The Neighborhood News Online

They Paved Paradise and Put Up a Parking Lot.....With Billboards

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Category: Community News

Published on Wednesday, 19 June 2013 13:18

Written by D.V. Lawrence

Once upon a time in the not too distant past, 16th Place residents living atop the hill at the junction of San Vicente and Venice,  looked north and enjoyed a million dollar view of the Hollywood Hills, Hollywood sign and all.   

Some of you will remember our reports on their rude awakening when the new shopping plaza, Midtown Crossing, erected a huge gray wall, housing a parking lot - literally overnight and without warning - and turned the million-dollar view into a prison wall. 

Despite the early involvement of residents with promises from the city and the developers that no views would be compromised, once the wall went up there appeared to be little the residents could do.  Developers used the old strategy of "Better to ask forgiveness than permission".Efforts to get Councilman Wesson involved resulted in a tepid response and some tree planting. 

Well this last month insult was added to injury when huge billboards were erected onto the blank gray walls.  Because of the way the wall is situated, drivers can only see the billboards above and to the side of their cars affording them a fleeting glimpse of the information.  The only people who can get a good  full view....are the residents on the hill across Venice. The beleagured and furious neighbors are now investigating whether or not these billboards violate the billboard ban ordinance.  They will if they fall under the "off-site" category meaning there is no store for the product within the building, although they may get around this if the product is sold within the store.  Other violations... if they do not "benefit the community" or are the wrong size.  Apparently promises were made to the community to not install billboards and a CIM representative claimed that the signs weren't officially "billboards" but considered "wall hangings" because of the way they were installed. 

      
Residents have appealed to the Department of Building and Safety who have assigned Principal Inspector Frank Lara who is with DBS Code Enforcements, Sign Enforcement Bureau.  Robert Portillo, a 16th Pl. resident wonders "how can this super nova size signage (it broadcasts directly into our yards and homes) and the nature of this signage be of benefit to our neighborhood as outlined in the code?  We are waiting for the code investigation results. I'll update you once we've received them."    Stay Tuned. 

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