Meeting Date: 03/20/10 03:00 PM
Meeting Type: Regular
Location: Bonhams & Butterfields, 7601 Sunset Blvd
Details:
Agenda For Area 7 & Housing:
- Discussion of zone change for 1300 Block of North Fairfax and discussion of specific zone change request for 1352/1356 N. Fairfax from R-1/R-21XL toR-3. Possible motion & vote
- Discussion of CUB application for the Big Fix. Possible motion & vote.
- Discussion of cutbacks made at Will & Ariel Durant Library. Possible motion & vote.
- Discussion of tour buses on residential streets. Possible motion & vote.
- Discussion of T-Mobile Cellular Above Ground Facility at 1645 N Stanley Ave. Possible motion & vote.
- Discussion of various Area 7 issues. Possible motion & vote.
Adjournment (5 PM or earlier).
The public is requested to fill out a “Speaker Card” to address the committees of the meeting on any item of the agenda prior to the committees taking action on an item. Comments from the public on Agenda items will be heard only when the respective item is being considered. Comments from the public on other matters not appearing on the Agenda that is within the committees’ subject matter jurisdiction will be heard during the Public Comment period. Public comment is limited to 3 minutes per speaker unless waived by the presiding chair(s) of the meeting. Agenda is posted for public review: Gardner Street Elementary School, Valley View Elementary School, Yucca Community Center, on bulletin boards at the top and bottom of Runyon Canyon Park, Los Angeles Library: Will and Ariel Durant Branch and electronically on the Hollywood Hi lls West Neighborhood Council website WWW.HHWNC.org. As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of services, please make your request at least 3 business days (72 hours) prior to the meeting you wish to attend by contacting the Neighborhood Council Project Coordinator at (213) 485-1588, toll-free at (866) LA HELPS, or e-mail to [email protected].
PROCESS FOR RECONSIDERATION: The committees may reconsider and amend their action on items listed on the agenda if that reconsideration takes place immediately following the original action or at the next regular meeting. The committees, on either of these two days, shall: (1) Make a Motion for Reconsideration and, if approved, (2) hear the matter and Take an Action. If the motion to reconsider an action is to be scheduled at the next meeting following the original action, then two items shall be placed on the agenda for that meeting: (1) A Motion for Reconsideration on the described matter and (2) a Proposed Action should the motion to reconsider be approved. A motion for reconsideration can only be made by a committee member who has previously voted on the prevailing side of the original action taken. If a motion for reconsideration is not made on the date the action was taken, then a committee member on the prevailing side of the action must submit a memorandum to the committee(s) chair(s) identifying the matter to be reconsidered and a brief description of the reason(s) for requesting reconsideration at the next regular meeting. The aforesaid shall all be in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act.
Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council Joint Meeting for Area 7 & Housing
Saturday, March 20, 3:00 PM
3:06 Cheryl Holland introduces herself as chair of neighborhood council for area 7.
3:07 CH explains her reasons for declining to run again for chairmanship.
3:08 CH implores members of council to become proactive about fixing their own issues.
3:09 CH describes “community plan,” regarding zoning in neighborhood for next 25 years.
3:10 CH mentions being able to change 4- to 5-story zoning in the community plan to keep neighborhood-friendly zoning.
3:11 Patty Morrisey talks about her problems with tourism buses in her neighborhood – at times, three in front of her house alone.
3:14 PM hands out flyers summarizing the issues caused by tourism buses which need to be resolved.
3:15 PM references her experiences being constantly photographed by tourists in open-air buses and vans.
3:18 Various tours and issues are discussed among the neighborhood council attendees.
3:21 Various solutions are proposed, including weight restrictions, stopping versus cruising, and etc.
3:24 PM considers requesting a policeman to wait at her corner to give tickets to the tour bus operators who run the stop sign or use their handheld communications device.
3:26 It is mentioned that it might be prudent not to take on tourism too heavily, but instead just put in guidelines.
3:31 It is noted that there are actually laws on the books regarding the behavior of tour buses which seem to be violated often by the tour buses which PM is talking about.
3:34 Enforcement seems to be more an issue than the existence of the laws.
