BYLAWS

Ratified December 13, 2001

 

City Attorney/DONE-requested changes adopted by the GRVNC Board on 8-26-02

by a vote of 18-0 and ratified by the GRVNC General Assembly on 10-28-02 by a vote of 74-0

 

Election Date revisions adopted by the GRVNC Board on 8-26-02

by a vote of 18-0 and ratified by the GRVNC General Assembly on 10-28-02 by a vote of 83-0

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

ARTICLE I                  NAME AND ORGANIZATION

 

ARTICLE II                 PURPOSE AND POLICY

 

ARTICLE III               MEMBERSHIP

 

ARTICLE IV               BOARD OF OFFICERS

 

ARTICLE V                MEMBERSHIP OVERSIGHT

 

ARTICLE VI               ELECTIONS

 

ARTICLE VII              COMMITTEES

 

ARTICLE VIII MEETINGS

 

ARTICLE IX               GOVERNING AUTHORITY

 

ARTICLE X                AMENDMENT

 

ARTICLE XI               BOUNDARIES

 

ARTICLE XII              ETHICS

 

ARTICLE XIII FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

 

ARTICLE XIV            OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS

 


 

ARTICLE I — NAME AND ORGANIZATION

 

The name of the organization shall be “Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council.” It shall hereinafter be referred to as “GRVNC.” It shall be organized as a public Neighborhood Council, dedicated to the empowerment of the Venice community.

 

ARTICLE II — PURPOSE AND POLICY

 

A.                 Mission Statement. To improve the quality of life in Venice by building community and to secure support from the City of Los Angeles for the resources needed to achieve our goals.

 

B.                 Purpose. The purpose of the Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council shall be:

 

1.             To engage the broad spectrum of GRVNC Community Stakeholders for collaboration and deliberation on matters affecting the community including events, issues and projects.

 

2.             To work with other organizations in Venice and other Los Angeles neighborhood councils that want help in accomplishing their objectives or projects that the GRVNC desires to support.

 

3.             To promote GRVNC Community Stakeholder participation and advocacy in Los Angeles City government decision-making processes and to promote greater awareness of available City resources.

 

4.             To be an advocate for Venice to government and private agencies.

 

C.                 Policy.  The policy of the Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council shall be:

 

1.             To respect the Community Stakeholders of the GRVNC as the ultimate authority and controlling force of the GRVNC.

 

2.             To consistently and diligently outreach to the diverse and ever-changing Venice community.

 

3.             To respect the autonomy of all individuals, groups, and organizations within the community.

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III — MEMBERSHIP

 

A.                 GRVNC Community Stakeholders. “GRVNC Community Stakeholders” are defined as individuals who live, work, or own property within the GRVNC boundaries. In addition, Community Stakeholders shall be identified by participation in, among other things, educational institutions, religious institutions, community organizations or other non-profit organizations, block clubs, neighborhood associations, homeowners associations, apartment associations, condominium associations, resident associations, school/parent groups, faith based groups and organizations, senior groups and organizations, youth groups and organizations, chambers of commerce, business improvement districts, arts associations, political action groups, service organizations, park advisory boards, boys and girls clubs, cultural groups, environmental groups, codewatch, neighborhood watch, police advisory board groups, and/or redevelopment action boards.

 

B.                 Voting Members. Any GRVNC Community Stakeholder who chooses to register may become a “Voting Member.” Voter registration will be conducted in accordance with Article VI, as interpreted by the Rules and Elections Committee. Proof of Community Stakeholder status will be required for voting rights to be effected.

 

C.                 Member Rights. Members shall have at minimum the following rights:

 

1.      To vote to elect the Board of Officers, as specified in Articles IV and VI.

2.      To initiate discussion, an action, policy, or position.

3.      To make a motion to hold a non-binding, advisory vote at any general meeting.  All individuals present at such a meeting, whether or not they are registered as Voting Members, shall be allowed to participate in such an advisory vote.

