GNW May 2013 Newsletter

Sunday, March 5, 2013
Volume VII, Number 2

MARCH 2013 NEWSLETTER
Coldwater WEST & Ventura SOUTH, in Studio City, CA!
L.A.'s First "100% Web-Connected Neighborhood"

The South San Fernando Valley's Neighborhood Watch Groups Network.

Our collective eNewsletters South of Ventura reach more than 3,000 households and businesses from Tarzana to Universal City.

What's Watch 2.0? Click Here.
GNW's March 2013 Newsletter Click-To-View Rate: 57% - A NEW RECORD!!!

Crime and Safety Update

SOUTHLAND FIRES BRING UNHEALTHY AIR

TO SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Air quality officials have issued an updated smoke advisory last week for several areas across the Southland due to multiple wildfires.

Air quality may reach Unhealthy, or higher levels in the following areas directly impacted by smoke:

-- the west San Fernando Valley, including Agoura Hills and Reseda, and

-- coastal areas from Malibu to Santa Monica due to the Springs fire; and

-- the entire San Gabriel Valley due to the Glendale fire.

Smoke from the Springs Fire in Ventura County is now coming onshore due to the sea breeze and smoke impacts are being reported downwind of the fire in areas including the west San Fernando Valley.

All individuals are urged to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in any area directly impacted by smoke. This includes areas where residents can see or smell smoke. Wildfires generate smoke containing numerous air pollutants including fine particulates known as PM10 and PM2.5.

In areas that experience Unhealthy air quality and those directly impacted by smoke: Everyone should avoid any vigorous outdoor or indoor exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should remain indoors. Keep your windows and doors closed unless it is extremely hot inside. In these cases, seek alternate shelter. Run your air conditioner if you have one. Keep the fresh air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent bringing additional smoke inside.

For current conditions, click HERE and to check the air quality weather map at AQMD, click HERE.

HOUSE FIRE IN SHERMAN OAKS

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. (KTLA) - Two members of the Los Angeles Fire Department were injured early Saturday morning while battling a house fire in Sherman Oaks.

The blaze was reported at about 12:14am in a single-family home located in the 4000 block of Sumac Drive, a winding hillside road off of Beverly Glen Boulevard.

One fire company became trapped inside the home, after firefighters rushed in to battle the flames, sources tell KTLA 5 News.

A fire captain was said to be unconscious when he was rescued and is now being treated in the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital.

The fire captain is in serious but stable condition, and one firefighter is in fair but stable condition.

According to neighbors, an elderly man lives in the house although it is unclear if he was home at the time of the fire. To read more, click HERE and HERE.

Crime Alert

NO CRIMES REPORTED IN APRIL, 2013 IN GNW AREA

According to the LAPD's CrimeMapping.com website, unlike the area around Fryman Canyon, where vehicle break-ins are HEAVY, there were no reported crime in the GNW area except on Ventura Blvd. Click HERE to view the dynamic map.

Crime Map April 2013

VOTE ON MAY 21, 2013

VOTE + LA MAYOR = TUESDAY, MAY 21

Polls open at 7a and close at 8p

If you live in the GNW area, chances are that your local polling place will be at Armen Asadorian Photography at 13223 Ventura Blvd, in Studio City.

For a map, click HERE.

If you don't live in the GNW area, to find out where to vote and get your nifty "I voted" sticker, click HERE.

For a sample ballot, click HERE.

IF YOU DO NOT VOTE, YOU DON'T LOSE THE RIGHT TO VOICE YOUR COMPLAINT.

INSTEAD, YOU RISK LOSING THE EAR OF THE PERSON YOU ARE COMPLAINING TO.

Harvard Westlake Development

HARVARD-WESTLAKE PARKING LOT DEVELOPMENT

by Jeffrey Berk

Los Angeles has begun a public review process for Harvard-Westlake's proposed plan to construct a 2-acre, 3-level, 750 parking space structure with a rooftop athletic field on school-owned property across the street from the Upper School campus on Coldwater Canyon in Studio City.

