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Top Stories on This Webpage: Starting February 1, 2007 - Read the entire news stories, just below:
H.B. Commissioners take another look at downtown - Local officials expressed concern with the current situation on the pier plaza during last month's Planning Commission meeting, but commissioners ultimately declined to pursue any measures that would significantly alter the status quo. Instead, the commission opted to issue a stark warning to businesses on the plaza and in the downtown area - shape up, or prepare to ship out. Every year, the Planning Commission is charged with reviewing conditional use permits from downtown area businesses as part of the city's annual review process. That process originated following a decision by the commission in 2003 to combine permit reviews for several different establishments into one meeting at the beginning of the calendar year.
HB Planning Commission restricts 705 permit - Despite attracting a number of supporters to speak on their behalf, the owners of an upper Pier Avenue business could not convince the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission to see things their way. The commission adopted a resolution Tuesday night imposing severe restrictions on the business located at 705 Pier Ave. known as Club 705. Tuesday's decision, if approved by the City Council, effectively revokes the provisions in Club 705's permit approving live entertainment and outdoor dining. It also imposes 19 new conditions confining the business to operate more like a traditional restaurant as opposed to a nightclub or bar. Following the meeting, an attorney representing Club 705 vowed to seek redress from a higher authority, adding that his clients are being used “as a scapegoat.” “Right now, we're going to have to appeal to the City Council,” said attorney Albro Lundy. “We believe they don't have the authority to do what they've done.”
Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch - DEADLY WEAPON ASSAULT. Someone was allegedly struck with a hammer in the 1000 block of Hermosa Avenue after engaging in a verbal confrontation with two other individuals. The incident allegedly occurred at 1:30 a.m. Jan. 15. A group of friends were reportedly threatened with violence by two male suspects while walking back to their car late at night along Hermosa Avenue. One of the suspects began wielding a hammer and eventually struck the victim in the head during the incident.
DEADLY WEAPON ASSAULT. An individual walking along the pier plaza after leaving a nearby establishment was allegedly struck by someone wielding a skateboard. The victim's two friends observed the incident, which occurred at approximately 1:47 a.m. Jan. 13. According to the report, the attacker had just engaged in a verbal argument with the victim and his friends just a few minutes earlier.
HB Council debates new entertainment permits - A prototype of a new law requiring businesses that provide live entertainment to obtain an “entertainment permit” was considered Tuesday night by the City Council, and the general reaction among those attending the meeting was uniformly negative. Councilman J.R. Reviczky raised the issue at the council's Sept. 12 meeting, citing the need for the city to have a quick and efficient way to deal with uncooperative business owners. Currently, live entertainment is regulated in Hermosa Beach under the provisions of a business's conditional use permit. But following the presentation on the new ordinance Tuesday night, which calls for promoters and relevant business owners to submit to a public hearing with the city manager before receiving a permit, Reviczky found himself defending the idea from a bevy of business owners and fellow councilmen.
Plans for ‘Seagal (the actor) Club' in the works in H.B. - In a bizarre twist to the ongoing saga of a local nightclub known as Club 705, a Los Angeles-based entertainment company is tentatively planning to revamp the business into a new establishment that bears the name of a famous actor with a tough-guy image, Steven Seagal. Instead of the punk rock shows and scantily clad women currently associated with Club 705's existing lineup, a new business plan calls for the creation of “The Seagal Club,” a restaurant, sports lounge and nightclub that serves as a showcase for the former martial arts action star. Currently, Club 705 is owned and operated by Tim Moore and Arkadi Minassian. Both are principals in the firm Maximoore Inc. According to a letter submitted to the city in November, Minassian and Moore have been operating the business “under a temporary license since June 28, 2006.”
Assault and Battery: 2:33 a.m. Nov. 25, 1100 block of Hermosa Avenue. A participant in a fight was arrested on suspicion of fighting in public, public intoxication and resisting arrest for allegedly trying to attack another person involved in the incident as he was talking with police officers. The report noted that the man had to be restrained when he resisted arrest when confronted by many police officers.
Obstruction: 2:33 a.m. Nov. 25, 1100 block of Hermosa Avenue. A man was arrested on suspicion of resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer and public intoxication for allegedly disobeying an officer’s order to step back, yelling at officers to let a man under arrest go and slapping the officer’s are causing a minor injury while the officer was attempting to secure a perimeter at the scene of the fight.
City to reconsider CUP for 705 Pier club - The city of Hermosa Beach is currently considering modifying or revoking the conditional use permit for Pointe 705, also known as Club 705/Saffire. At the Planning Commission's meeting earlier this month, a staff report was presented to the commission recommending that the body “set the matter for (a) revocation/modification hearing.” The report was prepared by local officials and recommended that the commission “amend the CUP to establish new operating restrictions for the business.” It included a three-page unsigned document bearing the name of Sgt. Lance Heard and listed 20 incidents requiring a response by local police officers. The incidents consisted mostly of fights, noise complaints and assaults. In July, officers were dispatched to the bar in response to a kidnapping report. It went on to state that these incidents “involve multiple violations of law, including the California Penal Code, the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code, the Fire Code, as well as the Conditional Use Permit issued by the city to the business.”
