Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 22, 2009. The Menlo Property is about 100 feet from the 5 Freeway. (Click on photo to enlarge.)Due to the Menlo Property's history, as well as convicted slumlord, Sam Menlo & Century Quality Management's track record in the Silver Lake community, community groups and activists are requesting very specific mitigations in conjunction with any approvals by the City Planning Advisory Agency of the zone variance for the existing River Glen Apts and subdivision for 120 condos on the adjacent vacant Menlo Property on Riverside Drive.
Some of the requested mitigations deal with the effects of air pollution from the heavily truck-trafficked 5 Freeway, including upgraded air filtration systems for the existing apartment building.
Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 25, 2009. View from the Menlo Property includes: Riverside Drive, 5 Freeway, power lines, Verdugo & San Gabriel Mountains, Griffith Park, power lines, smog, and if you look closely, the Hyperion Bridge crossing the LA River. (Click on photo to enlarge.)Another requested mitigation is for the developer to build and maintain tree-planted medians in the middle of Riverside Drive between Fletcher and Glendale Blvd. to help clean the air from and provide a visual barrier to the 5 Freeway.
The idea behind tree-planted medians actually dates back to the 1930 Olmsted Plan for connecting Griffith and Elysian Parks with planted medians on Riverside Drive, a designated scenic highway.
Last week, the DWP told CD4 representatives Renee Weitzer and Doug Mensman, that as long as the trees were trimmed as necessary, they would not object to tree-planted medians in this location. (After the tree eradication at the adjacent DWP property a few weeks ago, we requested a specific answer from the DWP on this topic.)
Click here for Public Hearing details.
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