"Eagle
Rock: Where land use planning is a contact sport"
THE EAGLE ROCK ASSOCIATION
October 31, 2002
"Thanks for the TERA weekly update. I am continually amazed
by the level of professionalism and technical detail
your group is able to provide to your ever-increasing constituency.
What an asset to a community buried in the LA bureaucratic shuffle.
I've only seen such vigor and intelligence in Larchmont and Brentwood in LA,
and even they don't compare. Keep up the fine work -- while frustrating
--
very rewarding for the betterment of the community."
-- Tom Eidem, noted economic development advisor, San Clemente
In this issue:
1. MEETING TO CONSIDER
ESTABLISHING "PHILIPPINE VILLAGE" -- NOVEMBER 7
2. ART EXHIBIT IN HONOR OF MEXICAN ARTIST FRIDA KAHLO -- RECEPTION
NOVEMBER 2
3. EAGLE ROCK ELEMENTARY NEEDS YOUR HELP! -- AND IT'S FUN -- NOVEMBER
9
4. HAITIAN DANCE/DRUMMING WITH JOHN AMIRA AND MONA AMIRA -- NOVEMBER 8
- 10
5. LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA OFFERS DISCOUNTS FOR TERA MEMBERS --
NOVEMBER 16 AND DECEMBER 14
6. LA TIMES GETS IN ON THE BOWLING ALLEY ACT
7. ANOTHER ARTICLE ON ALL STAR LANES IN THE LA WEEKLY
8. "PHILIPPINE VILLAGE" DISCUSSION
9. AN EXCHANGE ON THE PENDING McDONALD'S ISSUE IN GLASSELL PARK
10. GREATER LOS ANGELES COUNCIL ON DEAFNESS (GLAD) ISSUES
11. FREQUENT FLIERS
12. LETTERS AND E.MAILS
13. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
1. MEETING TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING "PHILIPPINE VILLAGE"
-- NOVEMBER 7
Many of you have contacted TERA about the above issue, and many have expressed
great concern.
Earlier this week two of our Board members met personally with Oscar
Jornacion and Awee Abayari, representatives of the Philippine Village Center on
Eagle Rock Boulevard, regarding their proposal to establish "Philippine
Village" in a section of Eagle Rock and Glassell Park. They
propose to place an official City of Los Angeles designation, including
signage, called "Philippine Village," encompassing Eagle Rock
Boulevard from Norwalk Avenue in Eagle Rock down to Avenue 40 in Glassell Park.
The Philippine Village representatives have been gathering petition signatures
in Eagle Rock, Glassell Park, Highland Park, and Mt. Washington in support of
this idea. We had a very courteous and informative meeting with Mr.
Jornacion and Ms. Abayari, and we made them aware of the many concerns we had
been hearing throughout the community about their movement to rename part of
our neighborhood. They then told us about an upcoming community meeting
on this subject, described below.
The Philippine Village Center's community meeting to discuss this issue will
take place Thursday, November 7, 2002, at 6:00 p.m. The Center is located
at 4515 Eagle Rock Boulevard in Eagle Rock.
The public is invited to attend and express their views, and we encourage
everyone's participation. Council member Pacheco has also been invited to
attend. Free food and entertainment will be offered. For more
information about this meeting and this movement, please call the Philippine
Village at (323) 344-3500 or send e.mail to radiomla@aol.com
and/or philippinevillage@philippinevillage.net.
We strongly encourage the wider Eagle Rock, Glassell Park, Highland Park, and
Mt. Washington communities to attend this meeting. The TERA Board will
fully examine this issue when our Board next meets. In the meantime, for
the purpose of promoting a wider community discussion, we invite your comments,
all of which we will post in our e.letter at artburn@earthlink.net, unless you
request otherwise.
A petition which opposes this special designation is also currently being
circulated. For more information, please contact erinfo@webtv.net or call
(323) 257-2197.
Again, we encourage everyone in the Northeast Los Angeles community to
participate in this process. Thank you.
2. ART EXHIBIT IN HONOR OF MEXICAN ARTIST FRIDA KAHLO --
RECEPTION NOVEMBER 2
Avenue 50 Studio and Modern Multiples Present
Frida on Paper: Recuerdos
A Group Show Honoring the Memory of Frida Kahlo
Avenue 50 Studio and Modern Multiples Fine Art Prints join forces once again to
present the second part of a two-month exhibition celebrating the life and
memory of Mexico's best-known female artist, Frida Kahlo. Frida on
Paper: Recuerdos will showcase a Dia de los Muertos altar dedicated to
Frida constructed by artist Margaret Sosa. Our invited artists will once
again investigate, through an exhibition of works on paper, the complex
relationship between Kahlo's art, her life and her impact on contemporary
culture. Frida on Paper: Recuerdos will run from November 2
through November 30, 2002. There will be a reception for the artists on Saturday,
November 2, 2002 from 7-11 p.m.
Invited artists include: Jose Antonio Aguirre, Barbara Carrasco, Cristina
Cardenas, Rolo Castillo, Roberto Delgado, Richard Duardo, Ricardo Duffy,
Antonio Escalante, Margaret Garcia, Tina Gulotta, Jose Lozano, Magu, Isabel
Martinez, John Miner, Pilar, Artemio Rodriguez, Reyes Rodriguez, Frank Romero,
Hector Silva, Cindy Suriyani, Richard Valdez, Carlos Vargas, and J. Michael
Walker.
The Avenue 50 Studio Gallery is a multicultural alternative art gallery whose
mission is to promote the arts in Highland Park and the Northeast L.A. area.
Modern Multiples is a fine art print studio and advocate for emerging
artists for over 20 years.
When: Saturday,
November 2, 2002 from 7-11 p.m.
Where: The Avenue 50
Studio, 131 No. Avenue 50, Los Angeles, CA 90042
contact:
Kathy Gallegos 323/258-1435
This exhibition runs from November 2, 2002 to November 30, 2002 and is free to
the public. Studio hours: Tuesday though Thursday 10-12 noon,
Saturday and Sunday 10-4 P.M. Sponsored in part by California Arts
Council, Border Grill, Home Depot, Target
3. EAGLE ROCK ELEMENTARY NEEDS YOUR HELP! -- AND IT'S FUN --
NOVEMBER 9
WE NEED YOU!!! Please come help beautify our school, which will further
beautify the Eagle Rock community!
EAGLE ROCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
2057 Fair Park Avenue
Saturday, November 9th, 2002
8:30 am to noon
(we will work unless it is pouring rain)
Kids welcome!
We will be weeding, mulching, cleaning, and painting. Bring tools marked
with your name.
Please call Miri at (323) 256-4004 if you can donate drinks or snacks for
our hard working volunteers . . . or e.mail Miri at miriday@mindspring.com.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND, BUT WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THE BEAUTIFICATION OF
OUR CAMPUS, PLEASE SEND YOUR DONATIONS TO MIRI DAY C/O MRS. SIDES, ROOM 32.
