VAN NUYS : Group Vows to Fight Day-Care Center Plan

Despite plans to scale back the project, a local homeowners association has vowed to fight a proposal that would convert a Van Nuys home into a day-care center, contending that Councilwoman Joy Picus’ support was election-year politics gone sour.

Michelle Ventimiglia’s new plan approved Tuesday by the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals reduced the child-care capacity for the home on Keswick Street from 48 children to 24 and includes a circular driveway between the home and a back alley to reduce traffic congestion.

But Don Schultz, president of the Van Nuys Homeowners’ Assn., said his organization will file appeals all the way to the Los Angeles City Council on behalf of the neighbors, who still feel the proposal is too large.

Schultz said many neighbors also felt betrayed by a switch in position by Picus, whose office helped oppose the larger project rejected by the city in March.

“I’m appalled with the councilwoman’s decision,” Schultz said. “Obviously, we did not vote Picus out soon enough.”

Schultz accused Picus of trying to “stick it” to homeowners for having lost last week’s City Council election race against Laura Chick. “If she had won the election, her decision would not have been that decision,” he said.

Both claims were rejected by Jim Dawson, chief planning deputy for Picus’ office. Dawson spoke out against the larger project in March and supported the reduced version at the hearing Tuesday.

“Mr. Schultz has an opinion that is incorrect,” Dawson said. “I’m sure that if the project had originally been proposed for 24 students, she (Picus) would have supported it. She’s very, very supportive of child care. She enacted the city child-care policy. This is only one of two cases she has ever opposed, based on overdensity.”

The earlier ruling against the center by an associate zoning administrator was based on too many children, too much noise and a poor drop-off plan. The new version, which allows children between ages 2 to 6 to be at the center five days a week, adds several conditions, including fencing, on-site parking and limiting outside play to nine students at a time.

Despite her victory, Ventimiglia said she cannot afford to rest until the City Council approves the project.

“It’s not over till it’s over,” Ventimiglia said.