Riviera Homeowners Association

Reminder! Elections & General Meeting on Wednesday, April 24^th.

Time: 7:00 PM

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85980017313?pwd=eRoPuHrZ3xN4pI3Vr1ikJuaDSsIoOh.1

Meeting ID: 859 8001 7313

Passcode: 352363

Please have your full name displayed from your Zoom profile. Board members need to make sure you are a member of the RHA in good standing in order for your vote to be counted. Not sure if you’ve paid your dues? You can email info@hollywoodriviera.org and ask. Not yet a member? Sign up for a membership before the meeting.

Councilmember Mattucci and city staff will be discussing the recent mudslides and road closures after the election.

The RHA Nominating Committee’s Slate of Nominees for 2024 are:

• President:                             Elizabeth Spatz

• Vice President:                     Catherine Modesitt

• Treasurer:                            Judy English

• Director of Scholarships:     Catherine Modesitt

• Director of Landscaping:      Denise O’Neil

• Historian:                             Elizabeth Spatz

Additional Candidates:

• President:                             Jim Gates

• President:                             Thomas W LaGrelius

• Vice President:                     Jim Gates

• Treasurer:                            Jim Gates

• Director of Scholarships:     Jim Gates

• Director of Landscaping:      Jim Gates

• Historian:                             Jim Gates

Scroll down for candidate statements/information or click here to view on our website.

CANDIDATE STATEMENTS & INFORMATION

Elizabeth (Libby) Spatz: Candidate for President and Historian

I am honored to be considered for the office as President of the Riviera Homeowners Association, and take the responsibilities of occupying a leadership role for our community very seriously.  I have lived in Torrance since 1965, my mother being a teacher in the Torrance School District and my father, a Naval Aviator (VF-32), followed his military career with four decades as an aeronautical engineer at Northrup.  From my parents, I learned the importance of integrity and service in working with community groups, and believe I have the background and qualifications to act as a fair and reliable representative for Riviera residents.  I believe one of the key elements in organizational success is the gathering and sharing of relevant, vetted, balanced information for everyone to consider when forming decisions and actions.  The management of information is both my profession and personal priority.

For 20 years I worked as a photo and provenance archivist at the Getty Museum, specializing in aggregating and disseminating data on cultural history.  I have an undergraduate degree in art history and master’s degree in library and information science from UCLA, and am currently the head librarian and archivist for a major entertainment studio’s consumer products division. 

I joined the RHA board in 2022 as Historian, and recently published an article on the development of the Ellinwood property here in Torrance, which is available on the RHA website. 

I currently am a board member of the Hyperion Historical Alliance (entertainment industry research group), and have previously served on the boards of the Society of American Archivists Business Section, UCLA Library and Information Science Alumni Association, and Grant Beach Condo Association in Redondo Beach.

It would be my honor and privilege to renew my role as RHA Historian, and I hope to gain your vote as President, to continue the work of making our community the best it can be, for all residents.

Jim Gates: Candidate for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Director of Scholarships, Director of Landscaping, and Historian

My name is Jim Gates.  My wife and I have lived in Torrance since 1973 and in the Riviera since 1975.  I believe the Hollywood Riviera is a GREAT place to live–especially because it is close to  an airport.  We are concerned with the huge, dense developments going up recently in our area.  The existence of the Torrance Airport limits the size permitted for those high-rises, but if the airport is closed, that restriction disappears.

I served on the Riviera Homeowners Association Board many years ago.  I don’t recall the years, but Doug Holker was president.  I was the Association Board representative to monitor the Airport Commission and the City Council on airport issues.  After that, I served on the Torrance Airport Commission for 4 years.

I am an aerospace engineer.  I retired from Boeing in 2008.  During my career, I worked for  Lockheed, Douglas, Aerojet and Hughes Space & Communications–all in the Southern California area.

I have been a pilot for 64 years and built my own aircraft, which I used on business trips from Torrance to visit customers in Seattle, Dayton, Houston, Vandenberg and places in between.  This freed me from the constraints of airline schedules, saved me much time, and saved my employer much money.  I also flew for charity and disaster relief activities. 

Here in Torrance, I organized the visit by the Collings Foundation bombers for five years, helped organize the Air Fairs we used to have, supported the STEM Day at the Airport events and was an advisor and patron for the Western Museum of Flight.

Riviera residents have a range of opinions about the airport–some see it as a nuisance; others see it as a valuable regional asset for education, transportation, recreation, disaster relief and a valuable tool for business.  Surveys on NextDoor revealed that 9 out of 10 Riviera residents don’t want our airport closed and 2 out of 3 of them don’t think noise from airport operations is objectionable at their home. 

 I believe we need more balance on our HOA board.  We need a Board that represents the views of all of our residents–

·       Those who want maximum redevelopment  and those who prefer our area to remain as it is.

