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State Assemblymember Mike Feuer represents the 42nd District, which includes parts of Hollywood, West Hollywood, the Westside, Sherman Oaks and Studio City -- basically, hill hugging 'hoods.
Yesterday, he came out with his first e-mail newsletter (you can sign up here). It was well-done, informative and used the new "My Maps" feature on Google Maps. The Google Maps part make hims like totally rad. You can view his district and the proposed plot of park land via Google "My" Maps. Go Mike, you web 2.0 hunk. We are so sick of district maps in humongous PDF files that are unreadable anyway.
From his e-mail newsletter:
Hollywood has very little park space, though it is one of the most densely-populated areas of our city. Last month, at the urging of the community, I contacted CalTrans [sic] to urge the removal of a vacant lot at the intersection of Ivar/Franklin from an upcoming auction of excess real property. This land, which had previously been held for a possible transportation-related project, has long been viewed by the community as a possible site for a park. CalTrans [sic] agreed, and recently completed an appraisal of the land for a possible direct sale to Los Angeles. I have been working closely with Councilmembers Eric Garcetti and Tom LaBonge on this project.
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This area is a bad choice for a park.
Parking is extremely limited in an already densely populated area. People are already fighting for parking as it is. Not only that, but the proposed location is on an incline, next to an onramp of the 101. Also, parks bring vagrants and we hardly need any more of those in the area.
A very bad choice indeed. If people want to go to a park, there are many in the area all within a 10 - 15 minute drive.
The intentions are good, but if Feuer really wants to ingratiate himself to his constituency, he should do something about the re-emergence of drug selling gangs that are slowly oozing back into our community. Or find a way to alleviate the traffic build up on Cahuenga from people trying to enter Amoeba records.
Who said a park needs parking? Pocket parks and small urban cut parks are not destination parks, but neighborhood open spaces. Whether it is used physically or psychologically by constituents, it is important to have that open space. No need for parking at all. Walk to it, walk by it, whatever.
And if you don't like the traffic around Cahuenga or the drug dealing, have you contacted his office to let your opinion and concern be known?
I have a crime problem in my neighborhood and I've been in touch with the office since February about it. Possible legislation to come from it? We'll see and I hope so.
Are bums and drug dealers considered "constituants"? Would drug dealing constitute "physical" use of the park? Or is it "psychological" in nature to have a place to pass out after a long day pan handling to get the day's first tallboy of Colt 45 down your throat?
I don't buy it Zach. It's not that great a piece of land. From above it looks nice and flat, but in actuality it has quite a steep grade to it. It would take lots of landscaping to make it viable.
Go see it for yourself. I walk by it everday on my way back from work. It's right next to the freakin offramp for chrissakes. It's a bum-haven
and drug den in waiting. And since it's in MY neighborhood I dont think you should have any say so in where the bum-flow is headed. Unless of course you are some important city employee I dont know about.
If not, as the saying goes: "...STAY OUT OF MALIBU, LEBOWSKI!"
Just for the record, the lot is largely flat near Franklin and slopes as you get closer to the 101. There are already a lot of homeless who sleep in makeshift beds behind brush up the hillside.
Putting a park at this site will bring people and activity from the adjacent Hollywood Dell area. We have heard from groups like Trust for Public Land that people won't go over a mile for a park.
Thanks to Feuer for pulling this item from auction and good luck to Tom LaBonge who is trying to find the funds in order to purchase this site and avoid having it developed. Open space is a good thing.
"Putting a park at this site will bring people and activity from the adjacent Hollywood Dell area."
Could you elaborate on that idea?
Also, why should we beautify an area for the homeless if they are just going to sleep there anyway?
All this $$$ could be better spent elsewhere.
In closing, sorry to Zach if I seemed a little confrontational in my last post, I'm just passionate about issues I believe in or in this case, issues I don't believe in. But thanks for bringing it to the public's attention in the first place. Keep up the good work!
The Hollywood Dell folks are very excited about a park that we can walk to and enjoy. There is also a great "community garden" on Fountain west of Wilcox that would be great for this plot of land. Imagine teaching kids about growing vegetables and having a place to go for a picnic.
Big kudos to Mike Feuer and Councilman Garcetti for their assistance. Councilman Garcetti has agreed to the use of Quimby funds from District 13 to buy the land. Now we need Councilman LaBonge to match with District 4 Quimby funds and we are on the road to a park!
Congrats to everyone for their hard work and efforts.