Brawl Erupts Over Widening of Street

Fistfights and shoving matches erupted outside a homeowners’ meeting in Encino on Thursday evening as residents who disagree over whether Reseda Boulevard should be extended clashed outside an elementary school.

The scuffles, involving about 10 people, occurred before a meeting organized by the Encino Property Owners Assn. and the Encino Hillside Traffic Safety Organization. The groups are asking that Reseda Boulevard be lengthened to Mulholland Drive to alleviate heavy traffic on Havenhurst Avenue.

Members of a group called the Friends of Caballero Canyon confronted the Encino residents outside the Lanai Road Elementary School auditorium, and the shouting and shoving began. The Caballero Canyon group carried signs protesting the proposed Reseda Boulevard paving, saying it would bring additional development and threaten wildlife.

City Councilman Marvin Braude was besieged by the crowd outside the school. Several shouted that they were being excluded from the meeting, attended by about 300 people.

Police dispersed the protesters, who had been banging on the school doors. There were no arrests.