Ilana Marosi
It has been quite the year past in our Venice neighborhood, and we have done some great things to come together as a community! We have brought the spotlight on 320 Sunset and it’s illegal operations, as well as exposed the broken process which the city allows developers to take advantage of. We have joined our voices together to push back and to garner the support of the LUPC and Venice Neighborhood Council. Our fight to preserve our neighborhood has definitely not gone unnoticed, so you all should be extremely proud of your efforts so far!
We could not have done it without each and every one of you! WELL DONE ALL!
There is no word from the Zoning Administrator on her determination for 320 Sunset yet, however I have some good news. Last week the owner was cited by Dept of Building and Safety and has been served an order to comply effective mid January 2015. The order is to cease allowing people to dine both inside and outside, to remove the shipping container from the yard, to remove the un-permitted rear fence and some things on roof, which are also un-permitted. Of course none of these have yet been stopped, and if Camaj is true to form, chances are he will not comply. If that is the case, then we will press the issue further with B&S. There are many other issues here which I am certain you all witness as you go about your days. If you do see them, please take photos and email them to me. We are forwarding them continually to the city council, building and safety, planning dept etc so they can witness what it is we are living with. Let us know if you still smell smoke, and take photos if you see it. Take pics of delivery trucks blocking street or alleys.
MEANWHILE, there is another fight I need your help with and it is urgent. 259 Hampton Drive, which is operating illegally as the sit-down restaurant Sauce on Hampton, has been approved by the city to become a 2500+ sq foot restaurant with open rooftop patio serving 100 patrons, full alcohol, NO PARKING and 15 feet across alley from residences. Sound familiar? I AM THE APPELLANT ON THIS CASE AND I NEED YOUR HELP. If this project does not get stopped at the appeal on January 7th, it sets the worst possible precedent for us at 320 Sunset, as it is only 2 short blocks away. This project at 259 Hampton is also in our neighborhood, and the cumulative impact of all these bars/restaurants without parking, open until early morning, are bad news for our residential neighborhood!
Please join me in person at the appeal in West LA if you are able. Here are the details:-
Wednesday JANUARY 7, 2015 from 4.30PM,
West Los Angeles Planning Commission,
Henry Medina West LA Parking Enforcement Facility,
2nd floor, Roll Call Room,
11214 West Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064.
(We will be carpooling from Venice if you need!)
We ALSO have a written Petition against 259 Hampton which I will be presenting as evidence to the Commissioners at the Appeal, SO PLEASE SIGN IT. We need all of your signatures! Roxanne and I will be out hitting the pavement over the next few days, so please PLEASE get in touch with me and let me know when one of us can knock at your door for your signature. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!
Debbie Rochlin
MVNA Annual Town Hall Meeting
Once a year we hold a town hall meeting to give you an update of what’s happening in the neighborhood, as well as a chance to hear from your neighborhood and elected officials.
Please show them that Zone 4 is an active community by attending the meeting.
When: 29 January at 7 pm
Where: St Bede’s Episcopal Church (corner of Grand View Blvd & Charnock Rd)
Info: Email editor@mvneighbors.org
Dennis Hathaway
A big thanks to all of you for your support in 2014. Writing letters to city councilmembers and other officials, attending meetings, and making donations of money and time has been a critical part of the effort to protect the city’s visual landscape and public spaces from an invasion of billboards and other forms of commercial advertising. Unfortunately there were two bad developments near the end of the year, and we’re going to have to redouble our efforts to hold back the relentless efforts of Clear Channel and the other big billboard companies. We look forward to your invaluable support in this fight in 2015.
Please read”Legislation and Jurisprudence: L.A. Billboards 2014.”
Kendell Shafter
Friday afternoons in Venice isn’t only for hipsters and happy hours. There’s also a happening for the tiny set just behind Abbot Kinney. Beginning at 3pm on Fridays inside the dance studio at Electric Lodge you’ll hear Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, old school Jackson Five and see a sea of pink as JillyJazz Kids swings into action. Neighborhood children arrive by strollers, scooters, bikes and by foot to dance with professional dancers Marina Munoz and Jill Strauss, who has been teaching adults and teens at Electric Lodge for 20 years. JillyJazz Kids is the creation of Strauss and Kendell Shaffer, a local Venice mom and dancer, who always dreamed of an affordable neighborhood dance school for kids in Venice and partnered with Strauss. The two are both former students of dance master Luigi in NYC. The Friday classes are full of spinning and leaping little ones who are often spotted at Abbot’s Pizza or Nice Cream following their classes. It’s a great way for the kids to spend a jazzy Friday afternoon in Venice.