HB Council may revisit entertainment permits - A member of the Hermosa Beach City Council recently proposed implementing a new citywide permit process for businesses that incorporate live entertainment. Councilman J.R. Reviczky aired the proposal at the council's Sept. 12 meeting. According to Reviczky, the proposal seeks to eliminate some of the red tape currently associated with the city's conditional use permit process by providing a faster and smoother mechanism by which local officials can deal with issues arising from local businesses. “It's a simple mechanism to deal with issues in a timely manner,” said Reviczky. “It takes a long time to get through the (current) process.” Reviczky envisions a completely separate process from the city's current CUP process. Entertainment permits would not “run with the land” as current CUPs do, but would instead be assigned to a particular business owner.
HB City Council to consider restaurant CUP - The Hermosa Beach City Council is scheduled to consider an application by the owner of the Hermosa Pavilion to build a new restaurant at his property at 1601 Pacific Coast Highway.
The issue of the multiuse commercial property is sure to attract a sizable number of residents who have been opposed to the owner's vision of his property for some time. Many, like Kammi Howlett, live directly adjacent to the property on the east of PCH and do not appreciate the impacts of the large building on neighborhood streets. In July, Howlett publicly testified at a council meeting that patrons of 24-Hour Fitness (a Pavilion tenant) consistently use her neighborhood as a parking lot and place to change. The council subsequently ordered Shook to grant two free hours of parking at his facility to alleviate the problem. At that meeting, Councilman Sam Edgerton warned Shook that he was in jeopardy of losing the community's support for a proposal to construct a new upscale restaurant on the premises. n addition to the council's consideration of the impacts of the Pavilion on neighborhood streets, the city's Planning Commission was simultaneously addressing Shook's proposal to construct the Stillwater Contemporary American Bistro, a new 7,038-square-foot restaurant.
For More Information On: The Stillwater Bistro Conditional Use Permit for an On-Sale Alcohol License
What do you think? Are New Alcohol Outlets in Hermosa Beach a Good Idea?
Read the opinions of Hermosa Beach residents and include you own.
Against PCH restaurant - Our City Council will conduct a public hearing to evaluate the feasibility of a land-use application at 1601 Pacific Coast Highway. The applicant proposes an 8,000-square-foot mega restaurant-bar-liquor store operation in close proximity to residential neighborhoods and school. This land use will have an occupant capacity estimated to range between 500 and 600 persons. Nuisance conditions will become a chronic problem due to a parking plan that inadequately services the building. In application, when parking strategies and speculative projections fail, irreversible traffic and parking impacts develop. The high-impact restaurant-bar can only sustain itself from attracting a daily influx from outside our community. This generates high traffic volumes and heavy parking demands.
HB Pier restaurant denied extended hours - A request by the owner of a pier plaza restaurant fell on deaf ears Tuesday night as the City Council voted unanimously to deny the Mediterraneo restaurant permission to remain open until 2 a.m. The restaurant's owner, Tommy Short, appeared Tuesday night alongside his attorney to plead his case. When the public hearing began, Short's attorney, Albro Lundy, introduced his client to the council. Short began by thanking the council for providing “full representation” (the hearing was continued in July due to the applicant's wish to have the matter heard by a full council). He argued his case by comparing his restaurant to other establishments in the area. While several people rose during the public hearing to oppose Mediterraneo's request, the majority of speakers Tuesday night spoke in favor of granting it permission to remain open until 2 a.m. The restaurant's supporters included local residents, other restaurateurs and the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. Many stressed the need for Hermosa Beach to have a restaurant that catered to an older clientele not interested in some of the other pier plaza establishments.
We Get Letters -
Council
should protect residents -
It is not a day at the beach
when one is prevented from enjoying a simple walk. Public intoxication and the
party street scene cultivated in Hermosa curtailed many from enjoying a stroll
in broad daylight. A taxicab racing westbound along the 500 block of Pier Avenue
veered toward the curb. Pedestrians were unprepared for what happened next. As
the taxi approached the curb (never stopping), the passenger in the rear seat
pitched two open containers out the rear window toward the sidewalk. The large
airborne containers missed striking the heads of pedestrians, but the liquid
contents splattered everywhere, which included soiling the clothing of a
pedestrian. The lunatic who threw the containers fortunately was not drinking
from a glass bottle. Glass fragments shattering along the sidewalk would have
risked injury to infants in strollers and pedestrians. This pig behavior defiles
our community and represents a living nightmare for residents.
In August, despite opposition by residents, the Planning Commission added
another watering hole to the pub club circuit in Hermosa. This compounds our
nightmare. The commission voted 4-0 to approve the mega-drinking destination at
1601 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Pavilion. This decision undermines the
quality of life for residents and fosters a growing perception that the city has
adopted an anti-resident attitude.
Alcohol approved at Pavilion restaurant - On the question of whether Hermosa Beach should allow any new establishments to serve alcohol, the views of the city's Planning Commission were quite clear after its meeting Tuesday night: one more can't hurt. It voted unanimously to grant the owner of the Hermosa Pavilion a conditional use permit to sell alcohol on the premises. Prior to the meeting, the building's owner, Gene Shook, submitted an application to the city as part of his proposal to create the StillWater Contemporary American Bistro, an 8,000-square-foot organic restaurant catering to an upscale crowd. To win approval of the project, Shook conducted an intensive lobbying campaign within the community that included mailing invitations to every resident and business owner within the city of Hermosa Beach to an open house. As expected, many residents appeared at the Planning Commission meeting to oppose the city granting a liquor license to another business. Many argued that Hermosa Beach already exceeds the suggested limit of establishments serving alcohol within the area.
