Brentwood Community Council

June 3, 2008 Meeting Highlights

Aug 11, 2008

Public Safety ?– Officer Phillip Enbody
Crime is down 23% year to date. Most crime occurring in our area continues to be items stolen from vehicles. Don?’t leave anything in your cars, lock your vehicles and set your alarms. The hillside areas north of Sunset in the Palisades and Brentwood have experienced some burglaries. The events occurred in the evenings and on weekends. The perpetrators entered through unarmed solid windows of second story master bedrooms. They ransacked the area taking cash and jewelry and in some cases they removed the entire safe from the room. Make sure you arm your homes with alarms on windows and doors and install motion detectors. Keep as many of your valuables off the premises in a safe deposit box.

Government Reports ?–
Ellen Isaacs, Representative for Assemblymember Mike Feuer
It was a very good month for Assemblymember Feuer?’s bills; twenty of them have advanced to the State Senate for hearings in policy committees this month. Bills ranging from water recycling and conservation to curbs on driving under the influence to transportation successfully moved through the Assembly thanks to hard work by Mike, the Sacramento and District Office staff, and other supporters. Of the six transportation-related bills, three are in the Senate, including the ?½ cent county-wide sales tax, the carbon emissions fee, and infrastructure financing districts. A proposed constitutional amendment is being held in the Assembly Transportation Committee while we gauge support (there is no deadline for moving constitutional amendments through the Legislature). For more information, visit http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a42/.

Locally the Metro Board will be meeting on June 26th at 9:30 in the MTA hearing room located at One Gateway Plaza near Union Station, to consider both adoption of the draft Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and whether to ask the Board of Supervisors to put Mike?’s ?½ cent sales tax for transportation on the November ballot. Regarding the LRTP, Westsiders have the opportunity to speak in favor of the Westside Extension of the subway to be built as far west as possible with whatever funding can be found. They can also speak about maintaining the commitment to complete the Exposition Light Rail Line to Santa Monica. There is NO rail on the Westside to give residents, employees, students and tourists another alternative to driving the most congested freeways in the country, or trying to navigate surface streets during peak traffic hours. Prime employment centers and shopping or tourist destinations on the Westside include The Grove, Cedars Sinai, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Century City, UCLA/Westwood and Santa Monica. The entire region would benefit by completing the Expo project as well as adding to the existing subway system, whether down Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica Blvd., or both. For more information about the Expo project, go to http://www.buildexpo.org/. For more information on a possible subway extension, see http://www.metro.net/projects_studies/westside/news_info.htm under News and Information. For information on what you can do to help, call Ellen Isaacs, Transportation Deputy for Assemblymember Feuer at 310-285-5490.

State Veterans Home, Jessica Lall, Consensus Planning Group
Highlights of Key Activities Planned for June:
?• Complete Structural Steel Erection at Building ?“C?”
?• Complete Foundation Concrete Placement between Buildings ?“C?” & ?“D?” and ?“D?” & ?“E?”
?• Begin Steel Structure Weld, Plumb & Metal Decking Installation at Building ?“B?” and ?“C?”
?• Begin Structural Steel Erection at Building ?“C?”
?• Complete Basement ?“12?” South Wall Concrete Placement at Building ?“D?”
?• Begin Foundation Excavation & Construction at Building ?“F?”
?• LADWP Complete Water Main Vaults on Brigham

Call our hotline (310) 651-5066 or visit our website at glavc.org

Jennifer Rivera, CD-11 Field Deputy
Ms. Rivera reported the following:
Wachovia Signs - Wachovia had been cited with an order to comply by the Department of Building and Safety for its signs being out of compliance with its permit. The signs have been turned off temporarily until they are brought into compliance. Chairwoman Rosen thanked the Council Office for its help in this matter and reported that she has been in communication with a Wachovia executive who has assured her that Wachovia will bring its signs into compliance with its permit and they will also install a splitter so the Brentwood-facing sign will be turned off in the evening so that it does not shine into the windows of the surrounding community.

