Master Sign Program Hearing Continued to Future Date

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

During its most recent meeting on February 28, Pacific Palisades Commercial Village and Neighborhoods Design Review Board had two public hearings, first voting unanimously to support amended proposed plans to renovate the interior and exterior building of a forthcoming Equinox and then to continue an item related to a Master Sign Program for a Sunset boulevard building.

Equinox, a “luxury fitness club,” confirmed to the Palisadian-Post in September 2023 it was slated to open at 17383 Sunset Boulevard in summer 2024, in a space previously occupied by Bay Club, which closed in May 2021.

The Equinox item, which was originally heard by the Design Review Board on January 10, was continued, pending requests from board members to change a portion of the design of two outdoor walls.

The area of work for the project includes approximately 24,700 square feet of space. The project includes “tenant improvement/interior remodel of existing health club/gym” on three floors of Building C and the third floor of Building B, according to a planning package.

“The proposed project includes the installation of new storefronts, solid walls and landscaping,” according to Los Angeles City Planning Department. “The proposed project also includes the demolition of 248 square feet of floor area at Building B (third floor) and addition of 192 square feet of floor area at Building B (third floor) and 43 square feet of floor area at Building C (second floor), resulting in a 24,718-square-foot health club/gym.”

As proposed, the locker room would be on the ground floor, the main entrance on the second floor, and the majority of the workout and exercise space on the third floor. The applicant originally proposed to install an “opaque film” on the ground floor of Building C at the locker room—“otherwise, the building finishes are remaining,” according to project architect Lulu Saleh, who spoke at the January meeting.

After a presentation from project representatives, the members of the board posed a series of questions regarding the design, primarily focused on the proposed look of two outdoor facades. At the time, DRB Board Member Tammy McKerrow-Poulos cited concern over a “patchwork” look of the two different types of film (translucent and opaque) that Equinox proposed to have, as well as a “blank white wall” that is “very visible” from Sunset Boulevard, including the Juicy Ladies space.

They voted unanimously January 10 to continue the hearing until the applicant could return with an updated design, with “a visual activation element at the ground level and to revert the proposed wall on the third floor to the existing glass panels,” Planning Assistant Brenden Lau confirmed.

At the February 28 meeting, Saleh explained that Equinox would now essentially be “restoring the existing storefronts and installing opaque privacy film” on the third floor instead of the originally proposed wall.

When it came to the “visual activation element,” Equinox project representatives returned with five options for the decorative window, including two based on the waves/ocean, two related to landscaping and one that tied into the planned indoor elements of the project.

The members of the DRB then deliberated, touching on the pros and cons of the various options for the window—coming to the consensus that they prefer the first option, which was described by Saleh as an “abstract graphic visualization of ocean waves.” They voted unanimously to support the project as proposed with the amendments in place following its original continuation.

Master Sign Program

The second hearing during the February 28 meeting was regarding a proposed Master Sign Program for 10 potential on-site wall signs for 15130, 15140 and 15150 W Sunset Boulevard, which currently houses Anawalt’s Palisades Hardware and Sotheby’s International Realty, as well as vacant space previously occupied by Pharmaca.

“There’s no sign permit or application before you today,” said Mark Davis of Trifiletti Consulting, who was representing the project on behalf of the applicant/owner, Leland S. Ford, Leland M. Ford & Associates L.P. “We’re just ultimately looking for a plan and program that sets the framework for this so that each of our tenants can successfully file for a permit in the future.”

As proposed, the project includes the demolition of existing signs on site, as well as the installation of six new signs, according to the project description. This would break down to approximately 240 square feet of sign space for Tenant A (15150 W Sunset Blvd.), 91 square feet for Tenant B (15140 W Sunset Blvd.) and 152 square feet for Tenant C (15130 W Sunset Blvd.). No new sign area is being requested, according to a presentation.

The existing building was previously occupied by two commercial tenants until April 2023, when the building was partitioned into three commercial tenant spaces through a Change of Use Permit, read the presentation.

“Under its current condition, Anawalt Hardware store’s available signage is dependent on Sotheby’s street frontage … ,” the presentation continued. “As a result, Anawalt does not have sufficient sign area to support its business. Due to this limitation, the applicant is seeking Master Sign Program … ”

The project’s goals and objectives, as per the presentation, include to “provide creative and tasteful signage that enhances the property and is compliant with the Pacific Palisades Commercial Village Design Guidelines.” It also would “equally distribute signage between three tenants to functionally and effectively serve their identification needs.”

