Reading over the latest Encino Community Update, an email newsletter sent by Gerald Silver, President of Homeowners of Encino, to homeowners and residents of Encino, it can be reported that 1. Encino is miffed about a proposed apartment project at 16710 Ventura Blvd, site pictured above. 2. Some Encinoians just love new City Councilman Paul Koretz for his suspicious-of-development ways.
Excerpt from the newsletter: "Our last email resulted in a huge number of complaints to Councilman Paul Koretz regarding Gold Mountain's 125 unit mega-apartment project at 16710 Ventura Blvd. This project was approved by previous Councilmembers, and was not supported by our new Councilmember Paul Koretz. As soon as his office received complaints about this project, and the ugly billboard that remains, he investigated.
According to Koretz' Valley Deputy Shawn Bayliss, the LA Building & Safety Dept. has been scrutinizing the Gold Mountain project. They found "the project laid dormant for a period of time, and has recently begun work again." It is too late to stop the project altogether because of previous City approvals. On December 24, 2003 Mayor Hahn signed a settlement with the billboard company that allows the billboard to remain in place!
The public's outcry on this new Ventura Blvd. eyesore proves two things: Our new Councilmember Paul Koretz is listening and will take action, and secondly the Ventura Blvd. Specific Plan must to be amended to stop further destruction of Ventura Blvd.
Here is what is needed next:
There must be an immediate building moratorium on Ventura Blvd. in Encino. The Ventura Blvd. Specific Plan must be amended to prohibit new apartment/condo projects, there must not be any mixed-use density bonuses granted, and no billboard can be "modernized" to allow a LED or digital display anywhere on Ventura Blvd. Finally the entire Specific Plan needs to be analyzed to find ways to reduce allowable development and address the terrible boulevard traffic problems.
Thank you, Councilman Koretz, and your new Valley Deputy, Shawn Bayliss. A lot of work remains to be done to correct the problems of the past!"
· Encino Homeowners [Official Site, not updated]
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