By Mary O’KEEFE

A meeting on Nov. 1, hosted by the Crescenta Valley Town Council, gave the community the chance to ask questions regarding a new business in its neighborhood. U Matter Luxury Resort had representatives at the meeting as well as speakers from the Los Angeles County agencies that deal with public health and permitting.

U Matter Luxury Resort is permitted as an adult residential facility in the 3000 block of Frances Avenue in La Crescenta. Neighbors have voiced their concerns about the facility for some time and welcomed the chance to talk with representatives of this business that is planned to open in their neighborhood. The initial concerns grew as more people shared their thoughts on social media. Neighbors who lived close to the business site were especially worried about the ever-changing business model as reflected on the company’s website.

U Matter Luxury Resort’s website has had many changes over the last several months including a description of the facility as a detox center from alcohol and drugs. This description concerned neighbors who feared a drug rehabilitation center was planned in their residential neighborhood.

At the center of the concerns expressed by those in attendance at the Nov. 1 meeting was the fluid business model that was represented on the company’s social media. It appeared that the website was in constant flux causing many of the residents to take screen shots of the varied offerings by the company.

Julie Herasymenko, the former marketing executive for U Matter Luxury Resort, is a freelance employee who lives out of the country. She said most of her contact with the company was via the messaging application WhatsApp. The constant changes to the U Matter Luxury Resort social media are something Herasymenko is keenly aware of. CVW interviewed her via phone.

“They were changing their minds,” she said, “sometimes [numerous times] during the month.”

Herasymenko worked on their account for a month.

At one point one of the community members at the Nov. 1 meeting said they felt the business model was changing because of complaints received from the community. Herasymenko said the community’s response was part of the conversation between her and representatives of U Matter Luxury Resort as more changes were proposed.

“They changed their minds so often. They were a wellness resort, then a wellness center,” she said. At one point the company’s social media stated U Matter Luxury Resort was a retreat.

Herasymenko said with other clients she had worked with changes like these would not be done publicly and the site wouldn’t go “live” until final approval was given. She said changes are often made when establishing a business; however, once a website and social media goes public changes are usually minimal.

But this was the main concern voiced at the meeting by residents who continued to want answers as to what type of business is U Matter Luxury Resort.

One community member asked why the business would allow children to be at the rehab/detox center. U Matter Luxury Resort representative Prescilla Cardenas stated children are not allowed at the facility and that even though the website allows a child to be added to the client list, when completing a reservation the child would not be included in the costs or the person making the reservation would not be allowed to complete the booking. (To note: CVW was able to follow all of the prompts to book one adult and one child, with the charge clearly showing two bookings.)

Another neighbor who has been documenting the facility’s changes continued to ask questions of what type of facility would be near her home. She read off the different versions stated online from drug and alcohol rehabilitation to a detox spa.

She also had a question about a U Matter Luxury Resort vent that faced her property. She was not sure what was being vented into her yard; County building and safety has since had that vent removed.

Alex Kouchavchili, U Matter Luxury Resort representative, said the website is being tested to see how it works and is constantly changing.

“We published too soon,” he said. “It was our mistake.”

He also said that it is his right to change his business model as often as he wants as long as he stays within the permitting perimeters. While this is technically true it does reflect on the transparency of the business and because it is a business within a neighborhood being a good neighbor is important.

On the subject of being a good neighbor, a woman spoke of her elderly father who lives close to the business. He had put a sign up on his property stating U Matter Luxury was not welcomed in the neighborhood. The woman then produced surveillance footage showing someone coming out of the U Matter Luxury Resort property, walking to the elderly man’s property and ripping the sign down then walking back to U Matter Luxury Resort.

Another resident spoke of a sign posted at the property that read “No parking without property owner’s permission. Violators will be towed at vehicle owner’s expense.”

“This is an illegal sign, please take it down,” the resident said.

Senior civil engineer, LA County Dept. of Public Works, Steve Lim said the sign would have to come down.

At one point during the meeting Kouchavchili said he did not understand the community’s concern, pointing out the remodeling of the property had added to the overall appeal of the neighborhood. However, some residents said because they are not certain what type of business is U Matter Luxury Resort, property values may be affected in a negative way.

Though in other circumstances complaints of a sign being torn down or a no parking sign being placed may not be a problem for neighbors, for the community members who spoke at the Nov. 1 meeting this was a pattern that worried them and fed their concerns of mistrust.

Then on Nov. 4 U Matter Luxury Resort hosted a party, or open house, that offered valet parking. Neighbors were not notified about the event as their street filled with cars.

A new concern reflects another change to the business model in which a day spa is offered. This is documented on the company’s social media, including Instagram, where the most recent offer is a “Detox Day” on Dec. 1 with limited tickets available. However, the day spa is outside the perimeters of permitting. Representatives from the County planned to speak with representatives of U Matter Luxury Resort on Wednesday (after press time) and have planned several visits to the site, according to Alex Garcia, assistant deputy director, Land Use Regulation.

CVTC President Chris Kilpatrick said he began the Nov. 1 meeting with an open mind. At first he thought if the company and the residents could talk they would be able to come to an agreement and many rumors would be laid to rest; however, he said that was not how he felt at the end of the meeting.

The CVTC has officially drafted a letter to be sent to Supervisor Kathryn Barger urging the County agencies that regulate this type of facility to address all of the concerns voiced by the community and expressed their call for local control. This is in addition to a petition that was sent to Barger and signed by over 700 residents against U Matter Luxury Resort’s business practices.