Riviera Homeowners Association

Greetings to all Riviera residents after a long summer hiatus.  We’ve been away, but we’re back and ready for action.  Not that action hasn’t been the watchword these past few months.  Much of your RHA board has been busy meeting with city leaders, pushing forward on a view/tree ordinance, making progress on the aircraft noise issues, advocating for beautification of the PCH corridor, keeping an eye on Rock & Brews, and … wait, weren’t we supposed to take the summer off?

On top of that, we awarded scholarships, as is the custom in June, to two well-deserving graduating seniors – Cali Almeida and James Redmond  out of a crowded field — and handed out monthly landscaping awards for the great work that homeowners have done in their front yards.

Our first RHA Board meeting will be coming up this week, after which we’ll announce the calendar for the rest of the 2013-14 year.  This is a great time to consider getting more involved in your community – taking on as little or as much as you’re willing to contribute.  (Click here to find out more.)  Of course we’ll be asking for your annual voluntary dues to help continue the valuable work of the RHA.

Hope you had a great summer – but don’t put away the beach towels and sunscreen yet!

Labor Day sunset over the lower Riviera

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Goodbye 2012-13. Hello 2013-14!

Hello neighbors,
 
Please mark the date – Tuesday, May 21 – and encourage your neighbors to come down to a Torrance city council meeting.    The city is having their second budget meeting and will decide at this meeting whether they will (A) Have a survey asking residents if they would be interested in a tree ordinance or (B) Advertise for a public hearing on a tree ordinance, and hold the hearing.

The city council is currently split on this issue, which  is likely to come up for discussion  some time after 7:30 PM  (the meetings start at 7:00 pm). 

The RHA urges you to please come down to listen to the proposals and discuss your point of view, your situation, your frustration or whatever.  Please bring a friend or neighbor.  If you feel at all inclined, please bring a short letter to read to the council or be prepared to speak without notes.  The council gives more weight to spoken comments than to emails or phone calls.
 
If you would also like to send an email to the mayor (Frank Scotto) or council members, their email addresses are fscotto@torranceca.gov, cnumark@torranceca.gov,  gbarnett@torranceca.gov, srhilinger@torranceca.gov, pfurey@torranceca.gov, bsutherland@torranceca.gov  and tbrewer@torranceca.gov.  The city manager’s email is ljackson@torranceca.gov .
 
The RHA has been doing advocating for a tree ordinance for some time.  We deserve a chance to have a hearing on the issue!

Thank you in advance for attending, or contacting your council representative.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Hearing for a tree ordinance – a window of opportunity opens

Fight the blight!

The RHA, together with some concerned residents, have been petitioning the city and Caltrans (who operates PCH) about the sad state of PCH in the South High vicinity.  Consequently, the City of Torrance Public Works Department will conduct a neighborhood meeting on Monday, May 13 at 7:00 pm to discuss the design of the proposed Fence, Guardrail, and Landscaping on the south side of Pacific Coast Highway from Calle Mayor to Janet Lane.
The project also consists of the fence removal in the center median on Pacific Coast Highway and the removal of some trees and decaying vegetation in the service road median.
We urge you to attend to show the level of interest in the Riviera about eliminating the blighted look of our ‘front door’.  The meeting will be at the Walteria Park Meeting Room, 3855 242nd. St
Click here for more information!

On Tuesday May 21, the city budget meetings will discuss the possibility of allocating funds to review a tree and view ordinance for the city of Torrance.  This is only a possibility, not a done deal.  City Manager Leroy Jackson said that this issue and others with it are part of a “wish list” that the city may consider.
If you have any interest in trees and views, which can affect your property values, your privacy, and your relations with neighbors, make it a point to attend.  The meetings are held at Torrance City Hall and begin at 7:00 pm.  The more interest is shown, the more likely action will be taken.  Contact the RHA if you wish to stay up to date with these breaking developments.

April General Meeting

A valuable, and entertaining, presentation was the highlight of the April 17 General meeting, the last for the 2012-13 RHA fiscal year. Kathi Galbasin, the city’s CERT volunteer coordinator, gave some excellent hands-on advice for dealing with the aftermath of a disaster, such as a major earthquake.  She and her team demonstrated with items to have on hand, at home, to minimize trauma and to get help to your loved ones and neighbors, in the event that emergency first responders are too overwhelmed.   If you missed it, and the valuable material handed out, you really should visit the Torrance CERT website, and see what CERT events are in the offing.

Kathi Galbasin (center) and her training team

The RHA sincerely thanks Kathi and the CERT volunteer team for spending the evening with us.

