THE VIEW FROM BLAIR HILLS
The Blair Hills Association February, 2003 Edited by Bobbi Gold
BLAIR HILLS COMMUNITY MEETING
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2003
7:00 PM
OHR ELIYAHU ACADEMY
5950 STONEVIEW DRIVE
Agenda:
Sewer tunneling plans and status
Vista Pacifica development for state park
The tunneling machine will be ready to start moving underneath Wrightcrest Drive about March 1. L.A. City staff will present information on tunneling progress and mitigation plans to prevent damage to our homes and respond to our questions and concerns.
David McNeill, Director of the Baldwin Hills Conservancy, and State Parks representatives want to talk to the Blair Hills community regarding development of the former Vista Pacifica site (the big hill to the west of us). They will review the master plan for what will be up there and get community feedback; a land architect will be hired to produce detailed plans. But they won't hear your opinion if you're not there.
More: Baldwin Hills Park
There is now an extensive system of trails around the park and newly developed areas, with magnificent vistas from the lookouts atop the hills. Get your exercise and see your emerging state park on foot! Trail information and maps, as well as information on the resident flora and fauna, are available from the park office; call (323) 298-3660. The Baldwin Hills Conservancy recently purchased a corridor for foot trails along Stocker St that will eventually connect to the trails along La Brea. A newsletter from the Conservancy will soon be in the mail.
Ballona Creek and Trail Focused Special Study
This Culver City project is sponsored and funded by the California Coastal Conservancy (a state agency). The goal is to improve Ballona Creek in terms of visual appearance, water quality, recreation, and educational opportunities while protecting neighboring properties from adverse effects of changes and, of course, preserving its flood control function.
A series of three public workshops was held, the last being on January 30. Based on community input from the first two, the consultant presented some general concepts for improvements within the Culver City portion of the creek (from Washington Blvd to just west of Sawtelle). There will be more public input and refinement of the plans. The object of this project is to develop a workable plan; actual funding and implementation would be a follow-on project.
The Culver City web site has extensive information about the process and the workshops, with more to be posted in the next several weeks. If you have internet access, read more about it at:
http://www.culvercity.org/citygov/planning/bctfss.html
Ballona Creek Watershed Task Force
The BCWTF is a council of stakeholders in the entire Ballona Creek Watershed, which encompasses about 130 square miles and runs from the Hollywood hills, downtown L.A. and the Baldwin Hills to the sea. The term "stakeholders" includes anyone with an interest in the creek and watershed, including various public agencies, environmental organizations, members of the public who use the creek trail for recreation, business and residential property owners near the creek, etc.
The Task Force is part of a $200,000 L.A. County project to develop a "Watershed Management Plan" for the improvement of the watershed in terms of water quality and other pollution in the creek, and restoration of habitat for plants and animals living in or near the creek. Partnering with L.A. County are Ballona Creek Renaissance, a Culver City-based non-profit organization, and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project.
The Task Force has just hired a consultant team. The lead consultant and project manager is EIP Associates, an L.A.-based planning, urban design and environmental resources firm. Four other firms will work on particular aspects of the job. The team begins work this month and will present the finished plan in February, 2005.
If you have internet access, you can view a PowerPoint presentation and/or other information about this project on the website of Ballona Creek Renaissance: http://www.BallonaCreek.org.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center now open
There's now a permanent collection center at the Hyperion Treatment Plan, at the very west end of Imperial Hwy at Vista del Mar St. Open Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, the center is operated by the city of L.A. but open to all county residents. Enter from the eastbound side of Imperial Highway. Info: 1-800-988-6942.
You CAN bring: paint, solvents, used motor oil and other automotive fluids, cleaning products, pool and garden chemicals, medicines, auto and household batteries, and aerosol cans. Also, you can bring computer equipment, telephones, televisions, and other electronic equipment.
DO NOT bring: appliances, paper, tires, furniture, ammunition, explosives, radioactive material or biological waste (we hope you don't have any of that!).
It's illegal to transport more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
This program is provided by the City of Culver City Fire Department to train residents to assist safety personnel and City staff in the event of a major disaster. Volunteers from the community are trained in first aid, light search and rescue, minor fire suppression, and other skills that are critical in the first few hours of a disaster. (We previously reported on this program in the February, 2002 newsletter following a presentation at a Blair Hills community meeting.) Lois Soter reports that four Blair Hills residents have taken the program, but we need more to be ready to help. For more information, contact CERT at (310) 253-5999 ext. 6891.
New Blair Hills Residents
Are you new to Blair Hills, or do you have new neighbors? Please call BHA president Mary Ann Greeneso that newcomers can be welcomed and informed about the Blair Hills Association and added to our neighborhood directory.