ARSLANIAN & ASSOCIATES, INC.6671 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1502

Hollywood, California 90028\ \Ji i lV*«CITY CltRr

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CITY CLERK

August 4, 2017Phone (323)465-0533

Fax (323)465-9240Los Angeles City Council c/o City Clerk 200 N. Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 BY. deputy

Re: Appeal of Board of Building and Safety CommissionApproval of Haul Route2937-45 N. Glendower Avenue, LA 90027Building & Safety File No. 170017

Honorable City Council Members:

This an appeal regarding the recent decision by the Department of Building and Safety Board of Commissioners on July 25, 2017 approving a haul route for the above-noted property. We oppose the approval for the following:

The designated route along narrow substandard city streets will cause unprecedented disruption to residents in the immediate area. For all intents and purposes, Catalina Street allows traffic to proceed in one direction only. Traffic proceeding either up or down the hill must pull over to allow vehicles to pass. In addition to being narrow, there are a minimum of seven blind curves making the route even more hazardous.

1.

Large 10-wheel earth bearing trucks will create an additional hazard to motorists travelling along Los Feliz Blvd. a major thoroughfare and primary artery between Interstate 5 Hollywood and Mid-Wilshire.

The amount of grading is excessive and exceed Baseline Hillside Ordinance 181624 (2011)limitation. Air quality has not been adquately addressed including the number of large earth transporting vehicles, subsequent cement trucks required for the extensive retaining walls and foundation. It has been asserted that ssuch extensive grading could accerbate a previous diagnosis of valley fever possible caused by extensive grading and earth moving involved due to a previous project immediately adjacent to 2937 Glendower and our residence.

2.

The residential floor area provided by the applicant can't be determined without documentation showing the proerty's topography as it is regulated by "slope bands." The proposed building height may exceed the maximum height limit.

The construction is proposed on two separate lots. The lot tie was recorded on June 14, 2017. Notification of adjacent property owners of the plan to build a structure in excess of 15,000 was not forthcoming. While a notice of demolition was filed, such a large project was inconceivable until neighbors were notified of the massive scale and excavation that was planned.

3.

4.

Continued...

Page 2

The only recourse this property owner/appellant has is to protest the haul route however, the possible danger of the removal of such a significant amount of land on what is an unstable hillside cannot be denied.

Los Angeles City Council

While the property owner wants to embark on a massive construction project, oneindisputable fact is that the two properties, 2937 Glendower and 2489 N. Edgemont Street are integrally bound together and any earth moving projects above places the downslope property in serious jeopardy.

In reviewing the engineering and soils report, it seems there was no analysis of the soil condition at the property at 2489 N. Edgemont Street.

When we purchased the property in 1973, it was massively overgrown so much so that the condition of the hillside was hidden. Following purchase, we began clearing and when the overgrown foliage was removed were startled to see that a massive landslide had occurred. Walkways were covered, pipes jutting into the air. We were told that shoring up the affected area would keep the hill in place.

For 44 years, we have been shoring up the hill and small landslides have been a continual, occurrence. Visible earth movement can be seen and the footing of the current retaining wall constructed sometime after the large slide was built is exposed. There is evidence of earth movement on Edgemont Street and in our neighbor's large driveway and parking area.

While assurances have been made that building multiple retaining walls will stabilize the property, the plan to return the hill to a slope, removing terracing and plantings on the upper hillside property which has kept that hill in place is of major concern. The severe, near perpendicular slope below the retaining wall consists mainly of decomposed granite.

Additionally, we assert that the health and safety of neighbors in the area could also be in jeopardy due to the extensive grading and excavation and haul route. Following the owner's last building and grading project, my wife contracted valley fever, a condition caused by spores possibly disturbed by excavation immediately adjacent to our home.

We have requested a guarantee that the proposed grading, retaining walls scheme, plantings, catch basin and water pumps will have no detrimental effect on our home or property. Extreme caution and research regarding spores and other conditions caused by such extensive earth movement should be a concern of all parties before any approval is forthcoming. Until such time that assurances are provided, responsibility accepted and liability assumed by all parties, including the City of Los Angeles, for permitting such a project, we respectfully request that the haul route approval be denied and no grading permit issued.

Si rely, f\! X

scar P. Arslanian/Nyla C. Arslanian

cc: Councilmember David Ryu Owners, 2489 N. Edgemont Street

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August 4, 2017 Appeal Board of Building and Safety Commission Photos showing steep hillside, proximity of home to

Arslanian File No. 170017—Decision July 25, 2017 prospective building site; Edgemont St. earth movement

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WFooting of retaining wall at property line exposed due to earth movement.

