Annual Christmas Bird Count on December 30

Submitted by EPIA member Judy Raskin

The date is Sunday, December 30, 2012, and we meet at the Boathouse at 8:00 am.

Once again this year, we will walk the perimeter of Echo Park Lake, around the fencing, but this will be the last year. It is expected that the park refurbishing will be complete sometime around April, 2013, and we will be able to get back to the “real” park. Meanwhile, some water is now at the north end of the lake, and because of the rains, there is a small amount of water at the south end. Remember that last year we identified six species that were new to the lake. Who knows what this year will bring?

If you have access to a bulletin board at work or school or elsewhere, please post a copy of this notice. Everyone is welcome, and Echo Park is particularly good for beginners.

We will not be doing a preview walk this year. The Bureau of Engineering staff will be on a mandated leave for the week prior to the count and no one would be available to accompany us at this time. However, if you should decide to walk around the lake in the three days before the Count (Thurs-Fri-Sat), you might want to make a note of what you see. We can include species seen on those days (but not the numbers) on the count tally.

I hope to see you on Sunday, December 30, 2012.

Click here for the printable flyer with directions and more information!

EPIA Town Hall: Candidate Forum on October 4

Get involved, vote informed! Neighborhood Council elections for the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council take place on October 6. Join us for a candidate forum on October 4 in Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital where all those running for office have been invited to introduce themselves.

Saturday: Echo Park Community Cleanup

We’ll be covering Echo Park Avenue from Altivo to Morton and surrounding streets picking up trash, removing graffiti, and cleaning up those sidewalks. All residents and businesses are invited to help us out! There will also be bulky item dropoff available.

Supplies will be provided by Council District 13, but we encourage everyone to bring their own sunscreen and work gloves.Meet at 9:00 am at Elysian Heights Elementary School

Click here to RSVP on our Facebook page.

Click here to download the flyer!

Echo Park National Night Out on August 7

Tuesday, August 7, 2012 is the 7th annual Echo Park National Night Out. The purpose of National Night Out is to provide a safe community event with the goal of preventing drugs and crime in our neighborhood. From the EP National Night Out website:

The National Night Outis a program promoting neighborhood spirit and police-community partnership in our goal for a safer nation. The annual National Night Out (NNO) event, is unique crime/drug prevention event sponsored by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOWN WATCH (NATW). The purpose is to promote and strengthen community involvement, partnership with police and community, it is a positive tool used to enchance the quality of life, for a crime and drug free town

A couple of highlights for this year includes a free cooking classes and light appetizers sponsored by The Echo and Elf Cafe, as well as free basic eye chart examinations sponsored by the Lions Club.

The event is free! Bring the family out for hot dogs, crafts and activities for kids and adults, and free give-aways. There will also be free eye examinations by the Lions Club. Special speakers usually include representatives from our local LAPD and community members and leaders.

Stop by and say hello from 5:00 – 8:00 pm in the Walgreens parking lot located at1625 W. Sunset Blvd.

Visit the Echo Park National Night Out website for details on participating booths, sponsors, and how to get involved. Or click here to download the event flier.

 

Updates on the SR2 Terminus Project at Thursday’s meeting

Meeting reminder: Updates on the SR2 Freeway Terminus

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will present an update of their activities on the SR2/Glendale Freeway Terminus Project at the Thursday, April 5, 2012, meeting of the Echo Park Improvement Association (EPIA).  It has been 18 months since Metro last informed the community of its actions.

Although members of Echo Park Community Action Committee (EPCAC) and the EPIA were in touch with Council President Garcetti’s office, Congressman Becerra’s office, and Supervisor Molina’s office in 2011 for help in getting new information about Metro’s “hybrid” design for the Terminus Project. Metro provided little information, nor did community-led petitioning efforts draw any response from Metro.

Petitions were signed by numerous residents and business people opposing Metro’s plan to do away with street parking on the west side of Glendale Boulevard south of the “flyover” off-ramp. Petitions were also signed opposing the sound wall proposal for the southern end of the Terminus, and more were signed in opposition to the planned deletion of a left-turn lane from the off-ramp on the east side of Glendale Boulevard.

