1. education
2. school

....to identify,
discuss, and
resolve problems
and issues within
our community...
March
2015
Contact Information
Mailing Address:
July, 2001
Next Meeting is
OGHRG
PO Box 34055
Granada Hills, CA 91394
Board of Directors
Bette Biers
Secretary
[email protected]
Maria Fisk
Co-Founder
Zoning/Density
[email protected]
Bob Castle
Treasurer
[email protected]
John Seletos
www.johnseletos.com
Richard Fisk
Editor
[email protected]
Bob Biava
All Around
[email protected]
Committees
Zoning / Density
Newsletter
Formed as Needed
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Newsletter articles, pictures,
comments, suggestions:
[email protected]
or mailing address above
Vol. 15 No. 3
Thursday, March 19th, 2015
7:03 pm - 8:29 pm
Granada Hills Charter High School - Rawley Hall
April 3rd
Dave Beauvais
President
[email protected]
818-831-2318
Gayle Biava
Guest Speakers
gayle.biava @ csun.edu
w w w . OGHRG. o r g
A Monthly Publication
7:03
7:04
7:09
7:15
Introductions, Disclaimer
Reading of Minutes, Agenda Review
Community Announcements; News; Events
OGHRG Committee Reports
Financial; Zoning and Density; Newsletter
7:30 Guest Speaker: Art
Peterson, Navy Veteran on
connecting veterans with their medals
8:15 Updates and reports on current issues
8:26 New Business and Wrap-up
Easter April 5th
April meeting will be April,16th
OGHRG President’s Message
Thanks For Your Support
I want to start with a huge thank you to everyone who has thus far submitted their dues
for the year. As we roll out the dues call each year I am always gratified and amazed
at your generosity and support. We have many members who donate well beyond the
requested amount, and have done so for years. Our dues are completely voluntary, and
along with newsletter sponsorships, provide the only revenue we receive.
Granada Hills/Knollwood Community Plan
We are still awaiting our Community Plan to be taken up by the Los Angeles City Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee. What we are being told is that the
litigation arising from the Hollywood Community Plan has caused the City Attorney to
re-review all the Community Plans at all stages of the review process. We have scheduled a meeting with our Councilmember to assess the situation and try to find a path
forward that will get our plan through the final two hurdles (PLUM and City Council).
Mansionization Ordinance
Last week, several of us attended a City Planning and Land Use Management hearing
at City Hall regarding amendments to the current “Mansionization” ordinance. Actually,
the hearing was not about the merits of the amendments themselves, but whether certain
areas of the city, including Old Granada Hills, should be protected by an interim control
ordinance (ICO) while the City Planning Department studies the proposed amendments.
Frankly, the Planning Department should be able to review the proposed amendments
and act pretty quickly; all of the amendments are straight forward and unambiguous.
They aim to close loopholes that have rendered the Mansionization ordinance toothless.
The impacts are well understood. Once again, we are faced with a prolonged battle
between developer interests and residents who want to preserve the character and history
of their unique neighborhoods.
Citrus Sunday
(Continued page 2)
Old Granada Hills Residents’Group
March Meeting
President’s Message - continued from cover page
On March 19, 2015, Art Peterson will tell us about his
efforts to get medals to those veterans that were awarded
them but never received them. He is a very important
member of our community because he lives at Aegis,
a retirement home on Lindley just west of the Granada
Village Shopping Center. You may have read about him
in the LA Times in the January 9 publication. Sandy
Banks wrote a long article about
how he found veterans who had
not received their medals and
took them through the process
of getting them. They were
awarded to several vets at a
special ceremony at Aegis which Sandy Banks attended
and then wrote about. He will be at our meeting to tell
you how he does this and to ask your assistance in finding
other vets who are in this position - awarded medals but
never actually receiving them. Mr. Peterson served in the
Navy from 1943 to 1946.
The 10th annual Citrus Sunday event is scheduled for
Sunday, May 17, 2015. This is an event that we have
sponsored and participated in since the beginning. You
can participate by picking your fresh citrus fruit and
bringing it to either Granada Hills Charter High School
(front parking lot), Fire Station 87
(front parking area) or Knollwood
Golf Course (just inside the parking
lot). All of this fruit is donated
to food banks around the San
Fernando Valley, including the Valley Interfaith Council
(VIC), MEND, and SILVA. We will be accepting donations from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. More details on this
event next month.