·       Those who value the airport and those who do not.

·       Those who think that the Riviera is a wonderful place to live and those who believe, as the petition stated, it is “intolerably noisy and dangerous.” 

I decided to run again for a position on the Association Board in the election on Wednesday, April 24 to add a new voice to the Board. that I feel is currently missing.

Statement From Thomas W LaGrelius: Candidate for President

My wife, Patti and I, and our family, have lived in the Riviera since 1985 and have owned our home in the Riviera since 1986. We’ve been active in the community and strong supporters of this community.

I remain in full-time practice as a family physician/geriatrician in Torrance and am president of that three physician medical corporation.  I have served on numerous other boards during my career, including as chair of the department of family practice at Torrance Memorial Medical Center for six years, on the board of the Los Angeles County Medical Association for 11 years, on the board of the Southbay Independent Physicians Medical Group Incorporated for 30 years and it’s president for six years.  I am currently president of a small national professional medical Society.  Thus I bring experience in administration of complex organizations and believe I can serve the Riviera well based on that experience in any board position.

Catherine Modesitt: Candidate for Vice President and Director of Scholarships

Catherine and her husband moved to the Riviera 22 years ago. They’ve raised 5 rescue dogs, 2 rescue cats, and 1 son (currently a freshman at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and a Marching Bruin). Once upon a time, Catherine graduated summa cum laude from the University of Miami (in 3 years with 3 majors) before getting her MFA from USC’s Graduate Screenwriting Program and working in the entertainment industry.

For 15 years, Catherine was a coach or manager for youth soccer teams, making sure scholarships were available to underprivileged players. She volunteered in the classroom at Riviera Elementary—only to end up running the library (14,000 books, 700 students, 50 volunteers, and 1 temperamental software program). When her son moved onto Richardson Middle School, their music program struggled with funding. Catherine created and then served as President of the Richardson Music Boosters. Not only do the Boosters continue to fund the RMS Choir and Band’s participation in festivals and the Armed Forces Day Parade, but the scholarship program Catherine created still awards scholarships to RMS musical alumni graduating from South High. As a member of the South High PTA, Catherine served on multiple committees as well as being Scholarship Chair, Spartan Scribe Editor, and Executive Vice President. In 2023, she was awarded the TCPTA Honorary Service Award for her years of service to the youth in the community.

At the RHA, Catherine has been the Director of Scholarships for the last two years and the Newsletter Editor since 2023. While her favorite activity is funding and awarding scholarships, she believes that by also serving as Vice President of the RHA, she can best continue the fight to get leaded fuel out of the planes flying over Riviera schools and residents.

When she’s not volunteering, Catherine is writing or consulting on manuscripts and college essays. 

Statement From Judy English: Candidate for Treasurer

I am running for Treasurer of the Riviera Homeowners Assoc. for several reasons. I am currently Treasurer and enjoy the position as I have experience in bookkeeping, and I judge our system and information are in A-1 condition. I have been on the Board since 2009 and am very invested in the Riviera’s well-being, dedicated to keeping atop of current issues and committed to continuing to be the conduit between our residents and the City Council.

Denise O’Neil: Candidate for Director of Landscaping Denise has been the RHA’s Director of Landscaping since 2019. As the well-established broker/owner at O’Neil and Associates in Torrance, Denise is familiar with the value a thoughtful, well-designed landscape provides a property.  With a master’s degree in Personnel Management from NYU, Denise relates to the priorities of owners and how they present their homes as part of the greater Riviera community. Aided by an eye for detail and a flair for creative innovation, Denise is eager to continue her work as Director of Landscaping for the Riviera community. She hopes to keep inspiring the beautification of our neighborhood

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Below are the topics of discussion:

CDD staff- Michelle Ramirez, Felipe Segovia and Keo Uykheang
Talk about the letters that were sent to the community members
Guidance for yellow/red tag residents
Public Works – Craig Bilezerian, Shin Furakawa
Vista Montana status and road closure update
EOC – Jason Nishiyama

Official Facebook Link for even

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off on District 5 Community Meeting: Soil Challenges and Impacted Neighbors – Monday April 8, 2024 – El Retiro Library – 6:00 – 7:30 PM – This event is hosted by Aurelio Mattucci,  Torrance City Council and the City of Torrance

Landslides and a water main break in the Upper Riviera on Vista Montana (see the images on our Instagram) have closed that street between Mesa St. to Via Corona indefinitely. As a result, residents who live above Vista Montana need to take a long detour to get down the hill. Unfortunately, it appears that it will take quite some time to repair. The City of Torrance in its most recent update said it will take at least six months to recommend permanent stabilization and repair measures before a design phase can begin.