We urge to you attend this meeting to find out what, exactly, Metro has to say.

Join us for our regularly scheduled town hall on Thursday, April 5 at Barlow Hospital at 7:00 pm.

Echo Park Neighborhood Cleanup along Sunset Boulevard on March 31

Click to view larger flyer.

Join the Echo Park Improvement Association, community members, and neighborhood activists in cleanup of Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park!

We’ll be picking up trash, removing graffiti (thanks to the Central City Action Committee), and just cleaning up those sidewalks from
Elysian Park Ave. to Beaudry Ave. along Sunset Boulevard.

Join us on Saturday, March 31, 2012 from 9:00 am – noon. There will be refreshments!

The office of Ed Reyes from Council District 1 will be sponsoring, providing us with trash bags and supplies!

Please share the flyer and bring your friends, neighbors, kids, dogs, and family!

Meet at The Warehouse, located at 1197 W. Sunset Boulevard.

Bring a tee!

Bring a clean, light-colored t-shirt and our friends from Feeding Birds, they’ll be silk-screening your tees with “I Heart Echo Park” while you help clean up!

 

Get your Dodgers tickets for Echo Park Community Night!

Last year’s Echo Park Night at Dodger Stadium (aka Community Night) was a success! We had a big section to sit with neighbors, meet new ones, and have a lot of fun watching the ball game! This year will be even better, and we’re even giving half of the proceeds to the Echo Park Historical Society to aid in the restoration of the Jensen’s Recreation Center sign.

Click here to contact the EPIA to reserve your tickets, or email us directly at epiamail@yahoo.com. You’re also welcome to call our message line at 877-860-EPIA.

Please provide us with your full name, phone number, email address, and the number of tickets you’d like to purchase. We will follow up with directions on how to pick up/receive your tickets.

See you there!

Support Elysian Heights at Stories & Enchiladas fundraiser

Echo Park Stories and Enchiladas Fundraiser

A benefit for Elysian Heights Elementary School
brought to you by The Friends of Elysian Heights and the Echo Park Improvement Association

Saturday May 7, 2011
4 pm to 8 pm

1562 Baxter Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Free Admission
Enchilada plate $5.00
Live Music
Silent Auction
Community event


We need your help, click here to donate to Elysian Heights Elementary School.
Read more

Coming up: EPIA Spring social and fundraiser

join the

ECHO PARK IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

for a social event at Taix Restaurant in the Champagne Room

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and a RAFFLE while learning about neighborhood issues from Echo Park leaders, neighbors and activists.

We have had many Echo Park businesses donate to the raffle, so you can expect really great prizes!

No RSVP required. Contact us if you’d like to donate to the raffle, or if you have any questions. Spanish-language versions of the flyer are also available.

EPIA Architectural Design Guidelines

Echo Park Improvement Association General Architectural Design Guidelines

Adopted 2/19/2020

The Echo Park Improvement Association Welcomes You:

Developers are members of the Echo Park community, and are entitled to the same access to, and respect from the community that any stakeholder is entitled to. The Echo Park Improvement Association (EPIA) strives to find a balance between development goals and the goals of the community to produce the best projects possible. EPIA encourages developers to meet with us early and often to get input from us and our community’s vast experience and resources.

Background:

The architecture and scale of buildings in Echo Park is one of the features that so many of our stakeholders cherish. In reflecting on the value of what we have, EPIA recognizes that:

  • A significant component of the quality of life for a community is based on the perceived value of the investment made into buildings and the land where they are sited.
  • Echo Park is an area that is architecturally rich. The beauty and scale of its structures is the result of historic development and reflects styles that span more than a century. The styles and designs that are valued today reflect the styles that were, at the time they were built, contemporary styles.
  • While some micro neighborhoods like the Angelino Heights Historic Preservation Overlay Zone have specific architectural styles, in general, there is no style that is specific to Echo Park. It is eclectic.
  • Historic architecture that is perceived to be successful or “classic” today usually reflects the materials and craftsmanship that were “state of the art” when they were built.

