March 20, 2014 hearing minutes approved, Isis Preservation, Tiger Sanctuary Malibu

The minutes from the March 20, 2014 minutes were approved today. It was announced at the meeting viewed by video that Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser has indeed appealed the denial of the CUP to the Board of Supervisors. I will update when they release public information.

Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser, Tiger Sanctuary Malibu, Ventura County Planning

Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser, Tiger Sanctuary Malibu, Ventura County Planning

Isis Preservation website
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu YouTube channel
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu blog
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu Twitter


Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser, conditional use permit, cup, Ventura County Planning Department, Commission, hearing, tiger, sanctuary, malibu, 11077 pacific view, california, negative declaration, commissioner, michael wesner, stephen onstot, board of supervisors, ventura.org, isispreservation.com, tigersanctuarymalibu, paul magie, nora aidukas, richard rodriguez, w. stephen onstot, steve bennett, linda parks, kathy long, peter foy, john zaragoza, peter c foy, john c zaragoza, zoning, planning, public comment, lawsuit, sophia krszek, white tiger, russian, usda 93-c-0762, tujunga, fish, wildlife, permit, license, PL13-0011, exhibit, television, movies, film, trainer, experienced

Commissioner Stephen Onstot votes FOR Isis Preservation conditional use permit

Commissioner Stephen Onstot votes FOR Isis Preservation conditional use permit.

Conditional use permit PL13-0011. Ventura County Planning Commission hearing on March 20, 2014. Irena Hauser, Isis Preservation, tiger sanctuary. Below is the transcript of the video.

"The applicant has met every test. Environment report came back negative declaration, use permitted in the zone. We have no evidence to deny the conditional use permit, of a substantive nature. I don't think there is any real factual disputes that would stop me from voting FOR the applicant. The reason for that is a perfect safety record, people on site, no public access. I look at the conditions imposed and staff came up with standards that don't exist in the code. That is exactly what they've done and I feel sorry for the staff, and I understand why they jumped through hoops. No matter what happens today it should go back to board of supervisors for further study so guidelines can be set. I feel the restrictive conditions imposed by staff would be stronger than anything from the board of supervisors. A two year permit. If you think about it, if any real problems exist they will be discovered. This sound situation is, as residents think it might be, then they can come back also. There is no credible expert testimony upon which I can deny based on sound, and sound is one of the chief concerns that I have. <snip> We don't have substantive expert evidence upon which to deny the permit based on noise. It doesn't exist now. Staff denied based on public safety and compatibility. Well I didn't see any evidentiary substantive support to deny on public safety basis. As I said conditions exceed all standards. Safety record is perfect. On a compatibility issue I can't see any distinction between this one and Lockwood Valley. And I don't think we should have two standards, one for Malibu and one for Lockwood. I'm not saying there's not a lot of work that may need to be done with the "wild animals." But as everything exists today, as the record appears before me I have no choice but to vote to support the conditional use permit. I mean tigers, that is what this is about. Everybody is scared to death. Who wants a tiger next door? I appreciate that but it's actually permitted. All the conditions have been met and exceeded. So what are we supposed to do up here? Invent a problem so they can't go forward because we haven't done our job? I don't think so. I think what has to happen, we need to do our job. This matter needs to go back to the policy makers to clarify this issue. But I'm not prepared to stop the application because we haven't gotten direction from the policy makers. As I said all conditions have been met. We have a negative declaration. I can't find a public safety or compatibility issue. And I'm prepared to vote to approve the application."

Commissioner Michael Wesner votes FOR the conditional use permit for Irena Hauser and Isis Preservation.

Commissioner Michael Wesner votes FOR the conditional use permit for Irena Hauser and Isis Preservation.

March 20, 2014 hearing at Ventura County Planning Commission. Conditional use permit application PL13-0011. 11077 Pacific View, Malibu, California.

Commissioner Michael Wesner stated "I concur with a lot of the information from my three colleagues and I wrestled with this one just like we did with Lockwood. So you understand the sieves that I use to go through the process. Property owner acquires the property. That property is subject to zoning and terms and conditions it has at time they acquired it. Part of that is they are in open space and they are permitted to have wild animals. Therefore then our standards stop. So first sieve they met. Second sieve. They apply for a conditional use permit which is their right under our codes. And that conditional use permit, staff does analysis. Does it meet certain criteria, elements, which they have laid out in the staff report. Then we receive testimony both for and against, day and a half now, almost 1000 pages, several hours. Yes, we're not the experts in biology, in a lot of things but that's the reason we exist. We have experts. We have public testimony. We are the ones that make the decision. What we are relying on is to be this average citizen. Yes, we bring our own expertise, background, whether it be waste management or security. But sadly the buck stops here, and that is what we get paid to do. So it's not an easy decision. I agree with the other commissioner. I wouldn't want it next to me. But at the same time I'm not out in open space. Lockwood set the precedent. Here are standards. We apply standards. Property owner has right to expect standards. And when it comes to a conditional use permit is it reasonable to expect standards can be met? Best management practices, qualifications of state, federal requirements for these particular animals, track record, history of the applicants, has documents, and we put this in a sieve. It comes down to do we want a pack of wolves or 2-5 tigers. So the question gets to the point, is there truly a question of public safety that staff has represented? In the capacity question is there enough evidence, information to sway my decision one way or another? And I go back to not only what the applicant's attorney represented but what my fellow commissioners have said. We have evaluated wild animals being contained and applied standards and best practices. So I'm really 51%, 49% here but if I'm going to go with the situation through the sieves I've gone through I would have to approve the conditional use permit based on the current standards of the situation that exist before this body today."

