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Gratitude and Solution-Building    
Time for Gratitude  

 

Let's say a big THANK YOU to all those responsible for responding to the little brush fire near the Scenic Vista! Recalling the sweat equity spent by the Council Office staff clearing brush last summer, they must be included in this outreach of gratitude.  

 

Feel free to send your comments to  

[email protected]

 

Be sure to include your recommendations for a safer community.  

 

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Letter From CD4 Council Office

 

The following is a letter from Sheila Irani, Director of Special Projects in Councilmember Labonge's office. Please send any responses to her. She is looking for ideas and offers of support from local HOA's to help fund solutions in our area. Perhaps the HOAs can join together to hold a huge fundraiser to approach our fire vulnerability constructively. 

 

From: Sheila Irani [mailto:sheila.irani@lacity.org]
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 4:19 PM

Subject: Re: Vista fire situation 7/9/2012 and Response by CD4

 

To the Community Members in and near Lake Hollywood:

 

The Councilmember is very concerned with the problems associated with smoking in the Hillside especially at the Vista point on Mulholland Hwy between Canyon Lake and Durand due to visitors. Months before this fire, our office worked to get the GPS services used by all eight of the major rental car agencies at LAX to direct visitors to the Observatory and Hollywood and Highland to ease the number of visitors to the Vista site. Additionally, the Councilman, through his maintenance crew and working with Recreation and Parks staff, has added more NO SMOKING signs, cleared the brush at the Vista site, placed two new cement trash cans, and painted and re-painted the red curb.  Soon Recreation and Parks  will be providing a new fence to both sides of the Scenic View area. I understand other community recommendations which we have considered include a hedge to block the Hollywood sign near Durand off Mulholland, but this will have to wait for planting season and require the neighborhood residents to regularly water them since there is no irrigation at the site and add double yellow lines but are allowed when the road is wide enough and unfortunately Mulholland Hwy doesn't meet that qualification. 

 

I have communicated with Recreation and Parks, LADWP, and our chief of Field Operations David Ahern about the communities' request for further brush clearance at and around the Vista on City property. LADWP is not responsible for the Vista, however they plan to handle brush clearance in the Montlake area with LAFD contracted crews the first week of August.  Recreation and Parks is working to do further brush clearance in the area but they have communicated that they have completed 90% of the areas around homes within Griffith Park thus far. 

 

The response by at least 75 firefighters, Rec and Park Park Rangers, LAPD and an LAFD water drop to a fire of approximately 1/8 acre was to be commended and the response time was excellent. Station 76 stayed past 10 pm to insure the area was safe, and field deputy Sharon Shapiro stayed till 9:30 pm, even though the fire was put out for about 3 hours at that time. The area that burned was dry brush behind a fence and is typically not cleared by the City. The Hollywoodland HOA in the past has been adverse to brush clearance in the Scenic View area, threatening to sue in fact when the north Vista area was cleared by CD4. From the letters we have received as of late, it appears that brush clearance would be appreciated by the HOAs.

 

Park Rangers and General Services police as well as our staff have been involved with enforcing the regulations more than ever before. There will never by 24 hour enforcement or enough City personnel to address all the issues, but the Councilman has worked hard to improve the negative impact of the visitors to the Vista area.  Agreeably, more work could be done. We would welcome any assistance the HOAs could give in the way of constructive ideas or funding that would assist our common goal of making the hillsides safer. 

 

For example, Hollywoodland HOA would like to add more of a "Smokey Bear" looking sign with the High Fire Zone  No Smoking message and that is being researched. They are very expensive and the HOAs could assist by offering some funding toward more signage as the City has exhausted its inventory at the Vista and at Mt Lee. 

 

Since most of the cigarette butts are thrown onto the ground where there is no brush, an ash can for the butts may help, as long as it is labeled - NO SMOKING, BUTTS OUT HERE.  I understand we don't want to encourage smoking, however, if the visitors are smoking, then we should offer a safe place for them to discard their cigarettes that is easy to clean for Rec and Parks' staff. 

 

I would appreciate a rational dialogue with the community to come up with more effective solutions. Yesterday's hostile altercation with the Councilmember does not serve any purpose whatsoever except to be divisive and tear down morale for the those of us who are working hard to serve ALL the constituents of the City as a tourist destination, employer and home for millions.

 

I welcome your input and look forward to working together.

 

Best,

Sheila Irani, Director Special Projects
Councilman Tom LaBonge CD4
200 N. Spring St., Room 480
Los Angeles, CA 90012
office: 213-473-2340
cell: 323-632-4377 

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In This Issue
Gratitude
Letter from CD4

Please send articles, news broadcasts, and events to us for consideration in our monthly newsletters.
 
Sincerely,
 
Fran Reichenbach
Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association
[email protected]
323-462-BCNA (2262)