Architectural Guidelines

EPIA encourages:

  1. Design with vision and integrity: Design that is fresh and contemporary or reinterprets the historic with a fresh, contemporary approach, and is consistent throughout the structure. While accurate reproduction of historic design is a wonderful concept, it is very expensive, and can fail the test of time if compromised by budgetary limitations.
  2. Development that respects and is appropriate relative to the mass, scale (height, floor area ratios) and setbacks of what exists in the immediate areas surrounding the proposed development.
  3. The use of high quality or state-of-the-art materials and craftsmanship appropriate for the structure being built, with particular attention paid to windows and finish.
  4. A 100-year View: That the design you build today will be something your grandchildren will be proud of!

General Design Considerations:

Community Outreach: We strongly encourage developers to canvass an area at least a block around your project providing adequate opportunity to inform neighbors of your plans, building support wherever possible, and inviting all neighbors to participate with the EPIA through attendance of Neighborhood Issues Committee meetings or letters.

Echo Park/Silver Lake Community Plan: The community had a lot of input into this plan. Its roadmap in general is a reflection of the community’s vision for future development. Study the plan and ask about its intent whenever possible. In general, variances from the plan will be viewed with great scrutiny.

Historic Preservation: In general, we see value in every structure built here over the last 100 years, even when others don’t. Our definition of historic includes the humble and the anonymous, not just grand buildings or the homes of the notable. Each structure from the past contributes to the historic fabric of the neighborhood and tells a story of our unique past. “Restoration” is our favorite word. Our two second favorite words are “Adaptive Reuse.”

Plans to demolish are not taken lightly. When historic structures are in the way, we seriously encourage you to explore relocation as the first option. If this is not possible, salvage is encouraged. Where historic structures are involved, we suggest consultation with the Echo Park Historical Society: www.historicechopark.org.

Landscaping: We have a lot of trees in the neighborhood. Many planted through community-led volunteer efforts. The community is sensitive to appropriate maintainable landscaping, and respect for existing native and heritage trees.

ADA Readiness: Buildings that are required to be ADA compliant for access are encouraged to provide an appropriate number of ADA ready (not adaptable) units and ADA parking spaces.

Transportation & Parking: Our neighborhood was originally designed and conceived around public transportation which meant little or no off-street parking. New development is encouraged to reflect real life requirements, which may be different than what is required by the City of Los Angeles.

  • Ingress and egress relative to existing traffic conditions are encouraged to be thought through carefully.
  • Ride sharing services are increasingly popular and the arrival of autonomous vehicles is on the horizon. Ride-share circulation and passenger pick-up and drop-off should be thoroughly considered.
  • New structures for automobiles should be designed with future re-purposing in mind; including level versus sloped floors, appropriate ceiling heights and chases to accommodate future utilities and ventilation.

Trash: Every project when occupied produces trash. Projects with individual household bins should have dedicated storage spaces which cannot be easily adapted for other purposes and are convenient for setting out for pick-up and then re-stowing. Projects with common bins should anticipate how the bins will be accessed by users and haulers as well as the noise and traffic impacts of trash hauling services.

Street Facing Facades: Pedestrian friendly architecture increases public safety and engagement. In residential areas, projects should be mindful of the prevailing setbacks of neighboring properties. Multi-unit residential projects that face the street ideally will provide entrances at the street that will look and feel like entrances. Driveways and street facing parking structures can create pedestrian “voids.” Commercial and large multi-unit buildings should provide street fronts that are interesting and engaging to pedestrians, ideally with retail or other publicly accessible spaces.

Environment: Energy Star compliance is a minimum goal. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) compliance is suggested: http://www.usgbc.org/

Solar is now a mandate in California for some residential projects. The dollar value for solar and battery storage technology is on a steeply positive trend. Whether your project incorporates these technologies now or not, thought should be made in design that can easily accommodate these products in the future.

Click here to download the full PDF.