Hawthorne Press Tribune Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - August 13, 2015 Flying Tigers Memorabilia Display Opens At Flight Path Museum The Flight Path Center and Learning Museum, located at 6661 W Imperial Hwy, will be displaying a collection of memorabilia from the Flying Tigers of World War II. The Flying Tigers were volunteer aviators who later founded the Flying Tiger cargo commercial line. The display will run from August 5 to August 19. Photo from Airways News Council Grounds Restaurant Plans Near Hawthorne Airport Landing Zone By Derrick Deane While Hawthorne police chief Robert Fager presented crime stats in a report to the City Council on Tuesday, the focus ended up going to the city’s denial of a building and grading permit for a proposed restaurant development in the strip of retail buildings along 120th Street. In a discussion that went on for more than an hour, Special Counsel to the City Staff Kevin Ennis and Alfred Fraijo Jr. representing Primestor Development Inc. sparred over an appeal regarding the development of a restaurant that would exist in the middle of a pathway for planes landing at Hawthorne Municipal Airport. Particularly at issue was an earlier denial by the city to grant Primestor Development Inc. the right to open a Farmer Boys Restaurant on the opposite side of the parking lot which currently includes Ross and PetSmart stores. In addition to the location being in the middle of an area designated by the FAA as a Runway Protection Zone (RPZ), a section of land which buildings are discouraged from being built in the interest of public safety, there was an extensive discussion about a proposed lot split. While Primestor contends that they have no intention of selling the land, a lot split would create a legal division of any lot into two or more for the purpose of sale, lease, or financing. The process requires government review and approval. The position of the City Council, under the advisement of City Attorney Russell Miyahara was to deny building and grading permits for the building, which Primestor is currently appealing. That being said, public safety routinely came up as the main concern with the proposed development. Mayor Pro Tem Olivia Valentine read an excerpt from an FAA airspace analysis which advised, “that structures that will result in the congregation of people with an RPZ are illadvised in interest of protecting people and property on the ground.” “Further, in the interest of long-term safety, such structures should be disallowed,” Valentine continued. “Keep in mind that because an FAA determination that a project is not objectionable from an airspace perspective does not mean the FAA has approved the project itself or provided a decision allowing the project to go forward in the RPZ.” Fraijo Jr. responded that the FAA has only made the determination that the development would not affect the airport. “That’s the only thing they can do. Only you can approve a project,” Fraijo Jr. said to the council. “The only thing that you would need as a property owner is to get the building and grading approvals. That’s written in the state Constitution.” Fraijo Jr. also made mention of an In-NOut restaurant that is currently in operation in Westchester near Runway 4 of LAX. Mayor Chris Brown was quick to point out the difference between the two plans. “I’m all for economic development, but this In-N-Out was a bad example,” Brown said. “Farmer Boys is directly in the middle of the landing zone. What you’re not showing is the In-N-Out Burger is north of the street that curves where people get in. That wasn’t drawn through, it was stopped. It is north, not directly in the middle of the flight path of Runway 4.” Sensing a swing in momentum against his claim, Fraijo Jr. stated that he simply wanted to draw attention to other projects outside of the city with regards to the FAA’s authority. Brown countered saying, “Do you know of another restaurant in California that was built in the middle of the RPZ? Because you show In-N-Out which is far north of LAX and the other half of it isn’t in the RPZ.” Fraijo Jr. tried to swing the attention back to the lot split issue and responded saying he had not researched it simply because that wasn’t the matter that was supposed to be discussed today. He continued, “I’m happy to answer any questions in regard to the [California Subdivision Map Act] because I think that is the really critical piece that we have before you today. It’s a simple property right issue.” Meanwhile, Fager opened the council meeting presenting crime stats for the city with particular emphasis on a Shopping Center Security Improvement Plan which was spearheaded by Valentine. The report found that the shopping area where the contested restaurant development was to occur featured 1,252 total incidents during the past year and included a rise in store theft. “Individuals going in and committing theft in retail places has markedly increased,” Fager said. “What we do is denote addresses because that’s a big shopping center that involves both sides of the street. The highest business entity over there had nearly a quarter of the calls, 300 calls at one business.” Fager closed his presentation by saying that the Hawthorne Police Department will host its Coffee With a Cop on Thursday, August 13 at McDonalds on Rosecrans and Hindry from 8 to 10 a.m. The event gives the public a chance to speak with officers and the chief about issues in their neighborhood as well as ask questions about what is going on in the city. Coffee With a Cop occurs frequently so residents who are unable to attend may check the Hawthorne Police Department website for the next get-together or contact the Community Affairs Unit at (310) 349-2854. • Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.......................7 Classifieds............................2 Community Briefs...............2 Film Review..........................2 Finance..................................3 Food.......................................8 Legals............................... 4, 6 Letters...................................2 Looking Up...........................7 Police Reports.....................2 Seniors..................................5 Sports....................................5 Weekend Forecast Friday Sunny 81˚/66˚ Saturday Sunny 82˚/70˚ Sunday Sunny 84˚/70˚ The Weekly Newspaper of Hawthorne
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