City Council to Consider Changing Name of Little Santa Monica Boulevard

One resident's stance that "it does not make sense" and is "demeaning" to attach the word "Little" to South Santa Monica Boulevard and should be renamed Burton Way has prompted the Beverly Hills City Council to consider the issue at its Sept. 10 meeting, according to a staff report.


At the request of City Councilmember Nancy Krasne from letters sent by local resident Fred Barman, the current proposal would be to phase the name change over the next three years.

Burton Way already begins on San Vicente Boulevard on the eastern part of the city becomes Little Santa Monica Boulevard at the intersection with North Rexford Drive. Burton Way is named in recognition of Burton E. Green, president Amalgamated Oil Company and the largest stockholder in the Rodeo Land and Water Company - the company responsible for creating Beverly Hills, according to the staff report.

In a similar 2010 proposal to the City Council, staff conducted a merchant survey along Little Santa Monica Boulevard, where 87 percent did not support the name change.

If approved, the offices and businesses on the 17 land parcels on South Santa Monica Boulevard would be directly impacted, according to the staff report. Costs involved could include new identification signage, advertising and stationery, as well as to organizations who produce promotional materials to identify local businesses.

According to the report, the city may want to change the name of street to provide clarity or improve its identity, honor the city's heritage or reinforce the city's connection to the film and entertainment industry.

What are your thoughts on the proposed name change to Little Santa Monica Boulevard?