MARK YOUR CALENDARS
- Westwood Highlands Association Meetings:
120 Brentwood Ave., 7:30 p.m., July 27, Sept. 21, Nov. 16, 2010
- Westwood Highland Homeowners Association Garage Sale
Saturday and Sunday, September 11 and 12, 2010
Westwood Highlands Annual Neighborhood Garage Sale
is Set for September 11 and 12, 2010
Interested in cleaning out your basement? Making a few bucks? Meeting some neighbors? All you have to do is put items out for sale in front of your garage on September 11 and/or 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Westwood Highlands will place the ads (thanks to WHA VP Charley Leach), so buyers will be circling the neighborhood all weekend. It's been a big success in the past. Volunteers who will put up signs on Montery and Yerba Buena would be very welcome.
Westwood Highlands Bi-Annual Dinner
Friday, April 23. 2010
The Gold Mirror Restaurant
800 Taraval St. @18th Ave., San Francisco
No-host cocktails, 6 p.m. / Dinner, 7 p.m.
Join us for a fun evening and a chance to get to know your neighbors better. Space is limited, so please RSVP as soon as possible.
Price: $58 per person, incl. tax, tip, and wine
Paid reservations must be made
before April 16, 2010
Sidewalk Repairs
Many of us in Westwood Highlands have been tagged by the city to fix our sidewalks. In addition, we have been advised that PG&E is planning work here also; we believe it has to do with relocating gas meters. It would probably be a good idea to ask the city for an extension to fix the sidewalks until after PG&E has done their work.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Congratulations and welcome to the new residents of Westwood Highlands. This neighborhood is a relatively unknown subdivision on San Francisco's west side. I grew up just down the street near West Portal and until we moved in, I don't remember even hearing about Westwood Highlands.
We have secrets here that not many San Franciscans know about. For instance, thanks to the WH board who served in the early 1980s, our neighborhood is one of the few, or maybe only neighborhood in the City that has no street-cleaning days. Residents here do not have to move their cars or buy parking stickers each year. Also, in the 1920s, the earliest WHA directors made sure we would have no dog kennels, no hog pens, no rug-beating plants, no insane asylums, and no cattle yards. Moo.
I will tell you another secret about Westwood Highlands. First, think about other districts in the City, no offense to any of them. Take the Sunset District or Parkside, the Richmond, the Mission, Excelsior, the Western Addition, or parts of Bayview, or perhaps Diamond Heights for example. Great places, but all have zoning that mixes commercial with both single and multi-family buildings, many times all on one block. Fun maybe, but not so good if one is looking for peace and quiet, or perhaps a parking place, or even a safer, less-congested place to raise a family. That's the main deal about Westwood Highlands -- all homes here are zoned R1 Single-Family Residential and after 86 years, it still feels like a single-family residential neighborhood.
Since 1924, we have had Boards of Directors that, in addition to spending time on maintenance and beautification efforts, have concentrated on the never-ending job preserving the single-family aspect of our neighborhood. Keeping the area a family neighborhood is done both internally and through the efforts of the West of Twin Peaks Central Council, representing 16 other neighborhoods witht hat same interest. Even now, the San Francisco Planning Department, under pressure from developers, is considering yet another "blanket" upzone of city neighborhoods. The Department's latest 'Housing Element' proposes to increase height, provide for fewer parking places, and increase congestion in an effort to Manhattanize San Francisco.
You can read all about it. Go to the Department's Draft Housing Element (see the pdf under Latest Publications, righthand column). In fact, if you go to page 37, Policy 3 and Policy 5, you will see the Planning Department's latest proposal to legalize in-law units. It never ends.
Finally, there seems to be a lot of action in Westwood Highlands these days. Paint jobs, remodels, re-landscaping, tree-planting, and even kids. Feels good. Right now the WHA Board's beautification efforts, in addition to the tree planting, include having the fire hydrants and border "Westwood Highlands" signs repainted. That's all for now.
