Commissioners Approve Kid Ballfields and Performance Stage but Timelines for Expected Challenges Begins
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Los Feliz Ledger Read by 100,000+ Residents and Business Owners in Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Vol 9. No. 11 May 2014 Atwater Village, Echo Park & Hollywood Hills Commissioners Approve Kid Ballfields and Performance Stage But Timelines for Expected Challenges Begins LOS ANGELES—Now that two youth baseball fields at Griffith Park’s Crystal Springs and a permanent stage at the park’s Old Zoo have been ap- proved by a 4-0 vote by the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Board of Commission- ers a series of challenge time- lines begin. May 9th is the deadline for anyone opposing the two new projects to file a legal challenge, in regards to the California Environmental Quality Act, otherwise known as CEQA. At the April 2nd hearing, held at the Expo Center near the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a last minute letter from the law firm of Chatten- Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge celebrates April 2nd after the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Board of Commissioners approved Brown & Carstens, on behalf a permanent stage for Griffith Park’s Old Zoo as well as youth baseball fields at Crystal Springs. To his right are Symphony in the Glen’s Barbara Fer- of Friends of Griffith Park ris and Arthur Rubenstein and to LaBonge’s left is David Melville of the Independent Shakespeare Co. Both organizations will use the stage for free see BALLFIELDS page 21 concerts and performances. City Negates 25 SLNC Election [COACHELLA 2014] Challenges Los Feliz’s Beck and Other Locals Give Memorable By Colin Stutz, Ledger Contributing Writer Performances By Charles H. Cohen and Allison B. Cohen SILVER LAKE—After the April 12th Silver Lake Neigh- INDIO, CA—Area bands did borhood Council (SLNC) extremely well at Coachella’s election, 25 challenges to the two weekend festivals this results have been filed, but year, topped off by once Los have all been ruled invalid by Feliz local Beck Hansen. EmpowerLA, the body that Beck, who lived on Tal- oversees all of Los Angeles’ madge Street in Los Feliz from neighborhood council elec- his early to mid-20s, opened his set, the first weekend, with tions. SLNC’s Anne-Marie Johnson. In the SLNC’s conten- powerful performances of tious election, the slate “Yours “Empower Silver Lake’s” “Devil’s Haircut” and the 20- Not Ours” carried the day. In- Anne-Marie Johnson, who re- year old classic “Loser.” He cumbents, running their own tained her seat by a slim mar- progressed by playing memo- slate called “Empower Silver gin of votes after provisional rable songs such as “Que’ Onda Lake” fared poorly with only votes were counted, filed the Guero” and “Gamma Ray” be- Beck Hansen, on stage at Coachella, Weekend Two. two members retaining their most complaints, eight in all, fore closing with a 15-minute Photo: Marc Glassman for the Los Feliz Ledger. seats. alleging various unethical expansion of “Where It’s At” The challenges filed were electioneering against “Yours featuring freestyle storytelling fornia spots including Echo to play the tambourine while done so almost exclusively by Not Ours” winners Heather of taking a girl on a trip in his Park and Glendale. reminiscing about being the candidates of the “Empower Carson, Amy Clarke, Teresa “Magic Hyundai” with stops He closed his set inviting first headliner of Coachella, Silver Lake” coalition. see SLNC page 4 in numerous Southern Cali- his young son Cosmo on stage see COACHELLA page 20 Community News: One sad Community News: How Can Real Estate: Hotel Los Feliz Real Estate: Record Breaking Calendar: The Piano Man Peforms Atwater trashcan has stirred up a We Get to the Hollywood Sign?, Moving Forward, page 13 $8.3M Los Feliz home sale, page 17 in May at the Hollywood Bowl, lot of emotions, page 6 page 8 losfelizledger.com Los Feliz Ledger [LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER] A day after ers decisions to a higher body primary opponent to both the April [Los Angeles City Council.] Is projects—nor the law firm Available at these locations: FOUNDED 2005 2nd hear- that within 30, 60, 90 days af- that represents the Los Feliz LOS FELIZ Delivered the last Thursday of ing regard- ter their April 2nd decision?” based non-profit. each month to 34,500 homes and ing the And a follow-up: “Provided In other news, Los Ange- Citibank 1965 Hillhurst Avenue businesses in the Los Feliz, approval the commissioners’ approval les City Council District Four’s Silver Lake, Atwater Village, by the city’s Recreation and of either/or both projects is Dan Halden is leaving Los Dresden Restaurant 1760 N. Vermont Avenue Echo Park and Hollywood Hills Park’s Board of Commission- confirmed by the Los An- Angeles City Councilmember communities. ers for a permanent stage at geles City Council, another Tom LaBonge’s (CD4), office House of Pies 1869 N. Vermont Griffith Park’s Old Zoo