Harvard-Westlake believes the project will expand parking capacity on campus, eliminate parking on nearby streets and improve traffic flow in the area. A pedestrian bridge will connect the structure on the west side of Coldwater Canyon to the campus located on the east side of Coldwater Canyon. The school maintains the development is not part of a master plan to increase enrollment on the campus.

On the roof of the structure, the school wants to build a practice field with artificial turf. The school contends that while the practice field will not be used for games or public events and that no bleachers or speakers will be installed, there will be lights for night practice until 8pm on weekdays. (The field would not be used on weekends).

One of the more controversial elements involves the removal of a number of Oak trees and roughly 100 Walnut trees. The school has stated in an email to the neighborhood that most of the Walnut trees, approx. 75% are diseased.) The school contends that although the Oaks will be removed, there will be 300 trees added in the current development plan.

Neighbors are encouraged to get involved. You can email our area's Los Angeles City Council Member Paul Krekorian at councilmember.krekorian@lacity.org and/or you can contact the school by emailing John Amato at jamato@hw.com or by calling him at: 818-487-6560).

Meanwhile, you can also email Sarah Boyd at STBoyd69@yahoo.com. Sarah is a neighbor on Van Noord who believes the development likely poses a nuisance to the neighborhood, especially those living on Blairwood, Galewood, Longridge and Van Noord Ave. since the additional field will lead to noise pollution and nighttime lighting and activities.

Sarah plans to contact all GNW neighbors in the future with updates and solicitations for support and involvement.

TO OPT-OUT OF GNW PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO ANY ANTI-DEVELOPMENT GROUP

PLEASE EMAIL TO NOTIFY US: greenleaf@watch2.org

Finally, you can also send written comments and objections by May 13, 2013 to:

Emily Dwyer

City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning

200 North Spring Street

Room 750

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Fax: (213) 978-1454

Email: emily.dwyer@lacity.org

As previously stated in prior emails, I will remain neutral on the Harvard-Westlake Development matter until further notice so as to be effective in helping the school and the community work together.

If you are a GNW neighbor and interested in writing an article on this matter (or any other) for this Newsletter, please email me.

Jeffrey Berk

Nesmon Cafe

Photo credit: mydailyfind.com

A touch of Paris has opened in our back yard along Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. Nesmon Café quietly opened just over a year ago. You could easily miss it unless you are walking by. Located between Dixie Canyon and Fulton (across from the Ventura Car Wash), you'll find a little French oasis in the middle of a very busy block.

Nesmon Café offers up the neighborhood gourmet sandwiches, specialty salads, authentic French crepes (sweet and savory), a variety of quiches, soups, daily baked pastries and excellend coffee and tea. They also recently started offering a French vegan menu.

In keeping with the European flavor of the café, Nesmon offers a variety of French market goods and gift items. Boutique items include unique serving dishes and vintage collectibles, as well as everything from candles to table linen to one-of-a-kind cake plates. The cafe also offers complimentary gift wrapping and a complimentary greeting card.

To see Nemon's menu options and to learn about their offerings, navigate to www.nesmoncafe.com or follow them on Facebook where you can learn more about events and menu specials.

The cafe also provides catering for offices, studios and private parties.

Nesmon is now welcoming GNW neighbors with a free coffee or tea with any order. Just tell them you read about them in the GNW Newsletter.

Studio City Neighborhood Council seeks Grievance Advisory Board Members

Council Seeks

Grievance Advisory Board Members

A grievance has been submitted to the SCNC that conforms to its revised Bylaws, adopted in 2012, which require that a grievance NOT be filed against an individual board member but that it address ONLY an alleged violation of the SCNC Bylaws, Operating Procedures or Code of Conduct by the Board as a whole.

The SCNC Bylaws have a provision for handling grievances which may be brought to the attention of the Vice President. SCNC Board Members are prohibited from being part of the panel. All other stakeholders are eligible to be part of this important process.

