Minutes June 14

7:10PM Call to Order – Fran Reichenbach

Correct minutes From May 3 – Beachwood Voice Expenditure amended to read $300.00

Minutes Accepted Unanimously

Treasurer’s Report: Diana Lee Knoll $3,168.28

Senior Lead Officer – Bill Sollie – Crime Report:

Concerns from attendees:

George Abrahams – Vagrant living at Franklin & Gower; Officer Sollie to drive by and check scene.

Victoria Gow: Viva had radio stolen from car. On Verbena, car left running turned out to be stolen. Officer Sollie: Call desk and report. 1-800-ask-lapd – 213-485-2681 – Hollywood

Burglary Suspected arrested for break in at home in Beachwood Canyon.

Car theft still attributable to vehicles being left open, packages and belongings left in car.

George Abrahams: re-occurrence of hold-ups in area. Men exposing themselves to women from balcony windows. Sollie to speak to the “Sex Detective”. It’s happened repeatedly over the past several years.

Andrew Mann: barking dogs on west side of Beachwood at particular home but owner denies the problem. Officer Sollie is referring him to Animal Control.

Nina Van Tassell: Drug house found at Beachwood and Glen Holly. Diana says owner tried since February to evict tenants. Undercover detectives had investigated.

Jerry Siel, Traffic Department to be invited to regular meetings of BCNA

Gary Minzer, West Traffic 213-473-8215 (0215) to be contacted regarding Brian Gallagher and traffic problems.

Tina Romans: LAPD or Parking Enforcement for calling about illegally parked cars.

Officer Sollie: Depending upon how and where the car is parked.

Homeless Outreach at end of month. George Abrahams please pay attention to bottle grabbers on Thursday.

Street Lighting: Stan Horwitz, P.E.:

Hollywood Hills very unique in certain ways. Since 1973 oil crisis, there has been an awareness to save energy, to save money. The City of Los Angeles has been very involved in converting the lighting system from incandenscent lights, and vapor lights to high pressure sodium lights that look kind of orangish-pink or amber depending on wattage. What we’ve installed in the short kind of poles in this area is seventy watts for reference (about 5800 lumens of lights). Original lights are about 1000. Looking at this system put in the twenties, narrow streets, very short lights about ten feet maybe lower, very small lamps, almost no sidewalk between the curb and no set back making the area unique and challenging as far as lighting.

The lights you have provide controlled lights in every direction with only five to ten percent of the light going into the street. In some situations, people have painted the globes black to avoid having the light go into home.

These are called fundamental lights and are being replaced by lights that have lower output spaced further apart.

Since 1976, 85 percent of the city’s lights have been converted. Hillside areas are extremely difficult to replace conduit and wires. It’s lead covered conduit. Our plan for older areas is instead of replacing the systems, we only replace the underground and concrete poles as they fall apart from weather, or traffic damage.

We can get replacements for the poles but replacements are not the same quality.

Fran: On Argyle, we were offered duplicates by Phil Reed, Assistant Director that instead of the plan they had in mind, we screamed and shouted and the City has agreed to repair and maintain the vintage, original lights.

Horwitz: Street Lighting Assessment per property owner. Lighting rate drops from $77.00 per year to $54.00 if sodium lights are installed.

Helen Nelson: The amber lights are distracting when driving but I’ve seen them on Virgil.

Horwitz: That was project requested by Virgil Village.

What is wattage of lamps currently on street?

Horwitz: one hundred watt lamp.

Switching to sodium is only reduction of wattage of thirty percent.

Horwitz: High pressure sodium lasts four years. Other require six months to a year.

Abrahams: Community Outreach requiring switch.

Horwitz: There is some outreach but normally we work with those in the community who request. Induction lighting can be installed that provides a little better cover. Sulfur lighting works with microwave technology.

Victoria: Can we do this more economical thing without changing vintage lights?

Horwitz: It is not our policy to change the feel of a neighborhood. Our main intention is to keep the cost as low as possible and fix it so that we do not have to come out every day for repair.

Abrahams: Can you describe the options here?

Horwitz: A petition form is provided after we review what you want and figure out what it will cost and will give you whatever you want as long as it is maintainable and you are willing to pay for it.

Abrahams: How about a petition requesting that nothing change.

Horwitz: Well, remember you will have to have repairs made. Induction lighting.

Alan: Can’t you just put in the new stuff in present lighting?