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Above. Distance of home from hillside. Below: Photo taken from retaining wall.

Excavated stairs along hillside that were completely buried by previoius slide

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y.ijAbove: Photo taken from bedroom window showing retaining wall, terraces and 2937 Glendower property excavation site.

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Indication of earth movement below grade.

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Ef5>.«i:Above right: Concrete above curb on Edge­mont St. shows earth movement

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movement at Edgemont St.

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XPhoto shows hillside prone to landslides. Hillside and proximity to dwelling..

News The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Fri, Feb 10, 1978 • Page 7

Printed on Aug 3, 2017

.com

vnnE'CaUaiBg'JX.^jPolice reportejj

land-Tujunga ari f El Segundo rel

twister-like gale1' Many schools t.

slides and gas lea,.Police agencie'

and the LAPD 1| first time in its hih

The National 'y 4 inches of rain. '

By latest coun,t to flooding and si I

One of the ha ji Drive to Hollywci?

Floodwaters r* Lookout Mountau

lM'lE. I W 1 zt^SSHcx.■ r1 ■»1 • \,r 1—jfige over Big Tujunga Wash near SunJand collapsed under force of storm and current. Street in foreground «s Foothill Blvd.

71e» pb«* C«! MoatcejIV ' 4A\. . hS-

LTE ■*I

■ws .T^ : m■S

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UPS,'I*Wir* S*rvlcr&

Stock prices de- ly. faced with some 3 Wilt

AfterMOWS-jfe average of 30 in- If 1.82 at 775-99. fee Exchange volume yllion compared with

J AraayTin Financial Section aSheriffs depute"

three wild lions lo*j caped during theS compound at an " firm inSokdadCar**

One lion was fi| shotgun blasts as h" puties standing 15 (jj /acent trailer park jj

The two other li : were killed near tU Noel Marshall Prod* Canyon Road y

R*vi*n

§The disrupted Mid­Negotiations will re- tafter next week. Is- bhister Moshe Dayan

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in backyard pushed it off foundation Tree is keeping house from sliding down into another.

Times plwto 6y Ctl Frtontney

V 3. j#.:f . T -

ReleasedPRECARIOUS—House at 5843 Tuxedo Terrace in Hollywood leans against tree after landslide

Ltn actor held in the p1 case, was released by and tola reporters ®en smoking “angel %n he telephoned po­ll to the killings

o stop and make a to a crowd of re- -

irm not in control of

§

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ii; Firedlfit—A stalemate be- U-eli. owner of the&sssi*s

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Clipped By:

nyla757Thu, Aug 3, 2017

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Hews The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) ■ Fri, Feb 10,1978 Page 7

Printed on Aug 3, 2017https://www.newspapers.com/image/164875408

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Cos Atisctos SttucsCLOSINGN.L oiOCKSj - *■ i p -4

LU«G6$r CWCOlinoi-J IM THE WIST I.0M.M7 DAU.V,

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1978 DAILY lit'MINE PARTS-PART ONE 160 PAGES”VOL. XCVII LATE ★ * FINAL

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION

l.A.’s Worst Storm!3 Die, 10 Sought, 30 Bodies Washed From Cemetery

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s~' ia« BE ALMAKTINEZ

The worn storm in Southern CiWomn'-i history brought death ar.1 destruction to the Los btigeleii area la* night and early today and Itisn’t yeL

A A new giant is rolling m oil the PactTic, the National Weather Ser- .1 »1cc and will bring with It ibundtrshowm and winds "ifti m.j.h.bterlmiii or icmgift.' ’itf threats of *» monster the way" were toned down some

t flash (tod and file warnings remain in el feet. Laat night, huntaae-lorce windi and driving

- - - the Southland.a

in swept through

At least fire pereara died. 10 areaped [nun i loo. 30 twite* were swept from

"tumbled life* ion" by lUih floods.Both the Lo* Angtlea and Long Beastli

four private marina* were Whole nelghbofhodds

flood*, and hundreds of recorded at S2 m-p.h, in Newport Beach.

Power and telephone lines winds, wiuflng power outages

Police reported that 100 oi 'uc'.i »-U land-Tujunga area ak«.

El Segimdo reposted that a tornado npped through the twiiter-Hhe gild* destroyed d5 mobile homes fn Huntington!

