UPDATE 1912 St. Andrews: February 10 PLUM Meeting at HUNC

PLUM = Planning, Land Use & Management (a HUNC committee)

HUNC = Hollywood United Neighborhood Council

Due to great concern from residents on Saint Andrews Place, their good friends on neighboring streets, the incipient Hollywood Grove Historic HPOZ, the Eastwood Coalition, and H.E.L.P., HUNC’s PLUM committee placed this vital item on its agenda for last night. On more than one occasion, Immaculate Heart was urged to send a representative, but they chose to send no one – not even to listen to the community’s concerns.

As the PLUM Committee is advisory to the HUNC Board, the committee voted to recommend that the HUNC Board write a letter to Councilman La Bonge and Immaculate Heart urging that the house at 1912 St. Andrews Place remain intact as a single family dwelling. And, as the HUNC Board is advisory itself (with its power resting in its voice as one of public opinion) the residents are very glad to have this ally to help protect St. Andrews Place and the surrounding streets from this attempt at Zone Busting.

Immaculate Heart Refused
to Attend the Public Meeting

HUNC is an official part of the City. It is the place where everyone can attend, be heard, and listen to all opinions. There are many grassroots organizations that often hold their own meetings, but for this problem the PLUM Committee seemed to be the most convenient and timely venue for everyone.

Immaculate Heart is an establishment with many members. Even if IH could not have sent someone authorized to speak on its behalf, they could have at least had the courtesy to send someone to listen to the community’s concerns. Thus, it is proper to say IH refused to attend.

Immaculate Heart Proposes
A Closed Door Meeting
That Excludes The Public

Rather than attend a public meeting where all voices could be heard, IH has proposed a closed-door meeting between its Board and a few members of HUNC’s PLUM Committee, with no invitation to any other community members, including the residents of Saint Andrews Place.

IH has asked HUNC’s PLUM committee to submit its proposals for the IH Board of Directors to consider. Under The Oaks ICO, however, Immaculate Heart has a duty to advise the City of its plans. IH knows the neighborhood’s position as far back as 1999, when IH purchased 1912 St. Andrews; 100% of the residents signed a petition that said the property could only be used for a single-family home.

We should remember that IH’s former principal, Ruth Ann Murray, promised that the School would come to the community before it did anything that would affect the neighborhood. Yet, several months ago, when one neighbor suggested to IH that it meet with the neighbors, IH refused. And a couple months ago, one of IH’s contractors revealed to another neighbor that the School told him not to talk to any neighbors about IH’s plans.

We Hope HUNC Will Not Attend
a Closed-Door Meeting with IH

HUNC serves a useful purpose when it encourages communication between people, but accepting this invitation to a closed-door meeting would accomplish the opposite. It would condone private, closed-door meetings and perhaps worse, it would condone IH’s refusal to communicate with its neighbors on St. Andrews, thereby excluding those who will be the most adversely affected.

FEB 7 - Update on the Demo at 1912 St. Andrews

When the Eastwood Coalition (E.C.) spoke with Immaculate Heart on January 31, 2009 regarding the house located at 1912 St. Andrews, the School informed the E.C. that the house had been “condemned.” When the E.C. responded by saying we knew that was untrue, the School then said that house had been “vandalized.” Again, the E.C. knew that was also untrue. (Interestingly, that very night, one of the windows in the house was unlatched from the inside. A neighbor saw the unlatched window, took photos, and the called and faxed the School to come close the window.) A few days later, the School had another story — the house was slipping off its foundations.

On February 7th, Immaculate Heart held an open house at 1912 and many nearby residents, especially those active with the Historic Property Overlay Zones (HPOZ) accepted the School’s invitation to inspect the house inside and out - including the foundation. Among those in attendance were Susan Swan, President of HUNC (Hollywood United Neighborhood Council), and HUNC’s PLUM (Planning Land Use and Management) committee member, Dave Schlesinger. In addition, the open house was attended by neighbors from Hollywoodians Encouraging Logical Planning (H.E.L.P.) as well as the Eastwood Coalition. What did we discover?

• What little damage that exists at the property appears to have been caused by the School itself.

• There were no signs of transients inside. All the windows were intact (except where an a/c unit was extracted and boarded up) and there were no access points for vandals.

• The house is not slipping off its foundations. There is some minor settling, but this settling appears to be the result of the School’s removal of the sump pump from beneath the house, and without the sump pump moisture has accumulated, (which can cause uneven settling of the various pillars).
  

• We verified that the window which mysteriously opened after E.C’s conversation about alleged vandalism can only be unlatched from the inside.
  

• We also learned that thanks to its steep roof, there is ample space for a Master Bedroom Suite on the second floor.
  

As people were leaving, Immaculate Heart representatives expressed concerns of arson. (Huh? Arson?) But in truth, as long as the house is properly maintained (including a light or two being kept on) no transients would dare take residence, especially with an entire neighborhood watching the house like hawks. So why would the School worry about arson? Who would want to burn down this house? Ask yourself this question: Who would stand to gain the most?

Before the School bought this house in 1999, all the neighbors signed a Petition stating that they were absolutely opposed to any non R-1 use. Although the school has permitted the home to deteriorate, the inspection shows that it is livable and a prime candidate for remodeling thanks to its sound foundation and high pitched roof.

Immaculate Heart is now aware that many neighbors and neighborhood organizations are very concerned about this house, and are willing to fight in order to keep it. At this point, the neighbors sincerely hope that the School will either fix the house and rent it or sell it, or simply sell it as it is and let the new owners fix it up.

• The next update will discuss the Oaks Interim Control Ordinance which forbids a demolition of this house.