Report finds no problem with use of force - A consulting firm investigating the Hermosa Beach Police Department recently concluded that the agency does not have a systemic problem with respect to the level of force used by its officers. While declining to offer any formal criticism of the department or any individual officers, the firm did issue 27 recommendations in a 60-page report that seeks to improve the agency's internal policies and procedures.
The report was authored by Ron McCarthy and Sgt. Michael Mello. The two are principals with the firm R.M. McCarthy & Associates, a San Clemente-based firm that specializes in law enforcement-related matters. City Manager Steve Burrell hired the company earlier this year to conduct a formal study of the Police Department's policies and procedures regarding the use of force/deadly force.
City officially welcomes new chief -
Hermosa Beach officially welcomed new Police Chief Greg Savelli at an
event held last weekend in front of City Hall. The ceremony attracted a vast
array of community leaders, including City Manager Steve Burrell, City Attorney
Mike Jenkins, Councilmen J.R. Reviczky and Kit Bobko, and Mayor Pete Tucker,
among others.
Savelli takes the reins of
the department at a precarious time for the city. Several issues remain
unresolved that could potentially cause great damage to the city's reputation
and/or financial well-being. Foremost among them is a year-old investigation by
the federal government stemming from the arrest of an off-duty LAPD officer in
2003. After the Los Angeles field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
opened an investigation last year, the case has since been transferred to the
Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. A spokesperson with the DOJ
would not comment on the investigation, except to say that the matter is still
open.
Hermosa Beach Crime Watch - BATTERY. Someone was the alleged victim of an assault on July 19 at 8:30 a.m. As the victim was walking southbound along the beach, she was approached from behind by another individual who introduced himself as Corey. The suspect tried to give the victim a business card, and after she refused he grabbed her by the right arm and pulled her closer to him. The woman was able to pull back and free herself from the suspect.
Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach Crime Close-Up. Years 1998 to 2004 Crime Stat Comparison http://www.hbneighborhood.org/1%20HB%20CrimeNews%202006%201.htm
Women attacked in 3 incidents near Pier Plaza in Hermosa Beach - Police fear two late-night incidents in the vicinity of bars are the work of one man, who may have also committed a 2004 assault in the same area. All three women were walking alone. Police in Hermosa Beach issued a warning Thursday for women to avoid walking alone late at night from Pier Plaza bars following two attacks that might be related to a brutal assault last year. Investigators speculate that the man -- dubbed the "Late Night Attacker" -- was attempting to rape his victim Sunday when he grabbed her as she walked on Monterey Avenue in the south end of the city. "We don't know what the motivation for the attacks is," Sgt. Paul Wolcott said. "They haven't actually been completed but ... the intent of the attacker was for sexually assaulting the victim."
The Beach Reporter – February 1, 2007
Hermosa Beach News
H.B.
Commissioners take
another look at downtown But if residents are expecting big changes following an annual review, they may be waiting for quite some time given the record of past hearings. After the commission conducted its first review in 2004, staff was directed to schedule a “formal review” of the conditional use permits for two plaza establishments based upon incident reports compiled by the Police Department.
But when the commission
held its next meeting in March, officials backed down and nixed the review
of Aloha Sharkeez's and Sangria's CUP because there was “not enough
evidence” that the two businesses were in violation. The decision to back
down was made, according to the minutes of the meeting, “as a result of
conversations among city staff, the city manager, (and) the police and fire
departments.”
“As far as the restaurants
in the downtown area, we do have concerns about an annual review system, in
addition to what's already in place,” said Pike. “We feel that it is one
more step to eliminate due process.” Pike added that the name of the new
group is the Hermosa Beach Restaurant Association.
“What bothers me, and it should bother you is, as residents continue to complain about this, and more residents get involved, eventually the City Council is going to have to readdress the standards for the outside dining areas,” said Perrotti. “I just don't see this continuing the way it is.” |
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The Beach Reporter – January 18, 2007
Hermosa Beach News HB Planning Commission restricts 705 permit
Despite attracting a number
of supporters to speak on their behalf, the owners of an upper Pier Avenue
business could not convince the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission to see
things their way. The commission adopted a resolution Tuesday night imposing
severe restrictions on the business located at 705 Pier Ave. known as Club
705.
Lundy's firm was hired by Maximoore Inc., a Los Angeles-based entertainment company that owns and operates Club 705.
Throughout the public
comment portion of the hearing, Maximoore's supporters continuously stressed
that the operation was being run differently than under the previous
ownership. At one point, roughly 15 people stood up as a show of support for
the vilified business. Club 705's manager, Xavier Flamenco, urged the
commission not to adopt the resolution, stating that “one-dimensional”
restaurants like Marie Callender's and Descanso that were previously located
at that site were not viable because they only served food. |
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The Beach Reporter – January 25, 2007
Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch DEADLY WEAPON ASSAULT. Someone was allegedly struck with a hammer in the 1000 block of Hermosa Avenue after engaging in a verbal confrontation with two other individuals. The incident allegedly occurred at 1:30 a.m. Jan. 15. A group of friends were reportedly threatened with violence by two male suspects while walking back to their car late at night along Hermosa Avenue. One of the suspects began wielding a hammer and eventually struck the victim in the head during the incident.