The proposed Master Sign Program would also “establish uniform standards that ensures existing and future tenant signage is harmonious, integrates with the architecture of the building and provides coordinated proportional exposure for all tenants.” In the future, tenants would be provided with an “efficient permitting process.”

Members of the Design Review Board discussed the project as proposed, citing concerns over the building materials/colors included in the project package and one of the signs that would potentially be put in place at the building which is currently occupied by Anawalt.

“We have been with Building and Safety now for two-plus years trying to get this design plan together,” said James Arico, who serves as counsel for the building owner. “We now have two consultants … I don’t believe, unless I’m wrong, you can have a complete strip sign in the area that is of concern, because the square footage is not only length, it’s also height.”

He explained that the project applicants would be back “as soon as possible” to try to get the design plan approved.

“It’s not about colors, it’s not about individual sign permits,” he explained. “It’s about understanding what the parameters are so our tenants can have an easier time with the permitting process, which is very difficult.”

The DRB voted unanimously to continue the hearing to a later date, requesting “uniformity in the signs,” as well as Anawalt’s proposed sign to not be a roof band, but instead broken up into individual signs, Lau confirmed.

“More information was requested about the sign’s size,” Lau continued. “The DRB would also like to see a three-color palette for the proposed signs in the next meeting for review.”

A Virtual Community Meeting Will Take Place March 14

By LILY TINOCO and SARAH SHMERLING

Potrero Canyon Pedestrian/Bike Bridge Project leads attended the Thursday, March 7, Pacific Palisades Community Council to provide updates ahead of a Virtual Community Meeting on the evening of March 14.

The project includes the development of a bridge, which, when complete, will connect Will Rogers State Beach to George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon.

The PPCC meeting introduced Potrero Canyon Pedestrian/Bridge Project Manager Matt Negrete of Jacobs Engineering, Community Outreach Lead Jason Jackson of Arellano Associates and Project Manager Jose Beristain from the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, who walked attendees through a presentation on the project.

Negrete briefed attendees on his background, explaining that he has worked on transportation projects for the past 25 years all throughout California. He said he “is excited to be working on this project.”

“It’s going to be transformative, in terms of providing access from the park to the beach,” Negrete said.

Beristain, as part of the Bridge Improvement Division, said he has been familiar with this project since he started in the geotechnical division in 2009. He was involved with the initial grading and landscaping phases of the project.

Beristain explained there are two Coastal Development Permits that tie back to the initial construction of Potrero Canyon, and as part of those permits, the Bureau of Engineering was required to perform a pedestrian-crossing feasibility study, which was completed in August 2016. The final results of that study, he explained, determined that a bridge was “the most safe and economical alternative.”

In 2021, they were able to secure $11 million in funding for the project from Senator Ben Allen’s office.

At this point in time, Beristain said his team is working alongside Caltrans in the Project Initiation Documents phase, which he described as the “infancy of the project’s life, essentially.”

Negrete said Jacobs Engineering will be working in partnership with the city for the next two years to keep the community informed. Public outreach is currently slated for March 2024, October 2024 and April 2025, for this phase.

“We are doing a very comprehensive outreach for this project,” Jackson said during the meeting. “What we have planned for you is e-blast[s], social media, working toolkits into community leaders that can help disseminate information, working with the council office and the senator’s office, to help leverage their community and outreach … as well as fliers that we have placed in public counters and posting boards throughout the community …

“It really is the goal of outreach to involve as many and as broad a community as possible … This is about all the Pacific Palisades.”

For the first outreach effort, the Bureau of Engineering will host a Virtual Community Meeting to discuss facets of the Potrero Canyon Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge project on Thursday evening, March 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

“Learn how the project will include enhanced safety features, integration with the George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon, community connectivity, sustainable, active transportation, [and] landmark aesthetic and recreational value,” read a flier ahead of the meeting.

The city is soliciting responses to a survey about the project (potrerocanyonpedbridgesurvey.org), with a chance to win a $50 gift card.

“Help the city understand how the bridge will benefit you and your community,” read an email. “Be sure to share the survey and project with your friends and family. The more input … the better the project.”

Looking ahead, Beristain said once the team gets approvals from Caltrans, the Coastal Commission and additional stakeholders, they will transition over to the design phase—which will involve getting plans ready for construction, a completely separate phase and task “that won’t happen for a couple of years.”

For more information or to register for the March 14 meeting, visit potrerocanyonpedbridge.org.

