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January 15, 2009
Celebrity battle over access ends -- for now
A judge rules that 'guests and invitees' of South Beverly Park
residents can enter the exclusive Westside
community through the gates of adjacent North Beverly Park.
By Martha Groves
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
In a decidedly uncivil war of haves versus haves, the South has
prevailed against the North.
South Beverly Park, that is.
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge tentatively ruled this
week that "guests and invitees" of residents of
the exclusive Westside community may enter through the gates of adjacent
North Beverly Park.
The dispute went to court last spring after the 64-home North Beverly
Park Homeowners Assn. began restricting
access to a road that residents of the 16-home South Beverly Park
neighborhood had been freely using for two
decades.
Under the limitations, southern residents could continue to use the
northern gates at Mulholland Drive.
But their nannies, gardeners and contractors had to take long detours
on Benedict Canyon or Coldwater
Canyon drives.
Northern residents defended the restrictions, citing security concerns
and costs.
Among the South Beverly Park plaintiffs were Earvin "Magic" Johnson,
Samuel L. Jackson and producer
Richard Zanuck.
The northern defendants included Denzel Washington, Reba McEntire
and media moguls Haim Saban and
Sumner Redstone.
The battle is not over, said Jeffrey G. Huron, an attorney for the
northern residents.
"It's our intention to file written objections," he said.
Huron added that the communities are separate and distinct.
"There is no reason why [southern] guests and invitees should
not have to use the public streets like all of the
other residents in the neighborhood that do not live in North Beverly
Park," he said.
Steve Goldberg, an attorney for the southern residents, said he expected
the decision to stand.
If and when the ruling becomes final, he said, his clients intend
to launch Phase 2: a claim for compensatory
and punitive damages.
Goldberg said they also would seek reimbursement for attorney fees
of $2 million and counting.
martha.groves@latimes.com
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