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Contact us at:
News@MandevilleCanyonAssociation.com
TODAY’s TOPICS:
Westridge:
Speeding and Clearing of Brush
Westridge: DWP to Divert Run-off Water at
1800 Block
Public Auction Hearing: Propose Sale of 10
Acre Parcel of VA Land
Sunset/Mandeville Project
Crime Report
Dog Etiquette- Stray Dogs and Leash Law
Wanted
More Car Accidents on Mandeville and
Westridge
WESTRIDGE: SPEEDING AND CLEARING OF BRUSH
After 2 accidents on lower Westridge this
month, MCA News has received several letters
from homeowners suggesting that some
accidents could be avoided if residents
would remember to cut back their brush along
the side of the road. Some think that
drivers are forced to drive over the center
line to avoid brush that is hanging into the
street.
Visibility is difficult in many areas of
Westridge particularly around the curves.
This note is to remind homeowners to please
keep their brush cut back. Your property
runs to the street curb and legally you have
a responsibility to keep the area cleared.
Keeping your property cleared of brush not
only helps with driver visibility but keeps
your property safer in this worst fire
season in over 100 years. Please do your
part to help keep our canyon and ridges
safer.
If you need the name of someone to cut back
your brush contact
news@mandevillecanyon.com and we
will send you a referral. If you have a MCA
canyon handbook you will find referrals in
there as well,... under "vendors"
 WESTRIDGE:
DWP TO DIVERT RUN- OFF WATER AT 1800 BLOCK
Many of you have noticed the continual
water runoff on Westridge Road. Thanks to
several volunteers from MCA for bringing this
hazardous problem to
the attention of the Council's Office. This
water will finally be diverted to the city
sewer line. No more mud, no longer slippery
areas to walk in.
Here's the status report MCA received from
our Councilman's Office. "The department
is progressing rapidly in getting the permit
from Public Works to the hook up to the
sewer. They are 95% complete in applying
for an industrial waste permit..They are
waiting for water sample reports to include
with the application. The request to
transfer payment to the Bureau of Sanitation
was done last week - this is required in
order to get the sewer connection. All the
paperwork and necessary permits should be in
order by the end of September, then work can
commence & be completed within two months."
SALE OF VA LAND: 10 ACRES LOCATED AT FEDERAL
AND WILSHIRE BLVD.
The Army is moving forward to sell part of
the VA land: 10 acres at Wilshire and
Federal. ( AN AREA OF THE VA LAND NOT
PROTECTED BY SENATOR FIENSTIEN'S BILL)
Beyond the massive traffic from this
project, a very DANGEROUS PRECEDENT could be
set for the remaining 388 acres of the VA if
this sale is permitted. YOUR VOICE MATTERS:
Show up and voice your opinion. DO NOT LET
THIS HAPPEN.
Public invited: 3 Environmental Scoping
Open House to Choose From:
1. September 11, 2007 6-8 pm
Army Reserve, 1250 Federal Ave
2. September 12,2007 1-3 pm,
Army Reserve, 1250 Federal Ave
3. September 12,2007, 6-8 pm at
Army Reserve, 1250 Federal Ave
Below are some of the points the BCC has put
together as we proceed through the process
with the Department of Defense regarding the
West Los Angeles Army Reserve property. The
BCC will expand their statement following
the Scoping Meetings. The
deadline for submitting written comments on
the scope of the Environmental Impact
Statement is October 12, 2007. Written
comments may be submitted to Mr. Wayne
Alves, 63D Regional Readiness Command, U.S.
Army Reserve, ATTN: ARRC-CCA-ENV, 4235
Yorktown Avenue, Los Alamitos, CA
90720-5002. Comments may also be faxed to:
562.795-1499.
The Following is a letter received from the
president of our Brentwood Community
Council:
For more information, please contact Wendy
Rosen at
Rosenfree@aol.com.
Brentwood Community Council
149 S. Barrington Ave., Box 194 Los Angeles,
CA 90049
Statement of Brentwood Community Council
Regarding Scope of the Environmental Impact
Statement for U.S. Army Reserve West Los
Angeles Property Exchange
What occurs on the West Los Angeles VA
campus has the potential for major adverse
impacts on Brentwood and neighboring
communities. The Brentwood Community Council
(BCC) strongly opposes the commercialization
of the West LA VA property, including the 10
acres occupied by the Department of the
Army. No portion of this land should be
sold, transferred, exchanged, or otherwise
disposed of. The property should be
renovated and maintained as an Army Reserve
facility. But if the Department of the Army
cedes occupancy of the property, the land
should revert to the jurisdiction and
control of the West LA VA for the exclusive
purpose of providing direct services to
veterans.
