Meeting Date: 03/25/04 06:30 PM
Meeting Type: Regular
Location: The Women’s Club at 1749 La Brea Ave.- Hollywood 90046. 323- 876-8383 (between Hollywood Blvd and Franklin) in the Lounge (Free parking adjacent to building)
Details: 1) Welcome & Introductions – by Anastasia Mann, Chair, Area 5
2) General review of items at HHWNC last meeting
3) Helicopter Noise – Lt. Rick Smith, LAPD Air Support Program
4) Working with our City Council – Rory Fitzpatrick, Deputy to Tom LaBonge
5) DWP issue – update
6) Permit parking discussion – Possible representation by DOT (possible motion and vote)
7) Cahuenga Bungalow Development Proposal (possible motion and vote)
8) Runyan Canyon update
9) Public Comment on items not on agenda
10) Determine date and location of next meeting
11) Adjourn
OUTPOST/CAHUENGA WEST COMMITTEE
Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council
AREA 5 MEETING
Thursday, March 25th, 2004
6:30 to 8:30 PM
at
Women’s Club of Hollywood
1749 North La Brea Avenue
Hollywood, California 90046
“The Lounge”
(Free parking adjacent to building)
Minutes
1) Welcome & Introductions – by Anastasia Mann
6:39pm OPENING REMARKS
Anastasia Mann, chair, thanked everyone in attendance for being there and introduced guests Rory Fitzpatrick(Deputy) and Daniel Groomer (Planning)from City Councilman Tom LaBonge’s office
2) General review of items at HHWNC last meeting
6:42pm
Covered details of issues dealt with at the Feb.18th HHWNC Exec board meeting including:
– $36,000 budget surplus which must be spent by 6/30
– HHWNC Informational/Educational brochures being re-printed.
– Community relations/Outreach Campaign – Possible PR campaign to bring the HHWNC to the attention of more stakeholders.
– Hollywood Gateway
During this topic Mr. Fitzpatrick informed those in attendance that their office had offered to take over management of the project after several problems with it.
Beautification project for Mullholland/Laurel Canyon approved.
– The Hampton Inn Variance issue was discussed. HHWNC voted to support the request to overturn the denial. Discussion included height restrictions on Sunset, etc. The stakeholders expressed support for the project.
6:47pm
– Anastasia thanked The Woman’s Club of Hollywood for their generous help and support. She discussed the Club’s history and involvement with the neighborhood and the important role they’ve played and continue to play.
3) Helicopter Noise –
6:53pm Helicopter Noise Issue
– Anastasia expressed the regrets of Lt.Smith who advised her that he was unable to attend because the LAPD was participating in a tactical exercise due to high security alert for Los Angeles. Resident Rochelle Tetrault – a property owner – took the floor to discuss the problems she and her tenants are having due to helicopter noise over their neighborhood. She said the helicopters over her property in Hollywood are incredibly loud. She has been documenting it for 2 years. She has meticulous documents and 2 hours of video. She claims one LAPD Lt. told her she should move if she doesn’t like it. An attorney has told her that her constitutional right to privacy and quiet will win in court. She has over 200 petitions signed and will be sending copies to both LaBonge’s office and the City Attorney’s office. She says she has enough signatures for a class action lawsuit but wants to resolve it through alternate channels if she can. When she questioned the police as to a reason for all the helicopters she has been told crime. She says she has checked crime stats for Hollywood and there aren’t as many crimes to support the number of helicopters they are experiencing. An Area 5 resident, Chantal Bocaccio, disagreed saying that they served an important purpose of protecting neighborhoods. Anastasia then told the room that the next meeting would have a rep from LAPD Air Support Program for sure and suggested that the discussion resume at that time when the officer is present.
4) Working with our City Council – Rory Fitzpatrick, Deputy to Tom LaBonge
7:05pm
– Rory Fitzpatrick handed out budgetary breakdowns for CD4 and informed the room that more than 50% of the calls their office gets are for street services/traffic issues. Labonge’s office will be looking at and considering these (and all) needs when the Mayor’s yearly budget issue comes up for approval. Fitzpatrick noted there are currently: 703 District 4 street requests outstanding with a backlog of approximately 18 months between the request being made and the job being done.
At this point, Dr. Laura Fox spoke and stated that Franklin Ave. needed relief from traffic issues. Fitzpatrick responded that a traffic study is being done and they are working on the problem.
– Then the issue of closing Hollywood Blvd. completely was brought up and argued that when premiers happen in Westwood they don’t shut entire blocks down.
