August Newsbites

***Airplane Noise and Pollution*** This coming MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2021, 6PM-9PM there will be a virtual briefing by the FAA on their proposed redesign for southbound departures out of Van Nuys Airport which was item 2 requested by the SSFVTF at the end of those meetings in May 2020. You MUST REGISTER to attend the briefing. To attend this meeting, please click HERE to REGISTER. To see FAA's Conceptual VNY Redesign, click HERE. To submit questions to the FAA prior to the meeting, click HERE. This is step one to untie the knot of problems created in 2017 and 2018 by changes at both Burbank and Van Nuys Airports. We must encourage this attempt by the FAA to work with us and continue to insist on other changes.

***Cannabis Dispensary*** Last month, a BAHA ALERT was sent to all residents of the BAHA area for whom we have email addresses.  The alert stated that an application had been filed with the Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) for a retail cannabis dispensary to be located at 2323 Roscomare Road, site of the old Bel Air Foods market.  BAHA engaged legal counsel who filed a formal notice of opposition to the application.  Since issuing the news alert, numerous concerned members of our community, along with BAHA, have written strong letters of opposition with cogent reasons of why this would be such an incompatible land use in our neighborhood.  These letters were sent via email to Corey Blake ([email protected]), the person who has been assigned to handle the application at DCR.   Furthermore, our Councilman, Paul Koretz, has been alerted to this issue and has been requested to intervene on behalf of the community.  BAHA will update residents as we receive definitive information. If you have not sent in your letter to Corey Blake please do so and be sure to cc the others listed on the BAHA Alert which can be found at https://www.baha.la

***Ridgeline Protection Ordinance*** In June a BAHA ALERT was sent to all residents of the BAHA area for whom we have email addresses regarding the Proposed Ridgeline Protection Ordinance. Last month, Newsbites provided the following link to obtain information on the proposed Ridgeline Ordinance:   https://plancheckncla.com/2021/05/28/proposed-ridgeline-protection-ordinance.  Newsbites also alerted the readers that the deadline for comments was extended to August 2nd.  Prior to that date, BAHA submitted its comments, stating, in part, “The residents of our community feel that the ordinance should not penalize those who have called the ridgelines home for the past 70 years, causing the current homeowner to fear that future fires and earthquakes will cause their homes to be “non-conforming” and thereby face an inability to rebuild.”  We hope that other concerned residents submitted their comments.

***Roscomare Road Elementary School (RRES) Opening - Increased Auto and Pedestrian Traffic Alert!*** RRES is scheduled to open for in-person learning on August 16.  School hours will be between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm, with students arriving and departing at various times.  Traffic around the school before and during those times will be difficult, especially during the first week of school.  BAHA has been working with RRES and LAPD to try to make the situation easier and safer for all concerned.  There will be many young children walking in the area on school days.  Please drive with care to keep our young scholars safe.  Thank you.

***SB 9 and SB 10*** We previously reported on these two bills in the State Legislature that would greatly impact neighborhoods of single family homes, such as we have here in Bel Air Hills.  Since then, the bills have passed the State Senate and are now before the State Assembly.  You still have time to voice your concern to your Assemblyman about these bills.  To contact your local representative, go to   https://a50.asmdc.org.  You will be able to simply email your position to him.  The texts of the bills can be read at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB9 and https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB10.

***Email Addresses*** The residents of Bel Air Hills who receive Newsbites and BAHA  Alerts are those neighbors for which BAHA has email addresses.  BAHA only uses email addresses to alert residents of information that is important to the community or to convey alerts and important news to members.  The Alert advising the community of the proposed cannabis dispensary is a good example.  If you are aware of residents who are not receiving Newsbites or BAHA Alerts, please encourage them to send their email addresses to [email protected] (and also to include the street address so that the email address can be properly associated).  It is in everyone’s best interest that BAHA be able to communicate with all neighbors.  Thank you.