This restriction is consistent with the
original intent of the private land grant to
the federal government. It also protects
the surrounding communities against the
significant adverse impacts that would
result from private commercialization along
the most congested traffic corridor of the
most gridlocked urban area in the nation.
The Proposed EIS Does Not Include A
Reasonable Range Of Alternatives. The
only suggested alternatives are (1) No
Action and (2) the Army Exchange. That is
not a reasonable range of alternatives.
Specifically, the EIS must consider as an
alternative renovating and maintaining the
Army Reserve facilities because there is no
other Army Reserve facility in the area.
Another clear alternative that must be
considered is ceding jurisdiction of the
property to the VA for the purpose of
providing direct veterans services, as
originally deeded. As war rages in Iraq and
Afghanistan, the dire need for veterans’
services in Los Angeles has become brutally
obvious.
The EIS Must Consider The Cumulative Impacts
Of This Project
And
The CARES Project. NEPA
requires a detailed analysis of the
cumulative impacts of this project and the
concurrently-planned CARES project. That
necessitates, among other things, study of
the likely adverse impacts of the
two
projects on traffic, air and water quality,
sewer, and noise, as well as increased
demands on police and fire services,
infrastructure, and local business impacts.
The Proposed EIS Must Consider A Broader
Range Of Development Scenarios.
The proposed action unreasonably stacks the
deck in favor of the “Full Development”
scenario by proposing an unreasonably
massive “Institutional” use. The range of
scenarios considered for this gridlocked
area range from the
absurd
– a 300-room hotel and 500 residential units
and 1,500 parking spaces – to the
ridiculous
– 1.5 million square feet of institutional
and medical space with 7,500 parking
spaces. The only conceivable rationale
supporting this skewed line-up of
unappealing alternative scenarios is to make
the absurd option look good in comparison to
the ridiculous option. NEPA precludes that
type of false choice. EIS consideration of
reasonable
alternative development scenarios that do
not produce significant adverse impacts on
the surrounding communities are required,
but none are presented.
Wendy-Sue Rosen, Chairwoman
Brentwood Community Council
rosenfree@aol.com
SUNSET AND MANDEVILLE: LEFT TURN LANE
It's over. No more construction at Sunset
and Mandeville. All that is left to do is
to install more plantings on the East and
West side. MCA will resume working at the
entrance once the wall at the home at the
corner is completed.
If you have concerns about the traffic signal system
working correctly please let us know.
 CRIME
REPORT:
There continues to be an increase in car
break-ins: a 12.5% increase according to
Officer Phil Enbody. Although most of these
break ins are located south of San Vicente
Boulevard, we wish to remind you to keep
your valuables out of your car and your car
doors locked.
BURGLARY
FROM MOTOR VEHICLE:
2400 block Banyan
HOUSE KEEPER NEEDED:
MCA resident needs someone 2 or three days a
week to clean and do laundry. Housekeeper
needs to have her own transportation. If
you know someone you can recommend
please contact: ellendeutschman@yahoo.com
 DOG
ETIQUETTE _
Stray Dogs and Leash Law: there have been
reports of dogs loose from their leaches...
Some residents are afraid to take their
infants on walks while others are concerned
about the safety of their dogs when walking
them; and others are afraid to jog because
of unleashed dogs. Please remember that
there is a leash law and legal liability for
the owner of a dog that harms another dog or
person. Help keep our canyon tranquil and
beautiful by controlling your pets.
The city's leash law requires that every dog
must be on a leash no more than 6 feet long,
held by a competent person, when off owner's
premises. If you encounter any problems
with unleashed dogs, call animal Regulation,
West Los Angeles, (888) 452-7381, ex 144.
The Division is open Tuesday through
Saturday 8am to 5pm.
ANOTHER CAR ACCIDENT: MANDEVILLE CANYON
ROAD...
During the early morning hours of Tuesday,
August 21st, at approximately 2AM, an
out-of-control 2007 white Dodge station
wagon type van traveling south on Mandeville
Canyon stuck and destroyed a brick mailbox
in the 2100 block. After striking the
mailbox the vehicle careened across the
frontage of another house and smashed though
garbage filled trash cans. Many of you
heard the screech and impact.
Fortunately, four to five young adults were
able to extricate themselves safely from the
car. A neighbor responding to the screeching
tires and contact of metal came outside and
saw them moving about, apparently unharmed,
but clearly upset. When the neighbor
returned into their home to grab a phone,
the young people had mysteriously left the
scene of the accident. Police are
investigating.
This accident brings to the forefront the
reality that our Canyon roads are dangerous
under any circumstances, more so at night
when
speeding and alcohol are involved. Beer cans
were found in the vehicle. We all need to be
alert to the obvious hazards of drinking and
driving and the destructiveness this brings
upon the lives and properties of other
innocent people.
Thank you
Contact us at:
News@MandevilleCanyonAssociation.com |