and timeline commences, correct, after a year, and will start May PUBLISHER/EDITOR Allison B. Cohen two youth baseball fields at whereby opponents can file 5th working for Council Dis- Los Feliz Public Library 1874 Hillhurst Avenue Crystal Springs, I requested a lawsuit—in addition to the trict 13’s (Mitch O’Farrell) of- ADVERTISING SALES information from the city re- other CEQA challenge—in fice as Deputy for Hollywood. Los Feliz 3 Theaters Libby Butler-Gluck 1822 N. Vermont garding the timing of inevi- Los Angeles Superior Court?” Halden said he will be replaced 323-644-5536 [email protected] table challenges or lawsuits to No answer. Daily I ask. by current CD4 Deputy Kristy Newsstand Vermont and Melbourne be filed by opponents of either Daily, I receive no answer. Noochlaor. GRAPHIC DESIGN projects. I don’t know if the lack It remains unclear after Palermo & LAYOUT 1858 N. Vermont Tiffany Sims Skylight Books Getting answers regarding the city’s timeline for 1818 N. Vermont challenges and lawsuits relative to the commissioners’ SILVER LAKE approval of the ballfields and the performance stage Casita del Campo 1920 Hyperion Ave has been a daily odyssey. Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce 1724 W. Silver Lake Drive There are two timelines of response is due to furlough CD4’s Carolyn Ramsay’s de- in question here: one relates days, ineptitude or lack of parture April 30th—to pur- to CEQA (the California En- transparency, but after calling: sue her campaign, full-time, vironmental Quality Act) that the L.A. Dept. of Recreation for LaBonge’s city council seat has a deadline of May 9th for and Parks; the L.A. Board of in the March 2015 election— those wishing to file a legal Engineering (overseeing both who now runs LaBonge’s of- challenge of either project. projects), CEQA attorneys out fice. Questions on that equally That information was easy to of Sacramento, the Los Ange- went unanswered by CD4. obtain. les City Clerk’s office and- fi However, getting answers nally, many, many calls to the Story ideas, submissions, regarding the city’s timeline Los Angeles District Attor- advertising rates for challenges and lawsuits rel- ney’s office, I, as a publisher, & inquiries contact: ative to the commissioners’ ap- editor and reporter, cannot get Allison Cohen proval of the ballfields and the an answer to these very simple 4459 Avocado St. performance stage has been a questions. Los Angeles, CA 90027 daily odyssey. Nor can the Ledger get Phone: 323-667-9897 No city employee can a response regarding intent Fax: 323-667-1816 provide answers to these ques- to file a challenge or lawsuit [email protected] tions: “I know opponents can from President Gerry Hans of www. losfelizledger.com challenge the commission- Friends of Griffith Park—the CELEBRATE Cinco de Mayo WITH US! A SILVER LAKE LEGEND SINCE 1962 Delicious Mexican Food Happy Hour 3pm-7pm Every Day Weekend Brunch “Best Margaritas in Town with Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice” Beautiful Patios • Gorgeous Artwork 1920 Hyperion Avenue, Silver Lake Open Daily from 11 am 323-662-4255 www.casitadelcampo.net AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE PARTIES Page 2 www.losfelizledger.com May 2014 Los Feliz Ledger [BUY LOCAL] Updates also include eco-smart elements. There The Elysian is Sunset Boulevard’s New Bookend are 20-plug-in stations for By Kathy A. McDonald, Ledger Contributing Writer electric cars, rooftop panels for solar thermal heating and Block by block, Sunset LACMA’s original complex feel with open kitchens and white lacquered Italian-made low-E glass that helps insu- Boulevard is changing. and San Francisco’s Trans- floor-to-ceiling windows.kitchen cabinetry. late apartments. The main retail and transit america Pyramid. Most will Each has its own balcony. The retrofit encompassed “We’re very excited about corridor connecting Los Feliz remember the Echo Park edi- Layouts vary but each unit the entire tower. There are now the building,” said Bar-Zemer to Silver Lake and Echo Park fice as a vacant eyesore, out of has upscale appliances—like windows that open and doors who expects the Elysian to be a has always been a dynamic service for more than 20 years. a Bosch dishwasher and Ber- to the vintage wrap-around force in revitalizing the rough sector. However, it seems the A portion of the hillside lot re- tazzoni stoves/ranges—and balconies. edge of Sunset Boulevard. speed of transformation has mains home to the Holy Hill gone into high gear as new Community Church. businesses and developments According to Linear City make over the central thor- Development’s manager Yuval oughfare. Bar-Zemer, the adaptive reuse 20% off In recent months, several project is intended to bring a purchase decades-old, family-run busi- new vitality to the neighbor- with coupon - expires 7/15/14 nesses have closed—El Con- hood’s “forgotten edge.” There good for coffee and tea only quistador Restaurant, Barra- are several reasons why Linear gan’s Mexican Restaurant and City took an interest.