Special Award to Tom Freeman – Presented by Ike Cohen
Mr. Cohen presented an Award of Appreciation to Mr. Freeman, an attorney at the Bird Marella law firm, for his pro bono work on behalf of the BCC’s opposition to the lighting at the Hotel Angeleno.
Public Safety – Ray Klein, Public Safety Representative
Mr. Klein announced that the Community-Police Advisory Board (CPAB) would be promoting a sticker warning that items left in vehicles invite theft — “Leave It and Lose It.â€
Ellen Isaacs, Representative for Assemblymember Mike Feuer
• Assemblymember Feuer has three transportation bills that are moving through Committee at this time:
- AB 2321 (½ cent sales tax) – passed out of Transportation Committee, now it is onto Appropriations, hearing Wed. 5/21
- AB 2558 (carbon fee at pump or through VRF) – read three times, now gathering votes
- AB 1836 (infrastructure financing districts) – passed from Local Government Committee; may go to floor if it receives enough votes
• The Final EIR for the 405-expansion project has been certified. Caltrans selected the locally preferred Alternative 2, northbound HOV lane, between 10 and 101, which realigns portions of Sepulveda Blvd, adds lanes to Sunset Blvd overcrossing and ramps. Caltrans will not widen southbound in the area of the hillside at Getty Center or Brentwood Glen. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2009 and will take approximately three years. There will be a project office jointly staffed by Caltrans and Metro, and we have asked for a designated point person for communications from residents during construction.
• The 2001 Metro Draft Long Range Transportation Plan is being revised. The 2008 Draft makes recommendations on projects that can be implemented through 2030 and others that could be funded if new revenues can be found.
Lateral Root Notification Program Presentation
Bureau of Sanitation engineers Mr. Ali Poosti and Ms. Stephanie Roberts delivered a presentation on the importance of homeowners inspecting and maintaining their private sewer laterals. A sewer lateral is the pipe that carries sewage away from a residence to larger street sewers. Roots may infiltrate a sewer lateral due to cracks and defects in old and disjointed pipes. Ms. Roberts stressed the need for homeowners in “root hot spots†to have their laterals inspected by licensed plumbers or sewer contractors and repair or replace them as needed. During the PowerPoint presentation, Ms. Roberts showed graphs and maps, which illustrated that; Brentwood includes many root hot spot areas where sewer laterals are particularly vulnerable to damage due to the age and material of the pipes and the abundance of very large and mature trees. Ms. Roberts also discussed options to prevent root growth in a sewer lateral through routine maintenance which includes cleaning of the lateral by a licensed plumber and/or the use of an environmentally friendly herbicide available to the public at retail hardware and home improvement stores.
Homeowners may obtain additional information by contacting the Bureau of Sanitation at telephone number (323) 342-21566 and email address sewer.roots@lacity.org, or visiting the web site http://www.lasewers.org/sewers/roots/index.htm.
BCC Votes to Support Barrington Recreation Center Improvement Feasibility Study
• The existing facility is over 50 years old, contains an undersized gymnasium, and is insufficient to meet the needs of the community.
• The Barrington Park Community Foundation, a neighborhood group headed by Ann Hollister and Bob Beyer, is spearheading the fundraising efforts to remodel and update the park.
• The Barrington Park Community Foundation is currently working to create a public/private partnership with the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks to redevelop the park.
• The new facilities would include an approximately 20,000 square foot one-story gymnasium with two basketball courts.
• The Barrington Park Community Foundation assured the BCC that it would proceed in accordance with all applicable environmental, zoning and building codes and regulations including without limitation, a full opportunity for public comment.
• Early support and prioritization of this project is important.
• Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and the Department of Recreation and Parks support this project.
Chair Announcements – Wendy-Sue Rosen, Chairwoman
• Wachovia Sign – Councilmember Rosendahl has written a letter to Planning asking that Wachovia’s sign permit be revoked due to excessive glare shining directly into the surrounding communities in violation of the permit.
• Barrington/Wilshire project – BCC wrote a letter to the City Council Office requesting a CEQA review of the construction-related environmental impacts.
Next BCC Meeting on Tuesday, June 3, 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)