DONATIONS WILL BE USED TO BUY PAINT, MULCH, PLANTS, AND OTHER SUPPLIES.
These workdays have always been very successful and wonderful social events [the
editor knows -- she's been to many of them]. Come one, come all and pitch
in to make our school even better!
4. HAITIAN DANCE/DRUMMING WITH JOHN AMIRA AND MONA AMIRA --
NOVEMBER 8 - 10
The Occidental College Department of Anthropology and Haitian Dance and Culture
Club invite you to join us for a weekend of workshops in Haitian dance and
drumming with master teachers Mona Amira and John Amira. Beginners are
welcome. Classes $15 for visitors to Occidental ($10 for non-oxy students
with I.D.).
November 8, 9, 10
Friday, November 8
12:30-1:30 Public Lecture/Demonstration
Weingart 117
Saturday, November 9 All events in Alumni Gym Dance Studio
10:30-12:00 Dance Class
1:00-3:00 Drum Class
3:30-5:00 Dance Class
Sunday, November 10 All events in Alumni Gym Dance Studio
10:30-12:00 Dance Class
1:00-3:00 Drum Class
3:30-5:00 Dance Class
Women: bring long, full skirts. Drummers, bring your own instrument.
Observers welcome as space permits.
For further information contact Professor Elizabeth Chin 323-259-2757 or ejc@oxy.edu.
For directions, go to the Occidental College website at http://www.oxy.edu
for clickable maps and more.
Sponsored by the Remsen-Bird Fund, Anthropology Department, Haitian Dance and
Culture Club.
5. LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA OFFERS DISCOUNTS FOR TERA MEMBERS
-- NOVEMBER 16 AND DECEMBER 14
This was submitted by Eagle Rock resident Nicolette Atkins:
Eagle Rock, as you know, is the preferred residential area for any number of
arts-related folk. We at the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra would love to
offer Eagle Rock residents a special 10% discount for two of our upcoming
concerts at the Alex Theatre in Glendale -- very convenient to Eagle Rock!
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) under the music directorship of
Jeffrey Kahane is considered one of the top three chamber orchestras in the
country. See quotes below.
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Celebration of Concertos, Saturday, November
16 at 8 pm - Alex Theatre, Glendale
Delight in Alisa Weilerstein's renditions of Schumann's romantic Cello
Concerto, and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra's own superstars performing
Locatelli and Britten!
All Baroque for the Holidays -- Saturday, December 14 at 8 pm - Alex
Theatre, Glendale. Celebrate the Season! Soprano Karina Gauvin
shimmers in Corelli's Christmas Concerto and Handel's lavish Silete venti.
Tickets are regularly priced at $63, 54, 37, 15. Discounted prices are: $56.70,
$48.60, $33.30, $13.50.
To get the discount, call Jacqui and Pipo at 213/622-7001 ext. 215 (Monday
through Friday, 10 to 4) and mention TERA (The Eagle Rock Association).
More information on our concerts is available on our website at
http://www.laco.org.
Quotes on Los Angeles Chamber
Orchestra --
"LACO showed why it's a shining feature in L.A.'s cultural
landscape." -- LA Times
"... Jeffrey Kahane's superb orchestra ..." -- LA Weekly
"energetic playing" and "soul-stirring" -- New
York Times
"Mr. Kahane and his charges exuded assurance and flair, capping a night to
remember." -- New York Sun
"The combination of exuberance, concentration and deep probing that has
become the trademark quality of Jeffrey Kahane at the helm of the Los Angeles
Chamber Orchestra came alive at the opening of the ensemble's 34th season, when
Kahane led a Bach Pierre Jalbert/Mozart program . . . It became a festive
occasion purely with the bold and tight performances led by the 46-year-old
musician, who in 14 years of conducting experience has become a solid and
masterly podium presence. . . At the end of a demanding program, Kahane
led a performance of Mozart's"Jupiter" Symphony sweeping in its
continuity and abundant in telling details. Too many "Jupiters"
emerge arcane, dull and too smart to communicate; this one glowed with
spontaneity." -- Los Angeles Times
6. LA TIMES GETS IN ON THE BOWLING ALLEY ACT
LOS ANGELES
By George Ramos
Times Staff Writer
October 22 2002
A Los Angeles planning officer on Monday rejected a plan to tear down a bowling
alley in Eagle Rock and replace it with a self-storage business, saying that
proponents had not convinced him that another self-serve storage business was
needed in the area.
The decision by associate zoning administrator Daniel Green came after a
two-hour City Hall hearing during which opponents said there are 37
self-storage businesses within a five-mile radius of the All Star Lanes bowling
alley on Eagle Rock Boulevard, which has been in business there since 1960.
Within that same distance, they said, there was only one other bowling alley.
"I'm ecstatic with the decision," said one Eagle Rock resident, Manuel
Montano, 39, who argued that All Star Lanes -- where he has bowled since he was
a teenager -- was an important recreation outlet in the community.
Members of several community groups, including the Eagle Rock Assn., the
Glassell Park Improvement Assn. and the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood
Council, said they opposed the storage proposal. Representatives for
Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) and area Councilman Nick Pacheco
said the lawmakers also opposed it.
The project's architect, Bruce Jordan, questioned the figure of 37 storage
businesses. "Not all of them fit the definition of a self-storage
business," he said. He said there is a demonstrated need for a new storage
business.
The bowling alley's owner since 1980, Said Simantob, argued that the bowling
alley has been losing money since the mid-1990s and that the $2.2-million offer
for the site by Extra Space Storage of Salt Lake City was the only viable one
for the property.
The offer "was enough for us to kiss it good-bye," Simantob said at
the hearing.
Several nearby residents favored the bowling alley's demolition, citing a
variety of late-night trouble: loud patrons, public urination, late-night
skateboarding, fighting and the foul odor from the bowling alley's trash cans.
"There isn't a weekend that I get a complete night of sleep," said
Donna Campbell, a resident manager of the nearby Villa Piedra senior citizens
apartments.
Supporters said they had collected the signatures of about 100 area residents,
who favored demolition.
Opponents, however, said they had petitions with nearly 1,700 signatures. They
rallied earlier in the day at the bowling alley, saying that it represented an
important part of Eagle Rock's diverse community.
"I heard about it about a month ago and my immediate reaction was to throw
up my hands and say, 'No way,' " Montano said.
Even the co-owner of a Montessori pre-school and elementary school, Noeline
Shanmugan, stopped by for a few minutes to support the bowling alley's
survival.
"We encourage it to stay here," she said.
In rendering his decision, Green said he could not grant a conditional-use
permit for a new three-story structure, noting that zoning in the northeast
area allows buildings no higher than two stories -- 30 feet in height.
Apparently swayed by the over-saturation argument, Green concluded that
supporters had "not presented a convincing case for a need" for a new
storage building.
Jordan, the architect, said Simantob and others would consider their options
before deciding whether to appeal. They have four weeks to appeal.
