Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association

NEWSLETTER - Winter 2005

Association to Host City Council Candidates at Community Forum

Our Councilmember Cindy Miscikowski is forced out of office by term limits, and a new representative will be elected on March 8, 2005. Three candidates have qualified to run to represent Council District 11, the city area located generally west of the 405 Freeway from Mulholland Drive to and including LAX.
The SMCCA has invited the candidates to appear before our community at a forum to be held at 7:00 PM on February 1 in the gymnasium at the Rustic Canyon Recreation Center at 601 Latimer Road. The community is invited. Three candidates have qualified for the ballot and all have agreed to appear and particiapte at the forum.
The candidates are:
o Flora Gil Krisiloff
o Angela J. Reddock
o Bill Rosendahl
Please plan to attend the forum. SMCCA is actively soliciting questions from the community. If you have a question for the candidates, send it to our PO box in the enclosed envelope or via email to info@smcca.org.
The City Council is the legislative body of the City of Los Angeles, composed of 15 members, elected by district, to no more than two four-year terms. The Council's powers and duties include approving the Mayor's proposed budget, enacting laws and codes, levying taxes, and establishing the City position regarding federal and state legislation. The Council also considers for confirmation the Mayor's appointment of most City commissioners and department heads. City schools are under control of a separate agency. Much of the Council's work is done through a committee system that provides for public consideration of various issues. A Councilmember's duties are considered full time .
A runoff vote, if needed, will be held on May 17, 2005.

Will Canyon Srvc Station Gain Historic-Cultural Landmark Status?

For 80 years, the Canyon Service Station has been a canyon landmark. The news that the pioneer Marquez family was selling the station property has put the future of the historic structure at risk. Responding to community concerns and to recommendations of its ad hoc committee, the SMCCA board, on October 21, 2004, unanimously adopted a motion stating, in part, That the board authorize the application to the City of Los Angeles for Cultural-Historical Monument status for the Canyon Service station in its present form and location.
The Cultural Heritage Board heard and accepted the request on November 17. Supporters include the Los Angeles Conservancy, Pacific Palisades Historical Society, Pacific Palisades Community Council as well as the Route 66 Association and the Society for Urban Archeology.
Cultural Heritage Board members and staff visited the site on December 15. A final determination will be made by the Board, possibly by January 19. The potential purchaser of the property has offered to donate the station structure to the Peterson Automotive Museum. The property is zoned for single family residential use and the station, constructed prior to adoption of the zoning law, has continued in use under special permit. Marquez descendents will share proceeds of sale. Ultimate use of the structure, if it receives landmark status, is to be determined.
Comments regarding the application may be sent to the Board of Cultural Heritage Commissioners at 433 S. Spring Street, Suite 1000, Los Angeles, CA 90013. Reference: Marquez Filling Station CHC – 2004-6760 - HCM

CANYON CULTURAL HERITAGE

The City of Los Angeles has an active program under its Cultural Heritage Commission to protect and preserve historic resources. The City’s Cultural Heritage master plan includes this statement:
The level of stewardship for a community’s historic resources says much about that city’s awareness of its identity. Resident awareness is in turn critical to a city’s ability to command recognition and to shape the perceptions of outsiders about its resources. To protect and reuse its cultural, architectural, and historic resources, the City of Los Angeles must have comprehensive policies and integrated decision making to ensure efficient use of those resources; to promote public awareness; and to ensure that the cultures and physical environments are celebrated, protected, and preserved.
To date the City Council has approved designation of over 740 Historic-Cultural Monuments in the City. Any person or entity may propose a designation, as did the SMCCA in the case of the Canyon Service station. Relatively few designations have been established for our canyon area. Most are accessible and you probably walk right by some as you access the stairways, walks and bridges in your neighborhood. Here is a list of City Historic sites.

No. Title / Location
381 The Eames House (Studio and Grounds) (Case Study House #8) 203 Chautauqua Bl..
530 John Entenza House (Case Study House #9) 205 Chautauqua Blvd.
594 Bradbury House 60-102 Ocean Way
623 Kappe Residence 715 Brooktree Road
647 Sten/Frenke-Gould Residence
126 Mabery Road
663 Uplifters Clubhouse 601 Latimer Road
685 Pascual Marquez Family Cemetery
631 N. San Lorenzo Street
694 Emmons House 661 N. Brooktree Rd.
716 Cliff May Experimental House
1831 Old Ranch Road
2195 Will Rogers Estate Historic Park 14253 Sunset Boulevard

All are City designations except for Will Rogers State Historic Park [federal]. Not listed on the City’s web site, but designated by the state are the original Canyon Charter School [now library] and the site of the long wharf adjacent to the lifeguard headquarters in the Temescal Beach Parking Lot about 200 yards past the end of the beach bike path.

MAIL MALADY INFECTS CANYON
We are a target for thieves and scammers who steal mail, incoming and outgoing, for nefarious purposes. Slow moving vehicles have been observed in the dead of night trolling by our mailboxes. Pedestrians with malicious intent have strolled by, opening whole rows of mailboxes.
Your checks can be “washed” and a new payee and amount entered. Your identity can be stolen. Your mail could be forwarded without your knowledge.
Mail theft has been a problem in several areas of the canyon for the past year. Although arrests have been made, we continue to receive complaints.
What can you do? Be vigilant. Do not leave outgoing mail in your box; instead drop mail at the post office or use the postal drop boxes such as the ones at San Lorenzo and Mesita or at Mesa and West Channel Road.
Do not leave incoming mail in your mailbox. Make arrangements for your mail if you will be out of town. Better yet, install a lockable mailbox to protect your mail.
Report suspicious activity to the LAPD, 877.ASK-LAPD [877.275.5273]. If you can jot down a license plate number, all the better. Dial 9-1-1 only for life-threatening emergencies. Although the Police Department is primary responder, you could contact the Postal Inspector, Sandy Perkins, at 310.260.9278.

HELPING THE MAIL GO THROUGH
Through rain or hail or sleet or snow…your mail carrier dutifully delivers directly to your home. But not necessarily through trash cans and vehicles.
According to the United States Postal Service Customer Service, at 800 275-8777, if your curbside postal box is blocked, your carrier does not have to exit his or her postal vehicle to deliver the mail. Postal delivery vehicles appear to be organized in such a manner as to save time and energy, allowing the carrier to service the maximum number of residents possible. Encoded bar strips have been placed by the Post Office in random residential mail boxes. These are scanned by your carrier on a regular basis. We believe that one of their purposes is to provide a time record of deliveries. We assume that allows a better planning of delivery routes.
Imagine how trash pick up day could skew the normal delivery process if trash cans are left in front of even a small percentage of mail boxes in a large delivery zone/area.
What you can do:
1. Place trash cans far enough away from street side mailbox that they won’t be in the way even after they’ve been set back down after collection.
2. Do not park in such a way as to block access to your mailbox.
3. Instruct your own workers and contractors to park elsewhere.
4. Ask neighbors to do the same. If their workers block YOUR mailbox, you may be the one who misses delivery that day.
This will help us ALL receive our mail in a timely fashion.