News
2023 News
04-23 Safe Routes to School Project Status
After several years of LPNA engagement with the Culver City Traffic Department to improve traffic and pedestrian safety issues caused by the Culver schools-generated traffic, we are happy to announce that the proposed, citywide Safe-Routes-to-School Project is moving forward. Our neighborhood's improvements will include well-defined crosswalks at most intersections, curb extensions at Westwood and Ocean, and also at Ocean and Rhoda, bright-yellow crosswalks at the intersection of Westwood and Ocean, and marked bike lanes. The Project overview and detailed plans for each school location can be found at the Safe-Routes-to-School Project website listed below.
https://www.culvercity.org/City-Hall/Departments/Public-Works/PW-Mobility-Traffic-Engineering-Division/PW-Project-MTE-Safe-Routes-to-School-Signing-Striping-Project
The Traffic Department will finalize this design and send it out for bids in May, submit the winning bid for City Council approval by mid-to-late summer, and commence work soon after. If you have any questions, concerns, or proposed changes, then please contact Andrew Maximous, Mobility & Traffic Engineering Manager at 310-253-5628 or via email at andrew.maximous@culvercity.org.
03-05 Community Meeting
Guests:
Culver City Mayor Albert Vera
Board of Education President Paula Amezola
CCPD Partner Andrew Ballente
Ross Piro, LPNA President
Safe-Routes-to-School
By this time next year the Culver City Traffic Department hopes to complete a Safe-Routes-to-school project in the neighborhood, as part of a proposed, citywide initiative. The project would include well-defined crosswalks at most intersections, addition of the word "STOP" and the foot-wide stop-line delineator in front of all existing Stop signs, curb extensions at Westwood and Ocean, and also at Ocean and Rhoda, and bright-yellow crosswalks at the intersection of Westwood and Ocean. Once the plan is finalized and if the funding is approved by the City Council for fiscal year 2023-24, work would likely commence in August/September.
Park Upgrades
Based upon our neighborhood survey results, two upgrades selected by the community are in process for Lindberg Park. The latest on them from CC Parks & Rec Director Armando Abrego is:
Two bids have been received for the new HVAC system at the Stone House; contract to be presented to City Council for approval; install date is TBD.
Parks & Rec is securing the prefabricated picnic shelter and finalizing the RFP to select a General Contractor to install; the contract will then go to City Council for approval; install date is TBD.
LPNA Donations
While the financial needs of the Lindberg Park Neighborhood Association are not substantial, we do need funding to cover event space rentals and other miscellaneous costs to support our efforts to advocate for the community. Cash donations were solicited at the meeting (many thanks to those who gave!!!) and the board is working on a way to donate online, and we will let you know when this is live. We hope that as many people who are able to will help support us to make Lindberg Park an even better place to live.
Culver City Police Department
The following items are from Lt. Andrew Bellante, our Neighborhood CCPD Partner:
“See something, say something”. We are a “no call to small” agency and we will respond to any call for service. 911 for emergencies and 310-837-1221 for non emergencies.
CCPD has one of the fastest response times in LA county: 3 ½ minutes for emergencies and 10 min for non-emergencies.
We have implemented a Special Enforcement Team which was deployed in early February. It is a 5-officer team on bike patrol specifically designed for creek, business, and residential safety. They have made a significant impact in the creek at Overland, which has positively impacted quality of life, by making about 10 arrests since last month for drug possession, warrants, stolen property and 1 stolen vehicle.
Lindberg Park is probably the safest neighborhood in Culver City. There have only been 3 reported crimes: 1 burglary and 2 catalytic convertor thefts, in the first 2 months of 2023.
There were catalytic convertor thefts on 03/27/23, which led to a vehicle pursuit. Due to unsafe speeds the pursuit was cancelled and the suspects got away. It was a white Dodge Charger. The CCPD is working on acquiring automatic license plate readers (ALPR) which would have more than likely provided us with an investigative lead in this case and other cases around the city. I am the lead on the ALPR project and we are having a community meeting at council chambers on 3/30/2023 at 6:30 PM to answer questions and discuss the benefits of ALPRS.
Lastly, follow the CCPD on social media and check out our website www.culvercitypd.org. There is a lot of information in our monthly report.