7. ANOTHER ARTICLE ON ALL STAR LANES IN THE LA WEEKLY
L.A. Weekly, OCTOBER 18 - 25, 2002
by Christine Pelisek
Wrecking ball could replace gutter
balls at Eagle Rock hangout.
(Photo by Elliott Shaffner)
MANUEL MONTANO HAS BEEN A REGULAR at All Star Lanes in Eagle Rock since
he was 12. "My father was a patron, I'm a patron, and my children are
patrons," says the 39-year-old Montano. "It looks exactly the same as
it did when I was a boy."
The end may be near for the 22-lane bowling alley, arcade and bar, a
major drawing point for this neighborhood along Eagle Rock Boulevard since
1959. On October 21, L.A. city zoning administrators will decide whether it
will be torn down to make room for Extra Space Storage, a three-story
self-storage building.
Friends of the alley are leading a petition drive and plan to fill next
week's public hearing with 200 supporters. Last Saturday night, Michelle
Pritchard stood outside gathering signatures. "We have already lost our
drive-in theater. We don't want to lose this."
Inside, All Star Lanes has a small-town, homey feel. The outside is an
unpleasant gray box, but the interior is vintage '60s, with campy multicolored
light fixtures, rose-colored lanes and gaudy furnishings. Tables and chairs are
high-school-cafeteria genre. Two pool tables line the off-white walls, and the
nearby video games are circa 1980s. The bar has the well-worn look of most of
its patrons. Like most good dives, it's dark, with neon beer signs, a disco
ball and regular food specials like the $2 shrimp cocktail.
The future of the alley comes down to the real-world analysis of
"whether the location of the public storage is appropriate for that
neighborhood and whether it will be compatible and serving the public
need," said Victor Vallejo, an analyst with the Office of Zoning
Administration's Department of City Planning.
All Star Lanes owner Said Simantob is one of those who'd like to see the
alley join the trash heap of L.A. history. Simantob bought the alley in 1980
and is eager to sell his losing investment to the Utah-based storage company.
"I think we have the right to close our business if we want to. We are
putting our money into a losing business. We have no choice but to close
it."
Alley manager Roger Tindall says the mainstay of business -- company
leagues -- has deserted the place for more modern surroundings. "It still
has the look of the '60s in there. People want automatic scorekeeping and good
lanes," he said.
Although All Star Lanes lacks a modern scoring system and the pins
regularly stick, fans of the alley like Montano and Pritchard don't care. Says
Montano: "In a city that is constantly tearing down old buildings, this is
a great piece of history."
8. "PHILIPPINE VILLAGE" DISCUSSION
"I lived through an alarming period in Eagle Rock that set families and
neighbors fiercely against one another. The cause was a ballot
proposition on 'Open Housing.' I believed then, and still do, that anyone
should be able to live where they choose without race or religion disqualifying
them. However, I also believe that, along with Eagle Rock finally
receiving a measure of distinction as a pleasant place to live, it has also
achieved the diverse population that makes it a model of the American dream.
What was a 'white ghetto' in the '60s has opened its arms to many
cultures. For any one of these groups to claim it as their personal
property is a divisive backward step and a rebuff to the earlier residents who
have kept it a livable area for all."
-- Patricia Nolan Topping, Eagle Rock resident and TERA member
"Apparently there really is a movement afoot to rename Eagle Rock
'Filipino Village.' What kind of action can be taken to prevent this
insanity?"
[The above note was written to us. This same writer then copied us on
the following letter:]
"Dear Councilman Pacheco:
It is astonishing to everyone I've talked to that there's a movement afoot in
Eagle Rock to rename it 'Filipino Village.'
It seems obvious on its face that this is an absurd idea, but let me enumerate
my objections anyway:
1. The name 'Eagle Rock' is ethnically neutral.
It favors nobody and excludes nobody.
2. Elevating one ethnic group's status in or
claim on Eagle Rock by renaming it Filipino Village would be downright
un-American.
3. This is an extremely diverse community.
It's part of why many of us who dislike single-color communities like
living here.
4. As everybody knows, Eagle Rock has become
officially hip: there's new investment, new restaurants, newspaper
articles, rising property values, etc. Eagle Rock has arrived on the map.
How crazy would it be to change its name now?
Please do whatever you must to prevent this change. We'll all be paying
attention. Thank you. Yours truly --"
-- Cynthia Carle, Eagle Rock resident
"This is a wonderfully diverse area -- it's one of the reasons I was
attracted to this part of town. Creating such a designation will alienate
a significant portion of our communities instead of bonding people together.
And, if I recall, there is already a Historic Philippine Town (or a
similar designation) along Temple between Downtown and Echo Park."
-- Tony Scudellari, Glassell Park resident and TERA member
"I live on Ridgeview and want to complain about Nick Pacheco thinking
about changing the name of Eagle Rock Boulevard to Filipino Village. I am
very much against it, and wanted to make sure that you are aware that he is
having a meeting at the end of this month or the beginning of next month about
this."
-- Cynthia Ramirez, Eagle Rock resident
"Please someone call me at home, a representative of TERA. I belong
to St. Dominic and there is a petition going around about converting Eagle Rock
Boulevard to The Philippine Village. I am opposed. It should not be
named for any group. Leave Eagle Rock be Eagle Rock."
-- Juliana Segunda, Eagle Rock resident
9. AN EXCHANGE ON THE PENDING McDONALD'S ISSUE IN GLASSELL PARK
Eagle Rock resident Stephen Watkins writes:
"In response to Tony
Scudellari's letter [posted in our last e.letter], I have to say the
following:
1) I attended the hearing on October 15, 2002. Mr. Scudellari and his
"significant other," Doug Dawson, gave testimony which was
emotion-driven rather than logical and based on fact. It was obvious that they
had not done their homework. (More about this in a moment.)
2) Their friend, Larry Mitsumi, was almost hysterical in his rant about the
lack of "adequate" notice provisions regarding the application for
the Conditional Use Permit. He interposed hypertechnical objections about
certain aspects of the C.U.P. application and the question of whether it
applied to the entire parcel of land or only the McDonald's portion thereof.
Commissioner Landini correctly noted that pursuant to the MMD provisions notice
was not really required in the amount of detail or for the length of time Mr.
Mitsumi wanted. As a matter of courtesy, rather than as a matter of legal
obligation, Commissioner Landini granted Mr. Mitsumi a two-week extension of
time to respond to the parts of McDonald's application to which he objected.
The amount and type of notice is a political matter, of course, which should be
taken up with one's elected representatives, not bureaucrats.