Recycling - The City is working with the two Brentwood Business Districts (San Vicente and Brentwood Village) to create a recycling program.

Street Furniture - CBS/Decaux requested nine additional sites on San Vicente for its illuminated advertising. The Council Office rejected all of the sites. The Contractor then requested eight additional sites for the entire CD-11 District, three of which are in Brentwood. The BCC is working with the Council Office to locate three additional sites.

Mansionization Ordinance - Don Keller announced the effective date of June 29, 2008 for the Mansionization Ordinance.

Big Blue Bus Stop Presentation
Joe Stitcher, Assistant Director of Transit Operations
Homeowners of a condominium project at the southwest corner of Montana Avenue and Bundy Drive have requested that a bus stop be removed from the west side of Bundy Drive south of Montana Avenue, alleging that individuals waiting for the bus have caused harm to their condominiums. Mr. Stitcher provided background information indicating that the bus stop was established in 1979 and serves riders transferring from line 14 to southbound line 3. Approximately 125 riders use the bus stop daily with 25% of riders being seniors and 10% being students. He stated that his department had already responded to complaints by moving the bus stop approximately 20 feet further south and away from the condominium entrance. When complaints persisted from the condo residents, Mr. Stitcher explored three alternatives: 1) removing the bus stop; 2) rerouting the transfer point; 3) leaving the stop where it is and adding a handicap platform. According to Mr. Stitcher, re-routing the bus line and re-locating the stop to the northwest corner of Bundy and Montana would add 4 minutes running time to an already tight schedule and would cost the BBB an additional $104,000 annually. If the bus stop were eliminated, passengers would be required to walk 1/10 mile south to Bundy and Dorothy or 1/5 mile north to San Vicente and Montana. Mr. Stitcher said that BBB was not in favor of limiting access to transportation.

Chairwoman Rosen formed a committee, including Jackie Raymond, Bette Harris, Samantha Greenberg, Dennis Hinman, Chuck Kahn, Ken Marks, Ray Klein, and Wendy-Sue Rosen to review the alternatives and compile a list of questions that may be added to a survey that BBB will conduct with its riders. After studying the situation, the committee, representatives of the condominium owners, and Mr. Stitcher will meet with the Council office to try to resolve the issue and report to the BCC.

Construction in Residential Neighborhoods: Community Concerns
Bruce Jugan, a member of the BHA board of directors, made a comprehensive presentation on ?“Construction in Residential Neighborhoods: Community Concerns.?” Mr. Jugan itemized a variety of disturbances and nuisances caused by construction: noise, construction worker vehicles occupying all of the available on-street parking spaces, graffiti marked dumpsters and port-a-potties placed in the street for months, dangerous construction sites not surrounded by protective fencing, and streets damaged by construction vehicles.

Working with Councilman Rosendahl?’s office, Mr. Jugan wrote a list of construction-related questions and received responses from various City Agencies. The resulting ?“Construction Q & A?” can be downloaded from the BHA web site: http://www.brentwoodhomeowners.com/

The Construction Q & A reveals the necessity for legislative action. On May 21, Councilman Rosendahl introduced a motion to City Council to create an inter-agency task force including LADBS, LAPD, Engineering, Street Services, Public Works and the City Attorney?’s Office to examine the need for changing the hours of construction in the City of Los Angeles (Motion 08-1291). This task force has 60 days to submit a report to the City Council with recommendations.

Mr. Jugan also reported that the BHA and Councilman Rosendahl have been discussing other strategies for reducing or eliminating construction related nuisances, which include creating a Brentwood Special Planning District with local Planning and Building Department oversight with controls specific to this district, for example, requiring ?“worker parking mitigation plans?” for single family residential construction projects, requiring contractors to pay a per day street use fee when they place dumpsters in public streets, limiting the duration of construction projects as the City of Santa Monica currently does, increasing the fees for cement trucks to pay for the clean up of spills on City streets, requiring that all construction projects in single family districts have fencing surrounding the sites. All proposals would be revenue neutral to the City of Los Angeles.

