The Montecito Heights Local Issues Committee held a public meeting on May 1 at 7:00 PM at the Montecito Senior Center on Homer Street. The meeting was open to all.

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MEETING AGENDA

Montecito Heights Senior Center
4545 Homer Street
Los Angeles, CA 90031

Tuesday, May 1, 2007
7:00 p.m.

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AGENDA

1. Call to Order, Roll Call and Welcoming Remarks

2. Order of Agenda and Timing

3. Public Comments

4. Discussion and possible board action:

5. Open discussion of local issues.

6. Adjournment

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MINUTES

May 1, 2007

Call to order at 7:10p.m.

Introductions of participants by Scott Rubel:
Representative Mike Fong, CD1; Julianne Hines for Assemblyman Anthony Portantino; Ernie Sanchez, President of ASNC; Roy Payan, newsletter editor and vice president of MHIA; Harvey Woien, MHIA board member; Marilyn Sanchez, Neighborhood Watch chairperson; Anne Fenn, resident; Jack Fenn, ASNC Representative and MHIA board member; Scott Rubel, ASNC representative.

Agenda approval: Motion by Jack Fenn; second Roy Payan.

Public comments:
Roy Payan acknowledged Mike Fong’s efforts in helping to coordinate hole coring at the Flat Top wall to allow planting of vines.

Marilyn Sanchez reported the reappearance of Billy Seeberger in the neighborhood. He has a history of arrests for burglary.

John Pedroza, the new LAPD Senior Lead Officer, may be contacted by e-mail: 23514@lapd.lacity.org or phone: 213-793-0748.

A recent murder in Lincoln Heights was a specified hit, and is not considered a generalized neighborhood crime.

Red Flag alert signs on Montecito Circle continue to remain posted. Mike Fong will contact Chief Mark Stormes to have Dept of Transportation remove them.

Roy Payan suggested the MHIA newsletter as a vehicle to encourage participation in the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council, as well as talking with neighbors. Inviting representation from Kevin DeLeon’s office at Local Issues and Neighborhood Council meetings was suggested.

Agenda item:
Discussion and board action regarding the replacement of the chain link fence on the Avenue 43 Bridge over the Pasadena Freeway; suggested by Tom Berg. Discussion and action brought by Jack Fenn. It is generally felt that the chain link is an eyesore. This area is rich in community centered venues. The Lummis Home and Heritage Square are on either side of the bridge. Heritage Square has completed gates and a fence paid by grants. Ernie Sanchez discussed the need to tie in that fencing with the bridge so that the styles might be similar. Jack Fenn felt that the style might be complementary but not Victorian. Mike Fong suggested that artists may want to be involved from Rock Rose, Avenue 50 gallery or other local galleries. Jack Fenn mentioned Heather MacClarty, a local artist/blacksmith, may be approached. Grant money was discussed, as well as possible help from nearby groups and the Highland Park Neighborhood Council. Caltrans would be involved with the actual bridge structure. Marilyn Sanchez mentioned the tie in with the name change of Ave 43 to Lummis Drive. This is still a work in progress. Mike Fong stated the council office could help in securing the names of property owners to canvas regarding the name change. Also when the time comes to canvas, the council office will help, secure volunteers to knock on doors. It was decided that although the bridge beautification was in it’s infancy, a good place to start would be a motion to the ASNC and someone to coordinate the effort. Jack Fenn volunteered to coordinate.

Motion by Jack Fenn: It is moved that ASNC actively support the replacement of chain link fence near the Lummis House on the bridge over the Pasadena Freeway with iron fencing that incorporates art in the context of the community and the Arroyo Seco. Seconded by Roy Payan. Motion passed: 6 for, one abstention.

Roy Payan presented for discussion an evacuation plan for Montecito Heights in the event of a disaster. Discussion involved places to meet, such as Fiesta or Superior markets, as well as the availability of food and water and space for fire and police staging and medevac. Ernie Sanchez discussed that police and fire have their own plans. Roy stated his plan was specific to Montecito Heights with coordination with police, fire, Red Cross, and clergy. Other possibilities for meeting areas would be local schools. Ernie Sanchez stated there would have to be preexisting agreements with schools due to rules involving admittance to school grounds. Roy agreed. Marilyn Sanchez suggested the Senior Center. She felt that Superior would be a problem due to the necessity to cross the bridge if it were damaged. The senior center has bathrooms and shelter as well as large open space for staging or medevac. The Audubon Center was another site mentioned by Ernie Sanchez. Jack and Scott discussed the ASNC evacuation plan that was chaired by Samantha Newman. Scott has done plans that coordinated turnarounds and evacuation routes for fire. There may be some information that is already available to help in Roy’s plan. There is also some information on the ASNC site involving emergency preparedness. Mike Fong mentioned the Dodger field area at the MH Rec Center and that it offered a lot of space for staging. Harvey Woien pointed out that the nature and extent of the catastrophe would dictate what needed to be done. For instance, the use of cars may be preclude therefore areas need to be in walking distance. Roy Payan, who has disaster experience with Red Cross, agreed to work up a plan reaching out to Fire Stations 47 (El Sereno), 1 (Lincoln Heights), and 12 (Highland Park) for coordination. Julianne Hines also mentioned state agencies for emergency services. It was agreed this is a lot of work and Roy will start outlining the plan.

