Another Monumental Battle in the Works

In what suddenly is becoming a part of San Fernando Valley protest culture, another group of homeowners is hoping to halt a shopping center development by having the site declared a “cultural monument.”

Residents of Sherman Oaks said Tuesday that they may ask Los Angeles officials to award landmark status to a 1940s-era row of storefronts that until recently housed the famed Scene of the Crime mystery bookstore and other neighborhood shops.

Such a designation would stall a developer hoping to replace the block-long collection of one-story shops with a new three-story building. The one-year delay would give the city time to pass a proposed law restricting construction in the 13600 block of Ventura Boulevard to only two stories.

Unsuccessful Appeal

Residents of next-door Studio City were unsuccessful last week in an appeal to the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission for cultural monument status for a carwash, gas station and coffee shop at Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards. Their campaign--which focused worldwide attention on the Studio City corner--was aimed at delaying construction of a $15-million mini-mall until it could be redesigned.

Richard Close, president of the influential Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn., said residents have asked his group to press for such a designation for the storefronts after Jama Enterprises quietly applied last week for a demolition permit for the block.

City Councilman Michael Woo interceded to temporarily block the permit, complaining that Jama reneged on a promise to discuss its planned development with homeowners before seeking any city permits.

“It’s something we’ve been asked to look at by a lot of residents,” Close said. “It could help us accomplish our goal.”

On Friday, Close and Woo both accused Jama of racing to beat the proposed two-story height limit, included in a preliminary Ventura Boulevard growth-control recommendation expected to be acted on later this year by the Planning Commission and City Council.

On Monday, Jama’s lawyer, Benjamin M. Reznik, challenged the accusation and Woo’s suspension of the demolition permit.

Reznik said Woo “overreacted, to say the least.” He said Jama Enterprises promised homeowners that it would discuss the project before it sought a building permit for the new structure, not a demolition permit for the old storefronts.

He said development plans are being prepared and will be shared with Woo and homeowners when they are completed.

Reznik said he believes that Woo had no legal right to prevent the demolition permit from being issued last week. He said Jama will file a lawsuit if the city tries to delay the project until after the City Council votes on the boulevard growth controls.

“I hope we can get back to logic, calmness and reason and allow that stretch of old buildings that are falling apart to be removed,” he said.

Unaware of homeowners’ plans, Reznik joked: “I shouldn’t feel too bad. At least it’s not being considered a cultural landmark.”

He could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

Diana Brueggemann, a deputy to Woo, predicted that such a campaign would fail. “We looked into landmark designation for that site at the first of the year,” she said. “Our impression was it didn’t qualify.”

Historical Preservation

Other Valley-area residents, meanwhile, have indicated that they may turn to historical preservation to cope with what they consider overdevelopment.

In Calabasas, residents have started a drive to declare a block-long row of 60-year-old storefronts in Old Town a state “Point of Historical Interest” to block builders.

And in Woodland Hills, residents hinted this week that they may seek a cultural or historical designation for 63 old-fashioned street lamps in their community if the city does not drop a proposal to replace them with modern light standards.