4.      To make use of initiative, recall, and grievance procedures outlined in Article V.

5.      To participate in and provide feedback at all meetings of the GRVNC.

6.      To participate on standing committees and assist with the various activities of the GRVNC, as specified in Article VII.

7.      To establish ad hoc advisory or working committees reporting to the GRVNC Board of Officers, as specified in Article VII.

 

D.        Privacy. The GRVNC Voting Member database will be deemed confidential to the fullest extent of the law. It shall be maintained by the Communications Officer and the Communications and Outreach Committee. Official GRVNC business requiring communication to the Voting Members shall be disseminated by the Communications Officer. 

 


 

ARTICLE IV BOARD OF OFFICERS

 

A.                 The Governing Body of the GRVNC shall be the GRVNC Board of Officers. The Board of Officers shall establish policies and positions of the GRVNC at its regular meetings and review and recommend actions to governmental and other entities on issues affecting the Venice community.  The GRVNC Board of Officers is comprised of Twenty-One (21) Officers, elected from and by the population of GRVNC Voting Members, as follows:

 

·        Seven (7) Executive Officers (elected at-large)

·        Seven (7) At-Large Officers

·        Seven (7) Geographical Representative Officers

 

B.                 Seven (7) Executive Officers elected at-large (i.e. any Voting Member may run for and vote for any at-large office), including:

  

1.      President (Chair General, Board and Executive Committee meetings, connect with other Neighborhood Councils in Los Angeles).

2.      Vice President (Chair Event Planning Committee, assume duties of the President when the President is unavailable to perform his/her duties).

3.      Second Vice President (Assume duties of the Vice President when the Vice President is unavailable to perform his/her duties, Co-Chair Communications and Outreach Committee. Serves as Executive committee liaison for Geographic representatives).

4.      Secretary (Record minutes, post minutes to website no later than 7 days after meetings, make minutes available prior to next meeting, maintain public record of the GRVNC).

5.      Treasurer (Chair Budget, Finance and Fundraising Committee, oversee finances, report at Board Meetings, maintain balance sheets, financial accountability, etc.  Co-sign along with another Executive Officer all checks for disbursement of funds greater than $100).

6.      Communications Officer (Chair Communications and Outreach Committee, oversee Early Notification System, etc.).

7.      Government Relations Officer (Chair Government Relations Committee, perform City Oversight function, etc.).

 

The Immediate Past President shall be, as implied by the name, a non-elected position. The Immediate Past President shall serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Executive Committee and Board of Officers.

 

 

 

 

 

C.        Seven (7) At-Large Officers

 

Seven (7) Officers shall be elected At-Large from Voting Members. These Officers may (but are not required to) represent specific Community Stakeholder Organizations operating within the GRVNC boundary area, such as neighborhood associations, chambers of commerce, religious institutions, schools, arts associations, political action groups, youth organizations, non-profits, etc.

 

 

D.        Seven (7) Geographical Representative Officers

 

Seven Officers shall be elected from Voting Members who live (either homeowner or renter) in each of the following districts of the GRVNC boundary area:

 

1.                  Lincoln Place / Penmar

2.                  North Beach / Rose / Ocean Front Walk

3.                  Central Venice / Oakwood

4.                  South of Palms, East of Lincoln

5.                  Windward Circle / Abbot Kinney / Milwood / Walk Streets

6.                  Oxford Triangle / Silver Triangle / President’s Row

7.                  Canals / Peninsula / South Beach / Silver Strand

 

Geographical representatives shall represent the interests of the Community Stakeholders within their District. Geographical representatives will maintain excellent lines of communication with the various neighborhoods, business, and other organizations operating within their district.  Geographical representatives will actively outreach to Community Stakeholder groups and individuals within their district.  Geographical representatives will, in conjunction with the Communications and Outreach Committee (see Article VII) and the City of Los Angeles, carry out the Neighborhood Council responsibilities related to the Early Notification System, as created and maintained by the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (hereinafter referred to as “DONE”).

