Melissa Etehad, Author at Beverly Hills Courier

Commission Rejects Zone Text Amendment Proposal

Melissa Etehad — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 02:00:41 +0000

Members of the Beverly Hills Planning Commission unanimously rejected a zone text amendment proposal for the Trousdale Estates area during its Nov. 9 meeting that would have permitted property owners who have the right to have a second story to instead request the construction of a daylighting basement through a new R-1 Permit process.

The proposal was brought forth by a team representing a property owner of an empty lot on the eastern part of Hillcrest Road, whose magnificent views overlook the ocean and greater Los Angeles County area. The applicant is seeking to build a day-lighting basement with two retaining walls instead of a second story to avoid obstructing his uphill neighbor’s view.

“We believe we have come up with a proposal to amend the Beverly Hills Trousdale code that is of benefit to the community,” said Jason Somers, project representative and president of Crest Real Estate. “We’ve really worked hard to come up with something that protects it at all levels and always has the requirement, now or in the future, to come back in front of your commission to make sure that if someone is taking something away…it is because it is enhancing the views of a neighboring property owner.”

While Planning Commission leaders lauded the applicant and his representatives for their creativity and collaborative spirit in finding a solution that would have also benefited the uphill neighbor, they ultimately rejected their zone text amendment request and proposed construction project, stating that it wasn’t justified, would adversely affect residents and would undermine the neighborhood’s character, scale and integrity.

“As a matter of public policy, which is what we’re talking about here, this would not be a good thing for a new ordinance or a good thing for the culture or history of Trousdale,” Planning Commissioner Chair Gary Ross said. “I share with my colleagues not just ambivalence about this but lack of support.”

Trousdale area development standards are some of the most restrictive in the city. In order to preserve views and maintain the unique character of the area, all 599 single-family residential lots in the Trousdale area are required not to exceed a 14-foot height limit. The height restrictions were placed in 1985 and were revised in 1987.

Under Trousdale’s current zoning ordinances, the applicant’s construction project wouldn’t be allowed. Trousdale’s zoning ordinances currently limit grading on properties only to the existing level pad and in areas that do not exceed a 20% slope. The applicant’s project requires grading that goes beyond the existing level pad in an area with a slope of at least 45% and possibly 60%.

In order to amend the Beverly Hills Municipal Code, the Planning Commission would have to first vote in support of the proposed zone text amendment. Next, they would have to direct staff to draft a resolution. Afterward they would vote on whether they support recommending the resolution to the City Council.

Although the zone text amendment proposal would have allowed exceptions to development standards in the Trousdale area, it would have applied only to a limited number of residents. According to the Planning Commission’s report, only two of the 14 properties identified as having either partial or complete second stories are also greater than one acre and would therefore qualify—one of which is the applicant’s property.

To facilitate such projects, the applicant’s representatives proposed changing the city’s municipal code to allow grading and excavation beyond the existing level pad on slopes that exceed 20% in order to construct a daylighting basement.

During the more than two-hour meeting, some commissioners expressed concern over the proposed construction project, saying it would cause congestion on Trousdale’s already narrow and winding roads given the amount of trucks it would take to remove all the dirt. Other commissioners said the zone text amendment request failed to meet the city’s benchmark.

“When I’m looking at a zone text amendment, I’m thinking it has to either be something for the properties affected that everyone wants or the city decided it’s a good thing for everyone,” said Planning Commissioner Jeff Wolf. “ I appreciate the attempts made and the desire to try to work with the neighbor, but I have to look at it from the standpoint of the community in general, and from that standpoint for this zone text amendment I can’t make the findings and won’t be supporting recommending this to the City Council.”

The Planning Commission also heard from members of the public. “Even though generally we would want consistency with codes, over time there are situations where a zone text amendment may help a neighbor or resident,” one member of the public who supported the proposal said over video. “It shouldn’t be denied because of a generalized fear or conjecture.”

However, other Trousdale residents disagreed.

“The language of the amendment is very vague,” one Trousdale resident argued.

“When things are decided in one or two meetings, there can be unintended consequences,” another resident said, pointing to privacy and comfort issues for neighboring property owners.

Some commissioners suggested that they might be more amenable to a request from an applicant that asks for flexibility in where a second story could be built, as a way to help minimize the impact on the uphill neighbor’s view.

The applicant and his project representatives will have an opportunity to appeal the Planning Commission’s decision in December. However, Somers told the Courier he’s not sure yet what they will do.