3) The objections of Messrs. Scudellari, Dawson and others---some of whom did
not even live in Glassell Park (meaning they had no standing to interpose
objections!!!)---were based on the following propositions: (A) McDonald's would
increase urban blight; (B) McDonald's would increase garbage in/around the area
of its restaurant; (C) McDonald's would substantially increase the traffic and
noise burden in/around the area of its restaurant; (D) McDonald's would, in
essence, prove to be an "attractive nuisance" to the kids in the
Charter middle school across the street and, because of the alleged lack of
sufficient cross-walks in the area, would serve to increase the danger to kids
who would be tempted to sneak out of school for a Big Mac "fix"; (E)
McDonald's has no redeeming social value because of the low-pay, non-union,
dead-end jobs it creates; (F) the area is saturated with fast-food restaurants;
and (G) community-building businesses with a particular emphasis on
"pedestrian-friendliness" were and are needed and strongly desired by
"the vast majority" of Glassell Park and Cypress Park residents.
The FACTS are:
(A) the long-vacant lot is in a somewhat bad location and is specifically
exempted from the Specific Plan because of its location and irregular shape.
Much of Glassell Park is the paradigm of urban blight: graffiti, murals on
walls, abandoned vehicles, gang-banging, prostitution in/around the vicinity of
the Triangle Motel, etc. Having a well-lit, safe and secure McDonald's would be
a dramatic improvement over the present vacant lot.
(B) McDonald's is not going to tolerate garbage build-up on its premises.
Moreover, they promised to provide extra garbage cans --- and pay for extra
trash-hauling --- in Glassell Park Recreational Center.
(C) As for the "extra traffic and noise," Scudellari and his friends
are worried about the traffic burden. There are presently over 60,000 cars per
day passing in front of the vacant lot, according to the traffic study
commissioned by McDonald's and which is part of the record for those of us who
actually did our homework. McDonald's is not, and will never be, a magnet for
out-of-area visitors from, say, Glendale or Pasadena, much less from more
distant locales. As for the extra noise, the habitation closest to the speakers
of the drive-in window are the apartments diagonally across the street, about
150 feet away or half the length of a football field. There will be
sound-deflectors and barriers that will prevent the loudspeakers from
"blasting" into the apartments across the street. The opponent also
complained about the difficulties of getting onto the on-ramp of the Glendale
Freeway nearest the McDonald's. Well, for those of us who actually live
and/or work in the area, the entranceway in question is the
NORTHBOUND on-ramp of the Glendale Freeway. The vast majority of traffic in the
morning is headed SOUTH, towards downtown L.A. and towards the Golden State
Freeway (North), so traffic congestion is not an issue at the busiest time of
the day.
(D) As for the "attractive nuisance" argument, it's absurd. The
Charter School has green wrought-iron fencing (locked) and
teachers/administrators on patrol during school hours. As for non-school dining
choices, the last time I checked parents were responsible for what goes into
their children. If a parent provides money for his or her child and permits
them to eat at McDonald's that's the parent's choice.
(E) Regarding "low-pay," dead-end jobs, there are currently NO jobs
on the vacant lot. Also, it's a matter of what one does with the opportunities
one is given, and there are too many people out there who have started out on
the bottom rung of the ladder but who made the most of their opportunity for us
to say that McDonald's is intent on keeping people in a subservient and
economically disadvanted position. That's pure nonsense.
(F) The "saturation" argument was quickly dismissed by referrence to
Mr. Scudellari's "show-and-tell" presentation of a map with red
push-pins showing the presence of fast-food restaurants within a three-mile
radius of the proposed McDonald's site. Interestingly, Commissioner Landini
quickly noted that the overwhelming majority of the offending
eateries were in Glendale, which is outside of L.A., and, therefore, beyond his
jurisdiction.
(G) As for the argument that Glassell Park residents wanted
"pedestrian-friendly," community-building businesses, a little
girl---perhaps 12 or 13 years old---from the Charter School was almost
physically pushed to the microphone by one of her teachers (who didn't live in
the area, by the way). The little girl---perhaps scared and tongue-tied due to
the pressure being put on her---inarticulately and hesitatingly put in a
mumbled plea for something other than a McDonald's. Her suggestion? A
neighborhood health clinic. She obviously was not aware (or had forgotten about
if she ever knew of it) that there's the Eagle Rock Clinic on Eagle Rock Blvd.,
just across the street from the Arco gas station at York. Others testified that
it would be nice if there were a Vroman's or a Borders or a Barnes
& Noble or some type of bistro or something of that nature (maybe a
gallery?). Well, folks, it's time to wake up and smell the frijoles: this ain't
West Hollywood, or Westwood or "Old Town" Pasadena, or any of the
other gentrified parts of town. Market conditions and economics
determine what types of land uses prevail in various commercially-zoned areas.
If Messrs. Scudellari, Dawson, Mitsumi, Frobisher, et al. are convinced that
these types of businesses are economically-viable, let them do their homework;
commission market-studies and formulate business plans; raise the necessary
capital; and put up their businesses. Let's see how long they last before
economic reality sets in....
In closing, it was apparent from the outset that Scudellari et al. are barking
up the wrong tree. They have not done the homework necessary to create the
business and political and neighborhood coalition of the type seen in Pasadena
(took 10 years there) or Glendale (took 11 years there) or Burbank (took about
14 years there). Gentrification is a slow and painful process, and unless
you've done your homework and paid your dues, you haven't earned the right to
complain.
Oh, and when McDonald's representatives were given an opportunity to respond to
these criticisms, Scudellari and his crew walked out without affording
McDonald's the courtesy of listening to McDonald's position. Are these sincere
people or what?
I apologize for the length of this letter. I wonder if any of it will appear in
a future e.Letter, but in the interest of fairness it sure would be good to see
a balanced account of the pro- versus anti-development forces.
And a little civility in our public discourse should also be encouraged.
P.S. For your information, I do not work for, and have never worked for,
McDonald's. I am, however, a concerned citizen who believes in TRUTH and
JUSTICE and who has a short fuse with people who want to be 'big fish in a
small pond' by interposing obstacles to progress just so they can get
noticed."
-- Stephen P. Watkins, Eagle Rock
Resident and Property Owner
In response, Glassell Park resident Tony Scudellari
writes:
"Mr. Hawkins' interpretation of
the October 15th CUP hearing is very different from what occurred. If I
may, I would like to address his comments. Forgive the length, but there
is a lot to respond to:
1) Yes, some (not all) of the residents of Glassell Park did give passionate
testimony because they were upset about this proposed project on many levels.
Others presented their concerns in a more fact-based manner. It
shouldn't be a considered a flaw to care about one's community. I find it
amusing Mr. Hawkins characterized my testimony as "emotional."
I presented to Mr. Landini (the Zoning Administrator) petitions signed by
scores of residents opposed to the McDonald's at 3901 Eagle Rock Blvd. along
with emails sent in opposition. I told Mr. Landini of the opposition to
the McDonald's by officials in the Glassell Park Improvement Association
(GPIA), the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council (GPNC) and the Design Review
Board. I pointed out that there are at least 60 fast food
restaurants within a 3-mile radius of the proposed site at 3901 Eagle Rock
Blvd., including 7 McDonald's. I cited the very words of the Northeast
Community Plan as to why another McDonald's in our area is not in keeping with
the spirit nor the intent of the Plan. I also mentioned that our area
currently lacks a diversity of businesses which the Northeast Plan expressly
calls for. And, I explained that the City of Los Angeles is losing
revenue and tax dollars from its own residents because these dollars are going
to the neighboring cities of Glendale and Pasadena because they have the
diversity of services Northeast sorely needs.
