March Meeting Recap

Thanks to all our neighbors who attended, and to Anita at Hallenbeck’s for again being our gracious host.

LAPD Senior Lead Officer John Catalano gave a detailed presentation about crime in the North Hollywood area, and what we can all do to keep our community safe and secure. Officer Catalano emphasized that while we continue to have one of the safest neighborhoods in NoHo, there have been problem areas nearby. In an economic environment where City resources are stretched thin, staying alert and communicative with your neighbors is key to keeping our community secure. Here are some specific suggestions:

- Advise your neighbors if you are going to be away from home for an extended period.

- If you see someone unknown hopping over a neighbor’s fence, peeking into windows or removing items from a home when you know your neighbor is at work or away, call 911 to report a burglary suspect. If you can, get a vehicle description with license number, and/or get a photograph with a cell phone or camera.

- If you see a suspicious vehicle and person(s) parked on your street for an extended period of time, take down the license number and/or photograph the vehicle and occupant(s) with a cell phone or camera. This info may be of great help in potential LAPD investigations, and can be forwarded to Officer Catalano via email: 32740@lapd.lacity.org

- If an unfamiliar vehicle with out-of-state or temporary plates is parked on your street for an extended period, take down the license number and/or photograph it and advise Officer Catalano via email.

- Do not store valuables such as cash, jewelry or credit cards in places where a thief might first look, like a counter or top dresser drawer. The harder you make it for a potential burglar to find your valuables, the more secure they will be.

- Never leave valuables in your car. It takes only seconds for a thief to break a window and steal them.

- If someone unknown knocks on your door, you do not have to open the door, but always verbally respond in some way. Thieves specifically look for unoccupied homes.

- Be wary of scam artists, and/or unknown individuals who try to lure you outside your home temporarily with a pretense. This could be someone in the guise of a sales person, a person asking for donations or accompanying a child to look for a lost pet. These are some of the ways scam artists and burglary teams operate. In general, use discretion when dealing with a stranger at your door.

- Refrain from leaving your garage door open and unattended for an extended period of time, even during daytime.

- Placing outside lights, motion detectors and alarm service signs on your property can also deter crime.

While we have streamlined the neighborhood communication process, there are concerns that some of our neighbors may not have access to the internet and email. If you have a neighbor who may be in that situation, please reach out to them or simply print out these messages for them. It will help bring the community together, keep us all safer and our homes more secure. Other City resources/contact info may be found here.

We also had tentative discussions about holding a community block party, possibly in April or May. If you have any suggestions, or would like to be involved in setting up such an event, please contact us at: Chandler_Park_NoHo@yahoo.com

Also note that email address is now the primary contact point for all questions, comments and suggestions regarding the neighborhood association.

Thanks again for all your support and encouragement!

New Email Contact Info

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about the Chandler Park Neighborhood Association, please use this address as the new contact point:

Chandler_Park_NoHo@yahoo.com

Good News About Neighborhood Crime

Our community's LAPD Senior Lead Officer John Catalano forwarded the North Hollywood "crime map" for January, and it indicates that Chandler Park was one of the safest neighborhoods in NoHo for the period - no crimes were reported within our boundaries.

Reported crimes in the greater North Hollywood area were also down significantly.

Thanks to all our neighbors and the LAPD for helping ensure the safety and security of our community!

Helpful Community Info & Contacts

Thanks to all those who attended the recent neighborhood meeting with LAPD Senior Lead Officer John Catalano.

Here's a recap of appropriate City contacts and other relevant community information:

- Updated crime statistics for our neighborhood may be obtained directly from: www.lapdonline.org

- Senior LAPD Lead Officer John Catalano may be contacted directly via email (his preference) at: 32740@lapd.lacity.org

- Councilmember Tom LaBonge's local District 4 office may be reached at: 818.755.7630

- Information regarding the MidTown North Hollywood Neighborhood Council (which represents our community): www.midtownnoho.org

- Los Angeles Street Services (potholes, bike path and other street maintenance issues): 800.996.2489

- Illegal dumping issues: 800.773.2489

- Abandoned shopping cart pick-up: 800.252.4613

- Grafitti/tagging issues (IMPORTANT - The most effective way to prevent the spread of graffiti/tagging is to clean up/paint it over ASAP!): Dial 311.