Dave Beauvais, President
CicLAvia in the Valley
Ciclavia first came to Los Angeles in 2010 and has had
10 events in Los Angeles. Sunday, March 22nd, will be
the first Ciclavia event in the San Fernando Valley. Lankershim Blvd from Chandler Blvd in North Hollywood
down to Universal City and from there Ventura Blvd to
Coldwater Canyon will be closed to vehicle traffic. You
can walk, ride a bike, skateboard on those streets from
9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon.
CicLAvia started as a grassroots initiative in 2008 as
the outgrowth of discussions held by a
number of individuals who recognized
that open streets events could address
active transportation, urban land use
and public health needs in Los Angeles.
Inspired by the ciclovía events that
started 40 years ago in Bogotá, Colombia, the first
CicLAvia was held in October of 2010. Four years and
ten CicLAvias later, hundreds of thousands of people
have explored more than 100 miles of open streets in Los
Angeles.
Momentum has rapidly propelled CicLAvia to become
the largest event of its kind in the United States and a
leader in the global open streets movement. CicLAvia
allows Angelenos to envision an alternative future for Los
Angeles – a bike and pedestrian friendly city, a healthy
city with alternative transportation beyond the singlepassenger automobile.
For more information and a downloadable map, visit the
website: www.ciclavia.org
Granada High Wins
Granada Hills Charter High School won the Los Angeles
Unified School District Academic Decathlon for the fourth
time in five years with a competition record score of
59,167.1 points out of 65,400. This was the highest score
for a team in the United States Academic Decathlon’s 47
year history surpassing the previous highest score set by
Granada Hills Charter High in 2012.
Irene Lee, who competed last year received the highest
individual score this year with 9,461.4 points (out of 10,000
possible), tying the all time individual record set in 2009.
The next step in the goal of winning the national title will
be the state competition that will be held March 20 -21 in
Sacramento. Only one school from each state will be eligible to compete in the National Academic Decathlon being
held this year in Garden Grove, California, April 16-18.
Granada Hills Charter High School has won the national
title in 3 of the last 4 years. Go Granada!!
Phone:(818) 368-8646
FAX (818) 368-9547
SavinBurskLaw.com
L AW OFFICES OF
S AVIN & B URSK
BONNIE MARIE BURSK,ESQ.
CERTIFIED SPECIALIST- PROBATE, ESTATE PLANNING & TRUST LAW
CALIFORNIA STATE BAR BOARD OF LEGAL SPECIALIZATION
Some people would never get any exercise at
all if they didn’t have to walk to their cars
[email protected]
10663 Yarmouth Ave. Granada Hills, Ca 91344-5936
This issue was proofread by Sharon Klek
March
2
2015
Old Granada Hills Residents’Group
Very Special Meeting
Coming Events
Last month’s meeting came with a special surprise. Bob
and Barbara Biers were formally recognized with a framed
City of Los Angeles
Certificate denoting
their 73rd wedding
anniversary. Family
and friends came to
witness the ceremony
and hear their story.
Several days later,
Dennis McCarthy
wrote an article about
the Biers in the Daily
News. In the article, Bette Biers, their oldest daughter and
the secretary of the Old Granada Hills Residents’ Group
is quoted in defining her parents’ state of mind, “They’re
100% in their noggins”. Bob and Barbara Biers still live in
the house on Tulsa street they bought 65 years ago.
Mar 16: Valley Vote at Galpin Ford: 6:45
Mar 17: St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday
Mar 19: Old Granada Hills Residents’ Group
Meeting; 7:00;
Mar 20: First day of Spring
Mar 20,21: Book sale at the Library
Mar 28: Egg Hunt at Petit Park - Granada Hills Rec Center;
12:00 noon; free
Apr 1: April Fools Day - Wednesday
Apr 2: Granada Hills South Neighborhood Council,6:30pm
Granada High; www.GHSNC.org
Apr 3: Passover
Apr 5: Easter Sunday
Apr 7: Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council, check
www.GHNNC.org for location
Apr 7: GH Chamber Gov’t Affairs Committee monthly meeting; Noon, Chamber office, 368-3235
Apr 15: Income Tax filing due
Book Sale
Von’s Name Change?
