Brentwood Community Council

May 1, 2007 Meeting Highlights

Jun 03, 2007

BCC AWARDS HONORS ?– Brentwood Youth Citizen Awards were presented to Adit Gadh and Natalie Babcock (in absencia). Adit Gadh, a 7th grader at St. Martin of Tours School and Safety and Ecology representative on the Student Council, started a Recycling Program at the school. He purchased bins for each classroom. Each week, he collects and delivers recyclable material to a recycling center. Natalie Babcock, a senior at the Archer School for Girls and Student Body President pioneered the Environmental Club, now in its third year. Ms. Babcock has served as team captain of her club soccer team, Varsity soccer team and Varsity track team. She has also been a soccer camp counselor for the past five years.

Bette Harris also received a Certificate of Commendation for her work on the BCC, including serving as Recording Secretary for the past eight years.

STATE ASSEMBLY UPDATE ?– Ellen Isaacs, Field Representative to State Assembly Member Mike Feuer, touched upon the highlights of the Assemblyman?’s first e-newsletter, including transportation issues, town hall meetings, and elder care. BCC Chairwoman Wendy-Sue Rosen praised the Assembly Member for being so actively engaged in Brentwood community issues. He attended Brentwood Glen Day and flew from Sacramento to participate in the BCC?’s Transportation Forum. He also wrote very helpful comment letters on the City?’s draft stream protection ordinance and the 405 HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) Lane/Sepulveda Pass project. Additionally, Assembly Member Feuer has convened two meetings with high level representatives from California Fair Plan, Los Angeles Fire Department, City Council Offices, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Caltrans, and community leaders to address public safety issues regarding brush clearance policy in hillside areas and open space areas near the freeway.

CRIME UPDATE ?– Senior Lead Officer Phillip Enbody reported that crime is down 5% in Brentwood. Burglary/theft from motor vehicles continues to be prevalent in the community. Officer Enbody warned against leaving valuables in automobiles. Navigation systems, laptops, and iPods are in big demand. Home burglaries are also a problem. Officer Enbody recommended putting valuables in safe deposit boxes or in home safes that are cemented to the floor.

The West Los Angeles Community Police Station recently received a Fleur ?– a heat sensitive tool for detecting criminals. The equipment is designated for use in Brentwood and will be mounted on the dedicated Brentwood police car.

Tip-A-Cop, the fundraiser for the Special Olympics, was very successful last month. Police officers waited on customers at Gladstone?’s and San Gennaro?’s Restaurants, raising $4,250 for the worthy cause.

CALTRANS CONSIDERS ALTERNATIVES FOR THE 405 HOV LANE-SEPULVEDA PASS PROJECT ?– Ron Kosinski, Caltrans Deputy District Director for Environmental Planning indicated that the Sepulveda Pass Project?’s Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) would soon be released and a 60-day review period would follow. A hearing date is tentatively scheduled for the evening of May 29 at the Skirball Cultural Center. The Sepulveda Pass Project will extend the HOV, or carpool lane on the northbound San Diego Freeway (I-405) from the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10) to the Ventura Freeway (U.S. 101). The southbound 405 HOV lane is currently under construction and will be completed in early 2009.

Mr. Kosinski presented four project alternatives under consideration by Caltrans. The first alternative is ?“no project.?” Alternative 2A would widen northbound I-405 to add an HOV lane between National Boulevard and Ventura Boulevard meeting current design standards, with a preliminary cost estimate of $649 million. Alternative 2B includes all the improvements in Alternative 2A plus an off ramp from the northbound I-405 HOV lane to Santa Monica Boulevard, estimated to cost $693 million. Alternative 3A includes all improvements in Alternative 2A and would standardize the southbound lanes, medians and shoulders, for approximately $911 million. Alternative 3B includes all the improvements in Alternative 3A plus an off-ramp from the northbound I-405 HOV lane to Santa Monica Boulevard, for approximately $954 million. Alternatives 3A and 3B may require condemnation of approximately 30 properties on Church Lane.

Mr. Kosinski explained that the term ?“design standards?” referred to standards recommended by the Federal Highway Administration when federal money is provided for a project: 12-ft. lanes, 8-ft. shoulders, and 12-ft. medians. $130 million in federal funding would be provided for this project. Regarding the benefits of Alternative 3, Mr. Kosinski said that the federal government believes that design standards theoretically promote safety and result in fewer accidents; however, no known data supports that.

The public may request copies of the Draft EIR by contacting Chairwoman Wendy-Sue Rosen at Rosenfree@aol.com. Hard copies of the document will be available at the Brentwood Kaufman Library. Input from the community is needed during the sixty day review period. According to Mr. Kosinksi, if everything proceeds on schedule, Caltrans would announce its recommendation in September.

Chairwoman Rosen requested that the Council defer taking a position on the DEIR until it has been released and the Council has had time to review the details, but she reminded the Council that the BCC had already passed a motion opposing widening the southbound lanes that would necessitate taking of private property in Brentwood Glen.

