October Newsbites For BAHA

***Traffic Related Successes***    In our July issue of Newsbites, we highlighted our Traffic Committee and the efforts it is involved in to improve traffic conditions in our area (no easy task!)  We are happy to report that there have been some recent successes.  First, Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) has now replaced the faded parking signs, trimmed the foliage around obstructed signs, and moved and added signs.  Second, BAHA had requested the City extend the no stopping red curb on Roscomare Road south from Mulholland Drive to improve safety.  LADOT has now put up “No Stopping/Parking” signs on both sides of Roscomare south of the Mulholland intersection.  These signs are temporary until the road can be restriped in a manner to make the west (southbound) side have an 18 ft lane with parking allowed, and the east (northbound) side have a 12 ft lane without parking allowed. We hope to have more good news to share with you in the future.

***FAA and Airport News***   The FAA reply to the Task Force letter was very disappointing. Many people feel it is time for residents to take legal action. A new group has formed called Save Our Skies LA. Please check out the website sosla.org and consider donating to the legal fund. If you have questions there will be a phone conversation with the attorney next Wednesday at 7:30pm. Please email baha.la.news@gmail for instructions on how to join the call.

***Our New West LAPD Leaders***   BAHA is very fortunate to have two great new LAPD leaders on the job! In early January Captain Jonathan Tom, who grew up in West LA and is glad to be back working here, took the helm for West LAPD and at the end of April SLO Pete Ojeda took over for our longtime wonderful SLO Chris Ragsdale.  Captain Tom and SLO Ojeda are both very responsive to our needs and a pleasure to work with.  We welcome them and hope they will continue to help us improve living conditions in the hills of Bel Air!

***Fire Season***  Just a friendly reminder now that fire season is in full swing:   All who live in Bel Air Estates, which includes Bel Air Hills, are in: “The Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (or ‘Zone’) as first established in the City of Los Angeles in 1999. This designation replaced the older ‘Mountain Fire District’ and ‘Buffer Zone.’ The ‘Zone’ was carefully determined according to California State Law and comprises most of the hilly and mountainous regions of the City of Los Angeles.”  For more information on this and fire prevention techniques (including red flag days), go to http://www.lafd.org/fire-prevention/brush/fire-zone.

So please be especially careful and if you see construction workers (or others) smoking, or you see cigarette butts at construction sites, politely point out that this area is a high fire zone and smoking outdoors is prohibited. 

***BAHA Social Events***    One of several BAHA social events is the annual party where BAHA members each year get together, eat and drink, kids play games, and adults enjoy good conversations.  We also look forward to the annual Fall Festival where all of the neighborhood is invited to come to the park at the bottom of Roscomare and enjoy refreshments and Halloween decorations, and children dress up in costume.  Each December, the neighborhood is again invited to the park to enjoy cookies and hot apple cider and beautiful lights at the annual holiday tree lighting.  Unfortunately, with Covid 19, these kinds of events cannot, and should not be held.  While this disappoints us, we look forward to the time when our social events can resume and neighbors feel safe.  BAHA will still be decorating the park for Halloween and have the Holiday Lights on in December.