Meeting Date: 05/31/05 06:00 PM
Meeting Type: Regular
Location: Will & Ariel Durant Branch Library Conference Room 7140 Sunset Blvd. parking in rear, off Detroit
Details: Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council
Traffic, Public Transportation and Parking Committee
MEETING
Tuesday, May 31, 2005 6-8pm
Location:
Will & Ariel Durant Branch Library
7140 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
323 876 2741
PLEASE NOTE THAT FOOD WILL NOT BE PROVIDED AT THIS MEETING, BUT PARTICIPANTS ARE WELCOME TO BRING THEIR OWN, PROVIDING THE MEETING IS NOT DISRUPTED.
MEETING AGENDA
1. Sign-in, vote on minutes of April 19 meeting.
2. Presentation by Elizabeth Peterson-Hollywood Trolley. (possible vote)
3. Presentation by Michael Meyer on Outpost Drive/Franklin/Highland. (possible vote)
4. Selma Avenue/Fairfax-Motion for recommendation on traffic management. (possible vote)
5. Open discussion on 101/170 distribution and collection through Hollywood. (possible vote)
6. Street Closure update. (possible vote)
7. SB466 Automated citation device for speed violations. (Vote of approval passed at 4/19 meeting; Police Dept. and local AAA may have come out in opposition). (possible vote)
8. Comments/other presentations.
9. Adjournment.
Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council
Traffic, Public Transportation and Parking Committee
Minutes
Tuesday, May 31, 2005 6-8pm
Will & Ariel Durant Branch Library 7140 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA
Quorum reached at 6:15– meeting called to order
Present at the meeting was committee chair Jon Hartmann, HHWNC area residents Michael Meyer, Rena Dheming, Lisa Knollenberg, Vince Vitale, Laura Fox, Richard Pietschmann and HHWNC President, Dan Bernstein. Quorum having been reached, the meeting began shortly after 6:00pm in an informal, roundtable discussion.
Participants discussed SB466, the automated speeding ticket device, approved by Motion of the Committee on April 19, 2005. Chair stated that since passage of the vote, information had been received that the Automobile Club of Southern California and the Police Union were against the measure, and he questioned the motives of both organizations. Michael Meyer gave a presentation on his letter of April 28, 2005 to XXXXXXX of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, copies available from the HHWNC Board. The letter contained observations and suggestions to promote better vehicle flow in the La Brea, Hollywood, Franklin and Highland quadrant, the distribution and collection point of the 170/101 corridors. When asked by the Chair why past lists of traffic improvements have not been implemented, President Bernstein stated that a lack of funds restricted project implementation. Michael Meyer informed the committee that the Highland/Franklin improvements might have already been funded. Chair stated that arterial flow was tolerable except during “special events” such as street closure or accidents, but most participants disagreed, feeling that normal rush hour was grid locked.
General agreement was reached by the participants that the Street Closure Committee was ineffectual in reducing the number and scope of closures, allowing an unnecessary hardship to be
placed on residents. Chair inquired as to the statutory basis on which a municipality can rent a public street to private enterprise, refusing access to the public and interfering with police, fire and emergency services. One-way streets were proposed for Sunset and Hollywood Boulevard, and most participants thought the proposal might be too radical a change. Participants agreed that past attempts at contact with transportation agencies have been slow or non-responsive, and that a meeting with the Police, Mayor, MTA, DOT, Caltrans and Council members Garcetti and La Bonge to discuss mobility issues in the area served by the HHWNC was to be requested. A Motion to that effect was passed, 7-0. Participants discussed the nature of the symposium, and the numbers of attendees that could reasonably be expected or accommodated. Laura Fox suggested that a meeting with a small number of representatives would be preferable, and that there was limited value in a large, noisy crowd of protesters. President Bernstein reminded the Committee of the 101 double-decking meeting at the Junior Achievement Center, at which an overflow crowd of residents convinced highway planners that the proposal was ill-advised, Chair having been the final speaker in opposition. Participants were in agreement that the position of the HHWNC at such a meeting would have to be unified, focused and organized. Chair suggested that emails and phone calls from residents could stimulate agencies into more timely response. Speed bumps and tables were discussed as traffic-calming measures, but President Bernstein reminded attendees that curving hillside streets couldn’t utilize these options due to the straight line-of-sight requirement. Participants discussed methods of reaching maximum impact
with elected and appointed officials regarding traffic and transit improvement. Richard Pietschmann suggested that discussions with agencies staffers, rather than department heads, could facilitate action, and that the carrot was a better approach than the stick. Michael Meyer continued presenting data on the impact of street closure on canyon arterial flow, describing how the delayed construction in the area has made the situation worse.
Lisa Knollenberg informed the Committee that a request for a height variance had been filed with the City of Los Angeles for a proposed development at 1633 N. La Brea Avenue, raising the roof height limit from 45 feet to 108 feet. Participants approved a Motion, 6 in favor with one abstention, opposing the granting of such a variance. A copy of the Motion is available from the Board. Next meeting of the Committee was announced as June 28, 6-8 at the same location.
Meeting adjourned at 7:44pm