BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | DECEMBER 23, 2011 Page 4
HERE!
B E V E R LY H I L L S M A I N N E W S
LET IT SNOW— Santa and Mrs. Claus sit with eight-month-old Dylan Silbowitz of West Hollywood as people enjoy the lights and shopping of the Sparkle 90210 event in Beverly Hills. Photo by Eric Reed/AP Images for Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau
Council Postpones Approving View Restoration Permit Fees The approval of costs associated with the Trousdale View Restoration Ordinance was postponed Monday at the City Council’s formal meeting. The council agreed to see if there was a way to lessen the taxes, fees and charges related to the ordinance, which result in full cost recovery for the City. Senior Planner Michele McGrath said she estimated a View Restoration Permit application would cost approximately $14,300, a City Advisory Opinion would cost $1,950 and an appeal to the City Council would cost approxi-
mately $12,200. The permit cost was based off of the Trousdale R-1 Permit, which costs $8,465, and increased to reflect the greater processing costs. The council unanimously agreed that the costs were high but said they would not feel comfortable subsidizing the costs and would rather staff look for efficiencies in the process. “Subsidizing (the process) is difficult when we don’t subsidize other things around town,” Councilman John (see ‘TROUSDALE,’ page 17)
ART STUDENTS HELP PET ADOPTION—Beverly Vista teacher Ryan Lisko and the B.V. Art Club visited the Amanda Foundation Animal Shelter to deliver “Adopt Me” bandanas students designed and created to help pets get adopted. During their visit, students learned about the role the shelter plays in pet adoption and were treated to a tour of operating rooms, kennels, and the spaymobile. From left are: Grace Delee, Taylor Asla, Sara Okum, Judy Masutani, Eli Margolis, Lisa Park, Molly Rabin, Lisko, James Masutani, Melinda Heluo and Golda Berkman. To see animals available for adoption and for more information about the shelter, visit www.amandafoundation.org
Commission Approves Preservation Ordinance By Krystal Leach de Amante After all the controversy and battles over saving the last standing Richard Neutra house, the City is now taking measures to ensure that similar historic structures are protected from unflattering alteration and demolishment in the future. On Monday, The Planning Commission finalized changes and
unanimously approved a proposed historic preservation ordinance, which provides protection to local properties of historic value. According to a Planning Commission report, the ordinance will amend the Beverly Hills Municipal Code (BHMC) regarding historic restoration. The proposed BHMC code
amendments include extending the required noticing period for obtaining permits to “demolish, build or move a building, structure or object on certain properties from the current 10 day to a (new) 30 day noticing period.” In addition to clarifying some of the ordinance’s lan(see ‘PRESERVATION,’ page 7)
Regulations Change For The Thompson Hotel By Krystal Leach de Amante The Planning Commission unanimously agreed to remove both conditional use and development plan permits for rooftop uses and outdoor dining at the Thompson Hotel’s Monday, allowing for rooftop increased occupancy and a reduction in its weekday operational hours.
According to Commissioner Nanette Cole, the hotel’s rooftop occupancy will increase from 125 persons to 185 (48 percent increase), while the Sunday through Thursday rooftop operational hours will be reduced by hour from 1 a.m. to midnight. “I think midnight weekdays is still probably later than some
Council Matches Funds With CVB For Sparkle 90210 Event Sparkle 90210 was held on Thursdays and Fridays throughout December. More than 65 stores extended their hours, joined by holiday snow, sparkle lighting effects, horse drawn carriages and street entertainment all made it feel like the holidays on Rodeo Drive. CVB Executive Director Julie Wagner said this year’s holiday event attempted to meet all the objectives of the retailers and the residents including creating an element of (see ‘SPARKLE 90210,’ page 7)
(see ‘THOMPSON HOTEL,’ page 7)
MAISON DE LUXE— Actress Margaret O’Brien (Journey For Margaret, Jane Erye) toured the Maison de Luxe designer show house at the Greystone Mansion Sunday, marking her first return to the estate since filming the 1977 TV-mini series Testimony of Two Men there. Photo by Krystal Leach de Amante
SPORTSMAN CUP—Team Tigers won the AYSO Beverly Hills Sportsmanship Tournament for girls under 10 last weekend. Pictured: (back row from left): Coach David Babbush and Coach Adrian Finemel. Middle row from left: Sydney Babbush, Shayna Eastman, Skye Hambrick, Melissa Sternshein and Nahal Sarafian; (bottom row from left): Sara Finemel , Bella Ravael, Addie Crosby and Alexandra Lynch.
By Marla Schevker In the spirit of the holidays, the Beverly Hills City Council decided Tuesday to match funds spent by the Conference and Visitors Bureau for Sparkle 90210. Sparkle 90210, a celebration of shopping and the holidays, cost the CVB approximately $140,000 and the council agreed to match funds. The $70,000 for the event will be coming from the contingency fund of $150,000 budgeted in the tourism and marketing program account.
of the residents want, but I still think it’s a reasonable time,” said Commissioner Brian Rosenstein. Rosenstein continued to say that he was interested in allowing the increase in capacity for exchange of a decrease in hours on the weekday, Sunday through Thursday.
City Builds Energy Off Of PV Solar Panels By Marla Schevker The City’s photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are producing good results. A presentation to the City Council during Monday’s study session showed the City has produced about 83,658-kwh (kilowatt hours) since the system went live on
Sept. 14 with the first phase activation of panels on the library and police facility. The second phase went live on Oct. 26 with the Civic Center garage. Director of Project Administration Alan Schneider stated the total solar energy the system is expected to generate per year is
615,000-kwh. According to the City’s solar panel website, the City has installed 1596 PV solar panels and the yearly generation is the approximate equivalent to 449 metric tons of CO2 and the emissions of 86 cars or the (see ‘SOLAR PANELS,’ page 7)