 

 

District boundaries were developed by mapping the boundaries of existing neighborhood organizations and by examining year 2000 census tract data.  The district boundaries strive to respect the boundaries of communities of interest and natural or manmade boundaries while providing a comparable distribution of stakeholder population among the seven districts.  See Article XI for a detailed description of the individual district boundaries.

 

E.         Officer Responsibilities

 

In addition to specific Officer Responsibilities defined above for Executive Officers and Geographical Representative Officers, all other Officers will serve on at least one Standing Committee and will serve on and/or chair other Committees.


 

F.         Vacant Board Seats

 

If all Board seats are not filled after the election, they shall be filled by the majority vote of the other elected Officers.  Officer seats vacated before the natural expiration of their term shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining Officers.  Officers selected in these manners shall be confirmed or replaced by election by the Voting Members at a separate GRVNC Election meeting, to be held in a timely manner after such selection.

G.        Term

 

Each term of office shall be two years (excepting those initial terms described below).  Terms shall begin on July 1st and end on June 30th.  See Article VI (Elections) for further detail on initial terms, staggering, and term limits.

 

H.        Quorum

 

A minimum of eleven (11) of the twenty-one (21) GRVNC Officers shall be required at Board and GRNVC general meetings for a quorum to be present.  A minimum of four (4) of the seven (7) Executive Officers shall be required at Executive Committee meetings for a quorum to be present.  A majority vote of Officers present shall be sufficient for the Board of Officers or the Executive Committee, as appropriate, to rule on business, unless otherwise stated in these By-Laws.

 

I.          Resignation and Removal

 

1.        If an Officer is elected to any City of Los Angeles political office, he or she must immediately resign from the Board.

 

2.        Any Officer may resign by submitting a written resignation to the President or the Secretary.

 

3.        The Board may remove any Officer whenever the best interests of the GRVNC would be served. No Officer shall be removed for any arbitrary, capricious or discriminatory reason.  If an Officer fails to consistently attend those meetings at which they are expected, the Board may remove the Officer and declare the seat vacant.  Executive Officers are expected to attend all Executive Committee meetings, Board of Officers meetings and GRVNC General meetings.  Board Members are expected to attend all Board of Officers meetings and GRVNC General meetings.  Absence from four (4) consecutive meetings or seven (7) or more meetings during the previous twelve months shall be deemed a failure to consistently attend.  A three-quarters (3/4) vote of Officers present at a Board of Officers meeting or GRVNC General meeting is required for removal.  Such action shall be effective immediately upon the Board vote to remove. In such case, the President shall send a certified letter to the person, stating that he or she is no longer a GRVNC Officer.

 

4.        A person removed from the Board is ineligible to serve on the Board for twelve (12) months from the date of removal.

 

ARTICLE V — MEMBERSHIP OVERSIGHT

 

To ensure accountability of the Board of Officers to the GRVNC Community Stakeholders, the following procedures are established:

 

A.                 Initiative: An Initiative is a procedure by which Voting Members may directly petition for a proposal and secure its submission to the GRVNC Community for approval.  Any GRVNC Voting Member may put forth an Initiative by presenting a petition to the Executive Committee or the Board of Officers with one-hundred (100) signatures of GRVNC Voting Members or five percent (5%) of all GRVNC Voting Members, whichever is less, supporting the motion. The petition shall include a paragraph of fifty (50) words or less outlining the purpose and content of the Initiative.

·        Receipt of this completed petition by the Executive Committee or the Board of Officers shall trigger this item being scheduled as an action item on the Agenda at a separate GRVNC Election Meeting to be held not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days following receipt of the completed petition. Notice of the Initiative, including the outline paragraph of 50 words or less, shall be made in all public meeting notices and announcements for the upcoming meeting at which the Initiative shall be voted on.

·        Passage of the Initiative requires a majority vote of the GRVNC Voting Members present at the GRVNC Election Meeting, not to be less than fifty (50) votes in favor of the Initiative.

·        If the Initiative passes, the Voting Member(s) who put forth the Initiative must be willing to chair and/or organize an ad-hoc committee (when appropriate) to carry out the action of the Initiative, if so directed by the Executive Committee or the Board of Officers.

