Larchmont Chronicle
Larchmont Chronicle The Voice of the Community since 1963
presort standard u.s. postage
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south gate ca. permit no. 294
September 2013
vol. 50, no. 9 • delivered to the 76,439 readers in hancock park • windsor square • fremont place • park labrea • larchmont village • Miracle Mile
City settles with Etz Chaim after years-long legal battle
Back To School Larchmont chronicLe • 2013
Council agrees to pay $950,000 in court fees
Robotics and science to art classes at St. James'.
On the Inside ... Dr. Oh puts her stamp on Third Street School. 02 Popular iPad program expands at Page. 3
SECTION THREE Pages 1 to 20
SECTION ONE METER broken? No problem.
3
BUNGALOW moves to pre-trial. 5 TARFEST returns to the Mile. 6 VICTORIAN homes on Society tour. 6 TASTE was a "Winning Deal." 9 PETERSEN unveils sporty facade. 11 AT THE MOVIES reviews "Jobs." 22
SECTION TWO Real Estate Home & Garden
WILSHIRE Temple dedication set. 4 WEST ADAMS tours the past.
2
OPA! Greek Fest is back.
5
PIE tasting at LACMA.
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For Information on Advertising Rates, Please Call Pam Rudy 323-462-2241, x 11
By Suzan Filipek A recent city settlement with a Jewish Orthodox congregation at Third St. and Highland Ave. was a bad one, said area resident and attorney Michael Wright. “The City Council turned its back on Hancock Park.” Under the agreement, the city agreed to pay Etz Chaim Congregation $950,000 in court fees ending a years-long legal battle. "I am glad that we were able to come to an agreement and put 17 years of litigation behind us," said Councilman Paul Koretz. The decision was political, added Wright, who had rep-
Work begins on Purple Line stations Subway at two sites Although Purple Line subway station construction is slated to begin next year, Metro has started relocation of underground utilities including water, power and communications lines. Sound blankets and fencing have been installed at the staging area at a lot at the southeast corner of Wilshire and Crenshaw boulevards, and bus stops will be relocated. Metro officials said most of the work will be done in the evenings, and surface traffic will not be impacted. Work is also underway on the shaft at Wilshire Blvd. and Ogden Dr. for the Wilshire/ Fairfax station. The job is expected to take 13 months, followed by an additional nine months of monitoring. Most of the work will be conducted weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. For any issues needing immediate attention, call Amec Co.—the geotechnical enginneering firm contracted to do the work—at 323-889-5345.
resented the homeowner who lived next door to the temple in an earlier lawsuit. “I think the city’s decision is bad for Hancock Park and every other residential neighborhood where religious groups seek to move in and establish non-residential uses. It’s very important for our zoning laws to maintain residential uses,” said Wright. The city, he added had a “winnable appeal." The case was set to go to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which favors the city in this case regarding the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). “RLUPA is an unsettled area of law and federal courts of See Congregation, p 7
Chronicle turns 50! The Larchmont Chroncile was born 50 years ago this month. A special edition in the October issue celebrates this milestone. Advertising deadline is Mon., Sept. 3. To reserve space, call Pam Rudy, 323462-2241 x 11.
SUMMER VACATION. Henry Boylston and Tanner Mahon played ball at USC baseball camp. See how others in the neighborhood spent their summer vacation, in Section 3, pages 10, 11.
Marijuana shop threatens 'neighborhood character' Meeting held on proposed Village dispensary The Village’s neighborliness may be going up in smoke, if a medical marijuana dispensary opens on Larchmont Blvd. That’s how some residents, business owners and community officials see the pot shop set to open on the top floor, above Hamburger Hamlet and Alternative Apparel, at 215 N. Larchmont Blvd. “Larchmont Boulevard is a neighborhood street, and a marijuana dispensary is inconsistent with its historic
Beautifying North Larchmont
character. I am working closely with other city agencies to determine the legality of any new marijuana-related businesses on the street,” Councilman Tom LaBonge said. As we went to press, a community meeting was scheduled Aug. 29 at St. Brendan School for the proposed Village shop and an existing dispensary at Third St. and Western Ave. The owner of the Larchmont building, Frank Fox, has allegedly leased the site to Cantodiem Dispensing Collective, one of the city's original See Marijuana shop, p 4
On the Boulevard Glimpses by Jane
LANDSCAPED median strip will match the one at the entry at South Larchmont. See story page 4
School started early for many Larchmont youngsters this year, motivating parents to get a jump on preparations. We saw moms corralling the kids into Larchmont Barber Shop and Supercuts to get trimmed, and to our local shoe stores. *** We met Helene Seifer having a cup of coffee at Go Get ‘Um Tiger, our newest caffeine emporium. She is taking her son Jake Grossman to begin See BLVD., p 17
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