“The issue was that they seemed to feel that by providing one daylighting basement… somehow this opened the avenue for others to achieve it, even though the language is very specific that it couldn’t be approved on any other property where it would have a detrimental impact,” he said.

“If this was the same condition on other properties, where we were helping a neighbor and not hurting others, why would that not be accepted within the code? Isn’t that what we are trying to do—to make sure we are good neighbors?”

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Hostage Families and Terror Survivors Speak at ‘Stronger Together’ Event

Melissa Etehad — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 03:30:09 +0000

Survivors of Israel’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas and family members of those currently held hostage by the militant group, took center stage Nov. 7 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. Residents from all parts of the Los Angeles area joined with public officials and community leaders in a show of support one month after the country’s deadliest attack since its founding in 1948.

Hosted by the Israeli American Council (IAC) of Los Angeles, the sold-out event drew a crowd of over 1,800 people. The program, entitled “Stronger Together,” was one of many the IAC and its partners have held nationwide in the wake of the attack.

Though the energy inside the theater was high, it also felt somber. Many attendees wore black. Dozens of tall white candles lined the front of the stage. Blue lights illuminated the lectern. A tall screen played videos and displayed photos of victims and those currently held hostage. As Sigal Erez, a 54-year-old Marina Del Rey resident sat in the packed theater waiting for the event to begin, she said she had been feeling increasingly more helpless. She wished she was in Israel. “The Oct. 7 attacks shocked every part of me. It changed the landscape for Jewish people all over the world,” she told the Courier. “We have to remember though that this isn’t the end. We will bring the hostages home.”

The event kicked off at around 8 p.m. with a slew of special remarks from speakers who encouraged attendees to remain strong and continue speaking out against a cease-fire until all the hostages are released. “We must never stay silent. We must defeat Hamas and bring our hostages home. It is either us or them,” Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Eran, told the crowd. “We must fight for the legitimacy of our soldiers and show them support.”

The event also featured a musical performance by Israeli singer Harel Skaat. Other notable speakers included Elan Carr, the Israeli American Council’s CEO; Andrea Sasse, Germany’s Consul General to Los Angeles and Noa Tishby, an Israeli actress who previously served as Israel’s envoy for combating antisemitism, among others. Later, attendees heard moving testimony from several survivors and family members of those currently held hostage.

An image from a recent rally in support of Israel is displayed on the screen of the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills during the Israeli American Council’s “Stronger Together” event. Photo by Melissa Etehad

The two-hour program was earnest and showed resilience, which largely matched the mood of the crowd. Some attendees said they felt compelled to come to the event to demonstrate unity and resolve amid rising tensions on college campuses and growing antisemitic incidents in neighborhoods across the nation. Other attendees came out because they were eager to show support for Israel in a safe space rather than at local rallies where they feared it could devolve into violence or chaos. They pointed to the death of an elderly Jewish man this week who was killed at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Thousand Oaks after he had fallen backward and struck his head on the ground.

The crowd inside the theater fell silent when Oct. 7 attack survivors Danielle Sasi and her husband took the stage to detail their harrowing experience. Sasi told attendees that she was at a music festival with family when they heard gunfire. They squeezed themselves into a shelter with a group of 40 other people. One of the bullets struck Sasi’s leg. She called out to her father for help, but there was no answer. He had been killed. Sasi told the crowd she survived because her husband covered her with blood from the bodies around them so that she could remain hidden.

After the event, Sasi told the Courier this was only the second time she had shared her story with a large crowd. She felt motivated to do so as a way to honor her father. “I find strength by thinking of my dad,” she told the Courier. “I want people who came here tonight to know that together we are one.”

Ariel Ein-Gal, a 26-year-old Israeli citizen who also survived the Oct. 7 attack, flew to Los Angeles to share his story at the event. Ein-Gal told the audience that what started out as a fun day with friends at a beach near the Gaza border soon turned into a nightmare with gunfire erupting around them. When he spotted a boat heading toward him near the shore, he thought it was a rescue crew. He soon realized they were Hamas militants. Ein-Gal and his friends ran to their cars and started driving. Later, he learned that his best friend was shot and killed while trying to escape. “I didn’t even realize what was happening until they started firing at us,” he told the crowd. “We must turn our grief into action and educate people. We need to stop anti-Jewish hate.”

Later, families with loved ones currently being held hostage by Hamas shared their stories and pain of being separated from relatives. Eitan Gonen, a father whose 23-year-old daughter, Romi Gonen, has been missing, said it is agonizing not knowing whether his daughter is safe or alive.

