Another corner of LA feels forgotten, wants to 'explore secession'

That the south side of working class Mar Vista is upset about declining city services is a less joke-producing turn of events than exclusive Holmby Hills making noises about leaving Los Angeles. But the chances of the Mar Vista-to-Culver City movement going anywhere are equally non-existent. In the language of government, the Mar Vista secession boomlet will almost certainly die for lack of a second. Still, dissatisfaction in the neighborhoods is usually worth a story. This one is from The Argonaut:

Frustrated by what they feel is a disconnect between their local council district and their concerns over infrastructure challenges, a group of homeowners in southern Mar Vista have been meeting in recent weeks to quietly examine the possibility of leaving Los Angeles for their eastern neighbor, Culver City.

Although the discussions are in their nascent stage, the potential loss of property values, the feeling of being ignored and disenchantment with city government are apparently fueling the desire for greener pastures to the point where leaders of the South Mar Vista Association recently took the temperature of the organization to see how deep-seated the feelings for annexation or secession are among their neighbors and friends....

The borders that the residents recommend in a possible annexation would be Venice Boulevard on the north side of the street and Beethoven Street to the east. [With Palms and Culver City on the other boundaries.]

Within those boundaries, by the way, are an almost brand-new Los Angeles Fire Department station and a still pretty-new Los Angeles Public Library branch. Those are just two of the real-world complications that make quitting Los Angeles almost an impossibility. Two others are that the city of Los Angeles would have to agree to let the Mar Vistanistas go, and Culver City would have to agree to take them on. Once those cities ask what's in it for me? the conversation will be over. And perhaps the biggest obstacle my fellow Vistans face: the Los Angeles City Councilman from this area, Bill Rosendahl, lives in freakin' Mar Vista. Many secession agitations through the decades have been nothing more than the opening chess moves in a race for the City Council, so I'll be interested to see what plot turns come next.

LA Observed photo: New Mar Vista fire station at Venice and Inglewood boulevards