Many school* were ckeed by the storm. “Jfife, aixtaaitdgij leaks because of broken line

agendo throughout the Southland wuis mi De-hour alert. I and the LaPD Emergency Opera dons Center was activated for ’: first Unwin Its history.; Tbe National Wtulher Service Kdd the (hree-day storm left Simon.

than 4C0 peraont were reported homeless due

—! dangerous ItOOS «- their pares ard cor>

harbors ware shut down andreported m shambles.

by cither road dowiro or •red te the {pound by wind;

t mapped Be siring by the ht>» ling telephone failure* everywhere.

more homes 1 damaged:BUCKLEP—Bridge. ; ■ Big Tujtmgo Wows < i *i slum lind iMTant 'mil *. i

i.-Eracb.

endangered fcv

LATE A•ii

NEWS ; ‘WSi to flooding and

Oneoflbe)laUdea.htrdeat-hit areas waa Tjurei Canyon, from MuihoUand

Dri»* to Hollywood BlvtLFlood waters mated down On canyon, the earth broke away

LookotS Mcunuln and tons of mud tolled ova- Laurel Canyon BIvo.rjriK T»m I* fair 3. Cab

MBSDow Dps

3 Wild Lions Shot, Killed After Escaping Compound

VEW VOfiK-stxfc de- iixd itigluiy tudaj. latte with some |

adverse inflation news.

atdungavottainatseltocd r.lfNVw YtrK Stock

155 million comparedlift mituin Thursday.

Titles in Hi »T DATE. 108 EVZWKICSheriff* depubea

thru wild lions today aA« ility «■ raped during (he Mono from ihnr ccmpwnd at an animals-ior-Alin* Am is Sokriad Canyon.

Los Angel m County ui afteiMha breast S tspatted at

. hut * sheriffs officer sendstjs'.'zst.

unl^parlmmca* lyb* reached for

"We had no

Talks Back On if-'NEW YORK—The disrupted M>S- e Eait peace ingolbliHa wilj r»- One ra* Idled by11 ■ -- rttotw* biaau tshc ctorted

• . -■ U ptaVs nandlap 15 feet away taaaad-|ac«l trader park.

unce.• : ro-.

wldtoday.. Tnw. ii wen Tdlltd ^ i.rai «.

, imutli#!. Noel Murehafl Produetlaiis on Salffad i Cu ia__n Canyon Road.Actor Released 'TWffS Jlitot Lhtm.'

ahtriffa 1L Th'-:S5TH i brSo'1'StrJajier'cSe!lor hcW

. . wa* rettuedwi rertmly today and lIM reporten h ha had tern frawbig "inge!

iPCP) when he tdeptened to-

wiki anlituk. The wrptatrrdangcHidinlUalr

TkS'Sw'ifreports of the

shall 1_____ ________down litre, ligcn Url panthers

might havee might have

-: In cenuol ofpomts. sayinK. 'I’m "Some of the

Coryell Fired nght now thej- re a be Hid.

A'jUicrttiei vxdST. LOUIS Tiih-A stalemate be-u< Mw

h'aikwal Foothall Uagve’a Si Lnsis Carduut;. and Coach DonCerytli Jtii cwkC today when Bidwrll Tired him.

to Caryon, i.PlMjeTara I. fry. 3, CoL 5

;|Sfwho direetre1 the FEATURE INDEXi Id LWiiV at tor at Conference Eia takt

ASTIOI.OOrTi.'l i P«r f BOtH 8GVIEW.View, flip 5 eniBOt'(lew. Page tz classified. Pins, Pica I'M.

■ '.- .:«••:• dtoUWOio. Pans. h*e «.nCAKAUT.?artZPa»£ ItonpWATA coLDMfe. Part. I Pi

THE LATEST WEATHER yps?£■

■ ■A flash fltod ,1 .. ,m» ■«.• i Angeles until tatty twjgtiL iiyi

National Weather Smice. fn the c ....— ..— W2|| ^ oceaatonil SPtNAHCLA L PrrU, TlJt 1°17.2t. ■u u./ir-.i1'jiAht:

issaSi®5TV-1AWO. VW. IVB1,3I.T2.31. PITA W, WEATHMC f in 1. Pr*c T.i WO*trwS,V>ew.Pjjci|.'-2%aM> :han;e PILEUP—Cora li« in jumblod beoB in been sv-enr together by ond mud during it arm.

l H*.* S; Bwh Tanra| Con yon wl

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