Neighbors gathered on October 27, 2018 for a beautification project sponsored by the Leimert Park Garden Tour. Leimert Park Beat was on the scene! Read the story here.
September 15: Demystifying Legal Cannabis
Have questions about the new cannabis laws, issues, and opportunities? We have some great guests scheduled:Cat Packer, Executive Director and General Manager, Department of Cannabis Regulation (City of LA)
Virgil Grant III, Cannabis Activist & Co-Founder, California Minority Alliance
Aline Ghazarian, Operations Manager, LA Cannabis Co.
PRESS
- Virgil Grant on VICELAND
- Virgill Grant – article in The Guardian (January 2018)
- Cat Packer: “Meet the Leader of LA’s Cannabis Revolution”, Fast Company (August 2018)
City Council approves mall redevelopment
Baldwin Crenshaw Plaza Mall is moving on to a $700 million redevelopment. Supporters and detractors were vocal at the June 5 planning and land use meeting. The City Council unanimously approved the plan this week.
An article in CurbedLA gives further detail on the affordable housing component and other elements: City Council approves mall redevelopment
Update on Metro Closures
Metro visited the Block Club recently to provide an update on upcoming street closures in the area. Starting in June 2018, work will begin at the three new Metro stations along Crenshaw. The focus is on restoring the roadway as one of the last phases of construction. Details are on the Metro website: METRO PROJECT NOTICE – CRENSHAW CLOSURES.
New block club officers!
The club elected new officers at the April meeting. These officers will be seated at the May meeting.
- President: Gwendolyn Jones
- Vice President: Marisa Morabito
- Communication Secretary: Veta Simpson
- Recording Secretary: Ann Willmott
- Treasurer: Kerry Roberts
Two long-serving members, Stephen Thomas and Romerol Malveaux, will be stepping down after serving the maximum term allowed. Cherrywood/Leimert Block Club thanks them for their important contributions!
City Planning 101
There are still a few dates left for City Planning 101. These free classes are open to any Angeleno interested in land use, and provide an overview of the basic elements of planning, land use, and zoning in Los Angeles. With key legislation pending such as SB828, we can benefit from knowing how the process works and how we can make our voice heard.
Free smoke alarm installation
MySafeLA.org delivers fire and life safety education to residents of the City of Los Angeles. It is one of the first private professional fire prevention organizations in the country, and is a pioneer in Community Risk Reduction, with the goal of making Los Angeles safer and more resilient. They provide free smoke alarm installations, free carbon monoxide installations, many different kinds of safety training, CPR classes, and more.
Senate Bill 827 – a big issue for neighborhoods near transit
The latest meeting of the Cherrywood/Leimert Block Club included a lively discussion of SB-827 Planning and zoning: transit-rich housing bonus. That bill will have a big impact on Leimert Park and surrounding areas, and neighbors are concerned that developers will be able to apply for exemption from local development requirements if the project is within a 1/2 mile radius of a major transit stop. It’s worth reading the details of the proposed bill. There’s a good summary in this Curbed LA article.
Meanwhile this issue will figure prominently in the upcoming special election on April 3. That election is being held to replace California State Assembly Member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas in District 54, who resigned late last year due to health problems. His successor will vote on this bill. Voter turnout is essential!
Here are the candidates – call or email them to ask what their position on SB-827 is:
- Glen Ratcliff (Republican) Small business owner
- Tepring Michelle Piquado (Democratic) Neuroscientist/Educator
- Sydney Kamlager (Democratic) Trustee, Los Angeles CCD
- Grayson Pangilinan (Democratic) Technology Account Executive
Leimert Park Plaza renovations underway
According to the Los Angeles Sentinel, Leimert Plaza Park, in the heart of Leimert Park Village, is undergoing some enhancements under a partnership between with the Office of Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson, city of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the LA Parks Foundation and City National Bank.
Read the article here: Leimert Park Plaza Restoration
CERT training in the neighborhood (free)
Sutro Avenue block club has teamed up with LAFD to offer a local emergency preparedness training beginning April 10, 2018.