2) For the record, Mr. Hawkins, I do live in Glassell Park, as did everyone who
gave testimony against the proposed McDonald's, with the exception of one
person -- the teacher at the charter school on Eagle Rock Blvd. Testimony
opposing McDonald's included comments from our co-chair of the GPNC's Youth and
Education Committee, a member of the Design Review Board for this project and
two recently elected members of the GPNC board. All who testified had
every right to object since this project will be developed in our community.
Only two "non-McDonald's" representatives spoke in support --
Mr. Hawkins and another woman -- both are from Eagle Rock. If Mr. Hawkins
would like the McDonald's in his backyard, he is more than welcome to pursue
that, although he might face some objections from TERA and other members of his
community. It is interesting to note that one of the people who came to
the hearing to oppose McDonald's noticed that before the hearing began, Mr.
Hawkins and his "companion" came into the hearing room, saw the
numbers of people in opposition and then both proceeded to walk outside the
room with McDonald's representatives. We'll take his word that he
does not work for nor ever worked for McDonald's, but Mr. Hawkins' behavior
certainly raised eyebrows among those of us who attended the hearing.
As to the facts, I have some I would like to share:
A) McDonald's was, at the very best, not forthcoming with the Design Review
Board. First, McDonald's would only meet with the community after several
weeks of email and phone attempts in which they were finally able to pressure
Jeanne Kemp and Carlos Madrigal from McDonald's to meet the board. The
Design Review Board was told that McDonald's was building no matter what.
Secondly, those on the Design Review Board were never told a CUP was
necessary for the drive through or the extended hours of operation (open until
1:00am on weekends). If the Design Review Board had been made aware of
this, the project would not have been approved and the community would have
filed its objections sooner.
B) Many decisions that the Design Review Board agreed to were based on the
information provided by McDonald's, which is now suspect. As an example,
Mr. Madrigal told the Design Review Board that there were utility easements
under the property, which necessitated a drive-through lane to face Eagle Rock
Blvd. It was later found out that no such utility easements existed.
Through marketing research conducted by the GPIA, the community overwhelmingly
said a sit-down restaurant was the development the community wanted most.
The first thing the Design Review Board asked McDonald's was for a
sit-down restaurant at the location, and McDonald's flatly refused, even though
it was later learned McDonald's Corporation owns a well regarded sit-down chain
called Chipotle Grill.
C) At the October 15th hearing, Mr. Madrigal presented three letters of
"support" for the McDonald's, including one from the GPIA. Mr.
Landini rightfully pointed out the GPIA's letter was neutral and not in
support. The letter says (in part) "...the GPIA at large took no
position on whether or not we wanted a McDonald's at that location..."
D) Having a McDonald's at that location would not be an improvement. Bad
development is never better than no development. Once a bad development
project is in place, a community is stuck with it for a very long time.
And, bad development does nothing to encourage good development from
coming in. There are a number of avenues that can betaken instead of a
McDonald's at 3901 Eagle Rock Blvd., and we are actively pursuing them.
E) As to the gangbanging and prostitution -- how is that going to be made
better by having a McDonald's open until 1:00am? Most likely, a
McDonald's will become a late-night hangout for those prostitutes and
gangbangers Mr. Hawkins mentions. And, if it's any indication,McDonald's
has done a poor job of keeping these types of problems from their stores.
There are transients in and around the McDonald's in Cypress Park.
The neighbors in Echo Park have been fighting to keep the drug dealers
out of the McDonald's in their community -- with no help from McDonald's on
this issue. We doubt McDonald's will be any better regarding the
prostitutes and gangbangers Mr. Hawkins speaks of for the proposed site.
F) Regarding traffic: McDonald's wants a 30-foot-high tower facing the
Glendale Freeway, with the McDonald's logo emblazoned on it. To put that
in perspective, this tower will be as tall as the Public Storage facility
across the street. It will be within sight of the on and off ramps for the
Glendale Freeway. It's obvious McDonald's is aiming their store at
commuters for an "impulsive" buy, which will further increase
traffic on Eagle Rock Blvd. Those of us at the hearing who opposed the
McDonald's live and/or work in the neighborhood. We know all too well how
bad the traffic is on this stretch of Eagle Rock Blvd. due to the post office,
the apartment complex and those on-ramps and off-ramps, and we know it much
better than Mr. Hawkins claims he does.
G) I don't know if Mr. Hawkins is aware, but the LAUSD is making a conscious
effort to give its children better nutritional choices in the schools.
Having a McDonald's across from the charter school and the Recreation
Center runs counter to their efforts. Fast food is high in sugar, fat and
salt; low in fiber and vitamins. Such a diet has been linked to a greater
risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases. McDonald's
food also contains many chemical additives which may cause ill health and
hyperactivity in children. It would be an egregious mistake to allow a
McDonald's at this location.
H) McDonald's did say at the hearing it would supply garbage cans. If
their track record with the property is any indication, they will be poor
neighbors in taking care of those aforementioned cans. Currently,they
have not taken care of the property without great efforts made by the community
in keeping McDonald's feet to the fire. Since March 29, McDonald's has
cleared the lot just twice. Both times it was only because of complaints the
GPIA received from the community and passed along to McDonald's. For the
second clean-up, it took nearly two weeks for McDonald's to act, as garbage
continued to gather on the property and weeds grew out of control. Is
this indicative of the commitment, responsiveness and cooperation we can expect
from McDonald's towards our community once one of their stores is built?
I) If Mr. Hawkins has been reading the paper lately or watched any business
programs, he would know McDonald's has reported profits for this past quarter
down by 11% -- this is the seventh quarter out of eight in which profits have
dropped. McDonald's also announced that it will be paring down new
openings and stepping up investment in its other chains. On the October
21st broadcast of CNBC's "Kudlow & Cramer," Bank of America
securities analyst Andrew Barish and Forbes Magazine editor Bruce Upbin were
interviewed about McDonald's sagging stock price and lack of growth in
same-store sales for the past 5-6 years. According to these experts, the
reason McDonald's isn't showing growth is that they are opening too many fast
food restaurants, too close to one another. What is McDonald's proposing
for Glassell Park? Another McDonald's within a 3-mile radius of 7 that
already exist, with one being less than a mile from 3901 Eagle Rock Blvd.
Maybe the Woodland Hills office responsible for this McDonald's should
pay attention to the financials released by corporate headquarters and the
wisdom of these experts.
