983 • August 2 - 8, 2018

briefs • Resolution Approved for briefs • New Team Beverly Hills briefs • Mayor to Host Instagram Urth Caffé Page 3 Class Announced Page 4 Live Q&A Page 4 Issue 983 • August 2 - 8, 2018 Scooter Ban Passed But How Will BHPD Enforce it? cover story • page 7 So with prices on the rise and housing scarcer than ever, why act to make housing even more expensive especially to the letters new renter, to the landlord, and to the city? Since Beverly Hills was incorporated in 1914, we have enjoyed a high quality BHTV City Council and of life with few complaints about hous- Commission Schedule email ing. As a landlord with properties around • Design Review: August 2 at 1:30 the metropolitan area, I can attest that the lettersp.m. cont. from page 2 market in Beverly Hills works much bet- • Strategic Planning Committee: “Rent Stabilization ter than in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, August 2 at 5:00 p.m. Ordinance” with buildings in better repair, tenants get- • Beverly Hills View: Assembly- I have been a resident of Beverly Hills ting better service, and apartment values member Autumn Burke: August for almost 40 years. During that time, rising (and bringing in higher property 6 at 4:30 p.m. Watch online here: while the city has become less affordable taxes). vimeo.com/281300045 the city services and amenities have not Collecting data of the square footage • City Council Study Session: August improved. Introducing rent control would of my apartment, my rent, and in general, 7 at 2:30 p.m. be the latest bad decision by the city coun- “protecting” me is not only very expen- • City Council Formal Meeting: Au- cil that would make the city less livable sive for the City (and the taxpayer), but gust 7 at 7:00 p.m. and more expensive in the long run. much worse, it is inefficient. After all, For 20 years, we have maintained an of- isn’t that what the legal system is for? WHAT’S ON fice at 9171 Wilshire Blvd. Our rent more Besides, the City itself lists on its website than doubled in the last 5 years due to the several resources for tenants. What could Receive Beverly YOUR MIND? NIMBY policies, such as undue restric- more draconian City regulations possibly tion on new construction. We are now in add? Hills Weekly You can write us at: the process of moving our office to Culver 140 South Beverly Drive City, where we will also benefit from the Asher Arom in your e-mail #201 lack of city taxes. Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, CA 90212 Get Beverly Hills Weekly inbox every You can fax us at: Beverly Hills 310.887.0789 delivered to week! your inbox each week! email us at: Sign up here: Sign up here: [email protected] http://eepurl.com/zfU-L http://eepurl.com/zfU-L Weekly SNAPSHOT WeBeverlye Hills kly Issue 983 • Aug 2 - 8 2018 Beverly Hills Weekly Inc. Founded: October 7, 1999 Published Thursdays Delivered in Beverly HilIs, Beverlywood, Los Angeles ISSN#1528-851X www.bhweekly.com Publisher & CEO 1 year Josh E. Gross subscriptions are Reporter available. Kelcey Caulder Sent via US Mail Sports Editor $75 payable Steven Herbert in advance Contributing Editor Rudy Cole (1925-2013) Adjudicated as a newspaper of general Advertising Representatives circulation for the County Allison Abrishami of Los Angeles. Case # BS065841 of the Los Legal Advertising Mike Saghian Angeles Superior Court, on Eiman Matian November 30, 2000. 140 South Beverly Drive #201 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 310.887.0788 phone 310.887.0789 fax CNPA Member [email protected] All staff can be reached at: HONORING ENERGY EFFICENCY first name @bhweekly.com Unsolicited materials will not be returned. CITY HALL ©2018 Beverly Hills Weekly Inc. The Beverly Hills City Council honored Energy Upgrade California, a statewide initiative teaching Californians how to be more energy efficient, with a proclamation at its July 24 meeting. Pictured, from left to right: CPUC Southern California Local Government Liason Christopher Moore, EUC California OUR DATA SPEAKS Field Manager Laura Rosenthal, Mayor Julian Gold, Vice Mayor John Mirisch, Councilmember Lili VOLUMES Bosse, Councilmember Lester Friedman, and Councilmember Robert Wunderlich. Page 2 • Beverly Hills Weekly ditions that have been attached to this one yet reviewed by city staff, which included that I don’t see what more can be done or year extension and I hope that you will ad- difference like an enclosed garage and a what else we can do. It keeps coming back here to those. I’m sure you intend to and change to the square footage of the con- and back and back,” Commissioner Lori briefs I encourage you to do that,” Ostroff said. struction. Greene Gordon said. “I’m not interested.” “With respect to the public, there were When asked by the commission why Vice Chair Alan Block disagreed, stat- quite a few people who expressed con- he