Annual Neighborhood Garage Sale — Sept. 13 and 14
How would you like to rid yourself of items no longer needed AND make money at the same time? All you need to do is put items for sale out in front of your garage on Sept. 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Westwood Highlands Association is once again paying for ads in the Chronicle and Independent (thank you WHA Vice President Charlie Leach), so buyers will be circling the neighborhood all weekend. Warning: This very successful yearly event usually turns into a neighborhood swap meet, so don't think you're necessarily going to end up with more garage space.

Westwood Highlands Association Web site
The directors are looking for someone interested in creating and maintaining a Westwood Highlands Web site. This Web site which would include an email address would be a good communication tool in keeping neighbors informed about board activities and issues involving our neighborhood. This Web site could also include a mission statement, meeting agendas, minutes, news, and possibly some historical tidbits. If interested, please contact us, or better yet, come to the next meeting on September 17. [Update 10/03: The site is now being developed by Jennifer Dees, and hosted by her company, Peregrine.net.]

New Trees
Trees are being planted free of charge for all Westwood Highlands residents, thanks to the continual efforts of director Anya LeGault. So far, WHA has planted 33 new trees during the last year. The WHA encourages neighbors to continue to take advantage of this offer. Also, Anya reminds neighbors to water their new trees during the critical first year after planting. For more information, contact Anya at treasurer@westwoodhighlands.org.

PG&E Utility Line Undergrounding
In response to the campaign started by Westwood Highlands director Geoff Mathieux, Supervisor Tony Hall has written to WHA in appreciation for the hundreds of letters from our residents in support of undergrounding our utility wires. Supervisor Hall advises that "this collection of signatures is the first step in what will likely be a lengthy, and potentially, very expensive process." Hall advises that PG&E is currently working on 42 miles of undergrounding that benefit the "general public" pursuant to an agreement reached between PG&E and the City back in 1997. It is estimated that this 42 miles will be completed sometime in 2006. With this "general public" benefit rule in place, Westwood Highlands, with its utility poles behind the homes, seems somewhat low on the priority list however Supervisor Hall promises to meet the challenge of this difficult process. Hall also advises other District 7 neighborhoods have petitioned for undergrounding.

Welcome New WHA Residents
On behalf of WHA directors, VP Charley Leach welcomes all new homeowners. Weather notwithstanding, Westwood Highlands remains one of the nicest neighborhoods in San Francisco, and, as a little sidelight, probably the only neighborhood in the City with absolutely no street cleaning or extraordinary parking restrictions, thanks to the efforts of former WHA board members. New homeowners should contact Charley Leach and recieve a welcome packet and association information.

Ocean Avenue Renovation
The non-profit San Francisco Beautiful will be honoring The West of Twin Peaks Central Council and OMI/Ocean Merced Ingleside organizations at its upcoming annual dinner. Back in 1999, then-president of The West of Twin Peaks Central Council, Paul Conroy, saw an opportunity to beautify the blighted commerical strip of Ocean Avenue at the same time that the street would be repaved for a Muni retracking project. After years of meetings with the mayor's office, Muni, and DPW and armed with 7 million dollars successfully petitioned from the State of California (Thank you, Kevin Shelley), West of Twin Peaks and OMI can now begin to see the fruits of their efforts as the Ocean Avenue project nears completion. Beautiful street lighting, street furniture, corner bulb-outs, reconfigured parking, (soon-to-be) utility wire undergrounding, and a public plaza in front of City College are already helping to invigorate this important area.

Illegal In-Law Units
The WHA directors continue to enforce Article IV of the Easements, Restrictions, Conditions, Covenants, Charges, and Agreements first established for Westwood Highlands in 1924 that restricts the use of all Westwood Highlands homes to one family. City zoning also prohibits secondary units in Westwood Highlands.

Meetings
The final meetings of 2003 are September 17 and November 19. All residents are welcome and encouraged to attend. The meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. at 120 Brentwood Ave. and are not long and are relatively painless. Topics include local zoning and other issues, various concerns of residents, trees, and new and old ways to enhance and maintain our neighborhood. (The neighborhood block party, tentatively scheduled for Oct. 3, has been cancelled. Perhaps we'll try again next year.)

WHA Board of Directors
Dave Bisho – President
Charley Leach – Vice President
Jane Vincent Corbett – Secretary
Anya LeGault – Treasurer
Geoff Mathieux – Parliamentarian