Residents to Keep Historic Lampposts

Los Angeles officials on Tuesday abandoned plans to take out ornamental lampposts with acorn-shaped globes in Sherman Oaks and replace them with modern street lights.

The decision came during a meeting attended by homeowners, officials from various city departments and the City Council.

Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn., said the decision means that “other communities are going to realize that they don’t have to accept the rip-outs. They can preserve their old lighting if they want.”

City lighting engineer Mike Cates said the city Bureau of Street Lighting would work with the homeowners to create a historic lighting district. Such an area could retain the charm of the 67-year-old cement posts with misty, frosted-glass tops while attaining legal standards of brightness and energy efficiency, Cates said.

The city had cited safety concerns in targeting the lampposts. Officials wrote to homeowners earlier this year to notify them of an impending switch.

The tone of the notification contributed to residents’ opposition, Close said.

“They thought they could come in and just say, ‘This is what’s going to happen,’ ” Close said.

Cates conceded that “the letter might have scared them into thinking that we were forcing them into something.” But he said, “Right now we’re backing off.”