City Restrained from Further Action
The judge's final ruling has just been issued. The Greater West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Homeowner Associations (including Tract 7260) have won a restraining order in their opposition of the Villaraigosa/Weiss Pico/Olympic plan. (read order) (L.A. Times article) (KNBC article) (LABJ article) (Jewish Journal)
(GWLACC press release) (Citywatch) (KNX1070)
April 30, 2008
The L.A. Times reported today that Superior Court Judge John Torribio issued an tentative ruling preventing the City, Mayor Villaraigosa and Jack Weiss from implementing their ill-conceived Pico/Olympic plan. (read ruling)
The ruling agrees with the position taken by the Greater West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Homeowner Associations (including Tract 7260) that a full environmental review is required.
The ruling went further, calling out the fact that the city meetings on the plan were "abruptly suspended" when the Mayor ordered the implementation of the plan.
The press release from the business/residential groups is expected shortly.
Tract No. 7260 Association Annual Meeting
(flyer)
Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Temple Isaiah – 10345 Pico Blvd. at Kerwood Ave.
Free parking available at the golf course lot across the street.
Street parking available on Pico after 7pm.
Admission: Free, open to the public
Featured Speakers
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky
Is Los Angeles Development Running Amuck?
Barry Brucker
Mayor of the City of Beverly Hills
Life Next to Century City, the Pico/Olympic Plan
Topics to be covered during the meeting:
·
Four Homeowners Organizations Get Millions for the Community
·
Crime Update, Intro to Fire Station 92
·
Olympic/Pico One-Way Plan Update
·
What’s happening at Emerson Middle School?
·
Bellwood Project Update
·
Century City Development Round-Up
·
Century City Chamber of Commerce Update
·
Coalition for Veterans Land Update
·
Expo Light Rail Line Update
March 25, 2008
The Santa Monica Boulevard project was supposed to give us a "grand
boulevard of Europe." As part of that plan, the City paid
billboard companies to remove many existing billboards. The
project also stated that the creation of new billboards would represent
a significant negative impact on the community.
Now, years later, the City is trying to allow some of the very same
billboard companies to place new billboards along Santa Monica
Boulevard, even though they had been paid to remove them.
The City is also trying to place billboards, including 14 foot lit
pillars, in many areas of the Westside.
Tract 7260, along with numerous other homeowner associations objected to
the billboards along Santa Monica Boulevard and in other areas where
community plans, specific plans and the general plan prevents such
signage.
The associations presented
their objections to the City and to Councilman Weiss. To his
credit, Councilman Weiss has rejected all improper advertising locations
and requested a
legal
review.
(full story)
February 27, 2008
The
Greater West Los
Angeles Chamber of Commerce issued a press release today announcing a
lawsuit and temporary restraining order to prevent the Pico/Olympic
plan.
Tract 7260 is proud to stand the chamber to oppose the Pico/Olympic plan
that the Tract 7260 board believes will do great harm to our community
and to our local businesses.
(Lawsuit)
(Press Release#1)
(Press Release #2) (Position
Paper)
(Beverly
Hills Press Release)
February 28, 2008 – The Greater West Los Angeles Chamber
of Commerce (GWLACC) and a coalition of business owners and residents
that oppose issues related to the Olympic West/Pico East project have
filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and Mayor Villaraigosa
alleging that he is in violation of CEQA, a law requiring an
environmental impact report (EIR) when there is a “reasonable
possibility that the activity will have a significant effect”. The group
also plans to file a temporary restraining order to prevent the Mayor
from unilaterally implementing the plan.
The GWLACC, with support from a large number of business
and residential organizations believes that the Mayor’s plan will harm
local businesses and residential neighborhoods. This belief is based on
a Department of transportation report that states, “Directional signal
operation and preferential directional flow are experimental and have
not been tried elsewhere in the nation and might have unanticipated
impacts.”
Despite the obvious impact, the Mayor has pushed forward
without a full environmental or fiscal review; even after objections
from Councilmen Wesson (Dist. 10) and Rosendahl (Dist. 11), and the City
of Beverly Hills, which has reported receiving numerous expressions of
concern from residents and business owners.
