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Senior Lead Officer Mike Shea regarding Crime in Beachwood Canyon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  News from all over Beachwood Canyon says that crime is up regarding burglary from autos and even some home burglaries. Here's a letter I just received from our Senior Lead Officer Mike Shea:
Hello Everybody,
First of all I would like to thank Fran for all the help she has given to the police over the years. She always keeps her neighborhood up to date on all of the issues regarding not only crime, but quality of life issues as well. To go along with that many people have shown an interest in starting a Neighborhood Watch Group. That has been proven to reduce crime and the fear of crime in neighborhoods. For the most up to date information you can go the departments web site, www.lapdonline.org and get in depth information.
Over the past several weeks I have received numerous e-mails regarding fear that crime is spiraling out of control in the Hollywood Hills. I hope I can set the record straight. For the past five years crime in Hollywood Division has been down. Last year crime was reduced 10% in Hollywood which made us the leader in crime reduction for 2008 in the entire city of Los Angeles! The officers that work this division are top notch and have a genuine interest in the department's goal of crime reduction.
Having said all of that, since the beginning of the year there has been a slight increase in property crimes in the hills. There is no patterns or particular suspects that you should be on the lookout for. Burglary From Motor Vehicles, (Car break In's), and Burglaries, (House Break In's), are the crimes of choice for the hills.The criminals chose those crime because they don't want to confront people. They chose our area because of the nice cars and houses in the area. One of the e-mails hit it right on the head. If you don't leave anything visible in your car, the crooks are not going to break in!
The same applies to your house. If you lock your doors and windows, the bad guys will pass you up for a house that's not locked. The detectives beg me to get the message out. An extremely high percentage of the crimes are because people leave expensive equipment visible in their cars and don't secure their residences. If all of us follow these rules the crime statistics will drop and we can continue to reduce the crime in 2009.
As far as violent crime is concerned the hills account for a small percentage. When there is a violent crime, the community is made aware of it and they assist the department in solving the crime. Because those crime are rare, when one does occur, the community mobilizes. Without the community behind the police we will never achieve our goal of reducing crime.
Some of you may be interested in attending an 11 week L.A.P.D Community Police Academy starting Wednesday, March 25th. The course is designed to teach the community members how to build a rewarding partnership with the Department, help reduce crime and improve the quality of life in your neighborhood. If you are interested please contact me.
If there is anything else I can help you with please let me know.
Mike
Senior Lead Officer Michael D. Shea
Serial No. 22343
Los Angeles Police Department
Hollywood Division
Basic Car 6A15
(213)793-0710
Mike Shea <22343@lapd.lacity.org
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L.A.P.D. Community Police Academy
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For ALL community members! Take part in an informative 11-week free course designed to teach community members how to build a rewarding partnership with the Department, help reduce crime, and improve the quality of life in your own neighborhood!
Starts Wednesday, March 25th to June 3rd, 2009
(Course will conclude with a Graduation Ceremony on June 3rd)
Course meets weekly on Wednesday evenings
6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Special guest speakers each week!
Course will be conducted at:
Fairfax High School
7850 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles
To apply, contact your local L.A.P.D. Senior Lead Officer or Call your L.A.P.D. Community Relations Office in your area for an application.
Hollywood Area 213-485-4318
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Immaculate Heart Plans to Demolish Wonderful Old House for Parking Lot
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My name is Raphael Sbarge. I am a part of a community of homes, 139 in total, just west of Western, north of Franklin, between St. Andrews, and Canyon. We have spent the last year trying to secure our neighborhood from destruction, and the dreaded "Home Depot" inspired multi-family unit, by applying for HPOZ status. We have signatures of over 85% of the homes; we have photographed and catalogued each and every home; we have a working history of the area (indeed many of the homes in this area were built between 1910-1925); we have a designated name "Hollywood Grove Historic District" (based on the orchards that existed originally in our area); we have money from the city, and a great deal of encouragement from our councilman, Tom LaBonge. Indeed, we are a passionate bunch of homeowners committed to saving this little area of Hollywood for generations to come, and many of these homes have unique and extraordinary details that make them profoundly worth saving.
In 1999, Immaculate Heart purchased a home at 1912 St. Andrews (right on the edge of our designated district), and has rented it up until this summer. We have been informed that they are moments away from tearing it down to expand a parking lot.
The tragedy of this is that not only will it adversely affect our efforts to preserve this area, but also we are inclined to think that they are doing this suddenly because they are aware of our efforts (Our HPOZ title is a protracted process, and will take many more months for it to be official).
We have gone on full alert as we believe that they might tear it down any moment, despite our entreaties for them not to. We have contacted our councilman, we are going before the city board, and we are reaching out to anyone who might be able to bring light to this sad possibility. We have a petition of many of the homeowners in the area. We have petitions of ALL the homeowners on the block, and still we are told that they are tearing it down. Their reason is that they say it is "beyond repair." We are going in the home on Saturday morning to inspect this claim, although as it has been lived in up until a few months ago, we all doubt this claim.
When we heard of Immaculate Heart's intentions to raze the house, a flurry of email communication started within the group. This was the first chance for the fledgling group to flex its collective muscle. A meeting was hastily called and a plan of action document was drafted to save the house from demolition.
Time is of the essence for us, and we would so appreciate any light you might be able to shine on this story. It is a classic tale of a big institution using the wedge of "progress" to destroy the unique character of our historic neighborhood.