J) A recent Time Magazine article ("Can McDonald's Shape Up?") had
the following: "...there are critics who say...that McDonald's needs to
weed out the worst franchisees and shut down some of the under-performing
restaurants. 'They've stretched the store managers. There are 1,000 of them
that are marginal at best,' says Howard Penney, an analyst at SunTrust Robinson
Humphrey, who thinks McDonald's should close 500 to1,000 branches. 'They have
to stop growing.'" If their stores are already stretched with
inadequate management and under-performing franchises, what can we expect from
a new McDonald's in our community?
K) Because Mr. Hawkins does not live in Glassell Park, he is unaware of the
changes that are being undertaken in our community. There is an interest
and a need for better services by all our residents. Newer residents have
moved here from the Westside and the Valley -- they are used to a diversity of
services and expect them; longtime residents are realizing they don't have to
put up with bad development as they have in the past. Residential income
is increasing as are housing prices, which have gone up dramatically over the
last two years. And, yes, we are a diverse community. Our neighbors
are of different races, ethnic origins, sexual orientation and socio-economic
means, and we are proud of that diversity. Too bad Mr. Hawkins has a
problem with that. All of us feel our community deserves better and we
will fight for better development. And, frankly, Mr. Hawkins' comment
about "smell the frijoles" smells of insensitivity at best and racism
at worst.
L) Besides having low-wage, non-union jobs, McDonald's has a poor track record
on worker safety and labor relations. For some examples, I would suggest
reading "A Study In Corporate Irresponsibility: McDonald's Corporation's
Operations at LAX," which was submitted to the Board of Airport
Commissioners in May, 2002. I don't think we should subject our neighbors
and kids, who would make up the majority of the McDonald's workforce, to the
abysmal and dangerous conditions outlined in this report.
M) The little girl who testified at the hearing was nervous and not pushed to
testify as Mr. Hawkins purports. Come on, Mr. Hawkins, is it fair to pick
on a child who wanted to express her objection to a McDonald's? That
seems a tad desperate.
N) As residents of Glassell Park, we have every right to complain about bad
development and advocate good development for our community. We have done
our homework as best we can -- we are simply residents concerned about the
well-being of our community. We are donating our personal time and
efforts to this cause. We're not high-priced lawyers with vast resources,
but we do all we can with what we have. And, pursuant to that...
O) ...myself and three other residents who attended the hearing on the15th
carpooled to City Hall. The hearing was scheduled for 10:30am, but did
not start until 11:20am. The four of us took time off from work to attend
-- two of us had to be back at our offices by 2:00pm. We thought setting
aside 2 1/2 hours would be enough time for this hearing. The reason we
left the meeting at 1:05pm was so we could get back to our jobs. So,
before Mr. Hawkins casts aspersions about our "sincerity," I would
recommend he get the facts first. Maybe if Mr. Hawkins practiced (in his
words) "a little civility in public discourse," he would know this.
As residents of Glassell Park, we care about our community. We admire
what Eagle Rock has done to improve itself and hope to follow its lead by
encouraging better development for our area. We are aware this battle is
not over and we will use every avenue and resource we have to make our case
heard because we, too, believe in truth and justice. Sincerely --"
-- Tony Scudellari, Glassell Park Resident and Property Owner
10. GREATER LOS ANGELES COUNCIL ON
DEAFNESS (GLAD) ISSUES
The following was submitted by concerned business owner Vic Parrino regarding a
recent locally published article on GLAD:
For Immediate Release
Contact: Rachel
Braver
Director of Public Relations
323-478-8000 V/TTY
GLAD responds to Community Concerns
Los Angeles, CA - The Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness, Inc., more
commonly known as GLAD, has recently come under attack from a few select
individuals within the community at large. Upon receiving numerous
threats and personal slanderous attacks, the Governing Board of Directors of
GLAD felt it necessary to cancel the General Council meeting it had scheduled
for Saturday, September 21st at the GLAD headquarters for the personal safety
of its staff and those scheduled to attend.
Currently under the direct leadership of Interim Chief Executive Officer, Sheri
Farinha Mutti, GLAD continues to set forth an example to the community by
providing a wide array of health and human services "of, by and for"
the Deaf and Hard of hearing community. On loan from the Sacramento based
NorCal Center on Deafness, Mutti has proven a true leader by dedicating her
time to helping GLAD out of financial hardships As of Wednesday, September 18th,
2002 Mutti successfully led in closing the re-financing building project for
the GLAD Headquarters located in the heart of Eagle Rock. While the term
¨InterimÜ has no direct time specification, the GLAD Governing Board has been
in search of a permanent CEO to continue taking GLAD towards the future.
Any and all interested parties are encouraged to visit the posting at http://www.gladinc.org/jobs/ceo.html
for further details regarding the vacant position.
The Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness, Inc. has been improving the lives
of deaf and hard of hearing people since its establishment as a volunteer
organization in 1969. The main mission is to ensure equal access of the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing Community with general purposes and powers are directed
around the promotion of the social, recreational, cultural, educational and
vocational welfare of our constituents. As a coordinating agency that addresses
the broad social service needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing through direct
service provision, advocacy, research and dissemination of information
regarding deafness to parents, professional and consumers, we continue to move
forth with our mission.
In response to individuals no longer with the company, we heartily disagree
with the allegations made against us. We treat all fairly and in good
faith and recognize every persons right of privacy, thus we are not able to
fully inform the public of the facts to support our position, and demonstrate
the falsity of accusations made. GLAD strongly supports the right to
Freedom of Speech and the Freedom to Assemble, however we do not support the
manipulation of the standard company policy of strict personnel privacy to
pursue ones own political agenda.
Historically, GLAD has maintained its OPEN DOOR POLICY and welcomes any and all
individuals concerned for the well being of the community to take advantage of
this policy. Periodic community forums have been the norm, however, due
to recent concerns for the comfort and safety of the community, GLAD has reverted
to the use of a printed Community Assessment Survey as an alternate means of
obtaining community input. Likewise, for the purposes of individual
meetings, GLAD encourages consideration for the time constraints of the
Governing Board members who serve strictly on a voluntary basis.
Today, GLAD directly serves clients annually through its main headquarters
Community Center located in Eagle Rock and at outreach offices throughout its
service area of Los Angeles, Kern, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis
Obispo counties. Our business hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00
p.m. (closed daily from noon-1pm lunch hours) GLAD is closed on weekends,
unless specified events are scheduled. Visit our website at www.gladinc.org
for more information on upcoming events.
GLAD Staff Speaks Out!
*This statement was composed by a GLAD staff person after collecting
thoughts & feelings from fellow co-workers.
We at GLAD know that the community has been hearing and seeing many
different stories, rumors and speculation about GLAD, its relationship with the
community and its administration under Sheri Farinha Mutti as interim CEO. GLAD
has, up to now, tried to trust the communityÜs ability to see past the negative
bashingÏhoping that you know what GLAD is REALLY aboutÏservice to the deaf and
hard of hearing community. We are now convinced that it is time to put that
trust to the test. We at GLAD want the community to know "our side"
and hope that YOUÏthe communityÏwill finally know the real truth and support
the GLAD staff.
