Chatsworth Group Aims to Block New Courthouse

At age 75, Harry Godley easily gets breathless when he walks, but he went door-to-door in his Chatsworth neighborhood Saturday gathering signatures of people who, like him, want to block construction of a proposed county courthouse.

Godley and about 20 other opponents wanted people living in the area to sign 1,000 copies of a letter to be sent to county Supervisor Mike Antonovich, asking him to vote against building the courthouse at the corner of Plummer Street and Winnetka Avenue. The group will be gathering signatures through Monday in a 1-mile-square area near the site.

The county plans to build a municipal courthouse to serve the West Valley and has been looking at about four sites, including a 9-acre lot at Plummer Street and Winnetka Avenue.

The proposed Chatsworth location has raised the ire of some residents. They say they don’t object to the courthouse but believe it should not be built close to a residential area. They fear a courthouse will increase noise and traffic in their quiet neighborhood.

Residents living on Oakdale Avenue near the proposed site said they are disappointed that Antonovich has not announced his stand on the issue but hope the deluge of letters will swing the supervisor to their side.

“I think he ought to come out and make some sort of statement,” said Godley, chairman of the Chatsworth Homeowners Committee, which represents an area that includes 2,000 homes.

Jeff Dorsey, justice deputy for Antonovich, said the supervisor cannot announce his position until Los Angeles Municipal Court officials select a site. Even if Antonovich opposed the site, Dorsey said, opponents of it would have to win over a majority of the five supervisors.

The deputy said the county views the Chatsworth lot as an “excellent site” and said residents have pictured the worst.

“They have this mythology in their heads that it’s going to bring the hardened criminals to the area,” he said. Dorsey said the courthouse would be a convenience to West Valley residents. “It’s for your benefit,” he said. “Instead of going miles away to pay a traffic ticket” at courthouses in Van Nuys or San Fernando, tickets could be paid nearby.

The proposed municipal courthouse would have 18 courtrooms where traffic and small claims cases would be heard, and preliminary hearings and arraignments would be held for felonies ranging from drug possession to murder.

The volunteers gathering signatures were also asking people to sign a petition that would only be submitted to Antonovich if the Plummer Avenue site is formally selected and Antonovich comes out in favor of it.

Most of the homeowners Godley approached Saturday signed a letter.

Residents said they fear court visitors will park on their streets rather than paying to park near the courthouse. They also anticipate a decline in the value of their homes and dread the possibility of those accused of crimes escaping the courthouse.

In addition, they fear the courthouse will be expanded beyond 18 courtrooms, although county officials have assured them no expansion is planned.

One resident who has had to pay parking tickets at other courthouses said he would be glad to have a courthouse built closer to home.

“If you get a ticket out here, it’s a big hassle going to San Fernando,” said Matt McLincha, who said he has waited as long as seven hours for a case to be heard.