Sherman Oaks : City Rejects Plan to Widen Dickens St.

Heeding the complaints of local residents who said a proposed construction project would ruin the residential character of their neighborhood, the city has decided not to widen Dickens Street east of Cedros Avenue.

The city had ordered the developer of a senior housing project on the northeast corner of Dickens and Cedros to do the widening to accommodate the additional traffic anticipated from the development, currently under construction.

To do the widening, the developer would have had to narrow the sidewalk on the north side of Dickens.

The Monday night meeting was led by aides to City Councilman Michael Feuer and attended by community leaders and representatives from the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Engineering, and the developer.

After hearing the comments of city officials and residents, officials of the Bureau of Engineering decided to cancel the widening.

Sharon Mayer, Feuer’s chief field deputy, said that the bureau decided not to do the widening because “the neighbors want to maintain the character of the neighborhood, and because we want to make sure the pedestrian walkway will be pleasant and comfortable for the seniors.”

Mayer said the community leaders who attended the meeting were pleased with the city officials’ decision. The activists were Jeff Brain, chairman of the Ventura Boulevard Specific Plan Review Board, and Tom Grant, board director of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn.

Mayer said the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce also supported maintaining the street’s current width.