A Few Taft Alumni Launch New Raiders Fight Song Video
A good friend of mine, who is apparently a very big Raiders fan launched a video today on YouTube for a new fight song they’ve written, recorded, produced, etc. I told him I’d do him a favor and post it for him on the blog. Their band is Killroy, and 3 of the four members all graduated from Taft High School here in Woodland Hills. They are James Lane (’81), Thomas Spain (’82), and Eric Troop (’84).
Please feel free to leave a comment and let them know what you think. I’m not sure how I feel about that rock and roll music.
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Neighborhood Council Rejects Zoning Variance For Collateral Lender (Last Wednesday) – New Meeting Today
I had intended to get this up a little sooner, but it’s been a little bit of a hectic last few days for me. I did indeed attend last weeks Neighborhood Council meeting, specifically for the purpose of hearing the debate on the proposed zoning variance which would allow The Collateral Lender to relocate from it’s current location at 20930 Ventura Bvld to 21840-21844 Ventura Blvd to (corner of Ventura Blvd & Don Pio).
I consider myself to be pro-business, so I went into the meeting with that mindset. I generally believe that businesses should be allowed to operate unless they really infringe on the rights of community members.
This business requires a variance to operate because it does ‘collateral lending.’ As explained at the meeting, any business can buy merchandise. But, once you issue a loan on merchandise and use that merchandise as collateral until the loan is repaid, it’s a whole other ballgame legally. You have to submit to various requirements and demands from the city to operate.
At the current location The Collateral Lender is subject to various signage restrictions, limited operating hours, and other restrictions like that they may not buy any item valued at less than $1,000.
Numerous passionate residents of the neighborhood South of Ventura Blvd voiced strong opposition to the variance, and in reality to The Collateral Lender being able to open at the new location in general. These residents have good reason to be concerned, although you can make a strong argument that some of their venom is unfairly directed toward this jewelery store/pawn business.
You see, as many people reading this blog know, the area surrounding Topanga Canyon Blvd and Ventura Blvd is completely infested will all manner of drug addicted degenerate homeless degenerates. It’s really bad, and very unfortunate as we all know the homes in the area are very expensive and it’s a shame for these vagabonds to be ruining the lives and property value of so many good, hardworking people.
Whether or not The Collateral Lender moving to this new location would be a detriment to the community is unclear. But, community members are right to be concerned about creating a prominent street corner with a motel, a liquor store, and a pawn shop all in one location. It’s a property value disaster in the making.
You could tell that a great many members of the Neighborhood Council were initially fine with issuing the variance, but the strong opposition by the community members seemed to sway several of them. In the end the measure failed by approximately 1 vote.
However, at the end of the day the NC really only provides variance to the Zoning Administrator. And it’s up to them to make the final decision. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where and when the meeting for this was, and then finally realized that it was posted right on the building. And, sadly it’s in 30 minutes, but hopefully those of you passionate about the issue are probably already well aware of the time and place, and have motivated your constituents to attend.
There is a meeting today at 9:30am with the Zoning Administrator at 6262 Van Nuys Blvd in the First Floor Conference Room of the Marvin Braude Building in Van Nuys.
Editorial Note: This story is a work in progress. Please check back shortly. I will update this store this afternoon with more information from last week’s meeting and the fixing of I’m sure many typos.
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