Meeting Date: 01/26/10 06:30 PM
Meeting Type: Regular
Location: Women’s Club of Hollywood, 1749 N La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90046
Details:
BOARD MEETING AGENDA
January 26, 2010
6:30pm
1749 North La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Directions: South of Franklin and North of Hollywood Blvd. – West side of the street. Accessibility: Building is accessible to the handicapped. Entrance at rear door. Parking: Free Parking is available in the adjacent 5th Christian Science Church parking lot located on 7107 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046. Entrance to parking lot is on La Brea Avenue.
The public is requested to fill out a “Speaker Card” to address the Board on any item of the agenda prior to the Board taking action on an item. Comments from the public on non-agenda and agenda items will be heard during the Public Comment Period and, within the discretion of the presiding officer of the Board, when the respective item is being considered. Comments from the public on other matters not appearing on the Agenda that is within the Board’s subject matter jurisdiction will be heard during the Public Comment period. Public comment is limited to 2 minutes per speaker unless waived by the presiding officer of the Board. Agenda is posted for public review: on bulletin boards at the top and bottom of Runyon Canyon Park, and electronically on the Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council website ww.hhwnc.org and on the Department Of Neighborhood Empowerment (www.lacityneighborhoods.com). As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of services, please make your request at least 3 business days (72 hours) prior to the meeting you wish to attend by contacting the Neighborhood Council Project Coordinator at 213-485-1360 or e-mail to [email protected].
ALL ITEMS LISTED ON THIS AGENDA ARE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE ACTION, INCLUDING A BOARD MOTION AND VOTING ON THE MOTION.
AGENDA
1. Call to order by President (Anastasia Mann)
2. Roll call by Secretary (Bruce Gorelick)
3. Minutes – Review and approve prior July 29, 2009 and October 20, 2009 minutes (see attachments)
(Vote) (5 minutes)
4. President’s Report by Anastasia Mann (20 minutes)
a.) Public Official Reports
i.) Mayor’s Office – Fabiola Vilchez, Central Area Director – Budget Survey
ii.) CD4
iii.) CD5 – Jeffrey Ebenstein, Field Deputy, Office of Councilmember Paul Koretz
iv.) CD13
v.) Other
b.) Cell Tower Regulation – Presentation byChristina Spitz, Vice-President of Pacific Palisades Residents Association (10 minutes)
i.) The Board requests that:
a.) With the City Attorney’s guidance and consistent with his recommendations, the City enact a comprehensive new ordinance with clear and consistent standards and procedures regulating all wireless telecommunications facilities in the City, authorizing regulation of aesthetics and providing protection to communities and residential neighborhoods to the full extent of the law.
b.) The City immediately impose a moratorium on all wireless telecommunications facility installations in the City and/or applications for approval of such installations, until such time as a new ordinance is enacted. (Possible motion and vote.) (see attachment)
c.) Food Forward.org – Presentation by Erica Kenner
d.) Hollywood Census Office Open House Presentation by Christina Ortega-Libatique
5. Vice President’s Report by Orrin Feldman (10 minutes)
a.) The Board is asked to vote to recommend that the City’s Planning Department and the City’s Public Works Department shall deny the pending applications for Fresh Bites restaurant, which is being constructed at 7950 Sunset Boulevard, to have an enclosed outdoor dining area where food and alcoholic beverages can be served on the City’s sidewalk adjacent to the restaurant’s space in the building. There is insufficient sidewalk width for both an adequate sidewalk and the proposed enclosed outdoor dining area under the City’s Municipal Code’s rules and requirements as well as under the Americans With Disabilities Act. (Possible Motion and Vote.)