The annual RHA elections were held for open board positions, and the neighbors voted in by acclimation were:

• Secretary: Nancy Staudt
• Newspaper Editors: Julian Chasin, Judy Brunetti, Pam Popovich
• Scholarships: Amy Josefek
• Historian: Janet Kaplan
• School Liaison: Judy English

We would also like to thank our meeting sponsors for the April meeting:

Kim Bright CPA See Kim Bright for all your financial planning needs

Joshua Davidson MD Physician and allergy specialist

Don’t fall for it

Torrance PD will present one of its regular, free, “Seniors Don’t be Scammed!” classes featuring information on the 5 top scams targeting seniors, (Tuesday, May,21, 2013, 10:00 am -noon). In addition, there will be a bonus feature regarding Emergency Disaster Preparedness for Seniors. Seniors, caregivers, family and friends are invited to learn about the latest scams. The class will be held in the Katy Geissert Civic Center Library community meeting room, (3301 Torrance Blvd.)
For more information call 310-618-5735 or click here.

Please don’t eat the arugula

Check out the latest landscape awards at our website’s landscape page.  Make that front yard shine, and you may get the Outstanding Landscape Award!

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Three important meetings

Hope to see you at the last General Meeting of the 2012-13 year, tomorrow,
April 17 at 7:00 pm at the Richardson Middle School cafeteria.
Our featured speaker will acquaint us with what to do when the BIG ONE hits.  In addition, there will be updates on view issues, and RHA board  elections for the coming year.

Your board has also been active recently in addressing concerns about two cell phone antennas being proposed for the corner of Paseo de la Playa and Palos Verdes Blvd. which has the potential to be a view and noise issue.  There was recently a hearing held by the Torrance City Council Telecommunications Committee.  Come to hear more about this issue at the meeting.

And don’t miss the refreshments!

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off on April meeting reminder

Be prepared!
The RHA invites you to mark your calendar for the next general meeting, held as usual, at the Richardson Middle School Cafeteria.
The date is April 17, the time 7:00pm.
The subject: Getting Ready for the Big One.  You know what we mean!
This will be a great chance to update your preparedness for what we know is coming, but somehow put off getting ready for.  Come prepared for an interesting and lively discussion of disaster preparedness, and the role of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)  training, a critical effort in times of crisis.
On the topic of view ordinances, we will share some information about upcoming city council meetings and hearings to take place this spring.
Annual elections will be held, and refreshments will be served.
 
For an early look at the upcoming Riviera Reporter, you can find it on our up-to-date website, by clicking here.  As well, you can browse early editions of the Reporter to find some interesting slivers of insight into your neighborhoods past.  You should also find this latest Reporter in your mailbox soon.  
 
The scholarship committee has been hard at work going through a substantial stack of applications for this year’s RHA scholarship awards.  Stay tuned as the results are announced, and seniors, stay focused!

Coming soon!  Electronics Recycling at Riviera Elementary
Bring your ‘E-waste’ to Riviera Elementary for recycling.
Proceeds go to the Riviera Elementary Annual Giving Campaign
Sunday April 28th 9am-1pm
Just drive up in front of the school, and they will unload from your car:
Computers—Monitors—Televisions—Cell Phones–MP3 Players— Ink/Toner cartridges—Printers–Microwaves—Cables/wires—Laptops–you get the idea!  Clean out your garage and help the school.

Save water and cash:
California Water Service Company (Cal Water) and the City of Torrance are pleased to offer free, new high-efficiency toilets to Cal Water and City of Torrance customers. 
Here are the details . . .
When:  Saturday, April 13, 2013
Where:  California Water Service Company Customer Center – 2632 W. 237th St., Torrance  90505
Time:  10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
You must visit www.waterprograms.com/westbasin  to register and for all the information.  You will need your account number (located on your water bill) to register.

Happenings at El Retiro Library:
Monday, April 8 thru Saturday, April 20 anytime – How Does our Garden Grow? – Come to the library and make a flower for our garden.
Toddlertime – This program is for children ages 18 months to 3 years and a participating caregiver
Wednesdays at 11:00 am

The Riviera Reporter, the scholarships, the great hospitality that greets you at general meetings – all cost money.  So please, if you haven’t renewed your membership this 2012-2013 year, please do so.  Three easy ways to do it:  mail a check, pay online with Paypal, or our favorite – bring it to the upcoming General Meeting (see above).   For more on what your RHA does and how to be a part of it, check out the Reporter or the website.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Spring greetings Rivierans