Horwitz: That’s fine but unfortunately the conduit erodes after eighty years. These must be repaired. We want something that is reliable, cost efficient. In this area, three circuits cover this entire area. Maintenance is by one circuit at a time. Clarify the $77.00 fee – it goes into replacement and modernization. The projects being foreseen in the area will not require additional assessment unless residents request assessment or refurbishing of street lighting.

Membership – Fran Reichenbach:

Re: Phone calls for meetings

Marina Post and Helen Nelson volunteered to make phone calls. Victoria suggests that the callers have a list of folks and call the same people each time to develop rapport.

DSL Situation – Andy

Pacific Bell DSL not providing service as promised. He has been unable to get it work and is currently fighting with them to reimburse him for costs and time trying to get it to work. http://sitemann.com/dsl; email: dsl@sitemann.com

Problem is that they oversold the area and are unable to provide service as promised.

Discussion regarding static versus direct service.

Abrahams: A lot of problems with DSL can be solved by the upgrading of wire service into Beachwood Canyon. Push to get them to spend the money to install fiber optic in area.

Andy: Let’s work together to accomplish this. The situation is reminiscent of beginning of cellular service. Pacific Bell spent eight hours at home repairing system and did not accomplish.

Abrahams: Get in touch with Christine and attend meeting where you can voice these frustrations. Notify Andrew with Design Review Board information.

Franklin Hollywood Hills Community Council boundaries: Hollywood Sign to Western, Lake Hollywood, Franklin.

First Meeting Thursday at Cheremoya Avenue Elementary School 7PM June 28^th. 415 stakeholders already signed up.

Discuss issues that affect us primarily, Mailers to be sent.

Letter from Ron Deaton, Chief Legislative Analyst for area. Having complained about erosion on street. He sent letter that he sent to Street Services. A letter of reply was received saying action would be swift. Participation of group requested by calling Fran to tell her of street erosion occurring on other blocks. Ron Deaton to receive letter with the all of the streets that need repair. Retaining walls are being requested.

Meeting yesterday with General Manager of Public Works Valerie Shaw who informs us that neighborhoods that make the most noise get the fastest service.

Byrd says threaten them with public safety to get it done.

Hollyridge Drive has been re-paved.

2738 Woodshire Drive is eroding. Nina to get additional addresses.

Tina: Street hasn’t been re-paved since 1910.

Fran: Get together with Byrd and Victoria who are writing letters to get these issues addressed. Byrd will write a letter to Mary Presby outlining the various streets that need work.

Tina to make inventory of red zones that need painting.

Victoria to contact Brian Gallagher at Department of Street – 213-485-4282 to find out where the stop sign is for Cheremoya and Verbena.

Byrd suggests building a case against the City with photos and map and say these places are accident waiting to happen. Clarify that streets with potholes make even more dangerous conditions. Please notice potholes in the area so we can report it. Focus on women, mothers, babies.

Strategy session needed with street improvement committee Fran, Byrd, Tina, Victoria.

MOTION: George: we should follow Andy’s motion to move the antenna to northern part of Canyon as he has outlined on his website http://sitemann.com/dsl

Pursue alternative site for antenna to be installed at Mt. Lee instead of in residential area. Seconded by Diana Lee Knoll. Carried unanimously.

George Abrahams: Hollywood Sign Trust to have meeting this month – proposal for trees to be presented again.

Legislative Analyst Avak Ketohian has requested to DWP to use their money for underground wires – it was turned down and now the request is going to City Council for consideration.

Marina: Air Conditioners at Cheremoya Avenue Elementary School mobile classrooms are creating noise and need re-furbishing. The noise is incredible. Walls are shaking and my home is overheating from the exhaust. This has been going on since 1995.

Motion made that George and Fran will contact School Board member, Valerie Fields to try and get action. Nina, Victoria, and Diana second. Vote – 8 yeah – Opposed – 0 BCNA will approach via letter to District E insisting that this get done immediately.

Victoria: Callers to try for two more months to get attendance up at meetings. We will work out list among us. Helen, Marina, Maryann, Lillian, Victoria.

Helen Nelson: Status of City Council race.

Fran: David Roberti, Beth Garfield, Merle Singer, Tom LaBonge, Richard MacMinn are running.

Victoria: “Can we rotate meeting because this is my only day off and I had to come home from the beach to be here.”

Fran: No. The meetings are set at the annual meeting. You must wait until the next annual meeting to bring this up.

Motion to adjourn: George – seconded by Tina. Approved by Board.