As the evening drew to a close, 35-year-old Farnaz Cohen, an attendee, took some time to reflect on the event. As she waited for her parents to exit the theater, she said she drew inspiration from survivors. She also expressed admiration for the resiliency of loved ones who have family held hostage in Gaza. “The event was beautiful,” Cohen told the Courier. “It felt melancholy at times, but I’m leaving feeling hopeful.”

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City Weighs Transit Pilot Program

Melissa Etehad — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Despite objections raised by several city leaders, members of the Beverly Hills Traffic and Parking Commission have decided to move forward with its plans to launch a transit pilot program this summer, which will include a new circular bus route near the bustling business district and an on-demand microtransit system for people traveling between more widely spaced and sparsely populated areas of the city.

Some of the major concerns and criticisms – which have been raised by members of the Planning Commission, Community Advisory Committee and Public Works Commission – are regarding the proposed circular bus route and the ways in which the city has been rolling out the one-year pilot program, which will cost approximately $3.5 million.

Beverly Hills Planning Commission Chair Myra Demeter told the Courier that she is concerned the pilot program will fail because the circular bus route will not attract robust ridership and that the proposed route will not adequately service the city.

Demeter is one of two Planning Commission representatives who were part of original discussions about the pilot program. She is also one of several city leaders who signed a public letter expressing concern about the pilot program.

Demeter said the idea for a new transit system in Beverly Hills was born from discussions that members of the Community Advisory Committee had in August 2021 about ways to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The committee learned that approximately 50% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions were from motor vehicle trips to, from or within the city. Members of the advisory committee had originally advocated that the Traffic and Parking Commission draft a preliminary plan and get input from vendors before extensive community engagement and specifics of a proposal be drafted.

“It is disheartening to see our hard work ignored and not reflect what we brought forth and voted on,” she told the Courier. “The proposed route does not reflect our purposes or our discussions. It does not adequately service the city.”

Several aspects of the pilot transit program have yet to be flushed out and remain unclear, including possible bus stop locations, types of vehicles, passenger capacity and operating hours. The Traffic and Parking Commission directed staff during its Jan. 5 meeting to continue refining details of the pilot program and to report back with their findings in the coming weeks.

The purpose of the one-year pilot program is to offer the community convenient and reliable public transportation in areas of the city that haven’t been served in the past, City Engineer Daren Grilley told the Courier. The program is also part of Beverly Hills’s long-term plan to provide residents with a climate-friendly alternative to their cars.

“The staff that’s working on this is excited,” said Grilley. “[They] want to develop a program that is successful.”

But city officials acknowledge that one major challenge has been getting residents to provide feedback about the proposed pilot transit program. At the Jan. 5 meeting, the Traffic and Planning Commission asked residents to fill out a new survey that’s available until Jan. 13 or to share their thoughts during public meetings or in emails.

Links to the surveys – which are currently only available in English – have been posted on social media platforms and distributed in emails, flyers and newspaper advertisements.

Results from the new survey will be discussed during the Traffic and Parking Commission’s Feb. 2 meeting. Commissioners will present their recommendations to members of City Council sometime later in February or March.

“There are a lot of pieces that need to be put in place before we put out such an expensive program, so we want to make sure the community has a voice in this,” said City Transportation Planner Martha Eros.

Planning Commissioner and long-time Beverly Hills resident Peter Ostroff believes that relying on public surveys defeats the original purpose of the transit pilot program, which was supposed to challenge years of ingrained driving habits. Ostroff said he is frustrated that the proposed route for the bus circulator is not comprehensive enough to motivate residents to get out and use it.

“The notion was to have what I would call a ‘grant experiment,’ to see if we could change people’s lifetime habits of hopping in their cars to go three blocks or three miles,” he told the Courier. “For me to go to Whole Foods it’s a two-mile drive and it would be nice to know that every 15-20 minutes there would be a bus that could take me to where I want to go.”

He added, “I felt that the way they sort of went about this was backwards. They hired consultants who conducted an attitude survey. That was pointless. We know the attitude of public transportation in Beverly Hills. The route ignores most of the city. If you look at it you wonder what purpose this serves?”

The consultant group that Ostroff is referring to is Kittelson & Associates Inc., a Portland-based transportation planning firm that spearheaded the city’s transit needs assessment in September 2022. The consultants found that one major area of improvement that the fixed-route bus circulator would help address is north-south connectivity.