6. Treasurer’s Report by Michael Meyer (10 minutes)
a.) Adopt FY10 annual budget with rollover funds. An initial Draft budget is attached for discussion purposes. (see attachment)
7. HHWNC Elections 2010 – Presentation and update by Sandra Mendoza, Office of the City Clerk, Election Division
8. Committee Reports (20 minutes)
a.) AREA COMMITTEES
i.) Area 7 (Cheryl Holland)
aa.) The Board is requested to take a position on the CUB application for The Counter Restaurant located at 7919 Sunset Blvd. (Possible Motion and Vote.)
bb.) The Board is requested to take a position on the change of zoning from R-1 and R-21XL to R-3 for 1352-1356 N. Fairfax Ave. (Possible Motion and Vote.)
cc.) The Board is requested to take a position on the application for a conditional use permit to allow an 8,300 square foot expansion to an existing auto repair facility in C4-1D zone within 300 feet of residential zone at 7614-7616 Sunset Blvd. (Possible Motion and Vote.)
ii.) Other Area Committees
aa.) Reports by Committee Chairs in attendance (Optional)
b.) ISSUE COMMITTEES
i.) Emergency Services, Police & Fire (Valorie Keegan)
aa.) The Board is requested to approve a request to support the Hollywood Division in purchasing an electric police mountain bike for bicycle patrol. Presentation by Sergeant Andrew Chao (Possible Motion and Vote.)
bb.) Committee Announcements & Update:
i.) LAPD Hollywood Division Town Hall Meeting – Feb. 18, 2010
ii.) Neighborhood Watch and Neighborhood Watch Sign Update
iii.) 82 Academy Awards – March 7, 2010
iv.) US CENSUS – March 15, 2010
v.) LA Marathon – March 21, 2010
vi.) Anti War March – pending March 20, 2010 – Hollywood Blvd.
ii.) Cultural Resources, Entertainment, Public Events & Networking (Barbara Witkin)
aa.) The Board is requested to support runners in the LA Marathon with a table along the route with a cheering section. The table will have shiny hand clappers, noise makers and pom poms. The amount of money I am requesting is not to exceed $250.00. (Possible Motion and Vote.)
iii.) Other Issue Committees
aa.) Reports by Committee Chairs in attendance (Optional)
9. Public Comments – Comments from the public on agenda items and non-agenda items within the Board’s subject matter jurisdiction. Public comments are limited to 2 minutes per speaker.
10. Old Business
11. New Business
12. Adjournment
PROCESS FOR RECONSIDERATION: The Board may reconsider and amend its action on items listed on the agenda if that reconsideration takes place immediately following the original action or at the next regular meeting. The Board, on either of these two days, shall: (1) Make a Motion for Reconsideration and, if approved, (2) hear the matter and Take an Action. If the motion to reconsider an action is to be scheduled at the next meeting following the original action, then two items shall be placed on the agenda for that meeting: (1) A Motion for Reconsideration on the described matter and (2) a Proposed Action should the motion to reconsider be approved. A motion for reconsideration can only be made by a Board member who has previously voted on the prevailing side of the original action taken. If a motion for reconsideration is not made on the date the action was taken, then a Board member on the prevailing side of the action must submit a memorandum to the Secretary identifying the matter to be reconsidered and a brief description of the reason(s) for requesting reconsideration at the next regular meeting. The aforesaid shall all be in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act.
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
January 26, 2010
1. Call to order at 6:37 p.m. by HHWNC President Anastasia Mann.
2. Roll call by Secretary: Bruce Gorelick, Orrin Feldman, Paul Ramsey, Barbara Witkin, Michael Meyer, Terry Migliaccio, Daniel Savage, Jarone Johnson Jr., PJ Pesce, Thor Lee, Paul Ramsey, Donovan Ryan, John Pogue, Anastasia Mann and Valorie Keegan. Quorum established.
3. Approval of Minutes for July & October Board Meetings: (Migliaccio/Witkin) moved to approve the July 29, 2009 minutes as corrected. The motion carried unanimously. (Migliaccio/Pesce) moved to approve the October 20, 2009 minutes. The motion carried unanimously.
4. President’s Report by Anastasia Mann
a.) Public Officials Report:
CD5 – Shawn Bayliss, Acting Planning Deputy for City Council Member Paul Koretz, attended the meeting but did not give a report.
CD4 – Stacy Marble also attended but did not give a report.
A representative for Assembymember Mike Feuer’s Office attended but did not give a report.
b.) Cell Tower Regulation: Christina Spitz, Vice-President of Pacific Palisades Residents Association, spoke about this topical issue saying there is a need for stronger regulations governing cell phone tower installations around L.A. Currently, cell phone companies are putting up their own installations rather than using existing utility poles. They are also making deals with the company’s that own the rights to existing pole then using them for cell phone towers without needing to give prior notice to residents or Neighborhood Councils. This is happening because there are no regulations to prevent them from doing this. The PPRA suggested that HHWNC adopt a motion to address this.