Mayor Albert Vera
Mayor Albert Vera engaged in a Q & A where he responded to questions about 1. the City's engagement with the homeless, including discussions on the recent no-camping ordinance, the development of Bridge Housing (hotel conversions) and the Safe-camping site that's being developed at the City-owned parking lot on Virginia Avenue (view Culver City’s Safe-Camping Site for details). Note that both Mayor Vera and Lt. Bellante emphasized that the Safe-camping site will have its own, on-site, private security and that the CCPD will maintain high-visibility patrols in the area to ensure a safe environment for all; 2. neighbor's concerns about the large pine trees on Dobson Way and 3. the current status and impact of the downtown traffic MOVE program.
CCUSD School Board
CCUSD School Board President Paula Amezola discussed (and took questions on) removal of English Honors classes at CCMS and CCHS, school safety, school infrastructure and the potential for increased Science and Engineering (STEM) classes.
2022 News
11-06 CCPD Etching Event
Dear Lindberg Park Neighbors - Please see the invitation below from Lt. Andrew Bellante.
Hello everyone, I hope all is well!
I am writing to advise you all of an etching event to help deter catalytic converter theft that my Partnerships in Policing Team, along with the Police Officers Association is hosting at the Westfield Mall (please see attached flier).
The event will be hosted on November 6th from 0700 to 1100. The event is free for any Culver City resident or business owner. To attend the event all that needs to be done is that the attendee register on this link. Registration is mandatory to attend the event.
Culver City Police Department: Catalytic Converter Etching (signupgenius.com)
Lt. Andrew Bellante
10-09 Candidate Forum at the Stone House
The Lindberg Park Neighborhood Association sponsored a well-attended candidate forum in advance of the November City Council election. The forum took place from 3:00-4:30 pm in the Stone House at Lindberg Park. We are very excited that our community had an opportunity to hear how the candidates, if elected, will address the issues that matter most to us.
The candidates were asked predetermined questions and each had an opportunity to respond in a set amount of time. Note that the questions were compiled from the Neighborhood Survey from September.
08-02 Culver City Police Department National Night Out
Veterans Memorial Park
5pm-8pm
August 2nd (Tuesday)
4117 Overland Ave
07-04 Annual 4th of July Parade
03-30 Resources
Find some useful neighborhood resources at the Resources page.
02-17 Board Positions Up for Election
Hello and Greeting Neighbors!!
The Lindberg Park Neighborhood Association (LPNA) is closing in on three years old! Thank you for your participation.
In our short time, we've endured a lot of uncertainty with Covid, local zoning issues and new-development discussions, local funding changes and other neighborhood issues.
The LPNA Board has been meeting over the past year, and continues to keep the neighborhood informed on issues impacting our area.
Our Neighborhood Association is only as strong as you, our neighbors. Four Board positions are up for election.
Please consider joining the Board, and be part of the conversations and planning for the Lindberg Park neighborhood. If you want to run for the Board, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/JFCJEkCp6TXwT1Rj9
We'll accept Candidate submissions until March 12th and will hold an online election afterwards.
We hope to meet in-person (outside) in May! Thank you and please consider running for the Board.
Your LPNA Board
03-11 Ballona Creek Trash Interceptor™ Pilot Project
Dear Neighbors,
In case you were not aware, in 2019, the LA County Board of Supervisors passed a motion directing their Public Works Department to address trash in Ballona Creek as a high priority issue. Subsequently, The Ocean Cleanup, an international Dutch non-profit organization, approached Public Works with a unique partnership opportunity to deploy a trash collection device, known as the Interceptor, on the Creek. It will be the first time this device has been used in the United States.
If you’re interested in learning more, there is a virtual meeting on Wednesday, March 23rd at 6pm to discuss the project, which should be rolling out later this year. Here is a link to the meeting details:
Ballona Creek Trash Interceptor™ Pilot Project - https://pw.lacounty.gov/swp/BallonaCreek
2021 News
11-28 Lindberg Park Newsletter
Dear Lindberg Park Neighbors –
As 2021 closes, and life approaches a new normal, we thought we would sum up the activities here with the Lindberg Park Neighborhood Association (LPNA). In lieu of an in-person neighborhood meeting, which is quarterly held at the Stone House, we extend this newsletter to provide an update on the LPNA activities. We are hoping to re-establish in-person meetings next year. Fingers crossed.