3:37 Tamara suggests including “enforcement” in the guidelines suggested by PM, especially of existing laws, codes and ordinances.
3:37 CH makes a motion to adopt PM’s guidelines and to support enforcement of existing laws, and to create a new committee in HHWNC to keep on top of this.
3:39 Motion seconded, vote taken: Unanimously approved.
3:40 CH introduces item 1 on the agenda regarding the zone change on the 1300 block of north Fairfax.
3:43 CH explains that the rezoning request triggered a zoning question for the entire Sunset-Fountain block.
3:44 It is explained that the property owner who submitted the upzoning request wanted it only north of his properties, where there are already multi-unit structures.
3:46 The “general plan” is introduced as a “constitution” for city planning.
3:47 The general plan for this area in Fairfax is low-medium.
3:48 This assignment ranges from single-family housing to restricted multi-unit buildings.
3:49 Danny’s request is not acceptable in the view of the general plan.
3:50 Low-medium goes from low density to RD 1.5.
3:51 “Spot-zoning” is not legal; that would be upzoning without changing the general plan.
3:51 Therefore Danny’s request must change the general plan to be a legal request.
3:53 The question is raised, is there any positive to upzoning?
3:53 CH answers: the city is looking for more housing, and therefore it’s a better idea to upzone on Fairfax than an R1 street.
3:54 It is stated that there will be no change above Sunset.
3:56 There is no uniform zoning between Fountain and Sunset.
3:59 While the general plan might be changed to medium, that does not indicate any change in zoning for any other properties.
4:02 Tamara mentions worries about height limit.
4:02 Height district and density limit aren’t always attached inseparably.
4:11 Danny mentions having full subterranean parking instead of semi-subterranean.
4:12 Doug says that no zones other than Danny’s application area would be changed in zoning.
4:13 Doug says that councilman LaBonge’s office has not said anything yet regarding this change.
4:17 Tamara mentions two issues: the application, and the planning committee’s change to the plan designation.
4:19 RD 1.5 is the current plan “ceiling.” It equals about 4.5 units/lot.
4:20 Tamara makes a motion to recommend to the HHWNC that we retain the current plan designation of low-medium density. It is seconded.
4:21 A vote is taken: the motion is passed, 13 in favor, 1 opposed, 4 abstained.
4:22 [D]RD1.5-1XL, with D limitation as no more than two stories excluding the subterranean level.
4:27 CH makes a motion to rescind previous approval of R3 zoning and instead approve the above mentioned RD1.5 zoning. Owner must also honor previous commitments to privacy and sightline maintenance.
4:28 Vote is taken. 13 in favor, 1 opposed, 4 abstained.
4:29 Liz discusses children’s librarian cut at Will & Ariel Durant Library. Requests some contribution to saving this librarian at least part time.
4:30 Roy Stone, president of librarian guild and head librarian at Will & Ariel Durant library introduces himself.
4:33 Stone discusses sending funding not to the general fund, but specifically to this public library branch.
4:36 Stone assures the council that there will not be cuts in public funding if this librarian is hired.
4:37 The total amount to finance this librarian would be $15,000.
4:40 Motion is made to pay $15,000 from HHWNC to Friends of the Durant Library to support this librarian.
4:40 Vote is taken. 17 in favor, unanimous.
4:42 The Big Fix owners take the floor, and introduce their CUB application and themselves.
4:46 Staying open late, Tamara mentions, is not supporting the neighborhood, but the restaurant.
4:59 CH proposes a closing time at 11 PM on weekdays and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, with a one-year review. Trash pickup must be after 9 AM, no mats may be cleaned outside, no dancing, no amplified music outside.
5:04 13 in favor, 2 opposed, 4 abstained.
5:05 T-Mobile wants to take over a utility pole with a radome atop it, and putting in a utilities box and shrubbery.
5:12 Doug explains that the pole is not generating the notice, but instead the utilities box.
5:23 Motion to oppose installation of aboveground cabinet and utility pole at 1645 N. Stanley on the basis of aesthetics because Hollywood Boulevard is an iconic street, and the pole is not necessary. Seconded.
5:24 Vote is take. 10 in favor, unanimous.