In addition, the City has not budgeted for the unanticipated impacts
that the DOT has stated will likely occur. These unbudgeted, yet
promised mitigations could very well add millions of dollars to the
City’s expenses at a time when the Mayor is facing a huge budget
deficit.
The HOAs have negotiated a $2.25M settlement for the establishment of a community benefit fund.
The settlement will provide perpetual benefit to the infrastructure to offset perpetual impacts of development on the infrastructure and provides funds outside of a political, and/or bureaucratic environment.
The settlement does not include $5M previously negotiated by the HOAs which was co-opted as part of the conditions of approval.
Fund Operation
Settlement funds will be deposited in a fully transparent fund. Investment of the fund will be handled exclusively by the fund manager.
Every year, the fund will generate interest based on current market conditions and investments as made by the fund manager. Interest from the fund is disbursed directly to local facilities on an annual basis to supplement community services.
Every like facility gets an equal amount so that there is no concern that one area is getting “more” than another area. Protections are in place so that no money from the fund will go to the HOAs. 100% goes to the infrastructure.
The HOAs do not control how the money is spent. The decisions on how to spend the money are left to the local facilities and their booster clubs.
2008 Inaugural Payment - $250,000
Each recipient facility has indicated how it intends to spend the first payment from the community benefit fund as described below:
Schools
Westwood Charter Elementary - $34,375
Renovation/improvement for the school’s auditorium.
Overland Elementary - $34,375
Teacher/Parent room remodel, first grade play structure, literacy coach, campus landscape improvements.
Fairburn Elementary - $34,375
Auditorium improvements including repair of seating, a new sound system, a new curtain, and interior painting.
Castle Heights Elementary - $34,375
Library renovation and upgrade, technological enhancement, and after school enrichment programs".
Police/Fire – First Responders
West LAPD - $18,750
Digital video interrogation recording system to preserve valuable suspect interviews until trial.
Fire Station 92 -$6,250
(Century City, Rancho Park, Cheviot Hills)
TBD
Fire Station 37- $6,250
( Westwood and the Western UCLA Campus)
Life-saving emergency equipment.
Fire Station 43 - $6,250
(Palms, south Cheviot Hills, Ca. Country Club area)
A new printer for station reports, an ice machine and a dryer.
Parks
Rancho Park -$18,333
New mirrors in the rec. room and ballet bar, padding on walls and seats in the gym to protect players from injury when they play and an electronic score board for football.
Palms Park -$18,333
Funding programs and facility improvements at the park.
Westwood Park --$18,333
Re-surfacing the basketball courts, improving pool area safety and improving outdoor recreation facilities.
Libraries
Palms Library - $10,000
Optical disc repair system, audio books, children’s books, DVD library expansion.
Westwood Library - $10,000
Seating for the Children's Outdoor Amphitheatre. The amphitheatre will be used for Book Readings and Puppet Shows attended by the Westwood Library children groups and neighborhood school groups.
Questions
How much is the settlement?
The settlement is for $2.25M. When combined with the $5M previously negotiated by the HOAs, the total amount secured by the HOAs is $7.25M.
Who controls the money?
The HOAs do not control the money. A fund manager invests the money and each local facility decides how to use the money.
What kinds of programs/items will be funded?
Each facility will decide in conjunction with its “friends of”/booster group. So far, facilities are selecting items that will improve education, improve safety and help first responders do their jobs.
Why does each facility get the same amount as other like facilities?
Communities are often pitted against each other for community benefit money. The HOAs felt that having each facility get the same amount would provide for smooth operation and the elimination of community concern about allocations.
Why shouldn’t this be run through the city?
The City does many good things, but moving quickly without political and bureaucratic influences isn’t one of them. The purpose of this fund is to provide direct funding to local facilities that is not subject to the political or bureaucratic process.
Making this a political process within the city runs the risk of some politician trying to change the plan or allocations to please one sought-after constituency. The facilities need funding that is predictable and is without any strings.