The Bylaws call for our Board to recruit a pool of at least a dozen stakeholders willing to serve the Board on a temporary basis as members of a Grievance Advisory Committee. The President will randomly select 5 from that pool of stakeholders to form the committee. The Board Vice President will meet with the Advisory Committee at its earliest convenience to present the grievance and to help the committee coordinate its process going forward.

The committee will then be asked to meet with the parties involved to evaluate the claim and to explore ways in which the matter may be resolved. Within 30 days of completing its meetings with the parties, the committee Chairperson will be asked to deliver to the Board Secretary a brief written report of the committee's findings. The Secretary will forward a copy of the grievance and the report to each Board member and the matter will be placed on the next Board meeting agenda.

In this instance, we would greatly appreciate your willingness to serve on the committee and that you allow us to place your name "in the hat" for a random selection to take place at the Board's monthly meeting on May 15. Please contact Lisa Sarkin at lsarkin@studiocitync.org if you are interested in being on the Committee or have any questions.

We thank you sincerely for considering our request and for your past and future service to Studio City.

Studio City Celeb Spotting

Studio City's celeb spotting this month courtesy of Daily Mail.

Selma Blair walks her son, Arthur, in Studio City last week.

Henry's Tacos Fully ReBooted

HENRY'S TACO REBOOT

Henry's Taco's, that crunchy and historic (certainly by Southern California standards) has just found a new home in Studio City after closing in January.

The taco institution reopened last month a block down Tujunga Avenue in a corner unit spanning just a little over 200 square ft. The old marquee has been replaced with simpler flat signage reminiscent of the original sign. The menu is still simple and only includes tacos, burritos, tostadas, chili and taco burgers. There's a large parking lot behind the building too.

Current hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Small Town in a Big City

Small Town in a Big City

By Dena Feldman Garfinkel

Reprinted from StudioCityPatch.com

Rushed and rude. Shallow and superficial. Crowded and callous. Everyone's looking at their phones, hardly anyone makes eye contact, and nobody says hello on the streets. These are some of the ways that I've heard out-of-towner describe their perceptions of the Los Angeles area.

But as a Studio City local, I can't disagree more.

One of the things I love about living here is that Studio City truly is a homey, small town. It's not about numbers, either; Studio City has a population of over 37,000 and a density of over 5,000 people per square mile.

It's about the people I meet everywhere I go. It's about the neighbors and local merchants I meet, and the friendliness, patience, and integrity that they exude. It's about the personal touch.

That matters. Calling someone by their name means more than most people realize. People know my name in this town, and I know theirs. That's something that makes Studio City special.

I love running into my neighbors when taking walks. We don't just know each other's names; we know our dogs' names, our lives' joys and sorrows. It bonds us as a community.

Here are examples of wholesome graciousness that I experienced recently:

The cashier and bagger at Trader Joe's offered to front me an extra dollar as I rooted through my purse for change.

Two baristas at the Galleria Starbucks bought me a free White Mocha Latte because they could see that I was sad and had had a bad day.

A gal who works at Petco pulled out a $3.00-off coupon because I remembered her name and told her what a good employee she was.

Michel, Vincent, and Tino at California Canteen on Cahuenga gave us complimentary tiramisu to be nice, despite the tough current economy.

The pharmacy assistant at the Rite Aid on Riverside and Fulton gave me coupons for items that she knows I buy regularly, rather than handing me any old coupon.

Tim and Laurie at the Dog House on Moorpark took the time to tell me about my pug's health and give him a free treat though they were busy.

Anna and Rachel at U.S. Bank on Riverside and Fulton, always greet me by my name and ask how my family is doing.

Eric at Ringside Liquor took the time to walk through the store with me and help me pick out a good syrah. I don't know much about wine.

Take that extra moment to meet someone's eyes, smile, and say hello. Find out your neighbor's names. That's what makes Studio City the gem I love. A small town in a big city.