·        The Initiative process does not apply to Amendment of these By-Laws. For Amendment procedures, see Article X.

 

B.                 Recall: Recall is the procedure by which Voting Members may directly remove an elected GRVNC Officer. Any GRVNC Voting Member may put forth a Recall petition by presenting a petition to the Executive Committee or the Board of Officers with no less than two-hundred (200) signatures of GRVNC Voting Members supporting the motion.

 

·        Receipt of this completed petition by the Executive Committee or the Board of Officers shall trigger this item being scheduled as an action item on the Agenda at a separate GRVNC Election Meeting to be held not less than thirty (30) days nor more than ninety (90) days following receipt of the completed petition.  Notice of the Recall petition, including the name of the Officer subject to Recall, shall be made in all public meeting notices and announcements for the upcoming meeting at which the Recall shall be voted on.

·        Removal of the Officer by Recall requires a three-quarters (3/4) majority vote of the GRVNC Voting Members present at the GRVNC Election Meeting, not to be less than one-hundred (100) votes in favor of the Recall.

·        Geographical Representative Officers are subject to Recall only if the above-referenced two-hundred (200) signatures on the Recall petition are from Voting Members with Community Stakeholder status inside the District which the Officer represents. In such an instance, removal of the Geographical Representative Officer shall require a three-quarters (3/4) majority vote of the GRVNC Voting Members present at the separate GRVNC Election Meeting who are Voting Members with Community Stakeholder status inside the District which the Officer represents, not to be less than fifty (50) votes in favor of the Recall.

 

C.                 Grievance: Any GRVNC Community Stakeholder who is adversely affected by a decision of the GRVNC may submit a written Grievance to any member of the Board of Officers. The Board of Officers (or a sub-committee thereof, if so designated by the Board) shall review the Grievance at either a regular Board of Officers meeting or a specially called meeting. The complainant shall be notified no less than four (4) days prior to this meeting in order that she/he may attend. The Board shall resolve the Grievance or take appropriate action and shall advise the complainant of its determination.

 

ARTICLE VI — ELECTIONS

 

A.        Timing

 

Elections for the GRVNC Board of Officers shall be held annually at the June GRVNC Election meeting.  The only order of business at the annual Election Meeting shall be the election of the Board of Officers.  The first election shall elect all twenty-one (21) officers and shall be held in a timely manner after certification by the City of Los Angeles, with terms effective immediately after the election.  Elections thereafter shall be staggered, electing ten (10) officers in odd numbered years and eleven (11) officers in even numbered years (the Immediate Past President will be a non-elected position). The specifics of the staggering procedure are described below.  Special Election Meetings may additionally be called where a vote of the GRVNC Voting Membership is required, as specified in these bylaws.

 

B.                 Staggering

 

For the initial GRVNC Board elections, the following ten (10) Officers shall be elected to initial terms effective through June 30, 2003, with two-year terms thereafter:

 

1.      Secretary

2.      Treasurer

3.      Communications Officer

4.      Seven (7) At-Large Officers

 

The remaining Officers shall be elected to two-year terms in the initial and subsequent elections.

 

C.        Term Limits

 

No person may serve more than eight consecutive years in any office of the GRVNC Board of Officers, in accordance with the DONE plan.

 

D.        Registration

 

GRVNC Community Stakeholders may register to become Voting Members at any time up to one hour before the Election Meeting.  Registered Voting Members who qualify as current Community Stakeholders at the time of elections are entitled to vote at the Election Meeting.

 

E.         Qualification

 

Any Community Stakeholder within the GRVNC boundaries who is 16 years or older may complete a GRVNC registration form and become a GRVNC Voting Member. Any Community Stakeholder who is under 16 years old but is a junior or senior in High School is also qualified to become a Voting Member upon proof of such status. See Article III for a definition of requirements for Community Stakeholder qualification.

 

F.         Credentials

 

A Valid Credential(s) may be required at the time of registration to prove Community Stakeholder status.

