The Real Story ...
How the Proposed Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga Affects Everyone and why our community says "No Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga".
The Community Plan and the Foothill Blvd. Corridor Specific Plan are the City Ordinances that regulate development on Foothill Boulevard in Sunland-Tujunga. The Zoning Administrator, in the public hearing held on January 19, 2007 determined that this Home Depot project must be subject to the regulations of these plans, which include environmental assessment and design standards.
The change of use from K-Mart to a Home Depot is a “project” and requires the full review that the City requires. Home Depot has attempted to skirt this requirement of a full “project permit compliance” review. It is common sense that the magnitude of building improvements a Home Depot requires, as well as the change of use impacts that a home improvement store requires are totally different from the existing K-Mart store --- a general merchandise/variety store. Mom with her three children and a shopping cart compared to forklifts of lumber and cement blocks are just NOT the same. The Sunland-Tujunga community demands the City adhere to its laws.
You Need to Know ….
IMPACT ON TRAFFIC & SAFETY
Traffic Congestion at freeway on and off-ramps and changes to Traffic Patterns will be a burden shared by all of our local communities, not just Sunland/Tujunga, but Shadow Hills, Kagel Canyon and La Tuna Canyon, North Glendale, La Crescenta and La Canada/Flintridge.
Traffic Patterns on Foothill Blvd. (including Sunland Blvd.) will include 18-20 Diesel Truck Deliveries per day with the proposed Home Depot.
Traffic Patterns with the proposed Home Depot (opening at 6AM) will create Heavy Weekday-Morning Contractor Traffic which will disrupt morning commutes and create a potential hazard to schoolchildren (The proposed Home Depot Site is 1 block from Apperson Elementary School).
Traffic Congestion at freeway on and off-ramps will add to early morning commutes.
New traffic patterns and congestion may result in Increased Response Times for Fire, Paramedics, and Police.
IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESS
Small business closures will result in increased blight across all of our Foothill communities.
Dollars spent at a Home Depot vs. smaller retailers and local businesses will not go back into our local economy and take money out of the community.
INCREASED AIR AND NOISE POLUTION
Early morning diesel truck deliveries, contractor traffic and equipment operation on the site related to loading and unloading will result in significantly increased air and noise pollution which will lower the quality of life throughout Sunland-Tujunga and surrounding communities and additionally, will have a negative impact on property values.
UNFULFILLED NEED FOR A GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORE
The community as a whole has given overwhelming support for a general merchandise store. Our community would be better served by a general merchandise store than a big box hardware store which does not meet the needs of the residents or fit into the infrastructure of the area. With a Home Depot, there will be a continued need to travel to Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, or other areas to shop for much needed general merchandise.
The STNC has arranged for round-trip bus service from North Valley Neighborhood City Hall, 7747 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga on Thursday, June 7. Meet at 3 p.m.
Home Depot has filed an appeal to the Zoning Administrator's Determination to revoke Home Depot's tenant improvement permits at 8040 Foothill Blvd. (former K-Mart store). The appeal will be heard before the North Valley Area Planning Commission. ALL INTERESTED PARTIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND and PARTICIPATE in this very important issue in our community:
Public Hearing before the
North Valley Area Planning Commission
Thursday, June 7, 2007 at 4:30 p.m.
Marvin Braude Center
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., 1st Floor
Van Nuys
For more info visit http://www.stnc.org/HomeDepot.html
and
www.no2homedepot.com
“Be Informed”
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Hillside Development & Cumulative Impacts
Following relates to City Council File #07-161
Sunland-Tujunga is not the only community concerned with this issue.
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS, CEQA and the CITY OF LOS ANGELES
The impacts of hillside development are a concern for many areas of our city and all stakeholders are invited to attend!
This community forum will discuss the issues, laws, and community concerns related to the cumulative impacts of hillside development, piecemeal development and related topics. This discussion will examine the laws, and the ways in which the City of Los Angeles addresses these impacts currently, as well as suggestions for changes that will make processes and hillside protections better and more in keeping with California Environmental Quality Act guidelines.
Councilmember Huizar has a motion on cumulative impacts which will be coming back to the City Council Planning & Land Use Management committee on June 19 which instructs the following:
* Move the Planning Department report back with recommendations for quantitative thresholds for determining whether a Mitigated Negative Declaration or a full Environmental Impact Report is required.
* Move that City Planning and Building & Safety report back on the feasibility and implementation for a specialized environmental unit which could service both departments.
* Move that determinations of “no impact” be documented to explain how this determination was made on environmental forms for projects within hillside areas.
* Move that relevant departments initiate and implement necessary changes or upgrades to equipment and technology that will allow GIS, ZIMAS or another technology to track and map related development.
