HOLMBY NEWS
August 4, 2017
From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.
1. HWPOA Security Survey – Final Reminder
2. Street Repair Requests
3. LAPD Crime Report
4. Metro Purple Line Update
5. Leaf Blower Exchange Program
6. Westwood Recreation Complex – Update
7. Amazon@Westwood – Now Open
8. Westwood Library – August Happenings
9. Upcoming Community Events
10. HWPOA Communication and Ad Policy
11. Resident Ads
12. HWPOA Contact Information
1. HWPOA SECURITY SURVEY – FINAL REMINDER
Dear Residents,
In our continuing effort to prevent crime in our community, the security committee of the HWPOA has prepared a survey to monitor overall performance of the security companies in our area. We had a very good response to our last survey, more than 5 years ago, and a new survey would be very beneficial at this time.
Please take a few minutes to answer the following brief questions. Note that your identities will be strictly confidential, unless you specifically request that a member of the security committee contact you. The final day to participate in the survey is Tuesday, August 8. To go to the survey, please click here:
HWPOA SECURITY SURVEY – CLICK HERE
2. STREET REPAIR REQUESTS
The Bureau of Street Services has scheduled a Small Asphalt Repairs (SAR) truck (which is described as 1 small asphalt repair truck, consisting of 2 workers and asphalt), for the Westwood Neighborhood Council area, to perform small asphalt repairs on August 30, 2017.
The type of repairs that can be addressed with this program include the following:
– Potholes and pop outs
– Skin patching of eroded or cracked areas
– Some repairs on concrete streets
The Westwood Neighborhood Council has asked us to submit suggested locations in our neighborhood for small street repairs. The city will only send the SAR truck to a total of 15 locations in the entire Westwood Neighborhood Council area, so Holmby Westwood will only see a handful of repairs.
If you are aware of any spots in our neighborhood that would be particularly good candidates for this program, please send requests to Dana at hwpoa@aol.com no later than Tuesday, August 15. Please only send street repair requests, not sidewalks or curbs.
3. LAPD CRIME REPORT
THEFT FROM VEHICLE – PETTY ($950 & under)
Incident #: 170813587
700 BLOCK S BEVERLY GLEN BL | 7/27/2017 @ 8:00 AM
You may access crime mapping at www.crimemapping.com to review recent crimes in your area. Sign up to receive alerts when crime is reported in your neighborhood.
E-Policing: http://www.lapdonline.org/e_policing
EMERGENCY: 911
NON-EMERGENCY: 1-877-275-5273
All other City Services: 311
Christopher Ragsdale, Senior Lead Officer
West Los Angeles Community Police Station
Office: 310-444-0741
Email: 26690@lapd.lacity.org
Website: www.lapdonline.org
4. METRO PURPLE LINE UPDATE
There are a lot of construction activities in the City of LA and Beverly Hills for the Purple Line Extension Project. Check out the newsletter for a snapshot of what’s happened so far and what’s planned.
Link: http://mtro.la/AXgO30e7GcK
5. LEAF BLOWER EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Leaf blower noise and exhaust can be complicated issues in Los Angeles. Many people don’t like the noise, and the exhaust contributes to the overall air quality problem in the City. At the same time, the blowers have made professional gardening and yard maintenance more efficient, and lots of homeowners and commercial properties hire gardeners who use them. Still, the number of complaints was such that it led to the City Council regulating the devices back in the ’90s.
This regulation specifies that leaf blower noise in excess of 70 decibels is illegal within a certain proximity to residences, conceivably addressed the main problem in our neighborhoods. However, enforcing the regulation has proven to be tricky. Like many laws, enforcement requires that an agent of the City, either the LAPD or the Bureau of Street Services, actually catch the perpetrator in the act. Unfortunately, the blowers tend to only be in use for a few minutes at a time in any given location, making it almost impossible to get a Street Services Inspector out to the scene in time to cite the offense. It is also possible for the LAPD to issue a citation for improper use of leaf blowers. However, patrol officers have so many higher priorities that they rarely, if ever, divert their attention from more serious crime-fighting to chase down a gardener with a leaf blower, assuming they could get to the scene on time.
Councilmember Koretz has heard from constituents over the years who wonder why the City doesn’t just ban gas-powered leaf blowers altogether. Although Councilmember Koretz is very sympathetic, if someone is intent on violating the regulation they are likely to get away with it unless and until a City inspector can catch up with them. So contemplation of whether to revisit the idea of a full ban (which was attempted before the City Council finally adopted the current law) is a work in progress.