The Friends of the Granada Hills Library will host a
two-day used book sale on Friday, March 20, from 9:30 AM
to 5:00 PM; and Saturday, March 21, from 9:30 AM to 4:00
PM. The sale will take be held in the library’s
community room at 10640 Petit Ave. in Granada
Hills. Their phone number is 818-368- 5687.
Prices for most books will range from 25 cents
to one dollar. All proceeds will benefit the library. Carol
Mandelberg
In the January newsletter, we reported from an LA Times
article, that a small Bellingham, Washington grocery chain
was buying over 140 Von’s, Safeway and Albertson’s
stores. Late last month we received a media kit from the
PR company representing the Haggen 18 store grocer. The
media kit included a list of what stores would be acquired
and when transformation would take place. Our local Von’s
store on San Fernando Mission Blvd. was not on the list.
The closest stores that are scheduled to become Haggen’s
are: Simi Valley, Woodland Hills, or Santa Clarita.
Has it Been That Long Ago
It has been 4 years (April 16th)
since Providence Holy Cross
Hospital formally opened the 138
bed patient care wing. It was one of the first “green” hospital
buildings in California. The four story $180 million expansion has 12 neonatal intensive care beds, a Women’s Pavilion, gastroenterology lab, operating rooms, and a 100 seat
chapel. Now if they could only build a decent parking lot....
The Street Faire
The Granada Hills Street Faire committee has been
diligently working on the 2015 event since mid October
and set March 1st as the time a go-nogo decision had to be
made. A commitment for sufficient funds had to be received
by that date to permit the committee to move forward with
its planning operations. The
initial funding goal has been
reached, making the 2015
Granada Hills Street Faire a definite go. Mark your calendars for October 10th to roam downtown Granada Hills,
visit the vendors, enjoy the entertainment, meet friends and
neighbors, and check out the car show. Businesses should
consider the advertising opportunities of 20,000 people.
This year there will be early registration discounts for
booth vendors. Check the website as it gets updated www.
granadahillstreetfaire.com
Free for the Kids
Free Spring Egg Hunt at Granada Hills Recreation
Center (Petit Park) on Saturday, March 28th, beginning at 12:00 noon. There will also be face painting,
Moonbounce, Arts & Crafts, games, and egg dying.
Don’t forget to bring an egg hunting basket.
Status
The 4 corners of White Oak and Chatsworth, as you might
have noticed, have been under construction since December.
The seating walls, donor bricks, artificial grass, decomposed granite, doggy station, and other amenities should be
complete by early April. The Town Clock might be installed
by May, pending the city permit process.
Marriage is an investment that always
pays dividends, but only if you pay interest
March
3
2015
Old Granada Hills Residents’Group
Crime; Devonshire LAPD
New Sponsor
On February 16th, there were 2 distraction thefts in
Granada Hills. In both cases, the victims were shopping
in retail stores, when they were approached by a female
who engaged them in a few minutes of conversation.
After suspect walked away victims noticed their wallets
were missing from their purse.
Please remind your friends and family to be aware of
their surroundings and to keep all personal items on their
person. Shoppers should avoid placing purses, backpacks,
etc. in shopping carts.
HIDE IT - LOCK IT- KEEP IT - Please continue to
secure your vehicles and remove all valuables from plain
sight. Thieves have broken into cars just for the loose
change they see. from E-Police newsletter; LAPD Devon-
Granada Hills Optometry Center has been serving the
Granada Hills and surrounding areas for over 40 years. Dr.
Carl Melnik and Dr. Judy Ichiuji have been joined by Dr. Eric
Leser and Dr. Vicki Leung to provide all aspects of eye care.
