HOLMBY NEWS
April 3, 2015
From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.
1. New L.A. Ordinance Protects Holmby Westwood
2. Wilshire Blvd. Bus Lanes Opening Soon
3. VIN Car Window Etching Event
4. LAPD Crime Report
5. Seeking New HWPOA Board Members
6. Resident Ads
7. HWPOA Contact Information
1. NEW L.A. ORDINANCE PROTECTS HOLMBY WESTWOOD
On March 25th, City Council passed two Interim Control Ordinances (ICOs), previously passed by the LA Planning and Land Use Committee. The first ICO will protect five communities (including Holmby Westwood) which await their long overdue historic preservation overlay zone designations. The HPOZ process has long been hampered and delayed by a lack of staff in the Planning Department. Due to numerous requests for HPOZs throughout Los Angeles (there are currently 29 HPOZs with more in line), four additional new Planning Department staff members are being hired just to handle HPOZs. The ICO for these five communities provides for restrictions on demolition and some exterior alterations. This will allow the Planning Department the necessary time required to train new staff members and process the HPOZs. Survey LA, a joint effort of The Getty Foundation and the City of Los Angeles, determined that Holmby Westwood is the most historically intact residential community on the Westside of Los Angeles.
The second ICO will protect fifteen communities from further mansionization and will allow time for City Planning to re-write the existing, ineffective 2008 Baseline Mansionization Ordinance. Our Councilman, Paul Koretz, was quoted as saying, “I’m very happy the restrictions will go into effect soon so that we can avoid having hundreds more homes demolished while city officials work on more permanent rules on mansionization. Hopefully, this will slow down the occurrence of boxy, lot-line to lot-line McMansions.”
A very positive March 17th LA Times editorial stated “the goal (in 2008) was to maintain the character and quality of life of …neighborhoods without trampling on the rights of property owners. But the ordinance was so full of loopholes that owners have been able to build oversized houses anyway…the need is most urgent in the neighborhoods waiting to be declared historic preservation overlay zones .”
Mayor Eric Garcetti is very much in favor of preserving the historic identity and character of the communities which make LA such a diverse, interesting, and eclectic city. The trend towards preservation in Los Angeles mirrors what has become a very strong movement nationwide.
2. WILSHIRE BLVD. BUS LANES OPENING SOON
An additional five miles of Bus Lanes will be opening on Wilshire beginning Wednesday, April 8, 2015.
WHERE
Wilshire Boulevard between:
- Western Avenue & San Vicente Boulevard
- Beverly Hills (western border) & Comstock Avenue
- Selby Avenue & just east of Veteran Avenue
- Bonsall Avenue & Federal Avenue
WHAT
Curb lanes will be reserved for buses during weekday peak periods
Peak hour restrictions:
Monday – Friday, 7:00AM – 9:00AM
Monday – Friday, 4:00PM – 7:00PM
- Vehicles may not drive or park in the curb lanes during the above hours
- Vehicles may enter the bus lanes near intersections to make right turns only
- Bicyclists are allowed to use the curbside bus lanes
- Drivers may not cross the solid white lines
WHAT TO EXPECT
- Be cautious of the buses when using the right-hand curb lane to make right turns
- Please share the road – bicyclists are permitted to ride in the bus lanes
- Vehicles will be cited and /or towed if parked or traveling in the bus lanes during the designated hours
Please visit www.wilshirebrt.com for updates
3. VIN CAR WINDOW ETCHING EVENT
MAKE YOUR CAR UNATTRACTIVE TO CAR THIEVES
The Automobile Club of California Santa Monica branch, the LAPD, West Los Angeles Division, and NICB are combining efforts to thwart vehicle theft and vehicle burglary by hosting a VIN car window etching event. This event is to help raise consumer awareness of auto theft and to stop car thieves.