Mission:
The LPNA mission continues to “support the overall safety, community and well-being of the Lindberg Park neighborhood through community awareness, engagement and action.” As the Board, we strive to support the Association in this way by providing leadership, direction and action, as needed in our community. We have tried to stay apolitical, but still try to provide information which impacts our community, and encourage our members to be involved.
Board Members:
Our current board consists of Carolyn Wispe-Burns, Ann Bishop (Social Engagement), Janet Levine (Treasurer), Nina Harvey, David Winslow (President), Mike Scarano (VP), Ross Piro (Traffic and Lighting), Peter Huang (Tech. consultant) and Ellen Goodridge. The last five have their terms expiring early next year, so we will hold virtual elections. If you are interested in serving on our board, please contact us on the emails below! Further information will be provided.
Major Issues involving Lindberg Park:
11111 Jefferson Blvd (Post Office) Re-Development: After numerous meetings with the community (including several with LPNA), the 11111 Jefferson Project was submitted to both the City Planning Commission and City Council, and was approved. LPNA did not provide a support or no-support to the project, but many neighbors did provide direct opinions during the City Council meetings.
The project provides direct funding for Greenland Space. The City Council provided clear direction that this funding (between $1-2M) be divided up between the three parks nearest the development, Lindberg Park being one of them.
Park Covered-Picnic Area Upgrade: The Culver City Parks And Recreation department has set aside funds for the upgrade of the picnic area near the Stone House. This funding is independent of the funds mentioned above. The new area will be ADA compliant and provide new benches, awnings and pathways. Direct neighborhood involvement ensured that the plans were updated to preserve a much loved tree in the middle of the area.
Single Family Residence Zoning: LPNA has not taken a stand on this topic, as some residents support eliminating single family residence zoning, and some don’t. The Board agrees this would likely impact the neighborhood, and has tried to provide information to the members to help them make up their own mind, and encourage them to use their voice to express their opinion. Currently, the State of California Senate Bill 9 has removed the SFR Zoning
but we have not seen this specifically incorporated into our community. There are several local groups who are trying to fight these actions. We encourage you to look into these matters and be active.
SB9 link: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB9
Traffic and Lighting:
No updates at this time, but we are actively working with the City to make our neighborhood safer and hope to have positive news to share in the New Year.
Social Engagement:
We were excited to see the Annual Lindberg Park Fourth of July Party this year!!! Woot! Woot! Thank you to our friends who run this every year. They do an amazing job.
The SEC has continued to provide a “Welcome” package for new residents to the neighborhood. Developed with the City Hall, the package contains information on the City Services, including City Arts Program, Recycling and Sanitation programs, and Bus information. Each package also includes some home-baked surprises from one of our Board members!
Neighborhood Watch and Emergency Preparedness:
The LPNA was formed almost as an outgrowth of the strong Neighborhood Watch program which has been vital in our community for over 30 years! We ask every resident to keep an eye out for each other, and report incidents and issues appropriately, whether to emergency services, animal control or other services.
The Neighborhood Watch and Emergency Preparedness Committees are beginning to go through some changes and updates, which we hope to roll out at the beginning of next year.
Police Report Summary:
The crime statistics for the past year in Lindberg Park shown below are from CCPD.
Theft – 14
Motor Vehicle Theft – 2
Aggravated Assault – 2
Residential Burglary – 3
Commercial Burglary – 3
Commercial Robbery – 4
If you do see something suspicious in the neighborhood, please contact CCPD immediately.
If you have been a victim of a crime, please contact CCPD and have a report generated, this will allow the activity to be officially reported and tracked in the database. Many neighbors have not seen known activities in the database because a report was not requested by the victim.
Remember, please lock your houses and your cars, remove any valuables from your cars. And slow down when driving in the neighborhood, especially with so many extra cyclists, walkers and runners around the park.
Thank you again for your support of the Lindberg Park Neighborhood Association.
If you have any questions or comments, please email us at lindberg.park@gmail.com
Thank you.
David Winslow – President, LPNA
Mike Scarano – Vice President, LPNA
11-07 Burglary Report
Last night (Saturday, 11/6/21) the CCPD responded to a burglary report at a home near the intersection of Westwood and Virginia. Both drones and canine were deployed, but no suspects were found.
As always, review your home-security plan. Ensure that all doors and windows are locked when you leave home. Consider installing motion-based light detectors (without lighting up your neighbor's house!), a motion-based home-security system, and external security cameras.
Lindberg Park Neighborhood Association