NEW `CHINATOWN' IN BEVERLY HILLS; AFFLUENT RESIDENTS, CITY WAGE BATTLE OVER WATER AND POWER.Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer Amid the tranquil acres of tony homes and forested streets rages a battle that provides a peek into what secession could bring if city hall came to the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. officials want to replace the 70-year-old Coldwater Canyon Reservoir rocked out of service for a year by the Northridge Earthquake The Northridge earthquake occurred on January 17, 1994 at 4:31 AM Pacific Standard Time in the city of Los Angeles, California. The earthquake had a "strong" moment magnitude of 6. , but first they would build a separate reservoir 19 feet above ground nearby to maintain service in the area. Neighbors have fought the plan for nearly five years, paying more than $300,000 for experts who contend Beverly Hills deserves a safer and less unsightly un·sight·ly adj. un·sight·li·er, un·sight·li·est Unpleasant or offensive to look at; unattractive. See Synonyms at ugly. un alternative. ``It's much more than not in my back yard. I think it would be a terrible blemish blem·ish n. A small circumscribed alteration of the skin considered to be unesthetic but insignificant. blemish on Beverly Hills,'' said the legendary producer Robert Evans There are several well-known people named Robert Evans, including:
Evans, producer of such films as ``The Godfather'' and ``Chinatown,'' said he and his neighbors have found their own kind of ``Chinatown'' in fighting Beverly Hills officials - something, he noted, San Fernando Valley residents would face if the secession fight succeeds. ``It's a good news, bad news story,'' Evans said. ``You would think in a smaller community you would have a more hands-on government. But it can work in reverse. You can come up against arrogance and intransigence in·tran·si·gent also in·tran·si·geant adj. Refusing to moderate a position, especially an extreme position; uncompromising. [French intransigeant, from Spanish intransigente : , and those two words are expressed ways to failure.'' Residents' fears that the concrete tank could rupture and flood homes with nearly 2 million gallons of drinking water drinking water supply of water available to animals for drinking supplied via nipples, in troughs, dams, ponds and larger natural water sources; an insufficient supply leads to dehydration; it can be the source of infection, e.g. leptospirosis, salmonellosis, or of poisoning, e.g. has played out like a cinema classic. ``This has taken more of my time than any movie I've produced,'' Evans said. ``It's about water and power. This is `Chinatown.' '' Mayor Les Bronte acknowledges neighbors of the project have been formidable foes. ``They've been extremely aggressive. We certainly understand their concern and we've spent an awful lot of staff time and money hiring experts,'' he said. When asked, however, whether the process of local government has worked in this instance, the mayor said he wouldn't predict an outcome heading into the expected council vote today. ``Call me back Wednesday, baby,'' he said. At least the five council members have a stake in the seemingly mundane piece of civic business. ``It's much easier in Beverly Hills to deal with a Beverly Hills problem because each council member is familiar with the location and the issue. You can't do that in L.A. because it's just too big,'' said Richard Close, a leader of Valley VOTE, the group seeking a study on the merits on the merits adj. referring to a judgment, decision or ruling of a court based upon the facts presented in evidence and the law applied to that evidence. A judge decides a case "on the merits" when he/she bases the decision on the fundamental issues and considers of incorporating the Valley into a separate city. ``Right now if a problem would develop in Van Nuys, the council people who would vote on it would be people from San Pedro, South Central Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , from the LAX area, who barely know where Van Nuys is,'' Close said. The problem in this case is how to replace a 7.7 million-gallon reservoir that is largely underground with a newer and larger one. City officials have said the proposed supplemental reservoir, a concrete structure nearly 19 feet tall, is needed so a service area with 1,200 homes, three schools and the Beverly Hills business district would have some water storage while the Coldwater Canyon Reservoir is replaced. Construction would be done this winter when fire danger is lowest. The opponents' alternative proposal calls for building a below-ground reservoir next to the existing one, then building the larger new reservoir in two phases. This month the opponents gained a commitment from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving 3.9 million residents in 2006. It was founded in 1902 to deliver water and electricity supplies to residents and businesses in Los Angeles. to provide a supplemental supply during the construction for some financial consideration. They also have obtained some 1,000 signatures from residents on petitions stating, ``Do not repeat Westminster here.'' On Sept. 21, a Westminster reservoir ruptured and unleashed 5 million gallons of water into a neighborhood, flattening
The flattening, ellipticity, or oblateness of an oblate spheroid is the "squashing" of the spheroid's pole, down towards its equator. garages and damaging 49 homes. The concrete tank was built in 1968. ``That was half a mile away. This is 12 feet away. This is why it's so ludicrous,'' said Daphna Edwards Ziman, whose home borders the lot where the supplemental reservoir would be built. Opponents contend there is no guarantee the above-ground reservoir can be designed to withstand an earthquake, that the city's seismic experts have underestimated the potential ground movement from the Hollywood Fault Zone, and that dozens of homes would be inundated in·un·date tr.v. in·un·dat·ed, in·un·dat·ing, in·un·dates 1. To cover with water, especially floodwaters. 2. if it failed. The Coldwater Canyon Reservoir's concrete cover collapsed during the Northridge Earthquake. ``That occurred from a fault many miles away. Here we've got an active fault right at the site, so we know higher shaking can occur,'' said Joe Cota, the opponents' consultant and a senior project engineering geologist An engineering geologist is a geologist trained in the discipline of engineering geology. Many organizations and governments have programs for the qualification, testing and certification of engineering geologists as a protection to the public. with GeoSoils in Van Nuys. Bronte said the Westminster disaster would not be repeated in Beverly Hills. ``The concept is it would be built far in excess of the standards for reservoirs,'' he explained. ``Studies show (Westminster) was constructed improperly from day one.'' Further, Bronte said the supplemental reservoir ultimately would boost the city's water storage capacity and work in concert with the new one, maintaining the city's gravity-fed distribution system. ``That's the perfect site for us,'' he said. The seeming failure to change the minds of city officials has frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: and angered the neighborhood's residents. CAPTION(S): photo, map PHOTO Alan Selka, secretary of a residents' group fighting Beverly Hills' reservoir plans, holds a model of the proposed above-ground water storage facility. Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Special to the Daily News Map: Beverly Hills Proposed water reservoir Daily News |
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