In the last three years, GLAD has had serious backlash from earlier financial
difficultiesÏwe have struggled to "clean up house" and put GLAD back
on track. The road back to our original strength has been a very long and hard
challenge. But we are now healthier and stronger than ever! Why? Because of the
hard work of our interim CEO and supporting staff. Without the guidance and
help of our interim CEO, there is no way GLAD could have recoveredÏperiod.
Since Ms. Mutti made the decision to sacrifice time and energy to help GLAD
three years ago, we have accomplished more than we ever dreamed possible.
Since her arrival, GLAD has:
-- Been able to keep its doors open! We were in such bad shape financially we almost
had to close our doors. Fortunately, we NEVER had to close our doors!
-- Been able to keep our beautiful historical landmark building that we were in
serious danger of LOSING! The Deaf community would have lost a beautiful
"home" if Ms. Mutti had not done drastic measures to restructure our
finances.
-- Restored integrity to its financial status with progressively better audits
that have been the result of gutsy and aggressive clean-up strategies by Ms.
Mutti.
-- Succeeded in convincing a new bank to do business with GLAD even though GLAD
was not in the best financial shapeÏno one wanted to take on GLADÜs
account. Ms. Mutti went head to head with tough bankers and won! Now we work
with a new bank that has total confidence in GLAD!
-- Grown as an agency with new things such as the Deaf Women Outreach program;
Cinco de Mayo; Career Day for Deaf Youth; Deaf WomenÜs Day; collaboration with
Mexican American Opportunities Foundation; we became monitor for LA County
Probation Department; empowered parents with deaf kids & much, much more!
-- Unified its staff and motivated them to provide better service than ever
before. Ms. Mutti established high standards for the staffÏto make us better
service providers, better advocates and better educators within Deaf &
Hearing community.
We know that the community does not always hear about the GOOD things
that GLAD does and has done for many years. We are sad that the good things we
do are so seldom recognized. We have never felt the need to "brag"
because we always believed that the clients we helped KNEW we were doing good
work.
There is a small group of people who would like for the rest of the community
to ignore the good that GLAD does, ignore the work Ms. Mutti did to rescue
GLAD, and they want to destroy GLADÜs reputation. We at GLAD have full
confidence in ourselves and know that we are doing good work under the guidance
of Ms. Mutti. However, we also know that if the community allows this small
group of people to continue their destructive behavior, the people who will
lose the most is YOUÏthe community. We believe that this small group
wants GLAD to lose its funding from the state. If they succeed, this is some of
what the community would LOSE:
= Daily advocacy & counseling for thousands of clients= Major
source of information and resources
= HIV/AIDS Education for Deaf women & youth = Latino Family
Outreach = Teen Pregnancy Prevention
= Communication Assistance = Many, many special community events and
programs.
No agency or business is perfect, but we at GLAD are proud of the work we do,
proud of the accomplishments we have achieved to help our clients every day.
Most of all, we are proud of the guidance and help we have received from our
interim CEO.
Just like everyone else, we would LOVE to have a permanent CEO to guide
us into the future, but we will never be able to find someone as long as
the people who are against GLAD keep creating a negative environment of
intimidation, hatred and confusion. When our CEO is attacked, we the staff feel
the impact and we cannot not ignore the negative effect it has on us. These
people are sabotaging the very thing that they, and we, want! Maybe if we had
more positive support instead of criticism, we might be able to spend our time
and energy recruiting a permanent CEO instead of constantly defending ourselves
against destructive tactics and mean-spirited actions.
The time we spend defending ourselves against attacks is valuable time that we
should be spending with clients and building ties with the community. We the
staff strongly encourage any and all persons interested in the CEO position to
please apply! For more information about the CEO position please click on the
job postings (link).
The negative impact these people have had on GLAD is destroying the morale and
good faith of the staff who work hard to serve clients everydayÏwe are good men
and women who donÜt deserve this kind of treatment. We are tired of it
and want it STOPPEDÓ now.
We the GLAD staff say Enough is Enough! We want to focus on the NOW
& the futureÓnot the past. We are GLAD, the next generation. We
care & we are dedicated staff committed to serving the community. We
love what we do and whom we serve. Most of all, we are GLAD to be here!
11. FREQUENT FLIERS
The following was submitted by e.letter reader, Eagle Rock resident, and TERA
member Christopher Taylor:
Frequent Fliers
As the stock market drops from shareholders afraid of newly discovered
corporate greed, I have to wonder why everybody thinks that this is something
new. Why are we all so shocked? The machine that is the United States was
historically kept oiled and running by slaves in the fields and children in the
factories so that the fat cat CEOs could pad their pockets. Corporate
greed has never gone away, it's just gone underground in the forms of bad book
keeping and relentless advertising. It's everywhere.
At least when children were working in the factories, things were built to
last. These days it's about making crap as cheaply as possible and
advertising the hell out of it. How did we forget that good products don't need
advertising campaigns? They sell themselves.
Now, even the ATM machine shows us commercials as we wait to be dispensed our
hard earned cash. Something's wrong with this picture. How did Bank
of America sell me out as Connie Chung's twenty dollar male prostitute? I
thought I earned this money. If I have to watch a commercial to get it,
the machine should spit out a few more dollars as a "thank you" or
"sorry about that." But wait a minute, it was actually more like
rape. I was forced to watch a commercial against my will and the twenty
bucks was more like a degrading gesture of: "The money's on the night
stand, take it and get the hell out."
I shake it off, I've blown the scenario of unwelcome advertising completely out
of proportion. I close my car door, locking out the noises and enjoy the
air conditioning. Ahhh, refreshing. Wait a minute! Some jerk has
placed an insurance flier under my windshield wiper. The nerve of that
guy, where is he? Where did he go? What do I do now? Should I throw it on the
ground so that the bank will take action? How quickly I forget that I'm
their whore. I could leave it where it is I suppose and let it fly off so
that the city will enforce their laws against placing handbills on vehicles.
I'd risk a ticket, but I didn't put it there, so I'm not the one who did
the littering. If my taxes pay for street sweeping, it should be all
right don't you think?
Being a good boy, I decide to litter the inside of my car with this propaganda
and go home. I haven't been there in a few days and I am welcomed by a
whole pile of fliers on my doorstep, and a couple more hanging from my
doorknob. Oh look, a few in my bushes and one on the fence, how quaint.
Two pizza menus, three home remodeling, two landscapers a maid, the cable
company and a chimney sweep. Is this a joke? Some kind of prank? And when
did a doorknob become a marketing tool?
How ironic it is that the gardener is advertising "lot clean up" by
littering my lot and that the maid is making work for herself. I
guess none of these people saw my four "no soliciting" signs or the
fact that I have a Direct TV dish and no chimney. Or maybe they don't care.
Before I turn the key, a flash of thought shoots through my brain of a scenario
where the house has been burglarized. After all, with all of this
advertising blowing around like ghost town tumble weeds, it's obvious that I
have not been home. Why did I waste all that money on security timers for
my lights anyway? Lucky day, the house is untouched,... On the inside.