 

Examples of Valid Credentials include the following:

 

·        CA Drivers License

·        CA Residency Card

·        School ID Card

·        A business card

·        A recent utility bill

·        An imprinted check

 

Other proof of Community Stakeholder status will be accepted per the standards adopted by the Rules and Elections Committee.

 

G.        Voting

 

Voting for election of Officers shall be by ballot. Each Voting Member shall be entitled to cast votes (as applicable due to staggered elections) as follows:

 

·        One vote for President

·        One vote for Vice President

·        One vote for Second Vice President

·        One vote for Secretary

·        One vote for Treasurer

·        One vote for Communications Officer

·        One vote for Government Relations Officer

·        One vote for each At-Large Officer.  The seven At-Large Officer candidates with the highest vote totals shall be elected.  Each GRVNC Voting Member may vote for up to seven (7) candidates when the seven (7) At-Large Officer positions are up for election.

·        One vote for one Geographical Representative Officer.  Each GRVNC Voting Member may vote for only one Geographical Representative Officer when the seven (7) Geographical Representative Officer positions are up for election.

 

If more than two candidates are running for an Office, a plurality shall be sufficient to elect.

 

No voting by proxy is allowed, either in elections or for the Board of Officers to rule on business.

 

H.        Election Procedures

 

The Rules and Elections Committee is granted broad discretion to interpret these rules and to create additional rules and procedures as necessary to hold annual GRVNC Officer elections or special Election Meetings.  The Rules and Elections Committee shall by guided by the principles of fairness and democracy in creating such rules.

 

ARTICLE VII — COMMITTEES

 

GRVNC Community Stakeholders are encouraged to participate on Committees in which they are interested by contacting the Committee Chair. The following Committees shall be established:

 

A.                 Executive Committee: Consists of the Seven Executive Officers. Chaired by President.  Sets agenda for Board, Executive Committee, and GRVNC meetings. Establishes ad hoc and other Committees. Acts as administrative body for the GRVNC. Recommends actions to the Board of Officers. The Executive Committee shall have the authority of the Board of Officers to make decisions on emergency and routine business items, and shall report all such actions and decisions to the Board, which may modify or reverse such actions or decisions upon a majority vote.

 

B.                 Rules and Elections Committee: Chaired by Officer as nominated by the Executive Committee, subject to approval of the Board. Organizes and executes general GRVNC elections and Election Meetings. Responsible for compliance with the GRVNC By-Laws.  Proposes and enforces standing rules as necessary. Establishes a Nominations sub-committee as necessary. Informs the voting members of all election rules and procedures, and reports at GRVNC general meetings on any changes to these that it has adopted.

 

C.                 Budget, Finance and Fundraising Committee: Chaired by Treasurer. Oversees and administrates all GRVNC financial matters, including system of financial accountability as required by DONE.

 

D.                 Communications and Outreach Committee: Chaired by Communications Officer, Co-Chaired by the Second Vice President. Includes all Geographical Representative Officers and may include additional Voting Members as determined by the Communications and Outreach Committee. Oversees, administrates and executes Early Notification System and communications with GRVNC Community Stakeholders. Performs ongoing outreach to GRVNC Community Stakeholders.

 

E.                  Government Relations Committee: Chaired by Government Relations Officer, Co-Chaired by another GRVNC Voting Member as nominated by the Board. Fulfill City Oversight function and liaise with City and other governmental entities.

 

F.                  Event Planning Committee: Chaired by Vice President. Organize and execute General Meetings and special events.

 

G.                 Land Use and Planning Committee: This nine (9) member Committee shall include seven (7) GRVNC Voting Members (i.e. registered GRVNC Community Stakeholders), each as nominated by the individual Geographical Representative Officers, one for each District.  Additionally, the Committee shall include two (2) GRVNC Officers, as nominated by the Board of Officers. Committee members shall elect the chair and/or co-chair(s). The Land Use and Planning Committee shall review, take public input, report on and make recommendations of actions to the Board of Officers on any land use and planning issues affecting the GRVNC community.

 

H.                 Conservation Committee: This committee will address conservation issues within the Venice boundaries and those issues outside of the formal boundaries that directly affect conservation issues within Venice.

