Northwest
Glendale Homeowners Association
Largest
Neighborhood Association in Glendale
Winter
2002 Volume 12 #4
Winter
2002 Table of Contents:
City
Council Updated on Historic Districting Plan
Otto
Tronowsky, NWGHA Founding Director, Dies
President's
Newsletter-- Addressing Homeowner Issues
Council
Considers ‘Light Trespassing’ Ordinance
Kenneth
Village Spotlight--The Pilates Body--Surprisingly Quick Results
City
Council Updated on Historic Districting Plan
After holding a series of community workshops, Glendale Planning
Director Elaine Wilkerson presented a proposed process for creating
historical districts in the city to Council at its November 12 meeting.
The Northwest Glendale Homeowners Association and the Cumberland
Heights Historic Districting Committee hosted one of these workshops
on October 17 at Brand Library, at which over 100 residents attended.
A Two-Step
Process
The proposal, which was approved on a conceptual basis by Council,
generally breaks down into two steps.
The first step will be to enact an enabling ordinance to allow
creation of historic districts as overlay zones.
Formation
of Individual Districts
After such
an ordinance is enacted, residents may request formation of a historic
district for their neighborhood. Draft design guidelines and proposed
district boundaries will be established. More than 50% of the property
owners in the proposed area will be required to sign a petition
requesting consideration of the district. This is the same percentage
and process now required for residents to petition Council for any
zoning overlay, such as establishing setbacks on their block.
The City would then conduct public outreach and hire consultants
to conduct a survey of “contributing” historic homes
in the area with available volunteers. Planning will revise
and refine, as necessary, the proposed design guidelines and
boundaries. City Council, the Planning Commission and the Historic
Preservation Committee will conduct public hearings. Council
will then consider approval of the district designation and
the final design guidelines.
The historic design guidelines will be in addition to existing
design and zoning requirements, such as floor area ratios and
compatibility, and will be administered by a new historic district
design review board.
NWGHA
Comments
At the Council meeting, NWGHA officers generally approved of
the approach.
They questioned how the initial boundaries would be selected
and how they might be altered, how the initial draft guidelines
would be developed, how the petition process would function
and whether an individual homeowner would know, when asked to
sign a petition, whether his or her home would be deemed a historic
structure.
The NWGHA’s goal is to make the process as transparent
and public as possible.
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President's
Newsletter--
Addressing Homeowner Issues
By Peter Fuad
NWGHA President
There is much activity going on at City Hall these
days regarding neighborhood issues, and most of it is favorable. Some examples:
DRB Exemptions
These exemptions include detached
residential garages, regardless of size, “accessory” structures
of less than 500 square feet, new structures and remodels up to 700 square
feet (or, if directly facing a street, up to 200 square feet), and all new
walls, decks, patio covers and gazabos.
The exemptions have been problematic
in some instances. NWGHA Board members Bob Getts and Peter Fuad spoke out
at the meeting in favor of ending or severely restricting these exemptions
where the project would be visible from the street
Historical districting continues
to move forward (see adjacent article). We are encouraged that formation of
these districts will bring neighborhood preservation to a new level.
Assaults on the Senses
Council also appears willing to
address the issue of bright and glaring lights shining from your neighbor’s
property. It’s called “light trespassing.” See the article
on page one.
The ordinance is one of several
that Council may consider as part of enhancing one’s right to the quiet
enjoyment of his or her property. In the future Council may also look at limits
on offending smells and vibrations.
Some might consider these ordinances
silly or overkill, but for those affected they can seriously interfere with
one’s peace of mind as any noise or other pollution can.
Compatibility
At Council’s direction,
DRBs are now giving greater weight to neighborhood compatibility when reviewing
projects. The record is still not perfect, but it is improving. sum, this Council
continues to be a gratifyingly receptive to homeowner concerns. The NWGHA looks
forward to a productive 2003.
Otto Tronowsky
We all lost a good friend and a fierce advocate
of livable neighborhoods with the death of Otto Trowonsky in September. His
sensibility—and sense of humor—were tremendous assets to our Association.
Our neighborhood is better today because of him.
We mourn his loss.
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Otto Tronowsky,
NWGHA Founding Director, Dies
By Randy Carter
Founding NWGHA Board Member Otto Tronowsky passed
away in September at the age of 88. With Otto¹s passing, this Association
lost a passionate and committed individual whose work on behalf of his community
will long be remembered by those who knew him.
