briefs • Bosse and Gold briefs • BHUSD faces more potential rudy cole • Second optimistic about City Council Page 2 layoffs Page 4 look at a project Page 6 ALSO ON THE WEB Beverly Hills www.bhweekly.com WeeklySERVING BEVERLY HILLS • BEVERLYWOOD • LOS ANGELES Issue 598 • March 17 - March 23, 2011 Briskman Family Escapes Tsunami But what can Beverly Hills learn from this disaster? Legal expert says the district is defying Public Records Act and residents deserve to know how schools & funds were being managed cover story • page 10 serious was his interest? He was wheeling city • Lili Bosse and Dr. Julian Gold briefs • Board of Education votes rudy cole • Election win City Council race Page 3 not to fence off front lawn Page 3 reflections Page 6 and dealing with City officials until the very ALSO ON THE WEB Beverly Hills www.bhweekly.com last minute, holding up filing paper work that letters would mandate a vote until minutes before the city clerk closed the office and the dead- briefs WeeklySERVING BEVERLY HILLS • BEVERLYWOOD • LOS ANGELES Issue 597 • March 10 - March 16, 2011 line passed. Bosse and Gold optimistic about City Weekly What evidently distressed Englander is Picks Bosse Council and all 3 that I had the audacity to speak out against Measures page 3 & email Councilmember-elect Lili Bosse cele- the Two Hour Free Parking scam initiative. Englander is clearly not used to being called brated her victory with a trip to Maui this week. “Measure 2P” [Issue 597] out. Considering that he won the election, why is he now so anxious to continue the “I can tell you that for the last nine Lobbyist Harvey Englander made a very battle? The answer should be quite chilling. months I was eating, breathing, sleep- Head of hysterical and emotional personal attack He clearly wants to silence and frighten any ing—which I wasn’t sleeping—the whole the Parks against me in last week’s Letters to the Editor possible opponents for whatever scheme he campaign and I literally did not have one The Weekly’s interview with that was, aside from being filled with vit- newly appointed Recreation & -- working for whoever pays the most -- will day off,” said Bosse, while walking on Parks Director Steve Zoet riol and untruths, totally out of step with our next bring to our community. the beach. “I wouldn’t even take an hour cover story • page 10 Community’s standards of ethical dialogue. We must not allow ourselves to be fright- off for lunch. [Jon and I] are in Hawaii Now, Englander is frantically attempting to ened or intimidated; we should all be proud because it’s literally our first day off. I say rewrite the history and distort the truth. to stand up to bullies who threaten our him, too, because he lived the whole expe- WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND? His letter implies he had no interest in a Community. I spoke out against 2P, not rience with me. He went to every single compromise that might have avoided a vote because I oppose two hour free parking, coffee, every single forum, everything.” You can write us at: on Measure 2P. which I clearly never have. I spoke out Although she was away from Beverly 140 South Beverly Drive #201 For the record, and putting aside all the because Englander’s campaign was so filled Hills, she said she was still connecting Beverly Hills, CA 90212 nonsense and half-truths he used in his let- with distortions, so obviously designed to to people back home making thank you You can fax us at: ter to attack me, Englander did indeed meet benefit a special interest, his clients, that I phone calls and using social media, which 310.887.0789 with me and with other City officials. How found it not in the public interest. However, was an integral part of her campaign. “I’ve been on my campaign Facebook email us at: Corrections, [Issue 597] spend enough, distort sufficiently and some- times, even in our well informed community, page talking to people and sharing ideas [email protected] Steve Zoet’s title was identified incor- even while I’m here,” Bosse said. “I always rectly in last week’s cover story. His the voters can be deceived. Let’s hope that the era of Englander- intend to be accessible anywhere I am.” title is Director of Community Services. When asked what she is looking forward Corrections, [Issue 596] style campaigns is coming to an end, not only in Beverly Hills, but in our country. to most about serving on the City Council, “New Gateway possible at city’s west she said she is looking forward to working side.” The area in question was actually Accountability for smears, false arguments and overspending will eventually lead to with the community. at the city’s east side (Doheny and Santa “I’m really looking forward to continu- Monica). reforms. Sooner or later, that time will come, briefs