GRAND THEFT. Someone allegedly removed several items after the owner left his driver-side window down after parking it in the carport of his residence in the first block of Sixth Court. Several items were taken from the vehicle, including a digital camera, a GPS system and two golf clubs. The incident allegedly occurred between 8 p.m. Jan. 15 and 7 a.m. Jan. 16.
VEHICLE BURGLARY. Someone allegedly removed a Dell laptop computer from a 2002 GMC Yukon that was parked in the 600 block of Second Street. The owner of the vehicle is not sure if he locked his car when he parked it Jan. 15. The incident allegedly occurred between 11 p.m. Jan. 15 and 6 a.m. Jan. 16.
GRAND THEFT. Someone allegedly removed a cell phone and backpack from an establishment in the 1600 block of Pacific Coast Highway. The incident allegedly occurred between 6:45 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Jan. 19 at the basketball court located in the 24-Hour Fitness.
PETTY THEFT. After leaving his car unlocked in front of his apartment, someone reportedly removed several items from the vehicle. Among the items taken were a California Drivers License, registration and insurance paperwork, various tools and miscellaneous clothing. The incident occurred between 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18 and 6:30 a.m. Jan. 19 in the 900 block of First Street.
VEHICLE BURGLARY. After parking a rental car in the upper level of a parking structure in the 2500 block of Pacific Coast Highway, a hotel patron returned the next day to discover the vehicle unlocked and numerous items missing from the trunk. The incident allegedly occurred between 8 p.m. Jan. 16 and 12:15 a.m. Jan. 17. Several items were taken including a set of golf clubs and various articles of clothing. |
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The Beach Reporter – January 18, 2007
Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch VEHICLE BURGLARY. Someone allegedly removed $200 in cash and a set of keys from a 1991 Toyota van parked in the 900 block of 24th Street. The incident allegedly occurred between 11 p.m. Jan. 14 and 2:45 p.m. Jan. 15. A resident locked and secured her car, leaving it parked in the driveway of her home. The following day, she noticed the driver door was ajar and the interior ransacked.
VANDALISM. Someone allegedly damaged the front door of a resident's home at 2:30 a.m. Jan. 14. The incident allegedly occurred in the 600 block of Fourth Street. The resident did not observe the subject damage his door, nor did he call the police.
EMBEZZLEMENT. An employee of a local business allegedly embezzled approximately $40,000 over a lengthy period of time between June 1, 2005, and Jan. 1, 2007. The general manager of a business located in the 900 block of Aviation Blvd. was allegedly alerted to the situation by an accounting firm hired by the business. An employee subsequently confessed and was quickly terminated.
PETTY THEFT. Someone allegedly opened a UPS box and removed the contents between 5 and 7 p.m. Jan. 10. The incident allegedly occurred in the 700 block of First Place. A resident's wife allegedly saw an unopened UPS box sitting on the front porch. After returning from work, the resident discovered the box had been opened and the contents removed.
DEADLY WEAPON ASSAULT. An individual walking along the pier plaza after leaving a nearby establishment was allegedly struck by someone wielding a skateboard. The victim's two friends observed the incident, which occurred at approximately 1:47 a.m. Jan. 13. According to the report, the attacker had just engaged in a verbal argument with the victim and his friends just a few minutes earlier. |
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The Beach Reporter – December 14, 2006
Hermosa Beach News HB Council debates new entertainment permits
A prototype of a new law
requiring businesses that provide live entertainment to obtain an
“entertainment permit” was considered Tuesday night by the City Council, and
the general reaction among those attending the meeting was uniformly
negative.
“If there are violators
that are not in compliance with their CUPs (conditional use permit), enforce
those CUPs or revoke those CUPs,” said Vincent. “It seems like what the city
wants to do on this is basically issue parking tickets to everybody in the
city of Hermosa Beach because a few meters have expired.”
Wary of the community's
response, Reviczky stuck to his guns and stressed that the process would be
a quicker way to deal with problems than the cumbersome CUP process, which
has taken up to a year to reach a resolution in some cases. |
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The Beach Reporter – December 14, 2006
Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch THEFT. Someone reportedly took a backpack from a child who was waiting for his mother to return home from work. The incident allegedly occurred in the 700 block of Sunset Drive between 6 and 6:15 p.m. on Nov. 28. While waiting for his mother, the victim set his backpack down on the ground. The driver of a white van allegedly stopped his car, got out, picked up the backpack and drove away.
PETTY THEFT. A bicycle was allegedly taken from the front yard of a home in the 2000 block of Hermosa Avenue. The incident allegedly occurred between 9 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8:30 a.m. Dec. 8.
STOLEN VEHICLE. A blue Yamaha scooter was allegedly stolen from an open garage on Sixth Street. The incident allegedly occurred between 10 p.m. Dec. 9 and 7:30 a.m. Dec. 10.
VEHICLE BURGLARY. Someone reportedly smashed the front window of a vehicle in the 900 block of Aviation and removed a GPS navigation system. The incident allegedly occurred between noon Dec. 2 and 10 a.m. Dec. 3.
BURGLARY. The owner of a business in the 1300 block of Hermosa Avenue reportedly discovered several items missing from her establishment upon returning to work earlier this month. The incident, which saw items worth approximately $2,000 taken from the store, allegedly occurred between 6 p.m. Dec. 2 and 11 a.m. Dec. 3 |
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The Beach Reporter – December 7, 2006
Hermosa Beach News Plans for ‘Seagal (the actor) Club' in the works in H.B.
