MAILBAG

A no vote on crazy fence ordinance

Thank you for covering the Burbank fence insanity ordinance (“Council closer to fence ordinance,” Saturday).

It was a well-written article that covered all the issues brought up in the City Council meeting on Feb. 28.

I have attended all the City Council meeting dealing with the Burbank fence ordinance. I have heard many people speak regarding the ordinance and the rights of citizens to utilize their property as we see fit. The most disturbing piece of news brought up at the last City Council meeting was the fact that 500 complaints of alleged height violations were filed by two unnamed individuals who reside in Burbank. Unless these violations directly affect the two individuals who filed these complaints, then the complaints should be thrown out the window. If a neighbor has trouble backing out of his driveway, then I think that would be a legitimate complaint. To have two individuals driving around the city of Burbank looking for just cause to lower our fences is insane. It also shows that these two individuals need to get a life. I highly suspect two individuals currently who are working for the city of Burbank. If this is indeed a fact, then they are way out of line and should be terminated. We pay their salary, for the vehicle, and for the gas they use to drive the streets of Burbank.

I think it is high time the two individual’s names should be disclosed.

If they are honestly sincere about their concerns for the height of fences in Burbank they have nothing to fear by disclosing their names.

The Burbank City Council members are placing their jobs in jeopardy by voting for the Burbank fence ordinance. It is time for the residents of Burbank to take a stand on this issue and to do what is necessary to keep such ordinances in the future to a minimum.

Thank you in advance for reading my comments. Hopefully you will continue to cover Burbank City Council meetings in the future. Our next big discussion will be the Los Angeles sewer project and how it will affect the citizens of Burbank.

If you’re keeping a poll of votes, please add me to the no vote on the Burbank fence ordinance.

TIPPI PYLE

Burbank

Time to know fence observers

Step up and be noticed ? I am referring to the two citizens who have spent weeks going around Burbank taking photos of people’s homes without their knowledge then running to the City Council and complaining that fences and hedges are too high. These two residents names were undisclosed by the City Council (“Council closer to fence ordinance,” Saturday).

As a resident of this city I feel I have the right to know who is going around possibly taking pictures of where I live. I don’t want total strangers who have absolutely nothing going on in their lives to know where I live, what my cars look like, if I have kids. The City Council is worried about fences and hedges but don’t seem too worried about a person’s right to privacy. I ask members of the City Council this: would you like someone hanging around your homes taking pictures?

BRIAN COOPER

Burbank

Residents shouldn’t pay for that

So let me get this straight: two people did something with their hedge, fence or walls that were so out of character that their neighbors called code enforcement on them (“Council closer to fence ordinance,” Saturday). Then those two “citizens” of Burbank decided that if they couldn’t have what they wanted, then no one else could either. They then cruised Burbank and complained about 500-plus properties.

If I am forced to uproot my 26-year-old chain link fence, then I want the address of these upstanding citizens so I can mail them the bill.

Who runs Burbank, anyway? I thought it was the City Council. It looks as though there are two residents running the City Council.

I disagree with the Mayor Jef Vander Borght’s comment that we have a safety issue. All these years without enforcement was not a problem. The City Council should have recognized those two citizens for what they are: people who didn’t get their way. The rest of the citizens of Burbank shouldn’t have to pay the price.

MARY HILLMAN

Burbank

Fence laws are offensive

I am a business owner and resident of Burbank. I find the limits on what I am allowed to do with my property, and specifically the fence laws, offensive (“Council closer to fence ordinance,” Saturday). The fence laws are archaic and are no longer needed. I will not vote for any council member that votes to limit our property freedom. Up with fences and their height limits.

DAVID LEVINSON

Burbank

A recipe for a school’s year

I think district officials are wrong to change the school year and start earlier (“School year to start earlier,” March 1.)

I say start the Tuesday after Labor Day (that’s way we had it); Make winter break Dec. 12 through Jan. 1 (we got Christmas to New Year’s Day off in the ‘40s); make Easter break only the week of Easter ( that’s old tradition); Eliminate all these crazy extra Monday holidays (Memorial Day is fine); make school from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. with half-hour lunch and half-hour study class, from 8 to 8:30 a.m., and make it mandatory to be in study class or you’re late or missed school; Make the school year from Sept. 5, 2006, to June 8, 2007 (that allows for 193 days of school), and that is a week less than most of us seniors had. I, for one, was in school through the 15th of June, five days longer ? maybe some kids would learn a little bit more.

I am amazed at the ones working at McDonald’s that have a tough time making change if you give them the extra penny or nickel.

JAMES BERNARD

Lakewood

blr-fences.08-BPhotoInfo1K1ONE3G20060308ivja14knTAMMY ABBOTT The Leader(LA)Margaret Sorthern stands by her fence and hedge that is now in violation of new interim codes with the City of Burbank.