The following is the Windsor Square Association monthly column published in the Larchmont Chronicle, written by WSA Board Member Chris Sieroty.

Update on law suit, new police boundaries

Windsor Square residents heard about the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting uses at the Scottish Rite Masonic Lodge and Auditorium and the passage of Measure R at the annual Windsor Square Association annual town hall meeting in November at the Ebell Club.

More than 100 residents heard from Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, representatives from the Los Angeles Police Department and members of the association’s board of directors.

Elected to the 2009 board of directors were: Katie Badami, Michael Barton, June Bilgore, John Carpenter, Bill Cutler, Sean Elliot, Michael Genewick, Scott Goldstein, Larry Guzin, Regina Chung, Fred Rheinstein, Presilla Wright, Debbie Hassan, Wendy Savage and John Welborne.

Windsor Square Association president Mike Genewick updated residents on the ongoing upkeep of the Larchmont Boulevard median, between First and Third streets.

“We are still maintaining the median at a cost of $5,000 to $10,000 a year,” Genewick said.

Councilman Tom LaBonge assured residents the city was moving closer to “curb to curb” repaving of Wilshire Boulevard.

“With 4,000 buses a day traveling Wilshire, their weight has torn up the curb lanes. The money is being set aside to pay for the project.”

He also explained that the rezoning of Larchmont Boulevard was on its way to the City Council. According to the proposal, maximum building height will be 35 feet for new developments, and 50-foot width of storefronts.

John Welborne, WSA vice president for Planning and Land Use of the Windsor Square Association, updated residents on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling limiting the uses at Scottish Rite Center Masonic Lodge and Auditorium. He said the matter of leasing the site for for-profit events has been solved.

“Now the building is for sale for $19.5 million,” Welborne said.

Capt. Eric Davis, commander of the LAPD’s Wilshire Division assured residents that crime was down in the area and that detectives had several leads involving a recent home invasion robbery in Larchmont Village.

Davis t introduced Capt. Matt Blake, the commander of the new Olympic Station that will open Jan. 4.

“There has been a lot of fear about having two police stations,” Blake said. “Windsor Square is the jewel of the Olympic station. If we are doing everything right, you won’t see any changes.”

He explained the new station would cover 6.2-square miles, which is an incredibly small area for the LAPD to patrol. “The smaller the area, the quicker we can get to your calls,” he said. “We will have an extra 80 police officers to work this area.”

Blake said the division between Wilshire and Olympic stations will be Plymouth Boulevard.

“I’ve heard your concerns, but I really believe you will be happy with this,” he told a cautious audience.

Blake invited residents to attend an open house for the new station on Jan. 17.