Request by Jack Fenn that ASNC seek to make it a City law that paint-ball guns and paint balls be illegal in city parks. Jack said that Debs Park is having a problem and he, himself, had encountered paint ballers in Debs Park and reported approx. 150 shots. The young men were detained and handcuffed. However, they were not charged and there guns were not confiscated. A park ranger at the recent Park Advisory Board meeting stated that no law is broken unless they (officers) see the guns fired. Roy Payan believes this is untrue, that laws already exist that prevent these guns from being carried in the park. Marilyn Sanchez stated that the officers should have offered to allow Jack a citizen’s arrest if they felt inadequate. The entire group felt there needed to be more investigation involving the present law before acting on this motion. The motion was tabled. Marilyn Sanchez and Roy Payan will follow up with LAPD and General Services Police. Marilyn will coordinate a Neighborhood Watch meeting with SLO John Pedroza and GSD Officer Llanos. Jack will call the City Attorney’s office and speak with local prosecutor Raquel Perez.

Open Discussion of Local issues: Ernie Sanchez reported on Bernice and Ave 39. Sewer lines have been stored there for 4 weeks by the developer. This is illegal in a residential area. It represents an obstruction to traffic and a safety issue for children playing in the area. The council office has been notified. Jack Fenn stated that this is also an issue for city inspectors. Roy stated he would contact Javier Aquino.CD 1 rep Mike Fong had to leave at 810pm. Jack said he would call Mike Fong and Sonia to ask where this stands.

Ernie Sanchez reported on the cutting of MTA bus lines. The 255 bus was cut, stopping access to County/USC Hospital from Montecito Heights and Lincoln Heights. Two Thousand signatures were obtained in an effort to reinstate this route. At this point the effort has been unsuccessful. The meetings regarding this issue were held in the Valley, making it impossible for people affected to attend. Julianne Hines stated the MTA is governed regionally by Federal, State, and City agencies, and she will ask Assemblyman Portantino to make inquiries. Jack Fenn will contact Kevin DeLeon’s office. Gloria Molina sits on MTA board and Mayor Villaraigosa has four seats on the board. Ernie Sanchez will contact Molina’s office and the Mayor. It would probably be good if they heard from more than one person.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45p.m.

Submitted by Anne Fenn, secretary for the meeting
AF:af

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All meetings are open to the public in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act. Announcements of meetings and other events of the Neighborhood Council are posted on the ASNC's official website and in the following locations:

Regular meetings of the ASNC shall take place on the fourth Monday of each month unless otherwise directed by the Board.

CALL FOR AGENDA ITEMS: If you would like discussion and possible action on a Montecito Heights issue which you feel should or might be addressed by the greater Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council, please contact either Jack Fenn or Scott Rubel at our e-mail addresses (below) or call Jack at (323) 227-1182.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

I want to address some things that did not make it to the MHIA agenda on 4/19 just so the information gets out in a timely fashion.

1) Several wall rebuilding projects in the immediate area have the following Bureau of Engineeriing schedules:

4116 Berenice Place 4008 Sinova 965 & 969 Montecito

($206,000) ($228,050) ($413,865)

6/08 to 12/08 7/19 to 12/28 6/21 to 9/28

2) Erosion repair on Montecito above Berenice Place: ($11,000) -- 6/08 to 12/08.

3) Emergency storm drain project along Evadale and down to Montecito ($259,750) -- 6/17 to 10/16.

As with all things City, these dates are tentative, but at least they are planned for the near future.

4) A plan is underway to combine 14 small lots and build five homes along the edge of Debs Park. An ungated entrance will be at 3938 Latrobe, which is very close to the foot of Elderbank. It will go behind existing homes at 3934 and 3922 and terminate with a turning circle before reaching the extension of Sinova beyond the fire gate. The houses are not yet designed, but they are to be modest with two stories above garage on the upslope. According to the predeveloper, no variances will be sought, so retaining walls will conform to the newer hillside rules that limit height. There will be dirt hauled from the site.
The developers have expressed interest in meeting with the community in the near future. One of the developer/owners grew up in one of the adjacent houses, and the land has been in the family for a number of years.

5) A gas leak, which has annoyed and worried residents of Pagoda Place off and on for the past two years, was finally repaired by the Gas Co.

6) The Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council passed a motion from the MH Local Issues Committee to the councilmembers of Districts 1 and 14 that the DWP property (site of a fire-fighting helipad) be transferred to Rec and Parks, so the property can be enhanced, the helipad protected from development, dumping along Roberta and Reynolds can be mitigated, and nature trails extended around the periphery.

Jack Fenn

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Jack Fenn
jackfenn@pacbell.net

Scott Rubel
scott@invitesite.com