PALISADES CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS POLICY ?– Amy Held, Executive Director, Palisades Charter High School, addressed the community?’s concern regarding the school?’s admission policy. She said that the school converted to independent charter status in 2003 and is the second highest performing charter school in Los Angeles, creating high demand for seats. The school is sizable with an enrollment of 2760 students, 1300 of whom take buses from other neighborhoods in compliance with the federally mandated integration program. Ms. Held stated that the school had recently formalized its existing admissions policy. Charter law provides open admission to everyone. First preference is given to students in the immediate neighborhood including residents of Topanga, the Palisades, and areas of Brentwood north of Sunset and west of Barrington. The school is also obligated and committed under its charter and a federal consent decree to maintain a fully integrated school. Next level of preference is given to traveling students from the 12 sending high school areas matriculating from Paul Revere Middle School as well as public school choice and magnet program students, followed by all other applicants graduating from Revere Middle School. Siblings of continuing students and family members of the staff are given preference within each of the categories. The remaining applicants participate in a public lottery to determine who will be admitted. Applications are submitted from October to March. A random public lottery is held on March 15.

Ms. Held indicated that Paul Revere Middle School?’s population has grown, exceeding the number of seats that Palisades High allots for Revere students. The school is working with the Los Angeles Unified School District to align Revere?’s 8th grade population with Palisades High School?’s acceptance figures. Ms. Held emphasized that there is no automatic or guaranteed admissions for anyone at Palisades High School. Questions may be directed to Amy Held at aheld@palihigh.org.

Brentwood resident, T. Scott MacGillivray, spoke about the impact that the school?’s formalized policy is having on families whose children have been attending Paul Revere and were promised entry into Palisades High School, but have been informed that they are not going to be admitted this year. He spoke of the need to coordinate boundaries. Mr. MacGillivray pointed out that nearly half of the students at Palisades High School are traveling students and non local area students. And he is concerned that changes necessary to remedy the problems, if made, will not be made in time to protect Paul Revere graduating classes over the next few years.

Virginia Flores, LAUSD Field Representative, Office of Marlene Canter said that LAUSD is working with Palisades High School to address this problem and is also looking at changing the boundaries to align Palisades High School to include Kenter Canyon Elementary School boundaries. She will be getting back data very soon and will let us know the result.

Chairwoman Rosen observed that preference needs to be given to immediate neighborhood children who have attended the Charter Complex feeder schools with the promise of traveling through the Charter Complex from one of the feeder elementary schools through Palisades High School.

The BCC unanimously passed a Motion directing the Chair to write to LAUSD, the Board of Directors of Palisades High School, and Councilman Bill Rosendahl stating that the BCC requests that 1) Palisades High School aligns its boundaries with all Palisades Charter Complex feeder schools and 2) that non-local students attending these feeder schools be admitted to Palisades High School. The intent of the Motion will be described in the letter.

COUNCIL OFFICE UPDATE ?– Andrea Epstein, Council District 11 Field Deputy discussed progress of the left-turn lane construction at Sunset and Mandeville. The scheduled project completion date is August 22, 2007. She announced that Hotel Angeleno?’s hearing date is scheduled for May 17th at 10:30 a.m. in West Los Angeles.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sol Liebster ?– VA?’s Volunteer of the Year. Out of 2,000 VA volunteers from twelve sites in Central and Southern California, Sol Liebster was selected Volunteer of the Year, having served well over 2500 hours. Sol serves as a liaison between the VA Hospital staff and patients.

First Annual Community/Celebrity Golf Tournament to be held on Friday, June 15 at the VA Golf Course. All proceeds will benefit hospitalized and Iraq War veterans. Merchants are encouraged to donate door prizes. For information: 310-268-4350.

Brentwood Historical Society?’s 6th Annual Brentwood Garden Tour on Sunday, May 20 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information contact Delores McKinney at 310-820-5093 or visit: www.BrentwoodGardenTour.com

The Greater West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Luncheon with Zev Yaroslavsky on June 14 at the Luxe Hotel. For information: visit www.westlachamber.org or call 310-481-0600.

VA Issues ?– Chairwoman Rosen said that she was pleased with the GSA?’s (General Services Administration?’s) decision to seek other sites for the proposed FBI headquarters building rather than selecting the West Los Angeles Federal Building site, and she applauded Senator Dianne Feinstein for her leadership on this issue. However, she reminded the BCC that the community must still remain vigilant. The Department of Defense is in the process of auctioning the former Army Reserve property at the corner of Wilshire and Federal and commercial interests threaten the VA?’s West Los Angeles campus.

Chairwoman Rosen reiterated the BCC?’s firm support of a Land Use Master Plan for the VA?’s West Los Angeles campus. She expressed concern that the Council Office is supporting the use of three buildings on the north side of the campus to house homeless veterans prior to the completion of the Congressionally mandated land use master plan. Chairwoman Rosen has written to Councilman Rosendahl of her concern.

The Chairwoman recommended forming a BCC Federal Land Committee to include Ray Klein, Susan Casamassima, Bette Harris, Jay Handal, and herself.

Flora Gil Krisiloff agreed with Chairwoman Rosen and said that the timing is critical regarding VA issues because our elected officials ?– Congressman Waxman, Senator Feinstein, and Supervisor Yaroslavsky are actively working on these issues and should be kept informed of the BCC?’s positions. Chairwoman Rosen asked Ms. Krisiloff to relay to Supervisor Yaroslavsky the BCC?’s gratitude for all his work in halting plans for the proposed FBI building at the West Los Angeles Federal Building site.

NEXT BCC MEETING ON JUNE 5, 2007 ?– The next BCC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5, 2007 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Future agenda items include a presentation on issues related to the West Los Angeles VA Federal Land; the Crestwood Hills Recreation Center construction project; and the Brentwood School development project. No meeting is planned in July due to the Independence Day holiday. The BCC meets regularly on the first Tuesday of each month. 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.

(Bette Harris serves as Recording Secretary and Public Safety Representative on the Brentwood Community Council)