There are also so many rules and regulations, loopholes and restrictions that the ONLY safe place to keep the money is outside of the city.
Who selected the facilities?
The facilities selected by the HOAs serve the Century City/West L.A. area in the immediate area of the project. There was a direct nexus between the location of the project and the facilities selected.
Homeowners Associations
Each of the listed homeowners associations have been in existence for well over 40 years. They have been actively working to improve the area for decades.
California Country Clubs Homes Association
Website: www.CCCHA.Org
The California Country Club Homes Association was founded in 1964 and covers the area from Queensbury to Club and from Forrester to Manning.
Cheviot Hills Homeowners Association
Website: www.CheviotHills.Org
The Cheviot Hills Homeowner Association was founded in 1964 and represents the residents of Cheviot Hills.
Tract 7260 Association
Website: www.Tract7260.Org
The Tract No. 7260 Association was founded in 1964, covers the area from Pico to Santa Monica and from Beverly Glen to Century City.
Westwood Homeowners Association
Website: www.whaweb.org
The Westwood Homeowners Association was founded in 1961 and covers the area from Wilshire to Santa Monica and the country club to Sepulveda.
Power went out for the northern part of Tract 7260 at 6:15p Christmas Eve during high winds. Power was restored at 3a. The outage impacted homes and street lights on the north side of Dunkirk, the west side of Fox Hills, La Grange east of Benecia, Comstock north of Dunkirk, all of Missouri and Santa Monica Blvd between Benecia and Fox Hills. A few homes on the east side of Fox Hills were also impacted.
DWP crews were seen working at Fox Hills between Missouri and Santa Monica Blvd and had blocked the alley between Fox Hills and Benecia.
The West LAPD has now received and installed several license-plate reading cameras. The cameras, which are attached to police cars, scan up to 1000 license plates per hour looking for stolen and/or wanted vehicles.
The money for the cameras was approved by the Westside Neighborhood Council and originated from a settlement between Tract 7260, Westwood South and a Century City developer.
The cameras are expected to improve the efficiency of our police department.
(full story)
November
26, 2007
The Mayors of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills joined councilmember Jack Weiss in presenting a “virtual one-way” plan for Pico and Olympic Boulevards. John Fisher of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation was also present. The plan is not theoretical. It is being implemented.
The plan would restrict left turns onto “minor” streets, restrict parking during peak travel hours and also change the number of lanes on both streets to encourage a counter-clockwise flow throughout the area. (Full story)
LADOT's plan summary can be found HERE. The full plan can be found HERE.
More Pico/Olympic Resources HERE
Update(Dec 3, 2007): As a result of public outrage, including hundreds of petitions, implementation of the Weiss/Villaraigosa Pico/Olympic plan has been postponed. Please continue to send in
petitions.Listen to John & Ken on Pico/Olympic (Guest: Jay Handal) 12/4/2007
7260 North
A coyote has been seen in the area of Benecia, La Grange, Dunkirk, Comstock & Fox Hills. Residents should keep pets inside.
Animal services has been called but cannot do anything unless the coyote threatens humans or is injured.
(Read L.A. City info on coyotes)
The Tract No. 7260 board joined the Miracle Mile Residential Association and the Bel-Air/Beverly Crest NC and sent a letter to Gail Goldberg which requests that the City perform its Annual Report on Growth and Infrastructure prior to allowing more development.
The "annual" report has not been completed since 1998... (Read the letter)
Space Shortage
Meeting
October 1, 2007
Westwood Charter is experiencing an influx of students and has
been forced to ask several children to leave the school.
In the past, children who had lived in the area and
attended Westwood Charter had been allowed to stay once they
moved outside the area.
This is no longer the case.
The grades most severely impacted are Kindergarten
and 3rd grade.
(full story)
Tract 7260 members and current Bellwood residents attended a WNC Land Use Committee meeting on October 10th at the Westside Pavilion.
The developers gave a presentation of their project followed by an energetic public comment period.
Public comments were given on a range of issues from view/privacy issues to the loss of over a one hundred affordable housing units.
The developers announced that their EIR would be out in several
months.
(More)