 

Other standing or ad hoc Committees may be established as deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee and/or the Board of Officers, to carry on the work of the GRVNC. Chairs are named by the Executive Committee, subject to approval by the Board of Officers. A Committee may be chaired by and may include any GRVNC Community Stakeholder. Other than the Executive Committee and Land Use and Planning Committee, which have membership specified above, the size and composition of each Committee beyond what is specified in these bylaws is left to the discretion of each Committee and its Chair.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII — MEETINGS

 

A.                 Notice: Meetings shall be open to the public as required with proper notice as mandated by DONE and the Brown Act. Ongoing outreach shall be performed to inform Community Stakeholders of meetings.

 

B.                 Brown Act: Meetings, including Standing Committee meetings, are subject to Brown Act requirements as mandated by state law.

 

C.                 Meeting Frequency:

 

·        The Executive Committee and the Board of Officers shall meet at least bi-monthly.

·        GRVNC General Meetings shall be held at least quarterly.

 

D.                 Elections: GRVNC Board Elections shall be held annually in June.  Elections Meetings where a vote of the GRVNC Voting Membership is required may be held at any time, subject to Brown Act requirements.

 

E.                  Agenda:  The Executive Committee shall establish the Agenda for Board of Officers and GRVNC general meetings. Any Voting Member can suggest that a matter be placed on the Agenda for any meeting by making such suggestion at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Executive Committee or by submitting such request in writing to an Officer of the Board. If a suggestion for an Agenda item made by an Officer is not included on the Agenda by the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee shall notify the Officer in a timely manner as to why the item was not included on the Agenda.  The Executive Committee shall report on all such written communications at its regular meetings and shall place such matters on the Agenda that fall within the Purposes and Policies set forth in Article II at its discretion.

 

F.                  The Executive Committee shall schedule, organize and execute Executive Committee meetings and Board of Officers meetings, and shall report at GRVNC General Meetings on actions taken.

 

G.                 The Event Planning Committee shall schedule, organize and execute General Meetings.

 

H.                 Due honor and respect shall be afforded to all.

 

I.                    No member of the general assembly shall speak longer than three (3) minutes at one time without permission of the Chair.

 

ARTICLE IX — GOVERNING AUTHORITY

 

A.                 Governing Parliamentary Authority: Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall serve as the Governing Parliamentary Authority of GRVNC. An unbiased Parliamentarian may be appointed by the Board to assure that the Governing Parliamentary Authority is adhered to both at general meetings and at Board meetings. In the case of any conflict between these By-Laws and the Governing Parliamentary Authority, these By-Laws shall prevail.

 

B.                 Standing Rules: Standing Rules may be approved by the Board of Officers to supplement these By-Laws. Such rules shall be in addition to the By-Laws and shall not be construed to change or replace any By-Law. If there is a conflict between a provision of the By-Laws and a Standing Rule, the By-Law shall govern. Standing Rules may be adopted, amended, or repealed by a simple majority vote of the Board of Officers.

 

ARTICLE X — AMENDMENT

 

Amendment of these By-Laws shall be in writing and shall follow one of the following two procedures:

 

A.                 Amendment by Board of Officers:

 

1.                  Requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board of Officers, and

 

2.                  Must be ratified by fifty percent (50%) of the Voting Members present at a subsequent GRVNC Election meeting, not to be less than fifty (50) Voting Members voting in support of the Amendment, such meeting to be held not less than thirty (30) days nor more than ninety (90) days following the approval of the Amendment by the Board of Officers.

 

B.                 Direct Amendment by GRVNC Voting Members: Voting Members may directly Amend these By-Laws by presenting a petition to the Executive Committee with no less than fifty (50) signatures of GRVNC Voting Members supporting the motion. All revisions to the By-laws should use strikethroughs to denote deletions from the By-laws and underlines to denote additions to the By-laws.

