‘Classy’ Street Sign Rubs Out Councilwoman Name

A Burbank city councilwoman has lost her Way.

Mary Lou Howard voted last week for a measure renaming Howard Way, which developers had named for her five years ago. Residents of the street had petitioned the council to change the street’s name to Viewcrest Drive.

“I’m not offended by it,” said Howard, a nine-year council member. “Of course, it’s a nice honor to have a street named after you, but I’ve always supported the residents and their wishes. If they want it, that’s fine.”

‘Pretty Name’

Of the new street moniker, she said, “I think it’s a very pretty name they picked, certainly much better than Howard.”

Residents said they petitioned for the change because of confusion between their street and the adjoining Haven Way.

Twenty-four of the 48 houses on Howard Way have the same numbered addresses as houses on Haven Way. Mix-ups often result, resident Lisa Mills said.

Domino’s Pizza workers delivered a pie to her house late one night, a group of women showed up once for a party and she received several letters for people on Haven Way.

Maria Alvarez had it even worse. For three weeks her newly hired gardeners groomed a house on Haven Way. “They kept telling me they were here, but three weeks went by, and my grass was growing like crazy,” she said. “I almost fired them before they started.”

The cable company made the same mistake. “I kept calling and telling them I needed my cable connected, and they kept telling me my TV was fine.”

Residents also wanted the change because they didn’t like the sound of the street’s name. Not only was “Howard” somewhat boring, they said, but the “Way” part was inappropriate.

“I don’t think we’re a ‘way,’ ” Mills said. “A ‘way’ to me is a smaller adjunct between two streets. We’re not a court or a lane either. We could be a street or a drive, but we’re definitely not a ‘way.’ ”

Mills and neighbor Theresa Kitchen chose the name Viewcrest after searching for names that would suit the street, which is on a hill overlooking Glendale, Burbank and much of the San Fernando Valley.

“We tried to come up with a name that was classy and not stupid,” Mills said.

Several neighbors think they succeeded.

“We wanted a pretty name for our street,” Carol Ellison said. “I don’t approve of streets being named after people. It’s not imaginative. Viewcrest doesn’t sound as ordinary.”

Their street is the only Viewcrest in Burbank, but there are five other Viewcrests in Los Angeles County, as well 12 Crestviews, two Viewridges, two Viewpoints, two Viewsites, a View Pointe, a Viewpointe, and a Viewmont.

And just around the corner in Burbank, there’s a Mystic View Place. Mystic View was changed in February from Stamper Place, named for former Burbank City Councilman Larry Stamper. Several of the streets in the area were named after city officials by developers.

Some residents said they like the new name because it’s classier. “It’s a prestigious area, and we should have a prestigious name,” Gil Spregg said. “It makes me feel better. I like to think I’m living in a classy area.”

Other neighbors think the name sounds arrogant.

“I think it sounds like they’re trying to place themselves above everybody else,” said Howard Way resident and former Burbank City Councilman Leland Ayres, whose name also graces a street sign nearby. “If we want to sophisticate ourselves, why don’t we just call it Beverly Hills Drive?”

Ayres said he also objects to the change because of the time and expense of adjusting his credit cards, driver’s license, business cards and other documents. “Somebody’s going to try to get ahold of me and they’re not going to be able to find me,” he said. “I just foresee continuous problems.”

Ayres also thinks the change is insulting to Howard. “I think it’s an injustice,” he said. “Here’s a woman who spent 10 years of her life dedicated to the city working for peanuts in an effort to make Burbank better.”

Howard, however, is still honored by another street in the area, Howard Court.