Additionally, above Vista Montana on Paseo de las Tortugas, two houses were red tagged and two others yellow tagged, according to a March 15 story on Fox11 News.

According to the National Weather Service, our area of Southern California has received 188% of normal rainfall for the year to-date. The official rainy season ended in March, but that doesn’t mean the rain will necessarily stop. 

If you live in an area that has landslides, you need to take precautions:

• Find out if the area you want to build or add onto is on bedrock or soil, or a mix.  You can begin your inquiries at the Torrance Public Works Engineering Department (310) 781-6900 for a general report of soil safety.  Building and Safety (310) 618-5910 and Code Enforcement can offer help.
• For more detailed information, you may want to call a private engineering firm which can take core samples and determine the exact makeup of the soil. “Bill” at Palos Verdes Engineering said that if someone is building on a steep hillside, a slope stability report and a core soil sample can determine if you can build, for example, a pool or cantilevered home or patio on your site.  Don’t just look at your neighbor’s home.  “These problems are site specific, so your neighbor’s problem may not be yours.”
• Lastly, do NOT plant ice plant on a hillside. Ice plant has very short roots and during a storm, the plant retains water, gets heavier, and may loosen and slide down the slope. Bill said “You want plants that are drought-resistant with deep and spreading roots to grab the surrounding soil. Armstrong Nursery recommended myoporum, lantana, rosemary and star jasmine.  If you prefer native plants, The Tree of Life Native Plant Nursery in San Juan Capistrano suggests California buckwheat, yarrow, California asters and irises, which they have. Good luck with your gardening – maybe your neighbors will even help out!

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off on LANDSLIDES AND ROAD CLOSURE

The City of Torrance is working on a comprehensive, long-term master plan for the Torrance Civic Center (that’s where City Hall, the main library, Cultural Arts Center, etc. are located). The RHA encourages resident participation in the related survey and upcoming webinar.

Torrance Civic Center Master Plan & Economic Feasibility Study – Community Survey

Your input is vital to this process, and the city invites you to participate in the Community Survey and upcoming HOA webinar. The Community Survey is a key component of the city’s robust community engagement strategy, designed to capture your valuable insights on the vision, priorities, and goals that should shape the Civic Center Master Plan.

To Access the Survey: To share your input online, please click here. This link will direct you to the dedicated Civic Center Master Plan landing page and survey.

• Physical copies of the survey are available at any City library branch or the Permit Center.

Survey Deadline: The survey period extends until February 29, 2024. If submitting in-person, kindly deliver your responses to any Library branch or the Permit Center by the close of business on February 29^th or ensure they are postmarked no later than February 29th to the following address to the attention of the City Manager’s Office: 3031 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503.

TO JOIN THE HOMEOWNERS WEBINAR WITH CITY AND GRUEN ASSOCIATES THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024 – 6:00PM – VIRTUAL VIA ZOOM:  Please RSVP using the following link:
 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5K60UryFRCCq5vgtHYlJUw

If you have any questions or require further assistance, contact the City Manager’s Office at (310) 618-5880 or send an email to LandManagement@TorranceCA.gov.

Your participation is invaluable as we work together with the city to shape the future of our Civic Center.

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What could be easier?!

Please join with friends and neighbors for a delicious fundraiser on Wed. Oct. 18 all day (11:00am – 9:30pm) at the Riviera Mexican Grill, 1615 South PCH, Redondo Beach. The RHA will get 15% of the cost of the food, if you show the flyer below. 

The food is reliably great, the margaritas are legendary, and we know the company you’ll find there will be wonderful and fun, so support your RHA with una buena comida!

It’s Touch and Go on Touch and Goes – Weigh in Tuesday!

The Torrance City Council is once again deciding what to do about Torrance Airport “touch and go” training flights at the next City Council Meeting – Tuesday Oct 17, beginning at 6:30pm.

Council will vote on whether to accept the reconsideration of the vote on touch and goes, which would allow councilmember Asam Sheikh to change his vote to “no touch and goes.” This would make a majority vote opposed to touch and go training flights.

This important discussion is scheduled to be the last item on the City Council agenda (Item 9-G)! So you may come in late (sometime after 8:00pm) to the meeting and still hear the discussion live and have a chance to speak for one minute.

They don’t want us to show up and tell them that we are opposed to touch and goes – and that by placing this item at the end of the meeting; by having multiple meetings but not taking action; by making residents wait 3 years from the time the noise monitors were discontinued – they are trying to discourage the 145,000 residents of Torrance from demanding that they end all touch and goes.

You may also watch the meeting live on the internet, on Spectrum Channel 3 and on Frontier Channel 31.

Send your concerns to:
CityCouncil@TorranceCA.gov
AChaparyan@TorranceCA.gov

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