Around the Watch 2.0 Network

WATCH 2.0 NETWORKED GROUPS IN:
SOUTHEAST SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Addison: 13900 block of Addison North of Fashion Square and several adjoining streets. Email Paula at addisonnwatch@aol.com for information.

Beeman Ave. Park: This area is well organized thanks to Seraphine who can be reached at seraphine@longshadowstudio.com. Whitsett to Coldwater and Moorpark to 101. Seraphine is a community angel!

Columbus: South of Ventura and East of the Sherman Oaks Galleria. Email Debra if you'd like to get involved at columbus@watch2.org or for further information.

Dixie Canyon: This group is organized and is composed of Dixie Canyon from Valley Vista South to Mulholland. Email Alex at dixiecanyon@watch2.org for information.

Footbridge Square: Watch 2.0's newest network member (in Studio City's footbridge area) can be reached by emailing David at footbridgesquare@watch2.org.

Galewood: This group is between Longridge and Dixie Canyon in Sherman Oaks. Contact Jayne at galewood@watch2.org. Jayne is amazing!

Goodland & Halkirk: This Studio City Group is led by Hilary at goodland@watch2.org. Please email her if you'd like to help out with community involvement.

Greenleaf: This group consists of 200+ households and businesses in Studio City. They are West of Coldwater and South of Venura. Email Jeffrey at greenleaf@watch2.org for further information. A meeting is expected this Spring. We hope!

Landale Square: This 200+ homeowner group has rough boundaries that are East of Laurel Canyon to Colfax and North of Moorpark to Sarah. They just had a HUGE block party in November 2012. Marcella is the Captain and can be reached at mbell@oia-kaiserarb.com.

Longridge: The group on Longridge is working to build support for the area's dedicated ACS Patrol Car. If you are interested in knowing more about this group, email Matt Epstein at somatt@aol.com.

M Street: Rough boundaries of thid 75 house area is Coldwater to Fulton and from the 101 Freeway to Moorpark. Email Alan at ataylor@watch2.org for more information. A meeting is going to be held in this area in March, 2013.

North River: This group is North of the L.A. River, and West of Coldwater. Rick can be reached for more information at northriver@watch2.org or you can email Alan at ataylor@watch2.org.

Fashion Square: Organized area North of Fashion Square Mall. Email Jessyca at fashionsquare@watch2.org if you'd like to get involved.

Royal Woods: This group West of the 405 in Sherman Oaks is active and regularly sends emails, related to 405 expansion development. Tom, the neighborhood's Watch organizer, is moving out of the area this Spring but you can reach him for another month at at royalwoods@watch2.org.

SoCha: This group is located from Magnolia to Chandler and from Fulton to Wortser in Sherman Oaks. Email Alan at socha@watch2.org for more information.

V5: This group runs from Vitellos on Woodman to Casa Vega on Fulton and from Ventura to Valley Vista and is active thanks to regular newsletters. (That's why they call it the 5 V's!) Email Mary at v5@watch2.org for further information. Their next meeting is likely going to be in the Summer months.

Valleyheart Glen: North of the LA River to 101 Ventura Freeway from Fulton to Woodman this group has 100+ households. Email Scott at valleyheartglen@watch2.org.

Ventura Canyon: This group in Sherman Oaks holds regular meetings. Email Amy at vcanyonwatch@gmail.com to get involved and if you'd like to help her with newsletter which is distributed regularly. Amy ROCKS! Yeah, Amy, you do.

Weslin: Haven't heard much from this group lately. Email Allan at adhaims@gmail.com for more information.

Woodman Sherman Way: North of Sherman Way and East of Woodman in Van Nuys, you can email Susan at: woodmanshermanway@watch2.org to get involved.

Your feedback is appreciated; click HERE .

Issues of past GNW Newsletters are available; click HERE.

Jeffrey Berk
GNW Block Captain
818-822-6807 (cell)