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Throughout the month of February, Palisadians and Angelenos cracked many jokes about the seemingly perpetual rainfall, wondering if and when the never-ending sunshine for which California is famous would return—but how much rain really fell?

“Pacific Palisades received an unbelievable 15.6 inches of rain in February of 2024,” reported Craig Weston, who tracks weather data from The Huntington neighborhood.

This figure, Weston explained, surpassed the all-time record for February rain in downtown Los Angeles, which was 13.68 inches in 1998. Downtown LA has a “long and consistent history” of rain records, which has created a longterm set of data to compare to the Palisades.

“The most rain downtown Los Angeles has seen in any month occurred in December 1889 when 15.8 inches of rain fell,” Weston continued. “Pacific Palisades receiving 15.6 inches last month would place it in second place for the most rain in a single month in Los Angeles [when compared to downtown] going back to the late 1800s. (Other parts of Los Angeles may have different results.)”

The all-time record for a single day of rainfall in downtown LA was 5.88 inches on March 2, 1938, Weston reported. The Palisades saw 4.52 inches fall on February 4 alone.

The month of February began with two storms in Pacific Palisades—which brought more than 10 inches of rain to the area. By Sunday afternoon, February 4, Governor Gavin Newsom had declared a state of emergency in eight Southern California counties, including Los Angeles.

The bigger storm, described as a “slow-moving atmospheric river,” which began Sunday, February 4, brought 7.89 inches of rain to the Palisades by Tuesday evening, February 6, at 5 p.m., Weston reported at the time.

Storms that began Saturday, February 17, brought 2.73 inches of rain as of Tuesday morning, February 20, according to Weston.

The current rainy season is being measured from July 1, 2023, and will continue to June 30.

“Pacific Palisades has received over 28.42 inches of rain since July 1 of last year,” Weston said on March 11. “The average rainfall from July 1 to June 30 is just under 15 inches of rain downtown, so we are getting close to doubling our yearly average.”

In addition to February’s rain, Tropical Storm Hilary—which brought 3.88 inches of rain measured August 20 through 21, 2023, from The Huntington—factors into the current rainy season.

Weston called the storm—the first tropical storm to hit Southern California since 1939—a “very rare event.” At its peak, Hilary was reported to be a category 4 hurricane, bringing rain and wind to the Baja California Peninsula before making its way to the Southwestern United States.

The previous rainy season—measured from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023—saw double the annual average of rainfall in the Palisades, which Weston described as a “very healthy” 31.51 inches.

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Targeted Outreach Specialist Jackie Wiley—with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation—informed Palisadians of common scams, ID theft, online and phone threats, and more during the February 22 Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting.

Wiley explained the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation is a licensing and regulatory agency with oversight of state-financial institutions, products and professionals. This means the agency licenses state-chartered banks and credit unions, finance lenders, escrow agents, debt collectors and more. The agency examines companies to ensure compliance with state and federal law, and takes action against those operating illegal, deceptive or abusive practices, and investigates consumer complaints.

The agency also educates Californians to help avoid financial harm and make safe financial decisions, Wiley said.

“I do presentations, like I’m doing tonight, to help avoid becoming a victim of financial fraud and scams, and to help people make financial decisions safely,” she said during the meeting.

Wiley said everyone should be aware of common methods of contact, including vishing—via telephone—phishing—via computer/email—and smishing—via text messages.

“They came up with these three new names during the pandemic,” Wiley explained. “All three of these methods of contact have the same thing in common: they are convincing, they play on our emotions and it’s always about a sense of urgency. They want us to act quickly so they can ‘rectify our situation and help us resolve something.’”

The scammers act to gain personal and financial information to deplete individuals’ accounts.

Some of the most common financial fraud and scams, which have become very prevalent, Wiley said, include government or business impostors.

“Calls can be spoofed to make you believe that the call is legitimate,” Wiley said. “For instance, it’s tax time. We’re probably going to start getting a lot of the impostor IRS phone calls … Please be mindful, and know that government agencies don’t and won’t call us.”

Scammers often pose as the IRS, Social Security or a utility company. Wiley advised Palisadians to not click any links or respond to call numbers posing as these agencies, and to never provide personal information to unknown numbers.

Wiley also advised to bypass using your PIN when shopping with a debit card, using an anti-fraud gel pen when writing a check, and monitoring and freezing credit.

Those who have fallen victim to a financial scam can contact the DFPI at dfpi.ca.gov, the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or Cyber Crime at ic3.gov.