Letters supporting CUP of Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser

Below are just a few of the letters supporting Irena Hauser, Isis Preservation and the conditional use permit.

Support letter from Responsible Exotic Animal Ownership.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpySXFWa0JjWGxVenc/edit?usp=sharing

Support letter from big cat, exotic animal and horse expert.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyN1ZTUnkwVHhjZ00/edit?usp=sharing

Support letter from professional cage builder.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyelkyYUhZaVZ6cE0/edit?usp=sharing

Support letter from veterinarian Stephanie Rosenaur.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyV3dWaktpdDRkZkU/edit?usp=sharing

Letter stating the enclosures will be built on disturbed land. There are no protected plants or creeks on the site where the enclosures will be built. 

Letter written by Lloyd Wright the previous owner. It talks about native wild animals and Carlos Siderman

Letter written by equine expert stating the presence of tigers will not affect horses.

Support letter from Pamela Van Ireland
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyaEFlNDJXV2M0UDg/edit?usp=sharing

Support letter from Felisa Voll
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyVjJwcTlObnk2X0k/edit?usp=sharing

Support letter from real estate broker
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpydTRDRW9WSGVNdUk/edit?usp=sharing

Letter from animal friend about Carlos Siderman bulldozing a creek to make way for his personal horse trail over Hauser's property and state park land.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyelFSZDFBZlpvNm8/edit?usp=sharing

Support letter from real estate appraiser
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyZ1FVb2pkcjNjTFk/edit?usp=sharing

Support letter from Rob Dean
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyTEtJdnBoSUpBTmc/edit?usp=sharing

Support letter from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife stating the tigers will not affect native wildlife
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyNWZNU2UwRllFX0E/edit?usp=sharing

Support letter from Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyc2ZwZUlPY1A3b0U/edit?usp=sharing

February 13, 2014 power point presentation by Irena Hauser as a pdf
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyWWlXQUp2WG83RzA/edit?usp=sharing

March 20, 2014 power point presentation by Irena Hauser as a pdf
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpybnd6MldHRGVod0k/edit?usp=sharing

Isis Preservation receives negative declaration from Ventura County Planning Department
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyRlg4MUY5ZTZTX2M/edit?usp=sharing

Isis Preservation website
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu YouTube channel
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu blog
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu Twitter

Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser, conditional use permit, cup, Ventura County Planning Department, Commission, hearing, tiger, sanctuary, malibu, 11077 pacific view, california, negative declaration, commissioner, michael wesner, stephen onstot, board of supervisors, ventura.org, isispreservation.com, tigersanctuarymalibu, paul magie, nora aidukas, richard rodriguez, w. stephen onstot, steve bennett, linda parks, kathy long, peter foy, john zaragoza, peter c foy, john c zaragoza, zoning, planning, public comment, lawsuit, sophia krszek, white tiger, russian, usda 93-c-0762, tujunga, fish, wildlife, permit, license, PL13-0011, exhibit, television, movies, film, trainer, experienced

Attorney Charles Coate speaks for Isis Preservation CUP

Attorney Charles Coate speaks for Isis Preservation CUP.

Attorney Charles Coate speaks for the conditional use permit for Isis Preservation. Ventura County Planning Commission hearing March 20, 2014. PL13-0011 Irena Hauser of Isis Preservation. Lisa and Carlos Siderman are sitting aboveand to the right of Mr Coate wearing green hats. Carlos is wearing a black vest.

Lisa Davies Siderman, Carlos Siderman

Mr Coate mentions cell phone repeaters. The Hausers will be installing the very small personal cell phone repeaters, not a large antennae. They do not need a CUP to install small personal repeaters. The repeater looks like this photo below. 

Small cell phone repeater about 6" x 6" x 1/2".

People in this area have land lines and cell phones. They don't rely on cell phones alone. That said if a person does not get a reverse 911 voice call on their cell phone, they will see it in their voice mail. They can see it's from 911. I suggest they have a text option as texts take up less bandwidth and are easier to send/receive in spotty cellular areas.