Born in Kiel, Germany, Otto's family immigrated
to this country when he was one year old and moved to Glendale from Davenport,
Iowa in 1921. A graduate of Hoover High School, Otto served proudly in the defense
of freedom as a pilot with England's Royal Air Force and the U. S Navy in WWII.
He flew combat missions into the heart of Nazi Germany during the darkest hours
of the war against fascism. A reservist for seventeen years, he retired with
the rank of Captain. A mortgage loan officer with Prudential Insurance for thirty-seven
years, Otto became a founding member of the National Association of Review Appraisers
and served that group as Director and President.
Faithfully Attended DRB Meetings
As a NWGHA Board Member, Otto became our representative
to the Design Review Board and devoted countless hours to monitoring their deliberations
and assisting property owners who either had projects before the DRB or were
victims of insensitive development and wanted to appear before the Board and
speak about a project. This consistent and thoughtful representation is a luxury
unmatched by any other homeowners’ association in Glendale.
Knowledgeable
on Enforcement and Loopholes
Otto
was invaluable in assessing current enforcement levels and spotting potential
loopholes in the Design Review Ordinance that could be exploited to the detriment
of his community. He earned a well-deserved reputation as a considerate advocate
for reasonable development and spoke “on the record” for numerous
projects in Northwest Glendale. In addition, Otto made many trips to City Council
on evenings when issues of importance to homeowner were being considered and
lent his thoughtful voice to the debate.
Otto attended his last Board Meeting only two weeks before he died and continues
to be an inspiration to all of us who were fortunate to serve with him.
He
is survived by his brother Eric, his son Jon and his loving wife Clara Mae,
all of whom remain in our thoughts.
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Council
Considers ‘Light Trespassing’ Ordinance
The City Council is to consider
adoption of a “light trespassing” ordinance favored by the NWGHA.
Under the ordinance your neighbor could not have outdoor lighting which exceeded
.5 lumens at your property line. Outdoor lighting would also have to be shielded
to prevent glare.
Emergency lighting, motion detector
lighting and certain other lighting would have certain exemptions. The ordinance
would apply only among residential properties within residential property zones.
Many cities throughout the country and Southern California have such ordinances.
Kenneth
Village Spotlight--
The Pilates
Body--Surprisingly
Quick Results
By Kathleen
Giachino
Over many years I have tried all types of workouts,
from equipment exercise to aerobics to yoga. I exercise for a limited time,
then an excuse always rescues me, and I give it up.
Not so with Pilates, or at least not so far. Pilates
workouts, even group mat classes, are tailored to the individual. The muscles
of your body are strengthened and lengthened to create a makeover for the body
and health of the participant.
The workouts are varied, results appear quickly,
and, most of all, are fun. I look forward to the exercise because of the easy,
relaxed atmosphere of the classes put together by Kelly Tourgeman, owner and
instructor for The Pilates Body.
From the first day, I felt comfortable with both
the instructor and the diversified group of women in the mat classes. The classes
include women of all ages from teens to whatever.
Humoring the Body
The amount of humor in the first class surprised
me. The women in the class, most new to the routine, laughed as we exercised
beyond our strengths. Kelly encourages us to go beyond what we imagine possible
and we find that possibilities beyond our expectations occur. Often we hear
someone exclaim. “I couldn’t do that before!"
The most satisfying benefit of Pilates is the
almost instant changes in the body. At any fitness level, the results are surprising.
Available Classes
Sixty-minute mat classes are $15.00 each and may
be purchased at a discounted price of $120.00 for 10 classes. Your first class
is just $10.00. Private and semi-private (2 person) pilates equipment sessions
are also available; the first class is 50% off. Kelly offers a number of group
mat classes and flexible scheduling for private lessons. Classes may be attended
weekly or when you are available.
Kelly received her instructor certification from
the Physical Mind Institute of New York and continues to further her education
by attending various pilates and fitness workshops.
The Pilates Body classes take place at The Center
for Healing Arts located at 1401 West Kenneth Road, Glendale. Call 323-913-9681
to reserve mat space or make and appointment for a private lesson. Walk-ins
are welcome but reservations are suggested for all classes.
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