State laws violate our MB city laws. Go to the courts!
Council holds special meeting to discuss options. Also in this issue: Letters from residents, Michalski, we hit 32,417 views, Police Chief, and the local far-left.
Until the conflict is resolved between the new Sacramento laws which violate our city laws, the Highrose project should be put on hold.
City Council is holding a special meeting on Wednesday, 2/9 at 6:00 to discuss the state’s legislation. We encourage all MB residents to attend. Details below.
Cities have long had the right to pass their own laws with respect to city planning such as zoning laws and building regulations regarding density, height restrictions, traffic impact, etc.
In establishing laws and regulations here in Manhattan Beach, the city authorities have strived to strike a balance between serving and protecting the best interest of our city while still attracting single family and multifamily residents, as well as businesses.
The Sacramento lawmakers have passed legislation to incentivize developers to ignore the laws set by cities. These new state laws conflict with our city laws.
The state has violated the division of power established in the Constitution.
The course of action to settle disputes between the divisions of power is by going to the judiciary branch of government. It’s not the first time the courts have settled disputes of one level (or branch) of government trying to usurp the power of another, and it certainly won’t be the last. The courts strive to maintain the balance of power by following the law as outlined in the Constitution.
Will City Council file an immediate request for a Judge to put Highrose on hold until this dispute between the city and the state can be settled?
Will City Council consider filing a lawsuit against the State? If necessary, will they see it through to the Supreme Court?
What do residents say about the city setting aside funds for such a lawsuit(s)?
In a city with a large population of attorneys, would the residents be willing to form a volunteer group of legal minds to come together and assist City Council members willing to take a legal stand?
What say you Manhattan Beach residents?
City Council is holding a special meeting on Wednesday, 2/9 at 6:00.
Zoom into the meeting at 6:00 Zoom Link here. Give a 3-minute public comment voicing your opinion.
Email all 5 city council members at: citycouncil@manhattanbeach.gov or email individual council members here: CC email addresses
Or write a comment directly on the Agenda before 5:30 on Weds. Agenda Comment link.
For details of the meeting, see city website here: Announcement of Meeting link
Letters from residents:
By Russ Lesser:
For over eighty years Manhattan Beach has enforced a 30-foot height limit for residential construction in the beach areas and 26 feet in the rest of the city. This has kept high-rise buildings from being constructed along the coast, as has happened in other local cities.
Last week there was an article in the newspaper about a new large apartment building that is being proposed on Rosecrans that will be 50 feet high. That can happen now because our California State Legislature (Assembly and Senate) passed numerous laws, which Governor Newsom has signed, taking zoning rights and height limit controls away from cities.
This also happened with Senate bills 9 and 10, which basically ended single-family zoning in the state.
Elections have consequences.
Thanks to Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand, an effort is underway for an initiative to be on this year’s ballot to restore local zoning control to cities.
For many years the philosophy has been that local governments knew best what the needs of their own communities were. This is clearly changing now. The California State Government is taking away the rights of locally elected officials, and the Federal Government is trying to take away the rights of the State governments to make decisions as to how to run their states.
Isn’t the concept of “Central Planning” what they have in countries like China and Russia?
See more about RB Mayor Bill Brand’s initiative here: Our Neighborhood Voices
By Mike Kurz:
To City Council,
You all were elected to perform a sacred duty to represent the people of our community. My deep gratitude for your sacrifices.
I do not agree with a couple of you, who support inane 'social justice' falsehoods, but I must agree that you all seem solid on defending local representation in your opposition to the State imposed zoning regulations.
The State has exceeded its powers in forcing regulations that do not apply or support our community. I want you to oppose, with every fiber of your office, the imposition of State resettlement camp theory through manipulation of our zoning laws.
I support the Council spending money to preserve Freedom through the courts. Please fight the State overreach, sue them!
I bet there is no community more generous in charity than Manhattan Beach. I would stand on that! But, here we see, again, that Government Charity is oppressive, wasteful, and avoids real solutions. Turn those in need of charity to the charities. All solutions are in the individual, everything else will need constant fixing.
Let the individual figure out solutions and empower them to act on it. Turning a beautiful beach community into a Government eyesore is not an answer.
Very truly yours,
Michael Kurz
No one covers City Council news like MB local, Mike Michalski! Facts mixed with gut-busting sarcasm hit the right cord in every issue.
His tagline “Admit it, we’re just saying what you’re thinking” sets the humorous tone at the top of his newsletters.
His latest issue however, took a more serious tone as he resported on the Highrose project and the destructive state laws that conflict with our city laws.
As if we don't have enough problems locally, we now also have to deal with Sacramento usurping our local zoning ordinances by passing laws that attempt, on multiple fronts, to jam all sorts of low-income and multi-family development into our community, including neighborhoods zoned only for single family homes (SB-9), thereby destroying the community's character and quality of life as well as potentially undermining property values.
Our subscribers would greatly benefit by reading his coverage of City Council.
Link to Michalski Newsletter
You can also subscribe to Mike’s Newsletter by emailing him directly: Mike@RealEstateEdge.com
Our first 5 Newsletters of the year generated 32,417 views in just three weeks!
THANK YOU, SUBSCRIBERS!!!
Topics included:
Highrose (generated 14,578 views)
Bruce’s Beach plaques
School Board problems
Police Chief search and rising crime in MB
Letters from Residents
Learn more about MBStrong here About MBStrong link
If you would like to be an “Active Member” and be invited to home gatherings, volunteer to hand out flyers, and meet other like-minded MB residents, please send an email to MBStrong2021@gmail.com.
What qualifications do you want in our next Police Chief? The City of Manhattan Beach wants your input by February 27th.
Manhattan Beach recently sent out a notice informing residents the city is in the process of a statewide recruitment to select the next Chief of Police for our Police Department (MBPD). We reported on this a few weeks ago.
We urge our readers to send an email and make their opinions known:
PoliceChiefCommunityInput@manhattanbeach.gov.
Deadline: February 27.
The city has requested community input regarding the qualifications residents seek in our Police Chief.
Under George Gascon’s policies, crime continues to increase throughout LA and in MB.
MB must continue with the tough-on-crime policies emulated by retired MBPD Chief Abell. He kept our residents safe.
The new Police Chief should follow his example:
practices “broken windows policing”
The Broken Windows metaphor is one of deterioration: a building where a broken window goes unrepaired will soon be subject to far more extensive vandalism—because it sends a message that the building owners (and, by extension, the police) cannot or will not control minor crimes, and thus will be unable to deter more serious ones. A neighborhood where minor offenses go unchallenged soon becomes a breeding ground for more serious criminal activity and, ultimately, for violence.
fosters strong officer morale
supports and backs our officers
honors, respects, and enforces the law, even if the Gascon policies release criminals.
has an excellent reputation with the previous department and our city
What qualifications would our City Council Members like to see in a new Police Chief?
Read more about the search for a new MBPD Police Chief here: Police Chief Search
Do you know the political positions of the local Far Leftists?
To make an informed decision in the November 2022 election, our newsletters keep our subscribers up to date on issues, policies, and soon, the candidates.
Part of the information gathering process for residents is knowing the political position of the local Far Leftists group, MB United, founded by former Councilmember Amy Howarth, current Mayor Hildy Stern, and several of the former members of the Bruce’s Beach Task Force.
We encourage our subscribers to read their newsletter MB United link and perhaps subscribe to their newsletter to read for yourself their point of view.