We believe Commissioner Nora Aidukas was being unprofessional, rude and violated the Brown Act by not allowing attorney Charles Coate to ask Irena Hauser what type of repeater she intended to install. Again, Commissioner Nora Aidukas has a conflict of interest in this case. Her husband James Aidukas runs JTA Associates which is a professional consulting firm specializing in project design, permitting and implementation.  James Aidukas works for Carlos Siderman the neighbor who opposes this CUP for personal reasons. Nora Aidukas should have disclaimed this before the March 20, 2014 meeting but did not. We feel Nora Aidukas should have recused herself from this item because of the conflict of interest. We also feel that Nora Aidukas should not be on the planning commission as her husband's main job is to get real estate projects approved by the planning commission. This is a clear conflict of interest.

Isis Preservation website
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu YouTube channel
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu blog
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu Twitter

Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser, conditional use permit, cup, Ventura County Planning Department, Commission, hearing, tiger, sanctuary, malibu, 11077 pacific view, california, negative declaration, commissioner, michael wesner, stephen onstot, board of supervisors, ventura.org, isispreservation.com, tigersanctuarymalibu, paul magie, nora aidukas, richard rodriguez, w. stephen onstot, steve bennett, linda parks, kathy long, peter foy, john zaragoza, peter c foy, john c zaragoza, zoning, planning, public comment, lawsuit, sophia krszek, white tiger, russian, usda 93-c-0762, tujunga, fish, wildlife, permit, license, PL13-0011, exhibit, television, movies, film, trainer, experienced

Support letter from a neighbor, Isis Preservation, Malibu

Support letter from a neighbor.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyVjJwcTlObnk2X0k/edit?usp=sharing

Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser, conditional use permit, cup, Ventura County Planning Department, Commission, hearing, tiger, sanctuary, malibu, 11077 pacific view, california, negative declaration, commissioner, michael wesner, stephen onstot, board of supervisors, ventura.org, isispreservation.com, tigersanctuarymalibu, paul magie, nora aidukas, richard rodriguez, w. stephen onstot, steve bennett, linda parks, kathy long, peter foy, john zaragoza, peter c foy, john c zaragoza, zoning, planning, public comment, lawsuit, sophia krszek, white tiger, russian, usda 93-c-0762, tujunga, fish, wildlife, permit, license, PL13-0011, exhibit, television, movies, film, trainer, experienced

Supporter letter from real estate broker, Isis Preservation, Malibu

Support letter from real estate appraiser stating the project will not affect neighbors, neighborhood and should be approved.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpydTRDRW9WSGVNdUk/edit?usp=sharing

Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser, conditional use permit, cup, Ventura County Planning Department, Commission, hearing, tiger, sanctuary, malibu, 11077 pacific view, california, negative declaration, commissioner, michael wesner, stephen onstot, board of supervisors, ventura.org, isispreservation.com, tigersanctuarymalibu, paul magie, nora aidukas, richard rodriguez, w. stephen onstot, steve bennett, linda parks, kathy long, peter foy, john zaragoza, peter c foy, john c zaragoza, zoning, planning, public comment, lawsuit, sophia krszek, white tiger, russian, usda 93-c-0762, tujunga, fish, wildlife, permit, license, PL13-0011, exhibit, television, movies, film, trainer, experienced

Support letter from Fish & Widlife for Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser

This is a support letter from Fish & Wildlife stating the animals will not affect the local wildlife or animals one way or another.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpyNWZNU2UwRllFX0E/edit?usp=sharing

Isis Preservation March 20, 2014 power point presentation Ventura County Planning hearing

Below is the power point presentation made by Isis Preservation on March 20, 2014 at the Ventura County Planning Commission hearing. This was their second power point presentation. It is as a pdf file.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QQek7gVUpybnd6MldHRGVod0k/edit?usp=sharing

Isis Preservation website
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu YouTube channel
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu blog
Tiger Sanctuary Malibu Twitter

Isis Preservation, Irena Hauser, conditional use permit, cup, Ventura County Planning Department, Commission, hearing, tiger, sanctuary, malibu, 11077 pacific view, california, negative declaration, commissioner, michael wesner, stephen onstot, board of supervisors, ventura.org, isispreservation.com, tigersanctuarymalibu, paul magie, nora aidukas, richard rodriguez, w. stephen onstot, steve bennett, linda parks, kathy long, peter foy, john zaragoza, peter c foy, john c zaragoza, zoning, planning, public comment, lawsuit, sophia krszek, white tiger, russian, usda 93-c-0762, tujunga, fish, wildlife, permit, license, PL13-0011, exhibit, television, movies, film, trainer, experienced