Lawndale Tribune AND LAWNDALE NEWS The Weekly Newspaper of Lawndale Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - May 21, 2015 Lawndale High School Breaks Ground on New Student Center Lawndale High School broke ground this week on a two-story, 42,000 square foot building which will open during the 2016-17 school year. The building will house a student union, cafeteria, nine classrooms, and a computer lab. Pictured at the groundbreaking event are (L-R): John Vargas, El Camino Board Member, Jan Vogel, South Bay Workforce Investment Board CEO, Gloria Ramos and Maritza Molina, CVUHSD Board Members, John Gardner, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Security Assistant, Hugo Rojas, CVUHSD Board President, Dr. Gregory O’Brien, CVUHSD Superintendent and Paula Rodas, Lawndale High School Principal. Photo courtesy of Centinela Valley Union High School District. City Council Approves Amendment to Hawthorne Boulevard Specific Plan By Nancy Peters Recognizing the need for creating a new commercial zone, specifically for a 2.1 acre area on the southwest corner of Hawthorne Boulevard and Manhattan Beach Boulevard, in order to generate additional tax dollars from retail establishments, the Lawndale Community Development staff presented a proposed amendment to the municipal code ordinances at the Monday City Council meeting. The proposal includes the changing the zoning from “Office Commercial” to “Retail Commercial.” This new zoning will exclude any development in this quadrant that is not retail. Excluded from being developed on the acreage are business offices of any kind; medical or dental practices; personal services, such as nail salons, dry cleaners, barbers, or beauty salons; insurance agencies; and lodging establishments of any size. The proposal was originally presented to the Planning Commission and approved unanimously for presentation to the City Council. The retail establishments that would be allowed to be built and permitted for this land are primarily restaurants, clothing stores, shoe stores (not repair shops), flower shops. Retail shops and/or restaurants can bring more of a catalyst for one of the most important intersections in the community. The opposite quadrant on the northeast corner of the same intersection is occupied by a CVS store. A CEQA study was completed for the acreage, but individual CEQA reviews will be needed for any specific development. A Negative Declaration is included in the ordinance amendment. A public hearing was held for the proposal and the City Council approved (4-0, with Councilman Daniel Reid absent) the amendment, the Negative CEQA Declaration, and the Ordinance 1108-15 to establish the new Retail Commercial Zone in the Hawthorne Boulevard Specific Plan and zoning map. Two proclamations were approved in the consent agenda to declare May17-23 as National Public Works Week and May 2015 as CalFresh Awareness Month, in agreement with a request from Los Angeles County. During the Public Safety report from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department advised of two important incidents in Lawndale within the last two weeks. A victim had her vehicle stolen, at gunpoint, in the 14600 block of Hawthorne Boulevard. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) patrol officers noticed the reported vehicle in the area of the LAPD Newton Division being driven by what turned out to be the same suspects and a pursuit ensued. The reckless driving to avoid the police resulted in the suspects crashing and flipping the stolen car. The suspects were handed over to the Sheriff’s Department, arrested and booked for armed carjacking with felony charges and other enhancements. Also reported was a sexual assault by a male juvenile upon a female juvenile near the train tracks in the 4600 block of 172nd Street. The victim was able to provide a description of the suspect, who was located by deputies as he ran along the tracks trying to get away. He was arrested and booked for felony assault with special circumstances. The Sheriff’s Department reminds citizens to remove all valuables, such as purses, wallets, jewelry, suitcases, cell phones and cords, from your parked vehicle to avoid break-ins to your car. Golden State Water Company will be holding a local Water Conservation meeting on Tuesday, May 26 at 6 p.m. in the Lawndale City Council Chambers and invites all citizens to attend to learn about the recommendations to deal with the mandatory water use restrictions due to the statewide water shortage, the enforcement mechanisms to be imposed on all citizens and customers, the recommended conservation rebates and programs and the water usage schedules for outdoor irrigation. Mandatory water use restrictions, drought emergency surcharges, other program highlights, available water flow devices and other equipment to assist in conservation. Lawndale residents should be aware of the use of reclaimed water that is available for use by the city for plants and lawns. Several citizens mentioned in oral communications that the selection of the weekend days for allowable outdoor irrigation should be reconsidered since weekends are when most people are not working and potentially using water for reasons other than irrigating their outdoor areas. Several senior students from the Environmental Charter High School addressed the City Council on the need for a local program for veterans who are homeless, may suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to circumstances surrounding deployments, and other needed treatments for possible disabling disorders or syndromes. As part of a Senior Project the students are studying a social issue that affects their community and researching ways to makes recommended solutions to the civic leaders. The City Council suggested that the students explore the Los Angeles County PATH program that is planning future expansion into the South Bay to assist veterans. It was also suggested that they contact local federal representatives about funding a local program, as well as the Department of Veterans’ Affairs in Washington, D.C. The next meeting of the Lawndale City Council will be held on Monday, June 1 at QNr Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals ......................2 Classifieds ...........................2 Food ......................................5 Hawthorne Happenings ...3 Legals ...........................4, 6-7 Letters ..................................2 Pets .......................................8 Police Reports ....................3 Sports ...................................4 Weekend Forecast Friday Partly Cloudy 64°/57° Saturday Partly Cloudy 67°/57° Sunday Partly Cloudy 68°/58°
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