We prescribe glasses and contact lenses as well as treat eyes
for allergies, infections, injuries and glaucoma. We monitor
eye conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration and
diabetic eye disease. Dr. Leser is our resident expert in contact
lenses and Dr. Leung takes care of our youngest patients from
birth through adulthood. Her residency in pediatric optometry
has given her the extra training to provide eye care to the
growing pediatric population in Granada Hills.
Most of you, I’m sure, know Dr. Melnik well as he has been
in this community for over 40 years, serving on many of the
boards of your local community service organizations. He has
been recognized many times for his service to this community.
Feel free to stop by and say “Hi!” He
is cutting back his schedule just a bit to
spend more time with his lovely wife
Donna, and their extended family. If you
are in Big Bear, you might just see them
there! Dr. Judy (as she is fondly known
as) has been with GHOC for almost 2
decades and has a loyal patient base. She has a quiet and calm
way with patients so if you find yourself apprehensive about
going to the eye doctor, she is the one you should see.
Dr. Leser grew up in Granada Hills. He attended El Oro
Way, Robert Frost Jr. High and Kennedy High School before
heading off to UCLA and CSUN. Being a part of Granada
Hills Optometry Center is “coming home” for Dr. Leser.
His father is still a resident of Granada Hills. Dr. Leung is
his wife. She grew up in the Bay Area, graduated from UC
Berkeley before heading to Houston for optometry school.
She is pleased to see so many infants and toddlers here in
Granada Hills as young families flock to this great community.
We are pleased to be able to serve our very youngest residents.
Attracting young families is what keeps Granada Hills vibrant
and current. Granada Hills is very similar to the area Dr.
Leung grew up in so it feels like home to her.
We look forward to seeing you again or meeting you for
the first time as we continue to serve this great community of
Granada Hills for many, many years to come.
shire -SLO Del Core
There have been several changes at LAPD Devonshire
Division. Two Senior Lead Officers have promoted to
sergeant! SLO Kate Luna and SLO Ignacio
Murillo are leaving Devonshire to new
divisions. Captain Kris Pitcher has been
promoted to Commander at Operations
Valley Bureau.
Captain Robert Marino has taken Kris
Pitcher position as Captain of Devonshire.
Marino came to Devonshire in June of 2014 from the
Mission Hills division where he was the Patrol Commanding Officer. He has been an LAPD officer since December
1989.
Captain Beverly Lewis is the new Commanding Officer of
Devonshire Patrol Division. She began as a police officer in
1991 and has continually moved up the ranks. Detective in
1997, Sergeant in 2000 and Lieutenant in October 2006 and
is now a Captain-I.
F R E E M U LC H
16600 Roscoe Pl. North
Hills 7am - 6pm 7 days
a week
Load your own container and take as much as
you want; courtesy of the City Of Los Angeles
Gran ada Hills Optometry c en t er
Devonshire Division Crime Stats 2/01 thru 2/28
Burglary ..... 75
Homicide ....0
GTA ........... 38
Rape ........... 3
BTFV ........ 142
Robbery ...... 10
Personal/
Aggravated
Other theft.....123
Assault ...... 32
Arrests ........ 294
Shots fired .. 4
18 013 C hatsworth Stree t
Gran ada Hills, CA 91344
818. 366. 2020
OptometryCenter.com
Data from LAPD Compstat
March
4
2015
Old Granada Hills Residents’Group
Women’s History Month
Irish Day
National Women’s History Month’s roots go back
to March 8, 1857, when women from New York City
factories staged a protest over working conditions. International Women’s Day was first observed in 1909, but
it wasn’t until 1981 that Congress established National
Women’s History Week to be commemorated the second
week of March. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to
a month. Every year since, Congress has passed a resolution for Women’s History Month, and the President has
issued a proclamation.
A statistical survey in 2013 put the total female population in the United States at 161 million. Men account for
156.1 million of the population. U.S. Census Bureau News,
Congress proclaimed March as Irish- American Heritage
Month in 1991, and the President issues a proclamation
commemorating the occasion each year.
Originally, a religious holiday to honor
St. Patrick, who introduced Christianity to
Ireland in the fifth century, St. Patrick’s Day
St.
has evolved into a celebration for all things
Pat
Irish. The world’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade
occurred on March 17, 1762, in New York
City, featuring Irish soldiers serving in the
English military. This parade became an annual event, with
President Truman attending in 1948.