Fitzpatrick explained that they are currently working on exploring better alternatives for the area.
– The issue was brought up about what the possibilities were of exploring better public transportation such as a MAG rail (magnetic high-speed transportation) and Fitzpatrick said a discussion is taking place about exploring the issue.
5) DWP issue – update
7:40pm
– The issue concerning the DWP’s intention to raise rates by 18% without public discussion was brought up. Fitzpatrick said that the City Council voted to have the DWP audited to explore the need for the increase. The Neighborhood Councils were credited with community activism that stopped the increase for the time being.
6) Permit parking discussion – Possible representation by DOT (possible motion and vote)
7:43pm
– Permit Only Parking petition for N. La Brea Ave. Resident Cutter Garcia spoke about his desire to obtain permit only parking for N. La Brea Ave. between Franklin and the end of La Brea. He has collected the signatures he needs from residents and would like the HHWNC board to write a letter of rec. A motion to do so was brought by Dr. Laura Fox and seconded by John Nicholson. The motion carried a unanimous vote of support.
7) Cahuenga Bungalow Development Proposal (possible motion and vote)
8:01pm
– Cahuenga Bungalows Proposal (current site known as Banana Bungalows). Presenting on behalf of Patriot Homes: Mr. Marc Annotti and Mr. David Schwartzman. Also present on their behalf: Ms.Alisa Kwun, of Cerrell Associates (Community Outreach representatives). Mr. Annotti and Mr. Schwartzman discussed their proposal to change the 60 Bed Youth Hostel located on Cahuenga (known as the Banana Bungalows) to a 75 loft/condos development plus 6 family homes. Units would sell for between 575-750k each.
– The developer believes a traffic light should be added at the entrance/exit on Cahuenga to ease traffic and they are willing to put one in at their own expense.
– Project would take 14 months to complete.
– Waiting for a traffic report to come back in 6 weeks.
– Question was raised as to how the construction might affect traffic patterns and the developers said there may be a few days in the beginning while they’re moving everything in but then it will all be off street.
It was agreed that a further discussion would take place after the traffic report is issued. Motion made to support the project pending the outcome of the traffic report by Ray Schuldenfrei and seconded by Cutter Garcia. Motion passed.
8) Runyan Canyon update
8:24pm RUNYON CANYON
Discussed several issues covered in the HHWNC Exec board meeting of 2/18.
Dr. Laura Fox: Who’s paying for the park? We should charge dog owners to use it.
Rory Fitzpatrick: It’s a public park. Charging users isn’t on the docket. If a parking lot were approved revenue from meters in the lot would go towards maintaining the park. FOX: What about another park somewhere else? Fitzpatrick: We’ve tried but there are lots of dedicated users of that park. It’s a busy area. But the HHWNC has approved Information kiosks for the park.
Anastasia Mann brought up the coyote problem in the Outpost area at the request of several Outpost residents and told the story her neighbor who had her 5 month old baby in a swing outside in her yard at lunchtime while she was preparing a meal.. From her kitchen she saw a coyote approach the baby in the swing. Luckily nothing bad happened. Anastasia reported the increase in the coyote population to the Park Rangers office. She announced the name of the park’s captain, Park Ranger Albert Torres and said that they are definitely making arrests now if anyone is found inside the park after 10:30pm in order to seriously discourage illegal activity within the park. She also gave out the Ranger’s 24-hour phone number which is: 323-913-7390.
9) Public Comment on items not on agenda
8:37pm PUBLIC COMMENTS
– The Hollywood Arts Council lobbied that the Mayor not eliminate funding for the Arts. The major’s office has reported they will continue to support the Arts programs in Los Angeles. A stakeholder asked about participating in activities for the arts and was referred to the committees on the HHWNC and encouraged to join and participate.
– Discussion on item from HHWNC regarding permit sponsors having to notify area residents and HHWNC every year about conditions for the permitting. The attendees in general did not support this idea (no actual vote was taken).
– Announced Meeting of Neighborhood Councils at May 22nd 8:30am at the LA Convention center.
– Discussed DONE (Dept.of Neighborhood Empowerment) and its courses which are open to everyone.
– Announced the 4/2 Ryan Seacrest/Janet Jackson Hollywood performance issue being moved off street into Hollywood Highland complex although the street will be closed now only part time.
– Announced that next meeting would take place in late April hopefully timed with traffic report being completed for Cahuenga Bungalow project.
– Thanks were given to all those who came.
10) Adjourn – Meeting adjourned – 8:42pm -Respectfully submitted by Cutter Garcia, Recording Secretary for Area 5