In a bizarre twist to the ongoing saga of a local nightclub known as Club 705, a Los Angeles-based entertainment company is tentatively planning to revamp the business into a new establishment that bears the name of a famous actor with a tough-guy image, Steven Seagal.
Instead of the punk rock
shows and scantily clad women currently associated with Club 705's existing
lineup, a new business plan calls for the creation of “The Seagal Club,” a
restaurant, sports lounge and nightclub that serves as a showcase for the
former martial arts action star.
In the meantime, an updated
staff report was prepared by Blumenfeld that concluded Club 705 “has
demonstrated a clear pattern of noncompliance with many of the CUP operating
conditions.” It urged the commission to decide whether these “egregious
violations” justified revoking or modifying Maximoore's permit.
Perhaps most interesting,
Seagal himself co-signed a nonbinding letter of intent with Minassian to
participate in the venture, which he described as an “upscale Japanese
private club.” Seagal, who is currently on tour with his band, was
unavailable to comment on the proposal.
Should the city eventually decide to deny Maximoore's permit or place any significant restrictions on the nightclub's operations, a lengthy battle might ensue that would tie up any chance of Seagal inking a deal with Minassian in the not-too-distant future. Minassian has expressed his intention to pursue a formal agreement with the actor only after both administrative matters are resolved. |
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The Daily Breeze – December 6, 2006
Hermosa Beach - Police Log Assault and Battery: 2:33 a.m. Nov. 25, 1100 block of Hermosa Avenue. A participant in a fight was arrested on suspicion of fighting in public, public intoxication and resisting arrest for allegedly trying to attack another person involved in the incident as he was talking with police officers. The report noted that the man had to be restrained when he resisted arrest when confronted by many police officers. Obstruction: 2:33 a.m. Nov. 25, 1100 block of Hermosa Avenue. A man was arrested on suspicion of resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer and public intoxication for allegedly disobeying an officer’s order to step back, yelling at officers to let a man under arrest go and slapping the officer’s are causing a minor injury while the officer was attempting to secure a perimeter at the scene of the fight. Residential Burglary: 10:35 to 10:39 p.m. Nov. 17, 1900 block of Manhattan Avenue. A resident heard the voices of two males in the residence, shouted at them to leave and heard them leaving. Police officers found a trail of muddy footprints and a screw driver that did not belong to the resident. Entry appears to have been made through a window. Theft: 6 to 6:15 p.m. Nov. 28, 700 block of Sunset Drive. A man in a white older model van stopped his vehicle and took a backpack containing school books. A boy had set the bag down as he was standing outside waiting for his mother to come home from work. |
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The Beach Reporter – November 9, 2006
Hermosa Beach News Gallery Apartments change hands
In yet another sign of the
changes afoot in Hermosa Beach's real estate market, a 168-unit apartment
complex known as the Gallery was recently purchased by a Chicago-based real
estate investment trust known as Equity Residential.
Unlike Equity's acquisition
of Playa Pacifica, which saw the firm spend approximately $20,000 to $25,000
per unit on improvements, no upgrades are planned for the Gallery. “The
Gallery was built in 1971, but it was recently renovated and upgraded,” said
McKenna. |
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The Beach Reporter – November 9, 2006
Hermosa Beach News What's in a name? Some want a new one for South Park
Should the city rename one
of its parks to disassociate itself from an irreverent cartoon with the same
name? That is a question facing local officials as the city gears up for its
highly anticipated Centennial Celebration early next year.
“A couple of months ago at
one of our meetings, Laura Raymond mentioned that the city was looking for
‘100 Acts of Beautification' and one of our members mentioned that the park
doesn't have a sign,” said Cullen. “We felt that it probably needed a name
change also, because of the cartoon.”
The request, which was to
be heard Wednesday night by the Parks and Recreation Commission, could go
into effect as early as the end of this month if the City Council takes
action on the proposal at one of its upcoming meetings. The council may
reject or accept the recommendations put forward by the commission, or it
may continue the matter to a future time. |
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The Beach Reporter – November 2, 2006
Hermosa Beach News The battle against clutter
As part of the centennial
celebration early next year, a seminar to help local residents stay
organized is scheduled for later this month. “Clearing Clutter From the
Inside Out” will be held next Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Clark Building and
seeks to provide residents with tips on avoiding the pitfalls of owning too
many possessions.
Local residents Marie
Hoffman and Susan Murphy agreed to spearhead the seminar. As part of the
seminar, Hoffman authored a short article detailing how her experience as a
Realtor required her to help clients remove clutter from their homes in
preparation for being placed on the market. “There was only one challenge,”
wrote Hoffman. “It is human nature to collect things, often to the point
where their homes were filled with way too much stuff.” As a result, Hoffman
finds herself the perfect messenger for this particular event. |
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The Beach Reporter – November 2, 2006
Hermosa Beach News Correction Last week's report incorrectly asserted that the public hearing for the Hermosa Pavilion's conditional use permit was rescheduled from Dec. 12 to sometime in January. At the council's last meeting, City Manager Steve Burrell requested that the hearing be continued from Dec. 12 to Jan. 9 to give the owner more time to complete a report on the building's parking structure. The council instead granted Burrell the power to continue the matter at his discretion, leaving the hearing set for Dec. 12. |
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The Beach Reporter – October 26, 2006
Hermosa Beach News City to reconsider CUP for 705 Pier club
The city of Hermosa Beach
is currently considering modifying or revoking the conditional use permit
for Pointe 705, also known as Club 705/Saffire. At the Planning Commission's
meeting earlier this month, a staff report was presented to the commission
recommending that the body “set the matter for (a) revocation/modification
hearing.”