In the meantime, our friends at the South Coast Air Quality Management District are offering a great program to encourage leaf blower users to ditch the noisy, exhaust-polluting gas models for quieter, clean electric models. The program offers a variety of electric blowers at steep discounts in exchange for gas-powered blowers. Eligible participants include professional gardeners and landscapers, school districts, cities and county governments and other local agencies.
LEAF BLOWER EXCHANGE PROGRAM FLYER
The AQMD is staging exchange events all over the Southland from August 14-31, including in Van Nuys and North Hollywood. For more information on these events, or the program in general (which also includes lawn mowers,) please call (888) 425-6247 or visit their website at www.aqmd.gov/home/programs/community/.
6. WESTWOOD RECREATION COMPLEX – UPDATE
New play equipment, including a zipline and a swing set, have been added to the Westwood Recreation Complex. In addition, the outdoor basketball courts are scheduled to be resurfaced over the next several months. New, safe and clean bathrooms are being installed for all park patrons. A new dog park is expected to be completed in the next 60 days.
Councilmember Koretz would like to thank Friends of West LA for installing free WiFi in the park, and LA Department of Recreation and Parks General Manager Mike Schull for his personal involvement in this endeavor.
7. AMAZON@WESTWOOD – NOW OPEN
Avoid package theft! Amazon@Westwood is now open and offers convenient and secure pickup of your Amazon orders, in-person customer service and free returns of Amazon orders. Plus, Prime members receive Free Same-Day Pickup on millions of items when ordering by noon and shipping to Amazon@Westwood.
Come visit us at 923 Westwood Blvd, immediately south of UCLA hospital. We are open Monday – Friday from 9am – 9pm and Saturday – Sunday from 12pm – 9pm.
8. WESTWOOD LIBRARY – AUGUST HAPPENINGS
The Westwood Branch Library has a busy month of events and activities for adults, teens and children. Some of the programs include:
- Pop-Up Book Sale on Aug. 19
- Make Your Own Succulent Bonsai
- Knitting Club
- French Conversation
- Author Talks
For a complete list of upcoming events, please click here:
https://www.lapl.org/branches/westwood
9. UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
2017 World Police and Fire Games – August 7-16. Join us in cheering on police and fire personnel from around the world compete in over 65 sports in over 30 venues across Southern California! Check out the website for more info: http://www.la17wpfg.com/6/index.htm
Cinema Under the Stars: Moana – Friday, August 25, 2017. Located in the surface parking lot located at 1031 Broxton Ave. next to Barney’s Beanery. With the Westwood Village Fox Theatre in the background, fans can enjoy films completely free on a big screen under the stars.
Moviegoers are invited to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the screening in this unique outdoor setting. Attendance is free and open to the public, and moviegoers are encouraged to show up early to stake a sweet spot and grab some snacks. Tickets are not required to attend.
Doors open at 6:00pm
Live DJ set with DJ Chantz at 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Movie starts at 8:30pm
Prizes, giveaways, & snacks!
10. HWPOA COMMUNICATION AND AD POLICY
Please direct all comments, questions or issues regarding the Holmby News to hwpoa@aol.com.
Ads for plumbers, housekeepers, garage sales, etc. will be posted in the weekly News. Emergency situations such as coyote sightings, lost and found pets, traffic alerts and similar situations will continue to be published during the week as received.
When placing an ad, please send to hwpoa@aol.com for the Holmby News moderator to review. Responses to ads should be directed to the ad placer, not to HWPOA.
11. RESIDENT ADS
TERMITE INSPECTION AND TREATMENT
We have evidence of termites at a kitchen window. Does anyone have recent “good” experience with a termite company? Please let me know at: phyllis.guze@gmail.com. Thanks.
Phyllis
12. HWPOA CONTACT INFORMATION
HOLMBY WESTWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
P.O. Box 49180
Los Angeles, CA 90049
310-470-1785
Email: hwpoa@aol.com
Web site: www.holmbywestwoodpoa.org
Pay Membership Dues: https://squareup.com/store/hwpoa
You Are Invited . . .
- To attend our monthly Board Meetings*
- To let us know your concerns about our community and your ideas about how we might work to improve it
- To become involved in our Association.
*Board Meetings are usually held the second Tuesday of each month at 8:00 pm at Belmont Village (10475 Wilshire Blvd.). Please confirm prior to attending.