Most sincerely,
Raphael Sbarge
1969 Taft Ave,
Hollywood, ca., 90068
213-952-9165
Note: Since Mr. Sbarge wrote this letter, the house was inspected by a professional home inspector. Despite IHHS's persist claim that this house is damaged beyond repair, the inspection report claims otherwise. In addition, the only damage to the house was done by the school itself! A copy of the inspector's report is available.
Why is it so important to save this house?
If this house is demolished under the false conditions stated by the school, then ANY house can be demolished by anyone using the same (or similar) excuses. It's called a slippery slope. Today, it's the house at 1912 St. Andrews. Tomorrow it could be: Your address goes here.
Despite the fact that Immaculate Heart has other options to increase their parking, tearing down this beautiful craftsman is the easiest solution for them, and the cheapest. What the school is failing to realize is that the neighbors who are fighting to save this house have a strong foundation to stand on and if Immaculate Heart continutes, the neighbors will (more than likely) sue. This will cost the school much more $ in the long run.
By the way, a chain link fence is going up around the property today (March 2nd) which is the legal requirement prior to demolishing a structure.
NEIGHBORS ON ST. ANDREWS NEED YOUR HELP!
If you want to perserve this home, stop the demolition and encourage the school to explore other options, contact Councilman Tom Labonge at 213-485-3337. And call Immaculate Heart's president, Julie Anne McCormick at 323-461-3651. Tell them "Don't demolish the house at 1912 St. Andrews for a parking structure!"
Groups that support the preservation of this home (or at least a hold on the demolition until other options can be reviewed) are:
Hollywood United Neighborhood Council (HUNC)
Los Feliz Improvement Association (LFIA)
The Oaks Homeowners Association
Eastwood Coalition
Friends of the Hollywood Grove Historic Preservation Zone
Friends of the Oaks Interim Control Ordinance
Hollywoodians Encouraging Logical Planning (H.E.L.P.)
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| Street Conditions in Beachwood Canyon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Many years ago, Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association successfully blocked the resurfacing of Beachwood Drive. The City was going to resurface it in asphalt which has a five year (at best) life span. Currently Beachwood Drive is concrete which last many decades in comparison. We are speaking of the area specifically from the Village down to Franklin Ave. We were told that the City doesn't have enough funds or resources to even repair streets in concrete yet recently the City repaired and resurfaced the area of Durand just north of Heather in concrete. Contrary to gossip on the street, the BCNA never negotiated anything with the City regarding streets in Hollywoodland or other feeder streets in Beachwood Canyon. We realize that many have already been resurfaced in asphalt and are picking our battles.
So when we asked (many months ago) for the City to focus on the dangerous road conditions on Belden, we expected that the photos and messages of urgency would get some positive response. Our focus was the roadway just up from Beachwood on the upper portion of Belden. As you know, Belden meets Beachwood in the Village and then comes down to Beachwood a few blocks up from the Village. It is this upper portion of Belden that is plunging into severe decline.
The photo you see is my husband standing in front of a portion of concrete that has lifted up since our first request for assistance. I understand that someone tired of hitting it with his or her front tires has lifted this big chunk up and placed it a few feet away near the curb. So we now have a hole there...
If you live in this area or pass through here, it would be helpful if you would please add your voice to our nagging requests. Call 3-1-1 and tell them we need this road repaired. We don't care what they use to fix this, as it is a danger right now and has been since our first report to the City.
You can make a difference.
If you want to go the extra mile, drive around and look for other poorly maintained portions of Beachwood Canyon, make a list and call 3-1-1 and tell them about it!
Fran
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Vote! This Tuesday - and also March 24th
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Will you be at your polling place this Tuesday? Please do a bit of research on the various measures that you will be casting your vote on.
And don't forget that we are going to be voting again on March 24th...
Voting is a responsibility along with a right. If you are an absentee voter and have not yet mailed your ballot, please follow the directions - sign the envelope and drop off your ballot at your polling place. The chances of your vote getting counted along with the rest is far greater if you do it this way.
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Village Coffee Shop Hearing Thursday, March 12, 2009
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Conditional Use Permit regarding the sale and dispensing of beer and wine only for on-site consumption....expanding the hours of operation to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily with beer and wine sales from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Case Number ZA 2008-2627(CUB)
Hearing details:
Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 1 p.m.
City Hall, 200 North Spring Street, Room 1020, L.A., 90012
The Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association has taken a supportive position for the efforts of Alex Papalexis to gain this permit.
Fran
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Hearing Regarding Lugano Project
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The City, our Design Review Board (Hollywoodland Specific Plan), the Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association along with the Hollywoodland Homeowners Association all agree that this project is far too large for the area. But the builders want to appeal that decision. Their hearing information is below. Please attend and support your neighbors in preserving our community character and keeping mansionization out of Hollywoodland.
Case number: DIR-2008-3227-SPP-DRB-1A
Tuesday, March 24th 2009 at 4:30 p.m.
City Hall 10th Floor, 200 North Spring Street, L.A., CA 90012
See you there!
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City Hall Made Easy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  So you want to attend a hearing but you don't want to be troubled finding parking? Councilman Labonge has always supported the idea of community empowerment. His staff will arrange for free parking for you if you call them at 213-485-3337! Be ready with auto information.
On the hearing day, drive south on 101 to Los Angeles Street. Turn right and pass Temple. Stay on the right and just past the pointy pagoda building on the right drive in where it says City Parking.
I know it says "No Public Parking" but you have gotten permission from your City Councilman's office so continue to the guard shack.
The person in the guard shack will want to see your driver's license . Don't forget to take your identification or you will not get a pass to enter City Hall.
Fran
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Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association Newsletter