It went on to state that these incidents “involve multiple violations of law, including the California Penal Code, the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code, the Fire Code, as well as the Conditional Use Permit issued by the city to the business.”
The report also states that
the Police Department “opposes the license transfer, until or unless
additional restrictions are placed with the license.” In other words, the
Police Department is not supportive of the establishment's change of
ownership, which an officer testified on Oct. 17 was “still in escrow.”
The owner, Tim Moore, did
not attend the commission's meeting earlier this month but did submit a
letter to the city, which was included in the staff report. It states that
his intention is to establish a “high-end steak and seafood restaurant.”
Moore also stated that previous owners of the establishment “failed to
grasp” the care necessary when utilizing promoters, adding that “outside
promoters” have “brought the wrong type of demographic.” Several messages
were left by phone seeking comment from Moore prior to press time but none
were returned. |
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The Beach Reporter – October 12, 2006
Hermosa Beach News Hermosa Pavilion restaurant decision pushed back
It seems like the owner of the multiuse commercial
property located at 1601 Pacific Coast Highway, known as the Hermosa
Pavilion, just can't win. The Hermosa Beach City Council voted Tuesday night
to delay making a final decision on Gene Shook's plan to build a new
restaurant in his building for two months. The continuance was urged after a
public hearing that saw many residents rise to oppose the project,
complaining about noise, traffic and parking.
Following the continuance, the commission
voted to approve the proposal with several conditions, including that the
new restaurant close at midnight, have no live entertainment, no TVs, no
cover charge and no outside dining. In addition, the commission imposed a
six-month review period for the conditional use permit. Following the
commission's August approval, the matter moved to the City Council. The
council assumed jurisdiction over the proposal at its meeting Sept. 12,
leading to Tuesday night's public hearing.
Local residents though, were not buying it. Linda
Miller spoke against the proposed restaurant, stressing that the city
doesn't need a “bar” or “cabaret.” She added that comparisons to the Metlox
building in Manhattan Beach or Fleming's Steakhouse in El Segundo are
“totally irrelevant” because residential properties are situated much closer
to the Hermosa Pavilion than in those instances. Though Shook testified in July that he didn't want to wait six months, that's exactly what happened. The council is expected to consider the issue again at its meeting Dec. 12. |
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The Beach Reporter – October 12, 2006
Hermosa Beach News HB Council may revisit entertainment permits
A member of the Hermosa Beach City Council recently
proposed implementing a new citywide permit process for businesses that
incorporate live entertainment. Councilman J.R. Reviczky aired the proposal
at the council's Sept. 12 meeting. According to Reviczky, the proposal seeks
to eliminate some of the red tape currently associated with the city's
conditional use permit process by providing a faster and smoother mechanism
by which local officials can deal with issues arising from local businesses.
Without naming names, Reviczky alluded to several
establishments that currently require a sizable amount of attention. If a
new entertainment permit process helped to resolve some of the current
issues, he would consider the plan a success. “If that makes this go away,
then I'd consider it successful,” said Reviczky. “It's certainly not my
intent to put everybody under the microscope.”
In Redondo Beach's system, anyone wishing to provide
live entertainment must apply for either a “Level 1” or “Level 2”
entertainment permit. According to Redondo Beach's Municipal Code, a Level 1
permit is required when “the number of persons participating in the
entertainment are one to three,” and “the sound is amplified and/or
recorded.” A “permit administrator” would be entrusted to make the final
decision with respect to Level 1 permits. Such an administrator may deny
someone's request if the proposed entertainment interferes with “the quiet
enjoyment of neighboring property” and no action could be taken to
“ameliorate that interference.” |
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The Beach Reporter – October 5, 2006
Hermosa Beach News HB City Council to consider restaurant CUP
The Hermosa Beach City
Council is scheduled to consider an application by the owner of the Hermosa
Pavilion to build a new restaurant at his property at 1601 Pacific Coast
Highway.
When reached by phone
earlier this week, Shook stated that it wouldn't be appropriate to comment
until after the public hearing on Oct. 10. His demeanor is not a surprise
given how much is riding on the council's decision. A restaurant designer
hired by the developer previously estimated the new project is expected to
cost between $3 million to $4 million. |
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The Beach Reporter – October 5, 2006
Letters to the Editor
Against PCH restaurant
Against vending machines in parks |
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The Beach Reporter – September 28, 2006
Hermosa Beach News HB Pier restaurant denied extended hours
A request by the owner of a
pier plaza restaurant fell on deaf ears Tuesday night as the City Council
voted unanimously to deny the Mediterraneo restaurant permission to remain
open until 2 a.m.
While several people rose
during the public hearing to oppose Mediterraneo's request, the majority of
speakers Tuesday night spoke in favor of granting it permission to remain
open until 2 a.m. The restaurant's supporters included local residents,
other restaurateurs and the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.
Many stressed the need for Hermosa Beach to have a restaurant that catered
to an older clientele not interested in some of the other pier plaza
establishments.