From a 2013 survey there are 33.3 million United States
residents who claimed Irish ancestry. This number was
more than seven times the population of Ireland (4.6
million). Irish was the nation’s second - most frequently
reported European ancestry, trailing German. U.S. Census
Bureau News, Facts for Features, January 27, 2015
Facts for Features, February 26, 2015
Too Popular
The Oakridge Estate
tour has been so popular
that the limited space
available is filled before
we can even get the
information out. There
is a tour on March 15th,
which is full with the
next one planned for June 28th. The June tour will most
likely be filled by the time you get this newsletter. They
are working on the getting the parking challenge permanently addressed, so that they can plan more in advance.
By visiting the website, interested residents can be added
to the contact list and receive early notification of future
events and tours. www.theoakridgeestate.org or call
Laura Gets the Title
The Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce installation and awards dinner was held on February 27th at
the Odyssey restaurant. Jerry Askew, the 2013 Chamber
President, was the emcee of the event where Laine Caspi,
officially began her second year as the
President of Granada Hills Chamber of
Commerce.
Bonnie Marie Bursk, the 2013 Gil
Benjamin Citizen of the year recipient,
and Alison Robinson, a past president of the Chamber,
introduced the nominees for the 2014 Citizen of the Year
title early in the program. After dinner and with much
anticipation, Jerry opened the envelop and announced the
winner - Laura Andrews Clemens. Laura accepted the
award with some thoughtful comments and was presented
with recognition certificates from all levels of government.
Jarrod Degonia, District Representative for LA County
Supervisor Mike Antonovich, became the evening’s very
enthusiastic auctioneer, providing the crowd with moments
of entertainment and pointed humor.
818-739-0292
not to early to consider playing,
sponsoring or attending the dinner at:
Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce
36th Annual Golf Tournament
Monday, May 4th
Porter Valley Country Club
Putting contest, Continental Breakfast Shotgun start, No
host cocktails, Silent Auction, Awards Dinner and Prizes
Save $10 by signing up before April 23rd
Gentle Quality Care
818-368-3235
The secret of good golf is to hit the ball
hard, straight, and not too often
Recently Sold Homes
10554 Andasol
$420,000
11244 Yarmouth $350,000
17418 Kingsbury $417,500
March
10657 Andasol
10911 Lindley
11326 Louise
$385,000
$630,000
$607,500
5
2015
P.O. Box 34055
Granada HIlls, CA 91394
March
2015
Old Granada Hills
Residents’ Group is
a non profit organization of volunteers
and concerned residents of our community. In our 14th
year, we are a voice
well known to our
elected representatives with issues
that affect us all please join us.
Please Support Our
Neighborhood Sponsors
The businesses you have seen listed in this newsletter are dedicated to preserving
our Old Granada Hills Neighborhood. If you would like to become an advertising
sponsor please call us at 818-368-7454 or email; [email protected]
Welcome a new sponsor.
Despina Crassa
Financial Advisor
Morgan Stanley
Also, a returning sponsor inside
Wealth Management
444 South Flower Street
34th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
tel 213 486 8939
fax 213 486 8857
toll free 800 832 7648
60
MINUTE
TUNE
Complete Automotive Service
60 Minute Tune
Dave Jackson
11920 Balboa Blvd.
Granada Hills, CA 91344
(818) 360-2277
Fax (818) 831-6609
CA Insurance Lic. #0J12911
http://www.morganstanleyfa.com/despina.crassa
[email protected]
Email: [email protected]
JOHN SELETOS
Broker Associate/DRE License 00890261
Commercial / Residential
(818) 725-2500 BUSINESS
(818) 366-4900 FAX
(818) 832-8100 CELL
[email protected]
QUALITY PROPERTIES
17708 Chatsworth Street
Granada Hills, CA 91344
11280 CORBIN AVENUE
PORTER RANCH, CA 91326
(818) 363-1083
www.johnseletos.com
Wednesday - Friday, 10am to 6pm
Saturday, 10am to 3pm
Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated
Appointment Only