Wolfgang Liebelt responded to Hal's Open Letter to his neighbors in Lakeside regarding Junipero Serra greenbelt (western side of the boulevard). Please read the extended version of this entry for that response in full.

At this point, the removal has been approved and I feel that further appeals to the Board of Appeals are entirely useless as the matter was decided 5-0 because of their liability concerns.; The positive aspect is that they throw out the DPW assertion that the fronting homeowners are responsible and take the approach that they don't know who is; responsible.; I believe that the following key points could form the core of the strategy in working with the city.

• Work through Mr. Grossman and continue to pursue the ownership issue;in the political realm by keeping the pressure on Supervisor Elsbernd and the Mayor to resolve that issue issue.; If the DPW and the City Attorney continue to stonewall, consider asking the Supervisor to resolve the matter via legislation to formally accept the disputed land.
• Follow-up regarding the water connections.; At this point, they've installed new pipes and meters in several locations.; Additional work is scheduled at several;additional locations by the PUC (the areas have been posted with construction signs).; Work to;connect hose bibs or sprinklers that could be used to water plants has not been started , although the locations have been marked with green paint.;
• The DPW order mentions a planting plan, so;the LPOA should follow-up to insure that the plan is actually prepared.
• Follow-up with; DPW to identify the funding sources for replanting that they indicated they would identify; for the LPOA.

I also have a suggestion to the Board.; To; assist in keeping the neighborhood attractive, I suggest that the LPOA add a budget item when creating the 2007 Budget to provide money to pay for periodic clean-up and maintenance of the entry pillars at Stonecrest and at Winston.;; The Association could hire a gardner to keep Ivy and other plants at bay and do a general clean-up of those areas twice a year.; I don't know what that would cost, but I am guessing that $600 might be in the ballpark.; Absent that, the only way that will ever get;done is through sporadic clean-up days that attract minimal particiation.;; In exerpts from the May meeting, it was noted that the Board discussed additional tree expenses, with a need for more frequent pruning and that it was suggested that consideration should be given to raising dues to cover those expenses.;;;;While;I agree in general;that;Association dues really need to be increased significantly, I have a major concern about increasing the dues if the only thing they will be used for is to prune accacia trees every year.; In the long run, the Association would be better off to gradually remove the accacia trees and to replace them with trees that are more appropriate in scale and that those trees should then be the responsibility of the individual; homeowner.; Additional tree planting should also be a priority for the neighborhood.