Also see: www.anti-graffiti.lacity.org

Chronic graffiti/tagging issues may be addressed via Officer Ramon Martinez and the local LAPD anti-tagging team. Document/photograph problems & email to: 34417@lapd.lacity.org

Reactivated

Due to recent criminal activity in the community, the blog has been reactivated to post information of concern to all our neighbors.

Tom Colby has contacted our area's LAPD Senior Lead Officer and is organizing a Neighborhood Watch meeting, to be held in the near future at Hallenbeck's General Store on Cahuenga Blvd.

Further details will be posted here ASAP.

Chandler Bikeway Landscaping/Lighting Update

Petar Blanusa of the CRA forwarded the following info today:

Great news on the Chandler Bikeway Phase II- Botanical Garden and Phase III-Lighting!

The Community Redevelopment Agency has issued invitations for bid (IFB) for both remaining phases of the project. Bids are due October 11, 2006.

See attached flyer for more information.

Thank you all for your support and expressed interest in this project.


Flyer may be viewed at this link.

Chandler Park alleys and Bikeway construction updates

-- Paving of the alleys is now complete! Thanks to all our neighbors and the City representatives who've assisted in getting this project expedited and finished.

-- Petar Blanusa of the CRA anticipates that Phases Two and Three of the Bikeway project will go out for bidding by mid-August. (Phase Two entails landscaping for the south side of the Bikeway; Phase Three will install lighting for the path).

Chandler Park alley concerns

The following note was sent to Alice Roth and Stacy Marble, Field Deputies for Councilmember Tom LaBonge, this week:

Greetings:

I wanted to advise you about some issues regarding the local alley paving project that are a bit puzzling to our community.

-- We've received two letters now (and some of us three) advising us as to details and scheduling of the alley work. One letter stated the work would beging approx. June 23, the next advised it would begin July 3.

-- Surveying work was completed a month ago and large signs stating "Construction Ahead" posted at the entrances for each alley immediately thereafter.

-- A few of our neighbors have been inconvenienced for two weeks by large pieces of City construction equipment being parked in front of their homes (a roller on Strohm and a skiploader on Cumpston). We'd all assumed this equipment was being stored here temporarily in anticipation of it being used to surface the alleys. Instead, sometime early Monday both pieces of equipment were inexplicably moved elsewhere.

There has been no other progress made on the project. Given the years of delays on other local construction and maintenance issues involving BOSS, I'm sure you can understand our concerns. Whatever information you could provide regarding the status of the alley paving project would be most apprecicated.

Best Regards,

Jerry McCulley
5400 Strohm Ave.

Chandler Bikeway Dedication

Councilmember LaBonge, the Community Redevelpment Agency and Bureau of Street Services have announced that a dedication ceremony for the Chandler Bikeway will be held at the corner of Chandler Blvd, and Clybourn Ave. on Thursday, June 22, at 11:30 am.

Chandler Bikeway construction update

Petar Blanusa of the CRA has forwarded a Chandler Bikeway progress report with photos:

-- Phase 1 (Construction): Completion (including Phase 1 landscaping) expected on schedule by the first week of June, 2006.

-- Phase 2 (Botanical Garden): Design plans are at the plan-check. Bidding process to start following the release of plans from the plan-check. Note: This phase will include landscaping on the south side of the Bikeway.

-- Phase 3 (Lighting): Design underway with Bureau of Street Lighting. Note: Lights are already in place and functioning on the Clybourn-Biloxi portion of the Bikeway adjacent to General Motors. Colossal Entertainment has also installed Bikeway-facing lights along the Auckland-Cahuenga portion of their property, though to date they are not working yet.

Special thanks to Paul Kersh and Angus Duncan for their continued focus on lighting and graffiti issues and to Petar Blanusa for his kind help and support.