As for the fliers,... I think I'm going to file them in a rectangular file this
time, so that I can document the continuing nuisance. Each one gets dated
and filed. While I'm at it, I will call each business and let them know
that they have guaranteed to never have my patronage. If we all did this, I
think this type of advertising would surely stop.
Now I sit in my office and ponder the myth of ones home being his castle and
wonder why I pay property taxes when I clearly have no control over my own
property. And who are these gremlins who trespass so quickly that they
are rarely seen? Could it be that they are the new slaves of corporate
greed? Unskilled, underpaid and possibly illegal aliens who trash my
doorstep to make a buck? Both I think, but nationality has nothing to do
with it. The point is that when I am at home, I should be able to be left alone
and enjoy all of the rights afforded to me in the constitution of California in
Article one. Among these are enjoying and defending life and liberty,
acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining
safety, happiness, and privacy. I wonder,... If something is contradictory to
the constitution of California, can it be considered unconstitutional?
And what of California Penal Code 556.1? It clearly states that
advertising on private property without the consent of the owner or leasee is a
misdemeanor and a public nuisance.
I pick up my fax phone before I realize that I have no idea who I should call
about it. The dial tone reverberates in my skull a soundtrack of my path
to insanity as I notice a few pages in my fax machine. MORE ADVERTISING! This
has gone too far! They used my paper, they used my toner, somehow got my
unlisted number, violated the telephone consumer protection act of 1991, and
WHAT'S THIS?? It came through at 3AM!! Lucky I wasn't here last night, or
it would have destroyed my sleep.
That's it. All I wanted was to be left alone and now they have awaken the
beast. They have made me political. I will save and date every
flier and boycott each business, I will dedicate an e-mail address to the
cause,.... NoFliersUSA@aol.com, yeah, that's good. I will respond to each
fax by faxing them a copy of the telephone consumer protection act followed by
thirty pages of black paper. I'll call it FAXTHRAX. Good, what
else? I may as well fax these ads directly to the FCC so that I can avoid filling
out complaints that will just be ignored anyway. Let them deal with it.
I will call my councilman Nick Pacheco and go to council meetings.
I will collect signatures from other people who want to be left alone.
I'll video tape the trespassers. I will fight for my right to enjoy and defend
life and liberty, acquire, possess, and protect property, and pursue and obtain
safety, happiness, and privacy. And this battle will end when I am again the
king of my castle.
12. LETTERS AND E.MAILS
"Good to see you at the USC [Reality Check on Growth] event, and
thanks for putting me on the e-newsletter mailing list."
-- Paul Novak, land use lobbyist, developer advocate, and really good guy,
whose butt TERA whupped on the Wells Fargo/Farley building issue two or so years
ago and who, later that same day, was successfully allied with us in support of
the cellular tower proposal on the Rusty Pelican property
[After writing and telling him he is a really good guy, Paul wrote:]
"I'm shocked -- the person who coined the phrase 'where land use planning
is a contact sport' just described a developer's advocate as a 'good guy.'
Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you said that! (And for a
homeowner advocate, you're not too bad either.)" [Editor's note:
Actually, it was Phil Barbaro, life-long Eagle Rocker and former TERA
vice president, who coined that phrase, and it's a good one. Thanks,
Phil.]
"Congratulations to us all for defeating the public storage proposal...
Thank you and TERA for publicizing and bringing it to the attention of the
community at large. It's this kind of thing that makes me proud to belong
to [The Eagle Rock] Association. Now, regarding the new blue Eagle
-- I drove past it yesterday and LOVED it, there's way too much boring beige
paint in this town!"
-- Brent Morris, Eagle Rock resident and TERA member
"I read with disgust the news that you approved the Walgreens proposal
that the DRB opposed and that violates the existing Specific Plan for Colorado
Boulevard. If this is true, one would conclude you have only contempt for
the citizens of the city and their attempt to improve their neighborhoods.
Unbelievable. But you haven't heard the last of us."
-- Sean Mitchell, Eagle Rock resident and TERA member [in a letter to
Planning Director Con Howe, copied to us]
"My comments to Mr. Grove --
On Being Late
I agree that Mr. Pacheco was late; a polititician is always late. That's their
nature. Unlike a Judge who sits on a bench, Councilmen do not have an
eight hour day or a five day week. They have many meetings a day some as late
as ten in the evening. A constituant asking for" just another minute"
can put a councilman behind. Lateness in a politician is annoying, but somewhat
excuseable.
On Being Rude
I dont think Mr. Pacheco was rude, by the tone of his voice, and his smile when
he said it I felt he was "teasing" . Remember we were there to
clarify his understanding.
YOU DIDNT READ THE PLAN!
I KNOW Mr. Pacheco has read the plan before.....the whole thing,
many times. I know that "military specifications"
and the "Chicago Manual of Style" were not used in drafting the
ordinance or it would have not been necessary for him to explain the
ramifications of "may", "must", "shall" and
"will"
Legal Expertise
Many of the lay community do not understand the "and/or, should/will, may
or must" have legal connotations which were developed and used to insure
safety of persons, places and things.Subsequently, if it says 'or", the
individual does not have the option of "and/or" and is legally responsible
if the wrong action is taken.
I think Mr. Groves comments, although well intentioned" were a bit niave.
A few more meetings may change his perspective."
-- Maureen Blatt, Eagle Rock resident
"Thank you so much for all your e.mails and TERA newsletters. It
takes a lot of patience, enthusiasm, energy and time (there are only 24 hours
in a day) to be able to do what you do. I appreciate all your efforts and
concern for Eagle Rock and its community. I commend you for the excellent
job you have done and are doing!!! I know I am remiss in attending all
the events and meetings you recommend or organize, but I do try my best to
attend whenever possible. Once again, thanks for all your efforts."
-- Joan Jereza, Eagle Rock resident and TERA member
"We really appreciate Occidental College inviting the local community to
its events."
-- Bruce Mitchell, Eagle Rock resident and TERA member
"Regarding the Walgreens situation, I think it's time for Eagle Rock (and
Highland Park, Mount Washington and Glassell Park) to consider a Secession
Movement. I'm voting yes [on Measures F and H] for Hollywood's and
the SF Valley's sake. Living in LA has become living in a giant
bureaucracy. Thanks."
-- Chris Bale, Highland Park resident
""Throw a stick in Los Angeles and you'll hit a McDonald's. One
just finished remodeling on Colorado Blvd. [in Glendale], and the fact
is that we don't need another one. Los Angeles does not need another one,
California does not need another one, America does not need another one, the
earth does not need another one."
-- Christopher Taylor, Eagle Rock resident and TERA member
13. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"I have a dream."
-- Martin Luther King
We welcome your comments. Please include your name.
Joanne Turner <artburn@earthlink.net>
President, The Eagle Rock Association (TERA)