The following motion with language suggested by PPRA was included on the agenda for the meeting stating, “With the City Attorney’s guidance and consistent with his recommendations, the City enact a comprehensive new ordinance with clear and consistent standards and procedures regulating all wireless telecommunications facilities in the City, authorizing regulation of aesthetics and providing protection to communities and residential neighborhoods to the full extent of the law(Meyer) added the friendly amendment: “And that there be an immediate moratorium on all wireless telecommunications including installations in residential zones within the City.”
The motion failed: 5-7-0.
(Mann) then amended the motion to: “With the City Attorney’s guidance and consistent with his recommendations, the City enact a comprehensive new ordinance with clear and consistent standards and procedures regulating all wireless telecommunications facilities in the City, authorizing regulation of aesthetics and providing protection to communities and residential neighborhoods to the full extent of the law.”
The motion passed: 13-0-0.
c.) Food Forward.org: Erica Kenner spoke about her grassroots organization of Angelenos who harvest backyard fruit from private yards and public orchards then donate it to the food pantries. Last year, they salvaged over 100,000 lbs. of fruit from people’s backyards. She asked for help in getting the word out to more residents/property owners. In exchange for the fruit they harvest they will provide a receipt which can be used for a tax deduction. HHWNC Outreach Chair Terry Migliaccio said he would add this information to HHWNC’s website.
d.) Hollywood Census Office Open House: Christina Ortega-Libatique was unable to give her presentation as scheduled so HHWNC’s Valorie Keegan, Emergency Services, Police & Fire chair, spoke about the 2010 U.S. Census. She noted that stakeholders will be receiving postcards from the Census Bureau followed by the actual 10-question census questionnaire. Completed census forms are needed for establishing federal funding levels to this area for building roads, police and for the schools. By filling out the questionnaires and mailing them back, it will eliminate the need for door – knockers to come into the area to take the physical census report. She said the goal was to reduce home visits as many people are concerned about the possibility of fraud or crime from those posing as door-to-door census takers. Anastasia added the purpose of the census is not to checking the immigration status of home workers or their documentation but rather, to establish levels for distribution of federal funds. Information on the census will be posted on HHWNC’s website.
5. Vice President’s Report: Orrin Feldman announced that the city has implemented a modified Fire Department coverage plan whereby County fire crews are being used to cut down on paying overtime to City fire department crews. These replacement crews are not as familiar with the area and as a result, it could slow down response time. Valorie added that this creates a safety risk, especially for those in hillside areas. Orrin agreed that this is not a good program from a management point of view. Orrin also announced there will be a hearing downtown on Feb. 8th on a nuisance issue at the H-wood nightclub on Orange.
a.) (Feldman/Keegan) moved that HHWNC recommend that the City’s Planning Department and the City’s Public Works Department deny pending applications for Fresh Bites restaurant, being constructed at 7950 Sunset Boulevard to have an enclosed outdoor dining area where food and alcoholic beverages can be served on the City’s sidewalk adjacent to the restaurant’s space in the building. There is insufficient sidewalk width for both an adequate sidewalk and the proposed enclosed outdoor dining area under the City’s Municipal Code’s rules and requirements as well as under the Americans With Disabilities Act.” Inpresenting this motion, he statedthat a curving path along Sunset Blvd. doesn’t meet the minimum 7’ City requirement, or the 10’ requirement for sidewalks along secondary highways.
· Valorie added that she observed pedestrians, dog walkers and parents pushing baby carriages having to step into the street on Sunset Blvd. to pass around the sidewalk area at this restaurant. She believes the measurements that were presented were 13” over the calculation provided by the restaurant’s representatives.
· Brett Engstrom of Art Rodriguez & Associates spoke on behalf of the Fresh Bites restaurant. He said that to serve beer & wine on the patio, they need the space they have allocated to meet ADA requirements. However, he noted that they have made adjustments on the corners of the patio to allow for pedestrian traffic.