Peter Abskharon, senior lead officer for Venice to Dewey/Lincoln to Abbot Kinney
VIOLENT CRIMES:
Robberies – 25% decrease from year prior
Aggravated Assaults – 26.7% decrease from year prior
Total violent crimes – 20% decrease from year prior
PROPERTY CRIMES:
Burglaries – 5.1% increase from year prior
Grand Theft Autos – 17.6% decrease from year prior
Burglary & Theft from Vehicles – 89% increase from year prior
Personal Theft – 12.3% decrease from year prior
Total property crimes – 15.9% increase from year prior
A lot of the home burglaries were unlocked doors and open windows. I want to urge everyone to lock the windows and doors in rooms they are not occupying. I noticed a sharp increase the last 3 months of suspects specifically targeting these unlocked doors/windows.
The vast majority of burglary & theft from vehicles involved expensive electronics in plain view, purses/briefcases in plain view, unlocked vehicle doors and property left in truck beds and/or rooftops (surfboards, luggage, bicycles etc.). Again, I am urging everyone in the community to remove property from their vehicles.
Officer’s made phenomenal arrests of burglars and car thieves in 2014. With that being said, I want to work on drastically reducing property related crimes in 2015. This needs to be a collaborative effort between us and the community we serve (and live in). I am reaching out to anyone who wants to establish a new neighborhood watch group or be a block captain/volunteer for their area to assist in crime reduction. Working for the Venice/Oakwood community this last year has been one of the highlights of my career and I’m looking forward to another great year!
Reta Moser
Happenings in Oxford Triangle.
Darlene Davis’ house was burglarized and a safe with valuables was taken.
Ben Bravo had a van stolen but it was found within a week.
Earl Cline of Oxford Triangle passed away before Christmas. He was a longtime resident of Triangle. Bought the tree at Berkeley and Thatcher for $1.50 in early 50’s.
How about someone from each of the areas reporting crimes in their area?? Or let’s just hear what is happening in your area.
Comments–5 January 2015
Category: Comments
Tags:Venice, Venice Beach
Ilana Marosi
It has been quite the year past in our Venice neighborhood, and we have done some great things to come together as a community! We have brought the spotlight on 320 Sunset and it’s illegal operations, as well as exposed the broken process which the city allows developers to take advantage of. We have joined our voices together to push back and to garner the support of the LUPC and Venice Neighborhood Council. Our fight to preserve our neighborhood has definitely not gone unnoticed, so you all should be extremely proud of your efforts so far!
We could not have done it without each and every one of you! WELL DONE ALL!
There is no word from the Zoning Administrator on her determination for 320 Sunset yet, however I have some good news. Last week the owner was cited by Dept of Building and Safety and has been served an order to comply effective mid January 2015. The order is to cease allowing people to dine both inside and outside, to remove the shipping container from the yard, to remove the un-permitted rear fence and some things on roof, which are also un-permitted. Of course none of these have yet been stopped, and if Camaj is true to form, chances are he will not comply. If that is the case, then we will press the issue further with B&S. There are many other issues here which I am certain you all witness as you go about your days. If you do see them, please take photos and email them to me. We are forwarding them continually to the city council, building and safety, planning dept etc so they can witness what it is we are living with. Let us know if you still smell smoke, and take photos if you see it. Take pics of delivery trucks blocking street or alleys.
MEANWHILE, there is another fight I need your help with and it is urgent. 259 Hampton Drive, which is operating illegally as the sit-down restaurant Sauce on Hampton, has been approved by the city to become a 2500+ sq foot restaurant with open rooftop patio serving 100 patrons, full alcohol, NO PARKING and 15 feet across alley from residences. Sound familiar? I AM THE APPELLANT ON THIS CASE AND I NEED YOUR HELP. If this project does not get stopped at the appeal on January 7th, it sets the worst possible precedent for us at 320 Sunset, as it is only 2 short blocks away. This project at 259 Hampton is also in our neighborhood, and the cumulative impact of all these bars/restaurants without parking, open until early morning, are bad news for our residential neighborhood!