On Wednesday, April 8th, 2015, between 10 AM to 3 PM, AAA and West Los Angeles Area Police will be applying federally-registered VIN numbers onto all windows of vehicles. On average, the etching process takes approximately 10 minutes. Etched windows make a stolen vehicle easier to trace, and deter car thieves who would need to replace VIN-etched windows if they changed the VIN on the front dash.
WHERE: LAPD, West Los Angeles Division parking lot, 1663 Butler Ave, 90025 (Telephone: 310-444-0702.) Auto Club, NICB and officers will perform window etching.
WHY: Car theft is the #1 ongoing property crime in America. There were 14,382 vehicles stolen in Los Angeles, according to 2013 FBI Annual Uniform Crime Report. The West Los Angeles area experienced an 11% increase in vehicle thefts from 2013 to 2014, according to LAPD West Los Angeles Division crime statistics. Top stolen vehicles were 1990s Honda Accords, Honda Civics, Toyota Camrys and 2000s Toyota Corollas.
In addition, car thieves and vehicle burglars are targeting vehicles to steal third-row seats in SUVs, airbags, in-car entertainment systems, GPS navigation systems, iPods, cell phones, briefcases, gym bags, wallets, shopping packages, as well as bank statements, and credit card bills to steal identities, according to law enforcement officials.
For additional information, please contact Auto Club, Elaine Beno, 714-885-2324; Det. Maria Ceja, 310-444-1503.
4. LAPD CRIME REPORT
Current Trending Analysis:
Residential Burglaries: North of Santa Monica Blvd. (3 crimes), North of Wilshire Blvd. (1 crime). North of Sunset Blvd. (0 crimes). Auto related crimes (Break Ins and Stolen Vehicles): North of Santa Monica Blvd. (8 crimes), North of Wilshire Blvd. (1 crime) North of Sunset Blvd. (1 crime). Package Thefts appear to be trending throughout the area. Packages being delivered and left unattended in accessible areas are being stolen. Please arrange to have packages dropped off in a secure location or receivable location.
Protect yourself from becoming a victim and crime statistic. Ensure that you remove all visible items and valuables from inside of your vehicle. Your car, regardless of whether it’s locked and secured or not, is not a safe or secure place to leave ANYTHING! Remember, Lock It, Hide It, Keep It!
Burglary Theft from Motor Vehicle:
600 block Thayer Ave. RD: 0828. Between 3/28/15, 4:00 PM and 3/29/15, 6:30 AM, unknown suspect(s) entered vehicle parked in driveway and removed documents.
5. SEEKING NEW HWPOA BOARD MEMBERS
Join the Board of Directors
of
Holmby-Westwood Property Owners Association
The Board is seeking Holmby Westwood residents to volunteer to serve as a Director for 1 year. We meet on the second Tuesday of every month except for August and December. We ask only that you be a paid-up member of the Association and have an interest in maintaining and improving the quality of life as well as the historic and architectural integrity we have all come to know and enjoy.
Please, contact Dana Glenn, our Office Manager, and tell her that you want to join our Board. Call or email hwpoa@aol.com to contact Dana. The deadline for submissions is April 12. We look forward to hearing from you!!
6. RESIDENT ADS
OUTDOOR WROUGHT IRON
I am seeking referrals for outdoor wrought iron (guard railings and the like). Marie 
(310) 600-4726
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SEEKING GUTTER REPAIR
I am seeking referrals for a handyman to fix outdoor gutters. Thank you. Marie (310) 600-4726
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OPOSSUM/RACCOON PROBLEM
I am looking for suggestions or referrals to assist with opossums or raccoons that are tearing up the yard. Marie (310) 600-4726
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HELP WANTED (PART-TIME)
Seeking to hire part-time help on an hourly basis to sell women’s accessories at charity events. Marie (310) 600-4726
7. HWPOA CONTACT INFORMATION
HOLMBY WESTWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
914 Westwood Blvd. Suite 573
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-470-1785
Email: hwpoa@aol.com
Web site: www.holmbywestwoodpoa.org
