briefs cont. from page 3 nomic downturn.

By 2030, Goldberg said, I can say with certainty its going to cost more than its going to cost today. Though $114 per $100,000 of assessed value is the maximum, Goldberg said Keygent, BHUSDs financial advisor, does not expect that to be the rate for the life of the bond. Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, called BHUSDs situation typical. The honest thing to do would be to get an advisory vote and take the advice of the community on this, Vosburgh said. [The district could say] Do you want this? Weve done our best but its not working out. Should we speed up the program and charge you more, or should we just charge you the same and do the best we can? I would think they would

be wanting to do that, but I doubt if they will because theyre going to just listen to the insiders. They all carry the flag, Its for the children, but its not for the children. Its for contractors, its for bond brokers, its for the administration. Goldberg said the bond schedule will next be discussed at a Board of Education meeting in May.

Goldberg defends the BHUSDs use of federal lobbyist

As the BHUSD enters its twelfth month working with law firm Venable, which BHUSD retained to fight the Metro tunnel at the federal level, Board of Education President Brian Goldberg said he believes the district is benefiting from Venables services, despite the fact that no change appears to

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Planning Commission of Beverly Hills, at its regular meeting to be held on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at 1:30 p.m., or as soon after as the matter is heard, in the Council Chambers, Room 280-A, of the City Hall, 455 N. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, will hold a public hearing to consider: A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR SINGLE FAMILY PROPERTIES IN THE CENTRAL AREA OF THE CITY AND AMENDING THE BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE The proposed Ordinance would amend the City of Beverly Hills development standards for single family properties in the central area of the City, including properties located south of Sunset Boulevard and some properties in Coldwater and Benedict Canyons. The amendments would (1) allow existing homes with non-conforming rear yard setbacks to encroach into a rear yard area, subject to a Central R1 Permit; (2) allow walls, fences, and hedges over three feet in height that are located in the required front yard area to be approved pursuant to the Citys Design Review Program (Article 44 of Chapter 3 of Title 10 of the City of Beverly Hills Municipal Code) when the home has architectural elements that project into the required front yard area; and (3) modify the development standards applying to corner lots located south of Santa Monica Boulevard which allow existing homes to encroach into the rear yard area, subject to a Central R1 Permit. This Ordinance has been assessed in accordance with the authority and criteria contained in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA Guidelines, and the environmental regulations of the City. It can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the adoption and implementation of the Ordinance may have a signicant effect on the environment. The Ordinance does not authorize construction. This Ordinance is exempt from the environmental review requirements of CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. All interested persons are invited to attend and speak on this matter. Written comments may be submitted, c/o Planning Services, 455 N. Rexford Drive, 1st Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 and should be received prior to 5:00 p.m. on April 4, 2012 to be included with the Planning Commissions agenda packet. Written materials may be submitted during the public hearing. Please note that if you challenge the Citys action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at a public hearing or in written correspondence delivered to the City, either at or prior to the end of the public comment period. If there are any questions regarding this notice, please contact Peter Noonan, AICP CEP, Associate Planner, Community Development Department, Planning, at 310.285.1127 or pnoonan@beverlyhills.org. The case le, including a copy of the proposed ordinance, is available for review in the Community Development Department/Planning Services Section, 1st Floor, 455 N. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, California. JONATHAN LAIT, AICP City Planner

have taken place in the subway route. Were making the feds aware of the potential dangers, and hopefully helping them not make bad public policy, Goldberg said. [Beverly High] would be the only instructional building in the state of California to have either heavy rail or a tunnel running through a campus in the state. Thats bad public policy. Goldberg said Venable is not just lobbying. Its also looking at the challenges to the federal EIR [Environmental Impact Report], Goldberg said. This involves federal dollars and federal right of ways. The feds are involved. There are ways to stall or block this from happening through the federal challenge as well. Since Venable began working on behalf of the district in May 2011, the firm has billed the BHUSD over $140,000 for its retainer, plus expenses. The contract has been extended periodically since last May, most recently at the March 27 Board of Education meeting. The one-month contract for $15,000 plus

expenses extends through April 30. We have had many meetings with elected officials and their staffsparticularly those from the relevant authorizing and appropriating committeesand are working hard to both educate them regarding the merits of the Santa Monica location as well as secure legislative language that would achieve the school districts objectives, Venable Of Counsel Scott E. Gluck wrote to the board last month. We have also actively engaged the Federal Transit Administration, who ultimately will be responsible for approving the Final EIR/ EIS. Venable is being paid out of the BHUSDs general fund, but that could change, Goldberg said, as Venables work shifts from lobbying to dealing with potential federal litigation on behalf of the district related to the final EIR Metro released last month. The BHUSD is currently paying legal bills related to fighting the Metro tunnel with Measure E funds, since BHUSD says a tunnel under the high school could affect construction plans at the high school.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Planning Commission of Beverly Hills, at its regular meeting to be held on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at 1:30 p.m., or as soon after as the matter is heard, in the Council Chambers, Room 280-A, of the City Hall, 455 N. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, will hold a public hearing to consider: A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING CONVENIENCE STORES TO OBTAIN A CONVENIENCE STORE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND AMENDING THE BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE. The proposed Ordinance would prohibit establishment of new convenience stores as dened in the Ordinance, unless the City is able to make specic ndings to assure the use would not affect the surrounding neighborhoods in a negative manner. This Ordinance has been assessed in accordance with the authority and criteria contained in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA Guidelines, and the environmental regulations of the City. It can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the adoption and implementation of the Ordinance may have a signicant effect on the environment. The Ordinance does not authorize construction and, in fact, imposes greater restrictions on certain types of development in order to protect the public health, safety and general welfare. This Ordinance is therefore exempt from the environmental review requirements of CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b) (3) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. All interested persons are invited to attend and speak on this matter. Written comments may be submitted, c/o Planning Services, 455 N. Rexford Drive, 1st Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 and should be received prior to 5:00 p.m. on April 4, 2012 to be included with the Planning Commissions agenda packet. Written materials may be submitted during the public hearing. Please note that if you challenge the Citys action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at a public hearing or in written correspondence delivered to the City, either at or prior to the end of the public comment period. If there are any questions regarding this notice, please contact Peter Noonan, AICP CEP, Associate Planner, Community Development Department, Planning, at 310.285.1127 or pnoonan@beverlyhills.org. The case le, including a copy of the proposed ordinance, is available for review in the Community Development Department/Planning Services Section, 1st Floor, 455 N. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, California. JONATHAN LAIT, AICP City Planner

Page 4 Beverly Hills Weekly