                                              

1.                  Receipt of this completed petition by the Executive Committee shall trigger this item being scheduled as an action item on the Agenda at a separate GRVNC Election Meeting to be held not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days following receipt of the completed petition. Notice of the Amendment, including the name of the Article(s) to which revisions are proposed, shall be made in all public meeting notices and announcements for the upcoming Election meeting at which the Amendment shall be voted on.

2.                  Passage of the Amendment requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the GRVNC Voting Members present at the GRVNC Election Meeting.

 

C.                 Amendment of the By-Laws passed by either of the above methods is then subject to the approval process mandated by DONE.

 

ARTICLE XI — BOUNDARIES

 

Boundaries of the GRVNC shall follow the traditional boundaries for Venice, as set forth in the City of Los Angeles Venice Area Specific Plan and the City of Los Angeles Planning and Land Use Map for Venice, with one exception, as noted below.  These traditional boundaries are approximately described as the City of Santa Monica to the North, the Pacific Ocean to the West, Marina del Rey (unincorporated County of Los Angeles) to the South, and Walgrove Avenue, the eastern edge of the Venice High School grounds, Culver City, Walnut, Del Rey and Lincoln Boulevard on the East.  The exceptions to these traditional boundaries are:

 

A.            The area between Walgrove Ave. and Beethoven St., contains many of the schools serving the Venice Community including Venice High, Mark Twain Junior High, Walgrove Elementary and Beethoven Elementary.  The grounds of these schools shall be considered an overlap area with the Neighborhood Council established by the Mar Vista Community.

 

B.            District Boundaries

 

District 1: Penmar / Lincoln Place

 

Western Boundary: Lincoln Blvd.

Southern Boundary: Palms Blvd.

Northern Boundary: City of Santa Monica (Navy to Dewey Ct. ROW to N. edge of Penmar)

Eastern Boundary: Walgrove Ave and eastern edge of school grounds

 

Description of Boundaries: Lincoln Blvd. at City of Santa Monica south to Palms Blvd., east on Palms, jog south on Penmar Ave. then continue east on Palms to Walgrove Ave., north Appleton, east on Appleton to Maplewood, north on Maplewood to Morningside, west on Morningside to Walgrove, north on Walgrove to the street north of Penmar Golf Course straight through along the southern border of the City of Santa Monica to Lincoln Blvd (border of Santa Monica runs between Ozone Ave. and Machado Dr. west of Penmar Park).

 

Census Tracts: All of #2731; Partial Tract #2714 between Walgrove and Beethoven North of Palms

 

District 2: Rose / North Beach

 

Western Boundary: Pacific Ocean

Southern Boundary: S. Venice Blvd at the Beach;

Boundary then goes North on Pacific to Westminster, then East along Westminster past Riviera to the dead-end of Alhambra Ct., thence parallel to Abbot Kinney to Main St., North on Main to Brooks, East on Brooks to Hampton Dr., North on Hampton Dr. to the alley South of Rose Ave (continuation of Rose Ct.), thence East to Lincoln, thence North to the City of Santa Monica border, thence West along the border to Navy to the Pacific Ocean.

 

Census Tracts: Partial #2735, All of #2734 except small portion of Abbot Kinney, Partial #2733 and #2732 north of Rose Ct. or alley along that line.

 

District 3: Central Venice / Oakwood

 

Start at Lincoln Blvd. at Rose Ct.; South along Lincoln to California Ave.; West along California Ave. to Electric Ave; Northwest along Electric Ave. to Hampton Dr.; North along Hampton Dr. to line of Rose Ct.; East along Rose Ct. to Lincoln Blvd.

 

Census Tracts: Most of #2733 and #2732 except portions north of Rose Ct.

 

District 4: South of Palms, East of Lincoln

 

Start at Lincoln Blvd. at Palms; East along Palms to Penmar; South on Penmar to Palms; East on Palms to Beethoven St.; South along Beethoven to Venice Blvd; West along Venice Blvd. to Lyceum Ave; South along Lyceum to Zanja St.(Culver City border); West along Zanja to Lincoln; North on Lincoln to Palms.