Please join me in person at the appeal in West LA if you are able. Here are the details:-
Wednesday JANUARY 7, 2015 from 4.30PM,
West Los Angeles Planning Commission,
Henry Medina West LA Parking Enforcement Facility,
2nd floor, Roll Call Room,
11214 West Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064.
(We will be carpooling from Venice if you need!)
We ALSO have a written Petition against 259 Hampton which I will be presenting as evidence to the Commissioners at the Appeal, SO PLEASE SIGN IT. We need all of your signatures! Roxanne and I will be out hitting the pavement over the next few days, so please PLEASE get in touch with me and let me know when one of us can knock at your door for your signature. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!
Debbie Rochlin
MVNA Annual Town Hall Meeting
Once a year we hold a town hall meeting to give you an update of what’s happening in the neighborhood, as well as a chance to hear from your neighborhood and elected officials.
Please show them that Zone 4 is an active community by attending the meeting.
When: 29 January at 7 pm
Where: St Bede’s Episcopal Church (corner of Grand View Blvd & Charnock Rd)
Info: Email editor@mvneighbors.org
Dennis Hathaway
A big thanks to all of you for your support in 2014. Writing letters to city councilmembers and other officials, attending meetings, and making donations of money and time has been a critical part of the effort to protect the city’s visual landscape and public spaces from an invasion of billboards and other forms of commercial advertising. Unfortunately there were two bad developments near the end of the year, and we’re going to have to redouble our efforts to hold back the relentless efforts of Clear Channel and the other big billboard companies. We look forward to your invaluable support in this fight in 2015.
Please read”Legislation and Jurisprudence: L.A. Billboards 2014.”
Kendell Shafter
Friday afternoons in Venice isn’t only for hipsters and happy hours. There’s also a happening for the tiny set just behind Abbot Kinney. Beginning at 3pm on Fridays inside the dance studio at Electric Lodge you’ll hear Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, old school Jackson Five and see a sea of pink as JillyJazz Kids swings into action. Neighborhood children arrive by strollers, scooters, bikes and by foot to dance with professional dancers Marina Munoz and Jill Strauss, who has been teaching adults and teens at Electric Lodge for 20 years. JillyJazz Kids is the creation of Strauss and Kendell Shaffer, a local Venice mom and dancer, who always dreamed of an affordable neighborhood dance school for kids in Venice and partnered with Strauss. The two are both former students of dance master Luigi in NYC. The Friday classes are full of spinning and leaping little ones who are often spotted at Abbot’s Pizza or Nice Cream following their classes. It’s a great way for the kids to spend a jazzy Friday afternoon in Venice.
Peter Abskharon, senior lead officer for Venice to Dewey/Lincoln to Abbot Kinney
VIOLENT CRIMES:
Robberies – 25% decrease from year prior
Aggravated Assaults – 26.7% decrease from year prior
Total violent crimes – 20% decrease from year prior
PROPERTY CRIMES:
Burglaries – 5.1% increase from year prior
Grand Theft Autos – 17.6% decrease from year prior
Burglary & Theft from Vehicles – 89% increase from year prior
Personal Theft – 12.3% decrease from year prior
Total property crimes – 15.9% increase from year prior
A lot of the home burglaries were unlocked doors and open windows. I want to urge everyone to lock the windows and doors in rooms they are not occupying. I noticed a sharp increase the last 3 months of suspects specifically targeting these unlocked doors/windows.
The vast majority of burglary & theft from vehicles involved expensive electronics in plain view, purses/briefcases in plain view, unlocked vehicle doors and property left in truck beds and/or rooftops (surfboards, luggage, bicycles etc.). Again, I am urging everyone in the community to remove property from their vehicles.
Officer’s made phenomenal arrests of burglars and car thieves in 2014. With that being said, I want to work on drastically reducing property related crimes in 2015. This needs to be a collaborative effort between us and the community we serve (and live in). I am reaching out to anyone who wants to establish a new neighborhood watch group or be a block captain/volunteer for their area to assist in crime reduction. Working for the Venice/Oakwood community this last year has been one of the highlights of my career and I’m looking forward to another great year!
Reta Moser
Happenings in Oxford Triangle.
Darlene Davis’ house was burglarized and a safe with valuables was taken.
Ben Bravo had a van stolen but it was found within a week.
Earl Cline of Oxford Triangle passed away before Christmas. He was a longtime resident of Triangle. Bought the tree at Berkeley and Thatcher for $1.50 in early 50’s.
How about someone from each of the areas reporting crimes in their area?? Or let’s just hear what is happening in your area.