cont. on page 4 SNAPSHOT letters cont. on page 7 WeBeverlye Hills kly Issue 598 • March 17 - March 23, 2011 Beverly Hills Weekly Inc. Founded: October 7, 1999 Published Thursdays Delivered in Beverly HilIs, Beverlywood, Los Angeles ISSN#1528-851X www.bhweekly.com 1 year Publisher & CEO subscriptions Josh E. Gross are available. Reporter Sent via US Mail Melanie Anderson $75 payable in Sports Editor advance Steven Herbert Contributing Editor Rudy Cole Adjudicated as a newspaper of general Advertising Representatives circulation for the County Patricia Massachi of Los Angeles. Case Negin Elazari # BS065841 of the Los Leora Kashani Angeles Superior Court, Photo: Marc Saleh Marc Photo: Legal Advertising on November 30, 2000. Mike Saghian Grant Blaisdell Eiman Matian 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: first name @bhweekly.com Unsolicited materials will not be returned. ©2011 Beverly Hills Weekly Inc. COUNCIL-ELECT NORTH LINDEN DRIVE Councilmembers Dr. Willie Brien, Barry Brucker, and John Mirisch (right) join newly elected Councilmembers Lili Bosse and Dr. Julian Gold (center) at Bosse’s election night party. Page • Beverly Hills Weekly NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING DATE: March 24, 2011 DATE: March 24, 2011 TIME: 1:30 PM, or as soon TIME: 1:30 PM, or as soon thereafter as the thereafter as the matter may be heard matter may be heard LOCATION: Council Chambers LOCATION: Council Chambers Beverly Hills City Hall Beverly Hills City Hall 455 North Rexford Drive 455 North Rexford Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Beverly Hills, CA 90210 On October 14, 2010, the Planning The Planning Commission of the City of Beverly Hills, at its regular meeting on Commission approved a proposed Thursday, March 24, will hold a public hearing beginning at 1:30 PM, or as soon medical office building at 121 San thereafter as the matter may be heard, to consider the project described below. Vicente Boulevard and adopted a The public is invited to attend the public hearing to comment on the project. A Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND). The project was appealed by Kenneth Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was prepared for the project and Blumer for Dreskin, Gelber and Silverman, LLC (the appellant). In response to released for public review on November 3, 2008. A public hearing was held to the appeal, the applicant has revised the project. At its meeting of the February discuss the DEIR on November 20, 2008 and written and oral comments from 3, 2011 City Council, remanded the matter to the Planning Commission for its the public and the Planning Commission received have been incorporated into consideration of the revised project. The hearing on the revised project will be a Final EIR, which has been revised to include updated technical studies. The held on Thursday, March 24, 2010 at 1:30 p.m., to consider the following: Planning Commission may provide direction and comments on the project and/ or make a recommendation to the City Council. A request for a Development Plan Review and a Variance application to allow construction of approximately 32,450 square foot, 3-story, 45-foot high medical Project Location and general office at121 San Vicente Boulevard. A Development Plan Review is required for construction of new buildings. The revised project as proposed The project site is located on three properties addressed as 9900 Santa Monica would provide 157 parking spaces at the ground floor and within a three-level Boulevard (Applicant: Roxbury Management Co.), 9844 Wilshire Boulevard subterranean garage and with a separate ingress and egress located at San (Applicant: Wilco LLC) and 9817 Wilshire Boulevard (Applicant: Mr. Jeffrey Mirkin), Vicente Boulevard. As originally proposed, the proposed parking spaces would in the City of Beverly Hills. The properties, which together total approximately be a combination of tandem and standard parking spaces, and would rely on 3.3 acres in size, are located along Santa Monica Boulevard, between the north a valet operation. The City’s municipal code does not allow tandem parking roadway of Santa Monica Boulevard and the parcels fronting onto the south spaces, and the applicant has requested approval of a variance to allow the roadway of Santa Monica Boulevard, on either side of the intersection of Santa proposed tandem parking system to satisfy the code required parking. The Monica and Wilshire Boulevards. original project also included a second variance to allow the ground floor parking garage to be excluded from the total floor area calculation. The project proposes Project Description a partial office use at the ground floor which does not provide a minimum depth of forty feet (40’) as required by code.