“We have an impact problem
and we're trying to solve it,” said Mayor Sam Edgerton. “I think we're
sending a message that we don't want to add people (to the downtown area)
between 12 and 2 a.m.” Though not present, Edgerton participated in the
meeting via teleconference from his hotel room in Chicago, where he is on
business. |
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The Beach Reporter – August 31, 2006
Hermosa Beach - We Get Letters
Council should protect residents
Another Club Moxie disturbance |
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The Beach Reporter August 17, 2006
Hermosa Beach News Report finds no problem with use of force
A consulting firm
investigating the Hermosa Beach Police Department recently concluded that
the agency does not have a systemic problem with respect to the level of
force used by its officers. While declining to offer any formal criticism of
the department or any individual officers, the firm did issue 27
recommendations in a 60-page report that seeks to improve the agency's
internal policies and procedures.
The report's conclusion
exonerates the department, finding that no pattern of abuse is evident and
that the level of force used by police officers was almost always
reasonable, justified, and in compliance with the law, policy and
contemporary practice.
In addition to the use of
force, the report goes on to agree with the department's current policy that
microcassette recorders should be used during officers' interactions with
confrontational or uncooperative individuals. The report states that
mandatory audio-taping will eliminate 90 percent of use-of-force and
rudeness complaint allegations. |
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The Beach Reporter August 10, 2006
Hermosa Beach News City officially welcomes new chief
Hermosa Beach officially welcomed new Police Chief Greg Savelli at an
event held last weekend in front of City Hall. The ceremony attracted a vast
array of community leaders, including City Manager Steve Burrell, City
Attorney Mike Jenkins, Councilmen J.R. Reviczky and Kit Bobko, and Mayor
Pete Tucker, among others.
The
Beach Reporter: What are some of the goals you hope to accomplish during
your time here as chief?
What
have you been told about Hermosa Beach from other officials? What can you
tell us that you've been told about Hermosa Beach? |
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The Beach Reporter August 10, 2006
Hermosa Beach Crime Watch RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY. A residence in the 100 block of Sixth Street was reportedly burglarized Aug. 2 at 2 p.m. Three bicycles were allegedly taken from an open garage. A woman employed by the owner was home at the time, but did not investigate when she heard noises in the garage because she believed it was the owner.
BATTERY. An employee at an establishment in the 1300 block of Hermosa Avenue was reportedly the subject of an assault Aug. 6. The incident allegedly occurred between 8:10 and 8:20 p.m., and involved an altercation between a doorman and another individual. The suspect was reportedly denied entrance into the establishment due to a dress code requiring pants. Upon hearing this, the suspect allegedly used an open right hand to slap the left side of the victim's face.
BOMB THREAT. An employee of a business located in the 1500 block of Valley Drive was allegedly the recipient of a bomb threat from one of its customers. The suspect allegedly informed the dispatch person that if an appointment was not kept to restore the customer's cable, the individual would appear in person and bomb the business.
BATTERY. Someone was the alleged victim of an assault on July 19 at 8:30 a.m. As the victim was walking southbound along the beach, she was approached from behind by another individual who introduced himself as Corey. The suspect tried to give the victim a business card, and after she refused he grabbed her by the right arm and pulled her closer to him. The woman was able to pull back and free herself from the suspect.
GRAND THEFT. Two Schwinn bicycles were reportedly stolen from the 1000 block of The Strand between 10:15 p.m. July 15 and 7:30 a.m. July 16. Each bicycle was worth approximately $1,000.
VANDALISM. A 2003 Chevy Tahoe was allegedly keyed while parked near the intersection of Hermosa Avenue and 10th Street. The incident allegedly occurred between 7 and 10:30 p.m. July 15. |
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The Beach Reporter – August 3, 2006
Hermosa Beach – Crime Watch DEADLY WEAPON ASSAULT. Someone riding a bike on The Strand was allegedly shot with a pellet from an Airsoft pellet gun July 12 at 5:08 p.m. The victim was riding with his friend northbound in the 200 block of The Strand when his friend realized someone standing in the vicinity had shot something at the victim. The suspect did not know the victim, who was not injured by the incident.
VEHICLE BURGLARY. A vehicle parked in the garage of an apartment complex in the 400 block of Herondo Street was allegedly burglarized on July 12, at an unspecified time. A cell phone, sunglasses, and yoga bag worth approximately $100 were reportedly stolen from the vehicle.
VEHICLE BURGLARY. Several items were reportedly stolen from a vehicle parked in the 1700 block of Monterey Boulevard between 7 p.m. July 14 and 10 a.m. July 15. The victim's California Drivers' License, a handicap placard and the vehicle's stereo were reportedly stolen.
VANDALISM. Someone reportedly smashed a victim's car windshield between 9:50 and 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 15. The vehicle was parked in the lower parking lot located at 702 Pier Ave.
BATTERY. On Sunday, July 16, at 12:46 a.m., several individuals were involved in an incident at a Pier Plaza establishment that led the citation of two people for misdemeanor battery. As a woman danced with two of her friends in the establishment, a man approached them on the dance floor and asked the woman to dance. After she refused, words were exchanged between the two parties. Each party claims to be the victim of an assault. |
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KCBS-TV Channel 2 News at 5 PM -
Hermosa Beach Police Issue Warning To Women - Broadcast on 7/29/05 at 5pm.
Hermosa Beach Police detectives believe the two incidents may be linked to a March 8, 2004, attack on a woman who was dragged into a stairwell and beaten.
