In the last couple of weeks the LA City Clerk mailed out the ballots for the formal vote on the proposed street lighting district for an eight block area of Windsor Square. The ballots go only to affected property owners and are to be received by the City in time for the required City Council Hearing scheduled for August 7, 2013.
As the Larchmont Buzz reported back in June of 2012, the street lighting system that was installed in the original development of Windsor Square in the 1920s is approaching the end of its useful life.
The streetlights in “Old Windsor Square” (south of Third Street) were upgraded about 30-plus years ago. However, in much of “New Windsor Square” (the part bounded by 1st Street on the north, 3rd Street on the south, Larchmont Boulevard on the west and Norton Avenue on the east), upgrading of streetlights is needed to provide increased nighttime vehicular and pedestrian safety, say representatives of the Windsor Square Association.
John H. Welborne, association vice president and chair of its street lighting committee, described how “concerned neighbors last year proposed a street lighting improvement district for an approximately eight-block area of Windsor Square. A straw poll taken by the City indicated that a 60% majority of the property owners favor the improvement.” Welborne added that, “this project includes the now-dark portions of First Street and Second Street east of Larchmont. Now is the time for affected neighbors to make these improvements happen — by voting in favor of the assessment.”
Following last summer’s Straw Poll, an official Motion to move the project forward was adopted by the City Council in September of 2012. That action allows this formal voting by the affected residents to commence…which is where we are today.
This improvement project will assess each affected property its share of the cost of designing and installing the new street light system. Paul Newman, a resident within the improvement district who is captaining the effort, says, “The new system will maintain the character of the existing system using ornamental concrete poles and traditional lamps — but provide more light at less cost.”
Each affected property will be assessed an amount based on linear frontage of the property. The amount can be paid once or in annual installments over a ten-year period.
If you live in the affected zone be sure to return your ballot before the August 7th City Council Hearing.
Windsor Square Street Lighting Documents
