Villagers Feud Over Plaza Plan

Even though they live in the shadow of one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks--the Hollywood sign--the residents of Beachwood Canyon manage to maintain a peaceful lifestyle.

Carloads of sightseers trek through their streets daily to catch a close-up glimpse of the towering white letters, and yet neighbors can boast of their charming town square, with its little market and friendly restaurant. The flatlands of Los Angeles seem like a distant world on Beachwood Drive, Flagmoor Place and the other tree-lined roadways that wind through the hills.

But this quiet nook has erupted into a noisy brouhaha over plans to create a tiny plaza in the center of the community. Some fret that the plaza will attract more tourist looky-loos and other strangers.

With no public park, official vista site or rest stop at the base of the Hollywood sign, critics complain that the mini-park plaza will simply become a red-flag invitation for outsiders to hang around the tranquil neighborhood.

“It’s a miracle to be this close to heaven,” said Bruce Tabor, a vocal park opponent. “Why play with it?”

Proponents of the inaptly named Village Green--actually a triangular islet of paving stones, tiles, flower planters and street lamps that would jut into Beachwood Drive--dismiss their opponents as malcontents.

The proposal, supporters say, will neither deter nor attract tourists. And, they note, huge trees block the view of the Hollywood sign from the Village Green.

Instead, they say, the plaza will provide an important meeting spot for residents who frequent shops in the town center, known as Beachwood Village, especially on weekend mornings when customers spill out of the Village Coffee Shop.

“The people who are objecting to the Village Green are suffering from a siege mentality,” said Marcia Smith, a member of the Hollywoodland Charitable Foundation, the group of residents who are planning the project. “We’re trying to make an already cozy nook more neighborly.”

The plan has the backing of the area’s influential homeowners association, which has pledged up to $10,000. Los Angeles City Council President John Ferraro, who represents the area, also has endorsed the plan as an effective way to create more park space.

At the urging of Ferraro, the City Council in November allocated $16,000 for the project and waived customary city permit fees.

Ferraro’s chief planning deputy, Renee Weitzer, said the mini-park plan enjoys substantial support in the neighborhood, where many castle-like homes with sweeping views hug the hillsides. More than 100 people who turned up at a homeowners association meeting last month praised the project, while less than a dozen raised objections, she said. “There are always going to be people who don’t like something. It’s impossible to get 100%,” Weitzer said. “But we truly believe that the majority of the people do support this project.”

Each side in the controversy claims large bases of support. Opponents recently collected 350 signatures on a petition that was delivered to Ferraro’s office; Weitzer questioned the petition’s merit, saying that nearly a third of the signatures came from people who live outside the area--known affectionately among residents as Hollywoodland in honor of its original name in the early 1920s.

Meanwhile, those who want the plaza cite their own barometer of support: More than 320 people have contributed about $30,000 toward the project.

The Village Green idea has been a topic of casual conversation in Hollywoodland since at least the early 1990s, several longtime residents said. Two years ago, a group of homeowners formed the nonprofit foundation to formally launch the project and raise money.

But few can remember an issue that has so polarized the community. And some now find it hard to believe that neighbors who are known for their friendliness have resorted to shouting matches over a patch of concrete and a few potted plants.

“A lot of us think [the controversy] is silly. We’re talking about a little bit of cement,” said Bill McCullough, a sales agent at Hollywoodland Realty. “I think it’s much ado about nothing.”

Still, emotions are running high on several fronts, including traffic.

Supporters say the Village Green, which would narrow Beachwood Drive and add a crosswalk, would slow speeding cars and make the wide-open village area safer for pedestrians.

Opponents worry that the plaza would block the roadway. They say the area is already safe and that there is no need for change in a spot that has logged just five accidents in five years.

“The neighborhood does not need this Village Green,” said Fran Reichenbach. “It will be an ugly obstacle. It will cause more problems than it will solve.”

Residents reserve their bluntest comments for the appearance of the mini-park.

“The Green is destined to be a tacky curiosity, sort of like Hollywood Boulevard,” said Adrienne Zargaran, who formed an anti-park group called Neighbors for the Preservation of Historic Beachwood Village. “It’s in extremely bad taste.”

Counters Don Selten, president of the Hollywoodland Homeowners Assn.: “Right now, it’s just a big ugly sidewalk that has no definition. The Village Green will beautify Beachwood Village.”

Despite the uproar, the Village Green is moving forward. The project is expected to break ground as early as May, and it could be finished by July. A few opponents say they have talked with an attorney about seeking an injunction to halt the work, but they have yet to decide on a course of action.

Some in the community think it’s time to forget the ordeal and move on.

“Let’s face it, we’re not changing the course of Western civilization,” said Dino Williams, an avid Village Green proponent who owns the property directly behind the mini-park. “We’re just enlarging the sidewalk.”