· Luca Giorgetti, who filed the application for Fresh Bites, referred to the discrepancy over the sidewalk measurements saying it was within city code regulations.
· Several board members (Meyer, Migliaccio, Lew) spoke in opposition to the motion and in favor of more sidewalk cafes and felt that the City inspectors would make sure the restaurant complied with applicable codes.
After much discussion and debate by the board and Fresh Bites’ reps, (Feldman) withdrew his motion saying he would oppose it on his own.
6. Treasurer’s Report: Michael Meyer announced the City’s release of HHWNC rollover funds in the amount of $106,000. He said the budget now has grown from $45,000 for the fiscal year to $150,000. He then presented a slightly modified draft budget for the fiscal year. (Meyer/Pesce) moved that the board adopt the FY10 annual budget with the additional rollover funds. (Keegan) requested a friendly amendment to set aside funding of $7,000 from the Beautification Project #5 for emergency preparedness. The motion as amended carried unanimously. Michael then updated the board on recent expenditures and encouraged them to find projects to spend the money on before the fiscal year ends.
7. HHWNC Elections 2010 –Sandra Mendoza, Office of the City Clerk Election Division, presented the board with a template of procedures for the 2010 HHWNC election totake place at the Women’s Club of Hollywood on Thursday, May 13, 2010. This information incorporated specific information pertaining to HHWNC’s bylaws for the election. She explained the processes for candidates, voting, deadlines, and campaigning and answered the board’s questions regarding the elections. Candidates filing starts on February 12th and must be finished by March 15th with HHWNC responsible for providing a Candidates Forum.
· The board agreed that the boundaries included in the elections procedures were correct.
· The board did not agree to the current descriptions of the seats on the ballot but agreed to approve them subject to renaming the seats on the ballot defining Issues and Areas.
· The board agreed that the deadlines provided for the elections procedures were correct.
Anastasia suggested there might be a need for an extra board meeting in February to prepare for the election.
8. Committee Reports
a.) AREA COMMITTEES
i.) Area 7: Cheryl Holland could not attend the meeting so her motions were withdrawn.
aa) The Board is requested to take a position on the CUB application for The Counter Restaurant located at 7919 Sunset Blvd.
bb.) The Board is requested to take a position on the change of zoning from R-1 and R-21XL to R-3 for 1352-1356 N. Fairfax Ave.
cc.) The Board is requested to take a position on the application for a conditional use permit to allow an 8,300 square foot expansion to an existing auto repair facility in C4-1D zone within 300 feet of residential zone at 7614-7616 Sunset Blvd.
b.) ISSUE COMMITTEES
i.) Emergency Services, Police & Fire: Valorie reported on the U.S. Census;
the Academy Awards street closures on March 7th, the LAPD Hollywood Division Town Hall Meeting on Feb. 18, 2010 at Temple Israel, an Anti-War March to take place on March 20, 2010 along Hollywood Blvd., the L.A. Marathon street closures on Sunday, March 21, the possibility of holding a Street Fair to publicize the HHWNC election, and the need for Neighborhood Watch participants and the distribution of Neighborhood Watch signage previously purchased by the Board.
aa.) The Board is requested to approve a request to support the Hollywood
Division in purchasing an electric police mountain bike for bicycle patrol. Presentation by Sergeant Andrew Chao. Motion withdrawn because the Sergeant was not in attendance.
bb.) Committee Announcements & Update:
i.) Cultural Resources, Entertainment, Public Events & Networking: Barbara
Witkin announced arrangements for a table during the L.A. Marathon at a strip mall at Ogden and Genesee on March 21, 2010. The table will be manned starting at 6 a.m. (Witkin/Migliaccio) moved the amended motion (expanding the amount from $250.00 to “up to $500.00”), “The Board is requested to support runners in the LA Marathon with a table along the route with a cheering section. The table will have shiny hand clappers, noise makers and pom poms. The amount of money requested is not to exceed $500.00.” The motion carried unanimously.
9. Public Comments
Frank _____, executive director of the Bell Marshall School, introduced himself.
Chris Kaufman, a stakeholder, offered to contribute to HHWNC’s Outreach Committee.
10. Adjournment at 9:01 p.m. by Anastasia Mann.
Minutes by Pat Kramer, Kelly Services.