City Ordinances Neglected

Besides the ongoing non-enforcement of Beverly Hills' pioneer leaf-blower ordinance, we also have the continual non-enforcement of the city's ban on throwing unsolicited commercial ads on residential front doorsteps, lawns and driveways.

Such nuisance flyers and menus are also hung on front door knobs and tucked into front door jambs.

These accumulating missives are particularly helpful to prospective burglars.

They're as good as saying, "No one is at home. Come on in and help yourselves."

So far, enforcement, if any, is after-the-fact. If a resident reports such activity, the city may send a letter to the advertiser notifying them of the existence of the ordinance.

What is needed is pro-active enforcement of the anti-litter law as well as the anti-noise and anti-dust pollution leaf-blower law.

The city council often reminds residents that as much as 70% of the city's revenues come from businesses. Residents believe that more than their share of city services are also provided to the business section of town.

Despite being repeatedly requested, we have never seen a budgetary break-down of how much city services time and resources go to the business vs. residential sectors of Beverly Hills.

Decades ago, patrol cars could be seen regularly cruising the residential streets and alleys. Today such sightings are relatively rare.

The current three-day weekend, honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., has distributors leafleting homes north of Santa Monica Blvd. with impunity.

Had patrol cars been cruising, these violators could have been caught. A few arrests and prosecutions would get the word out, that Beverly Hills' residents are not to be victimized by unlawful commercial activity on residential properties.

Incidentally, First Amendment concerns are properly exempted political, civic and religious flyers from the ordinance.