felt it was appropriate to present them ing he felt it was the commission’s duty to cerns and I would urge you to be vigilant.” with new information that they were not get something approved on the property. Resolution Passed Approving able to study before making a decision, Ultimately, the commission decided to Open Air Dining Permit, Planning Commission Denies Gabbay responded that he proposed the hear Gabbay’s second proposal, which Extended Hours for Urth Proposal for 331 North new floor plan on Monday and that staff was different from that presented by staff, Caffé Oakhurst Drive suggested he present it at the meeting. and directed staff to prepare a resolution After multiple discussions and robust At its July 26 meeting, the Beverly Hills “What I would like to do if the commis- denying the project proposal. public comment, the Beverly Hills Plan- Planning Commission adopted a resolu- sion agrees is present the new floor plan The commission adopted the resolution ning Commission passed a resolution last tion denying requested variances and de- and, if it’s okay with the commission, at the meeting. velopment plan review for the construc- week approving a one-year Open Air Din- you could give us a preliminary approv- 9200 Wilshire Project Gets ing (OAD) Permit and Extended Hours tion of a two-story building at 331 North al,” Gabbay said. “Then, we’d come back Permit for Urth Caffé. Oakhurst Drive. with a complete set for your review or you Amendment Approval The commission previously heard five could refer it to the department to review The Beverly Hills Planning Commis- requests for potential construc- and approve.” sion at its July 26 meeting adopted a reso- tion at the project site. Most re- Commission Chair Andy Licht said he lution recommending approval of a Zone cently considered was a proposal was open to hearing a new, revised version Text Amendment to the City Council in for the establishment of an ad- of the propos- hoc committee, which the com- al but noted mission denied. Two new pro- he could not posals were heard on Thursday, make a deci- though only one was agendized sion on any and presented through the proper project until channels. it had been Hamid Gabbay, who is the properly re- architect for the 331 North viewed by Oakhurst Drive project, submit- city staff. Urth Caffe ted one proposal to city staff pri- “I person- or to the meeting detailing one set ally have no The resolution allows the café to contin- of construction plans. This proposal was interest in given to the commission for review. ue operation of open air dining on private seeing a fifth 9200 Wilshire Boulevard Review Rendering property and on the public right-of-way, The proposal submitted to staff in ad- plan. We change its hours of operation to 6:00 a.m. vance of the meeting detailed plans for a have seen so many plans on this project briefs cont. on page 4 to 11:00 p.m. Sunday—Thursday and two-story, one-unit building. It would be 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Friday—Saturday, approximately 22’2” tall with a 3’6” par- waive 16 code-required parking spaces apet and would cover 2,329 square feet. It associated with the open air dining on pri- would be constructed on a 3,324 square vate property, and allow for a total of 952 foot lot. The plans also included three square feet of open air dining. uncovered parking spaces ,a request for Because of prior feedback provided by a habitable basement area, which is not Beverly Hills residents at the commis- typically allowed in a multi-family zone, sion’s July 12 meeting, four conditions were incorporated into the resolution with the intent to mit- igate the effects that a restaurant opening earlier and staying open later might have on the surrounding community and neighborhood. These conditions include im- plementing a sound attenuation barrier at the southwest corner of the restaurant to help reduce noise disruptions to the residen- tial properties located west of the Building Rendering for 331 North Oakhurst Drive café, the development of an em- Project ployee manual or handbook that reduced rear and side setbacks, and a new outlines restaurant operations, conducting public outreach to patrons and neighbors curb cut on Third Street. to the 200 block of South El Camino The initial plans also requested that the Drive with the goal of encouraging them commission conduct a development plan to maintain a clean and peaceful environ- review for the construction and nine vari- ment wherein disturbances related to the ances, including variances that allow the café can be reported immediately, and the reduction of the required side yard set- removal of litter from the surrounding back, reduction of the required rear yard neighborhood twice a day, seven days a setback, extension of a porte-cochere to week.

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