View the CBS-TV Channel 2 news story on the Pier Plaza Assaults . . . You need Windows Media Player in order get the audio/video of this CBS-TV news story reported by Paul Dandridge.
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. (CBS) Hermosa Beach police are warning women to avoid walking alone from Pier Plaza nightspots following two attempted assaults possibly committed by the same man who attacked a woman last year. Detectives told the Daily Breeze that they believe the man -- dubbed the "Late Night Attacker" -- was trying to rape a woman when he grabbed her as she walked on Monterey Avenue in the south end of the city early Sunday. The victim was walking alone at 2:15 a.m. on a well-lighted sidewalk when a muscular man confronted her. The woman was able to escape by kneeing him in the groin, police said. On July 8 about 3:30 a.m., a woman was walking home from the downtown area in a dimly lighted alley near 10th Street and Monterey Avenue when a man tried to force her into a car, the Daily Breeze reported. That woman also managed to escape. If you have any information related to the incidents, please call Detective Robert Higgins at 310-318-0341.
The Beach Reporter - February 3, 2005
Hermosa Beach News
Annual police report cites 2004 crime stats (2/3)
By Whitney Youngs
According to Hermosa Beach's annual statistical report for 2004, major crime in most categories exhibited a downward direction compared to 2003, but just like in 2003, there was a continued upward trend in the category of the number of adults arrested.
According to the report, of the major crimes reported - murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft and auto theft - the police documented 714 crimes in 2004 compared to 752 crimes reported in 2003.
"It's always been described to me over the years that our crime rate is somewhat flat and I think this year's report is still somewhat characteristic of that," said Hermosa Beach Police Chief Mike Lavin. "We are up in a few categories, we are down in a few others. There are no real significant changes."
Police reported no murders this year compared to one last year while sex crimes declined from 11 cases in 2003 to seven cases in 2004.
The murder reported in 2003 was that of Hermosa Beach resident Joel Bues, 25, who was killed in his car at the intersection of Pier Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway in March 2003 at approximately 12:45 a.m.
Bues was shot to death while driving his BMW, which he pulled up to a red light at the intersection in the outside left-hand turning lane. Police were never sure if the shooting was a random act of violence or if Bues knew the suspect.
According to the report, robbery rose slightly with 20 cases reported in 2004 compared to 13 in 2003.
Assaults increased by only three cases from 140 in 2003 to 143 in 2004. On the other hand, burglary reports declined by three cases from 143 in 2003 to 140 in 2004.
Theft, which includes grand and petty thefts, and auto theft also declined in 2004. In the area of theft, police reported 388 cases in 2003 compared to 359 in 2004; and in auto thefts, police had reported 80 in 2002 and 56 in 2003, which are both up from 2004's 45 reported cases. DUI reports also decreased from 285 in 2003 to 164 in 2004.
"I not sure exactly why we have seen a drop in DUIs," said Lavin. "We still participate with the South Bay DUI Task Force which deploys every month. In addition to that, we are still out there doing our own thing."
Police continued arresting more people this year with 1,388 adults arrested. The figure continues to grow each year, setting new records in more than a decade. Police arrested 1,315 adults in 2003, which had already constituted the highest number of arrests since 1991.
"I think the large number of arrests is a result of the activity downtown," added Lavin. "It brings us an awful lot of business.
I'm not sure if we are necessarily seeing larger crowds. My impression is that the size is very much the same over the years. What we are seeing is a very transient crowd - a lot of different people who are circulating through just in the different people we arrest. People who are in the area have heard about Hermosa Beach and want to come check it out."
Juvenile arrests in 2004 were reported at 20 compared to 28 in 2003.
Police once again reported no fatal traffic accidents in 2004, 2003 or 2002; and reported 60 injury traffic accidents in 2004 compared to 88 in 2003. In the downtown area, the Police Department has had to staff foot patrols in the downtown area virtually every night of the week, which is an indication that the area has become more active during the week as well as the weekends.
"It remains busy on the weekends, in particular, but even now during the week it's busy, busy enough where we would never staff foot patrols down there at night we are now staffing them about six nights of the week," explained Lavin.
"We almost have to maintain a presence down there to kind of keep things under rein. People get intoxicated and start fighting, and if we weren't down there to stop it, we would see our misdemeanor batteries escalating into felony assaults with deadly weapons.
Someone could even go to the point of killing someone else just because they are in a drunken stupor and they're doing something really stupid. So really one of the real basic missions of the officers down there is to try and stop those disturbances from getting out of hand."
The number of police calls for service decreased this year from 32,241 to 30,215 while the number of disturbance calls rose from 3,025 to 4,201. The number of parking citations also increased from 46,800 to 51,137.
Hermosa Beach
Crime Statistics - 1998 to 2004Criminal Adult Total Calls Disturbance Burglary Robbery Assaults DUI Citations Arrests For Service Calls
1998 -- 113 17 77 150 562 608 19,951 3,199
2004 -- 140 20 143 164 1,419 1,388 30,215 4,201
Crime Categories That Have Shown an Increase from 1998 thru 2004
Criminal Adult Total Calls Disturbance
Burglary Robbery Assaults DUI Citations Arrests For Service Calls
Up Up Up Up Up Up Up Up
23.9 % 17.6 % 85.7 % 9.3 % 152 % 128 % 51.4 % 31.3 %
Source: The Hermosa Beach Police Department Activity Reports
The Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Association
City of HB Info HBNA Photo Gallery HB Crime Info HB Weblinks