But Demeter said that drastically reduces the scope of the original project.

“We spoke about the need for a comprehensive route – one that would service the schools, metro stations and other critical areas. This meant that it would be east-west and north-south,” she told the Courier.

Grilley remains confident that the integrity of the proposed pilot program remains intact and said it will make it easier for workers, residents and visitors to get around while also helping reduce the city’s carbon footprint and fight traffic congestion.

“The pilot program is flexible. The purpose is to find out how it works. Things can be adjusted. It’s about adding options, he said. “A lot of questions can be answered during the pilot process because it needs to be observed,” he said.

The pilot program’s circular bus route will be free of charge or at a minimal cost. It will consist of one fixed bi-directional route operating approximately every 15 minutes on major streets south of Santa Monica Boulevard.

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City Council Honors, Discusses and Approves in Last Meeting of Year

Melissa Etehad — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Members of the Beverly Hills City Council dove deep into approving a slew of wide-ranging measures during their regular meeting on Dec. 13. Agenda items ranged from police department signing bonuses to licensing agreements and commission appointments, among others.

But the session began on a sentimental note when Mayor Lili Bosse issued a proclamation to honor retiring City Manager George Chavez.

“You have touched so many lives,” a teary-eyed Bosse said to Chavez before presenting him with a key to the city – making him the first City Manager in Beverly Hills to have been honored with that gift. “You are the only human being that I’ve known that is able to get two people who disagree on everything to always agree on you.”

Members of the public also shared their memories of Chavez, whose 34-year career as a public servant in Beverly Hills made him a pillar in the community.

“I’m just so overwhelmedoverwhelmed with love,” Chavez said. “I’m the luckiest guy on the planet.”

One of the handful of items Council members unanimously approved Tuesday night was a resolution that updates the list of city officials and employees required to file reports under California’s Conflict of Interest Code.

The resolution was spurred by staffing changes at nine city departments: City Clerk, Community Development, Community Services, Finance, Public Works, Police, Human Resources, Information Technology, Policy and Management and Public Works.

Impacted city officials and employees will be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest, also known as the “Form 700.” The form requires individuals to disclose and report personal financial information in order to ensure there is no conflict of interest. Depending on a person’s position or title some of that information might include investments, gifts or additional sources of revenue.

Council members also approved two new appointments to the Recreation and Parks Commission and one new appointment to the Community Charitable Foundation.

Deborah Termeie and John (JR) Dzubak, Jr. replace outgoing Recreation and Parks Commissioners Alissa Roston and Julian Javor, whose terms end Dec. 31 and June 30, 2023, respectively. Lisa Greer will replace outgoing Community Charitable Foundation member Allison Balson immediately after her term ends June 30, 2023.

The new commissioners will be eligible for reappointment at the end of their first two-year term.

The 17.4-acre development plan known as One Beverly Hills is also making progress.

Council members approved agreements and purchase orders to allow two consulting firms to submit plan review services for the visionary luxury project, which is set to include tall buildings ranging from nine to 18 stories and a botanical garden.

According to the staff report, the aim is to have the plan check for “Phase I” submitted and under review by Dec. 31 and will include comments and reviews on the project’s engineering plans, structural design and building code compliance.

Also, after much discussion, the Council approved a resolution to amend the Rent Stabilization Ordinance to remove provisions that allow landlords to evict a tenant for apartment remodeling purposes.

The Rent Stabilization Commission asked Council to review this matter because the eviction moratorium enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic is slated to end this month.

Lastly, in an effort to address the shortage in law enforcement, council members unanimously approved a Beverly Hills Police Department signing bonus program designed to attract young new officers.

According to the staff report, the program will include a flat bonus of $15,000 spread across a little over two years for pre-service police officers and $20,000 spread across three years for lateral police officers.

There are currently nine vacancies and at least two more expected by the end of the year. The move comes amid concerns of rising crime.

“Those actively recruiting strongly believe that the signing bonus will be a strong incentive and marketing tool in separating the city of Beverly Hills from other agencies,” said Director of Human Resources Shelley Ovrom.

Before voting, Bosse asked whether there was anything else the Council should consider when it came to addressing the needs of the police department.

“Do you feel everything you are proposing is what you want at this point?” Bosse asked Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark Stainbrook.

‘I think we’ve done a really good job this past year,” Stainbrook responded. “We are definitely on the right track.”

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