The BCC will evaluate these suggestions and consider taking a formal position on these items at a future meeting. The BCC applauded Mr. Jugan?’s efforts and thanked him for his work.

Community Council Announcements ?–
Dennis Hinman reported that there are numerous violations of the public right of way on San Vicente Blvd., including right-of-way obstructions by real estate ?“for sale?” signs, non-permitted outdoor restaurant seating, valet stands and umbrellas. Mr. Hinman will write a letter to the Brentwood News and send copies to the San Vicente Design Review Board and the BCC.

Bette Harris, Representation Chair, announced an opening for the Alternate Multi-Family Housing seat on the BCC. The applicant must be an apartment or condo dweller. Ms. Harris will place an announcement in the Brentwood News.

Jackie Raymond, Brentwood Green, reminded the Council that no individual or group may place banners on the Brentwood Science Magnet School fence without the express permission of Brentwood Green.

Mary Sidell, Director of Institutional Advancement, Brentwood School, announced that Brentwood School has met with BHA, BCC Land Use Committee, Brentwood Village merchants, and Residential Neighbors of the Brentwood School (RNBS) to review the school?’s Master Plan prior to the EIR process. They continue to meet with RNBS to further revise the Master Plan in response to the Neighbors. Howard Jaskol reported that the school has been outstanding in the way they have handled this project. Brentwood School will keep the BCC informed on its progress.

Christina McIntosh of Archer School announced that Archer School and Brentwood School have coordinated their calendars and they will not hold any major events on the same days or evenings during the upcoming school year. This should help with congestion and parking pressures in the Village.

Don Keller announced that the haul route for a construction project at 441 South Barrington will be traveling south on Barrington. Don is monitoring project haul routes on Barrington to request that all haul routes be routed southbound so they don?’t interfere with school drop off and pick up.

Wendy Rosen announced that The Brentwood Historical Society will be hosting a book signing at the Brentwood Kaufman Library for a book on the history of Brentwood. The author, Jan Loomis, will be signing copies of her book on June 28, 2008 between 2:00 and 4:00 PM.

Ray Klein advised that anyone desiring information about a proposed development project, or a project under construction, can obtain information by typing in the address on the websites distributed at the last meeting. He pointed out that only variances from the zoning code require public notice and a hearing. Projects in compliance with the zoning code are "by right" and go through plan check at the Department of Building and Safety. The website indicates the general nature of the project, the name of the plan checker, and status. Permits are sometimes incorrectly issued, and appeals are possible to seek revocation.

Chair Announcements ?– Wendy-Sue Rosen, Chairwoman
Chairwoman Rosen reported the following:

Brentwood News has revamped its size and quality. They have done a great job. Make sure to pick up a copy and read all the great articles about Brentwood and our surrounding areas.

Federal Land Update
?• The VA is searching for a new Director at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System to replace Charles Dorman who has assumed the responsibility of Director at the Wilmington, Delaware VA Medical Center.
?• Senator Feinstein sent a letter to VA Secretary James Peake asking for and update on the progress made toward drafting and implementing a master plan for the West LA VA campus.

Upcoming meetings: August 5, 2008. September 2, 2008. October 7, 2008. November 4, 2008. December 2, 2008.

Future Presentations will include an improvement project for the Barrington Dog Park, San Vicente Design Review Board presentation, Graffiti Abatement services, 405/Caltrans project, Brentwood School EIR progress, Barry Building update, Stream Ordinance, Barrington Recreation Center progress, Public Safety presentations from Police and Fire.

Next BCC Meeting on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. The BCC meets regularly on the first Tuesday of each month at the Brentwood Kaufman Library. The BCC agenda is posted at the Brentwood Kaufman Library one week prior to the meeting date. To receive the BCC?’s monthly agenda by e-mail, contact Chairwoman Wendy-Sue Rosen at RosenFree@aol.com or visit the BCC website: http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/la/brentwoodcc.

(Sue Casamassima serves as Recording Secretary and Representative of Zone 8 ?– Brentwood Glen)