— Dave Bisho, President, Westwood Highlands Association
Celebrating All the Holidays with Westwood Highlands
by Blue Mudbhary, resident of Brentwood Avenue
One of the remarkable attributes of our neighborhood is the fantastic energy so many residents put into their holiday decorations. In December, it is wonderful to see twinkling lights strung inside and outside of homes, reindeer on lawns, beautiful angels, holiday wreaths, and decorated trees in many windows. In February, out come heart-shaped wreaths, followed by some lucky clovers and leprechauns in March. And there is always a display of proud American flags that appear in May, June, July, and November.
A special mention to the creative Halloween decorations and willing costumed residents who entertain the trick-or-treating children -- this year, we had a resident dressed up like a witch stirring her cauldron of dry ice -- and who make special treats of candy-filled pumpkins, ice cream, and the ever-popular gummy eyeballs.
Thank you for all the effort and good cheer you put into the festivities all year round. It helps make Westwood Highlands a neighborhood, and not just a place to live. What a privilege it is to call it home!
Sunnyside Conservatory
The Sunnyside Conservatory, at 236 Monterey Blvd. between Baden and Congo Streets, has been restored and opened in early December. If you haven't checked it out, it is worth a look. Check out the Web site to keep up with the continuing efforts on this historical landmark. It is also possible to reserve the Conservatory for a private party (birthday parties, family picnics, etc.) -- see Reservation Forms here.
Tree Report
Please be advised that HOA will keep planting trees for residents free of charge. However, based on the several years of experience of watching what grows and what doesn't in our neighborhood, WHA Board of Directors, with the help of an arborist, voted to narrow down the list of trees that will be suggested. These trees are:
- Black Wood Acacia
- Strawberry Tree
- New Zealand Christmas Tree
- Flaxleaf Paperbark
- Cajeput Tree
West of Twin Peaks Central Council Report
Westwood Highlands is a charter member and of 17 neighborhood organizations on the city's west side that belong to the West of Twin Peaks Central Council. Established in 1936, the Council is an umbrella organization that addresses issues that are common to its members. Meetings are monthly and are generally attended by each neighborhood's delegates and guests. Issues include safety, traffic, zoning, MUNI, utility rates, building projects, and Laguna Honda Hospital.
Illegal In-law Units
An illegal or secondary unit is generally described as a second living space having a separate entrance and a separate kitchen in a single-family home. Such units violate the Westwood Highlands bylaws, and they violate city zoning for R1 neighborhoods. The WHA Directors will continue to enforce Article IV of the Easements, Restrictions, Conditions, Covenants, Charges, and Agreements first established for Westwood Highlands in 1924 that protect and maintain our single-family zoning. Report violations to DBI.Complaints@sfgov.org (anonymously is okay).
Welcome New Neighbors
Westwood Highlands Directors would like to welcome new neighbors to the Association. Any new residents of Westwood Highlands who have not been welcomed, please contact Charles Leach, VP and Welcome Wagon Chairperson, at crleach@sbcglobal.net, to receive an informative packet that includes Westwood Highlands CC&Rs, local information, local map, and store discount information.
Westwood Highlands Bi-Monthly Meetings
Westwood Highlands meetings are open to all residents. Bring gripes and bring possible solutions, or just come and find out what is going on. The place is 120 Brentwood, time is 7:30 p.m., and the meetings for the rest of 2010 are March 23, May 18, July 27, Sept. 21, and Nov. 16.
Treasurer's Report 2009
FUN CITY FACTS
- Jim Jones and his People's Temple served very important roles in the successful elections of Mayor George Moscone, Supervisor Harvey Milk, and Sheriff Richard Hongisto. Jim Jones quickly moved his group to Guyana in 1977 after learning that Chronicle reporter Marshall Kulduff was preparing to publish an expose suggesting abuses at the organization. Later, when Congressman Leo Ryan was preparing for his trip to go to Guyana to investigate these allegations, Ryan asked his friend Indiana Congressman Dan Quayle to go with him. Dan couldn't make it.
- Lowell High School, which started as the Union Grammar School in 1856, is the oldest public high school west of the Mississippi.
WHA Directors
David Bisho , President
Charley Leach, Vice President
Jane Vincent Corbett, Secretary
Anya LeGault, Treasurer
Vince Scardina, Parliamentarian
Webmaster: Jennifer Dees
Newsletter Editor: Rober Wisotzkey
Mission | Map | Current Issues | History | Links | Photos | Mailing List | Contact | Home
|