 

Census Tracts: All of #2737; Partial #2738 east of Lincoln; Partial #2721 west of Beethoven.

 

District 5: Windward Circle / Abbot Kinney / Milwood / Walk Streets

 

Start at S. Venice Blvd. and Pacific; North along Pacific to Westminster; East on Westminster to Alhambra; Northwest along line of Alhambra (parallel to Abbot Kinney) to intersection of Brooks and Main; North on Main to Vista; East along the line of Electric Ave. to Electric Ave; Southeast along Electric Ave to California Ave; Northeast on California to Lincoln; South on Lincoln to Venice; West on S. Venice to Pacific.

 

Census Tracts: All of #2736; Partial #2735 (east of Pacific); Partial #2734 (along Abbot Kinney).

 

District 6: Oxford Triangle / Silver Triangle / President’s Row

 

Start at Lincoln and Venice Blvd; South on Lincoln to Zanja/Van Buren; East on Zanja to Walnut; South on Walnut (turns into Del Rey) to Maxella; West on Maxella to Lincoln; South on Lincoln to LA County unincorporated line (south of 90 intersection); Northwest (parallel to Admiralty Way, following City of LA boundary and census tract border) to Washington at Mildred; Along LA County unincorporated line (Washington Blvd.) to Ocean/Via Marina; North on Ocean to S. Venice Blvd; East on S. Venice to Lincoln.

 

Census Tracts: All of #2741; Partial #2738 west of Lincoln; Partial #2739 east of Ocean.


District 7: Canals / Peninsula / South Beach / Silver Strand

 

Start at S. Venice and Ocean Ave.; West on S. Venice to the water; South along the coastline to the Marina; East on Via Marina (LA County unincorporated line) to Via Dolce; North on Via Dolce to Roma Ct; East on Roma Ct. to Via Marina (following City of LA border and LA County unincorporated line); North on Via Marina to Tahiti Way; North along LA County unincorporated line (parallel to Via Dolce) to Dell Alley; North along Dell Alley which jogs to the West to Via Dolce; North on Via Dolce to Washington; East on Washington to Ocean; North on Ocean to S. Venice.

 

Census Tracts: All of #2742; Partial #2739 west of Ocean Ave.

 

ARTICLE XII - ETHICS

A.      Nondiscrimination. The GRVNC will encourage all Community Stakeholders to participate in its activities, and will not discriminate against individuals or groups on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, income, citizenship status, or political affiliation in any of its policies, recommendations, or actions.

B.      Conflict of Interest. The GRVNC shall be subject to any or all applicable sections of the City of Los Angeles Governmental Ethics Ordinances. All applicable laws of local, state, and federal government shall be the minimum ethical standard for GRVNC, its Board of Officers, and its membership.

C.      Restriction on Political Campaigns. The GRVNC shall not participate in, or interfere in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. This restriction shall not be interpreted to forbid informational events such as candidates’ forums.  It is expected that a member of the Board who is elected to a City of Los Angeles political office will resign from the Board prior to taking such office.


ARTICLE XIII - FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

The GRVNC agrees to comply with all financial accountability requirements as specified by City Ordinance 174006 and the Plan and as stated in the City’s Certification Application.  The GRVNC further agrees to comply with all reporting requirements as prescribed by DONE.

 

ARTICLE XIV - OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION

A.                 The GRVNC will make a continuing and concerted effort to increase the voting membership and achieve a diversity of Community Stakeholder representation in the membership and on committees, consistent with the DONE Plan.

B.                 The GRVNC will in good faith communicate with all Neighborhood Council Community Stakeholders on a regular basis in a manner ensuring that information is disseminated evenly and in a timely manner, consistent with the DONE Plan.

C.                 The GRVNC will advertise all meetings in advance using such methods identified by the Communications and Outreach Committee or GRVNC membership and deemed to be timely and effective, consistent with the Brown Act.

D.                The Communications and Outreach Committee will have general responsibility for developing specific strategies, policies, and procedures for outreach and communications, and for working with geographic representatives to implement and coordinate outreach and communication activities.