Mike Bonin Talks iPads for Firefighters, Brentwood Stop Signs

Public safety, development and the Bundy/Mayfield stop sign debate were a few of the topics addressed by new District 11 City Councilman Mike Bonin Tuesday night to the Brentwood Community Council.

"I want to particularly focus on police and public safety," Bonin said, relating to his visits Monday and Tuesday to Fire Station 69 in Pacific Palisades and Station 19 in Brentwood, respectively.

As vice chairman of the city's Public Safety Committee, Bonin said he's introducing a motion Wednesday to bring more technology - namely iPads - into public safety departments, starting with LAFD then to LAPD.

"You really learn about a lot of issues in the district," he added. " I got a scarier appreciation for public safety issues, such as the geographic isolation, traffic and [the] natural hazards we face here. I want to focus on the redeployment of LAFD resources back."

At Station 19, Bonin said he was alarmed that most firefighters and paramedics are still using Thomas Guides to navigate to locations, with some laminated maps that fell apart when shown.

Bonin talked to younger firefighters who've programmed their own iPad applications so they can track their own vehicles and the topography of the land.

"We have to bring ourselves into the smartphone era, and the mayor is too," he added.

Bundy/Mayfield stop signs

Bonin flatly said he wants the stop signs removed, but wants them removed once there's a viable alternative to address public safety concerns at the busy collector street between San Vicente and Wilshire boulevards.

Nixing crosswalk for Brentwood Farmers Market

Freedman asked why the previous administration never followed through with getting a crosswalk for the Brentwood Farmers Market on Gretna Green Way. Freedman said she thought it got approved, but Bonin's staff quickly replied they learned from the Department of Transportation that it was not approved, deeming it was not safe at the specific proposed location.

Concerns over Wilshire Boulevard dedicated bus lane

BCC President Nancy Freedman said they are concerned about the widening of Wilshire Boulevard between Federal and Barrington avenues as part of the bus rapid transit lane installations. Freedman said the designated bus lane eastbound from Federal to Barrington, which was to take up sidewalk on both sides, will be restriped on the street, alleviating the need to disturb sidewalks. She said the Bureau of Engineering found that would be sufficient and also brings the cost down considerably. 

"In the Metro EIR for the bus only lane to downtown, there is presently a portion being studied that would be a continuation of the aforementioned portion from Barrington to Federal," Freedman said. "The portion being studied is eastbound from Federal to Bonsall that runs along the VA property. The council office was in touch with the county in early 2013 to find out when a community meeting would be held. That has not been scheduled, nor a final public plan released to date."

Addressing Brentwood's community stigma in downtown


Freedman said they would like to get rid of Brentwood's label as a "rich, racist" community in City Hall based on the perception of constituents from other districts. Bonin said it is "sort of" the elephant in the room, having heard it second and third hand.

Bonin assured it's his obligation to quell the negative perception, noting it is murmured over development issues "over the feeling among some parts of the city that we have a crisis in affordable housing and income disparity that the Westside does not do its part."

Bonin added the related NIMBY (not in my backyard) perception has concerned him over the LAX expansion issue with abutting Westchester residents, as well as West L.A. residents over the controversial Casden project.

Undoing L.A.'s broken parking meter fines

As chairman of the Transportation Committee, Bonin told the BCC he's motioned to rescind the policy of ticketing Angelenos for parking at broken meters.

Hiring planning team, Fred Sutton and Norm Kulla

Bonin described his staff, namely his planning "dream team," as well as his retaining of Palisades/Brentwood Senior Counsel Norm Kulla and the hiring of Fred Sutton, former election rival, as a constituent advocate for Brentwood and the Palisades. 

A clarification to the Wilshire bus lanes was made to the original post.

Brentwood Patch: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates