seem to revel in this controversy," said one source who asked to remain anonymous.
(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-two-year resident of Venice who exclusively covers the deliberations of the Venice Neighborhood Council. Have a take or a tip for all things Venice? Contact him via email at [email protected])