* Move that the City Attorney report back on requiring developers to disclose on application forms any development on parcels in a 2,000 foot radius with which they, or those related to them, have a financial interest, or on which they have permits or an application pending.
* Move that City Planning add an electronic subscription notice to the Early Notification System to allow members of the public to subscribe and receive electronic notices of MNDs and EIRs as well as receive electronic notice of entitlement applications.
* Move that City Planning require notification of MNDs and EIRs be posted in a publicly visible location on the subject property and that notices be mailed to adjacent parcels.
* Move that Building & Safety, City Planning and City Attorney report back on implementation of requiring a public hearing for all haul routes related to hillside development, and on the feasibility of limiting the number of project sites that can be active in an area at the same time.
* Move that City Planning report back on re-evaluating the criteria of ministerial actions in hillside areas.
Hillside development affects communities throughout Los Angeles, so tell your friends and neighbors about the forum and attend ready to learn and provide input on this important citywide issue.
Friday, June 8, 2007
7-9pm
Carlin G. Smith Recreation Center
511 W Ave 46, Los Angeles, CA 90065 (Mt. Washington)
Sunland-Tujunga is not the only community concerned with this issue.
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS, CEQA and the CITY OF LOS ANGELES
The impacts of hillside development are a concern for many areas of our city and all stakeholders are invited to attend!
This community forum will discuss the issues, laws, and community concerns related to the cumulative impacts of hillside development, piecemeal development and related topics. This discussion will examine the laws, and the ways in which the City of Los Angeles addresses these impacts currently, as well as suggestions for changes that will make processes and hillside protections better and more in keeping with California Environmental Quality Act guidelines.
Councilmember Huizar has a motion on cumulative impacts which will be coming back to the City Council Planning & Land Use Management committee on June 19 which instructs the following:
* Move the Planning Department report back with recommendations for quantitative thresholds for determining whether a Mitigated Negative Declaration or a full Environmental Impact Report is required.
* Move that City Planning and Building & Safety report back on the feasibility and implementation for a specialized environmental unit which could service both departments.
* Move that determinations of “no impact” be documented to explain how this determination was made on environmental forms for projects within hillside areas.
* Move that relevant departments initiate and implement necessary changes or upgrades to equipment and technology that will allow GIS, ZIMAS or another technology to track and map related development.
* Move that the City Attorney report back on requiring developers to disclose on application forms any development on parcels in a 2,000 foot radius with which they, or those related to them, have a financial interest, or on which they have permits or an application pending.
* Move that City Planning add an electronic subscription notice to the Early Notification System to allow members of the public to subscribe and receive electronic notices of MNDs and EIRs as well as receive electronic notice of entitlement applications.
* Move that City Planning require notification of MNDs and EIRs be posted in a publicly visible location on the subject property and that notices be mailed to adjacent parcels.
* Move that Building & Safety, City Planning and City Attorney report back on implementation of requiring a public hearing for all haul routes related to hillside development, and on the feasibility of limiting the number of project sites that can be active in an area at the same time.
* Move that City Planning report back on re-evaluating the criteria of ministerial actions in hillside areas.
Hillside development affects communities throughout Los Angeles, so tell your friends and neighbors about the forum and attend ready to learn and provide input on this important citywide issue.
Friday, June 8, 2007
7-9pm
Carlin G. Smith Recreation Center
511 W Ave 46, Los Angeles, CA 90065 (Mt. Washington)
Mansionization Update - More Public Awareness
On Thursday, I attended the City Planning commission workshop for about an hour. It can be difficult for us volunteer neighborhood council leaders to get to public hearings in the middle of the work day but your Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council board and committee members are committed to serving our community and often in attendance along with some very dedicated members of our community.
The most emphatic statement I want to share with you came from the president of the City Planning Commission, Ms. Usher. After all the comments were heard, she reviewed a list of other communities that have limits on the size of homes/structures that can be built. None of the methods in other Southern California communities are even close to how the L.A. City Planning Dept. has drafted their proposal. She said, "There's something in the planning department that is going in a liberal direction that isn't going to save our neighborhoods." Other commissioners agreed, this has been a "disorganized process and not the right guidance....each neighborhood has specific needs ..... there need to be solutions for each ... communication and enforcement in advance and....more public awareness."
Three commissioners are to get together on Friday and go over all the comments and get the staff in a better direction.
For now, it appears this is all back to the drawing board for the City Planning Dept. staff.
The most emphatic statement I want to share with you came from the president of the City Planning Commission, Ms. Usher. After all the comments were heard, she reviewed a list of other communities that have limits on the size of homes/structures that can be built. None of the methods in other Southern California communities are even close to how the L.A. City Planning Dept. has drafted their proposal. She said, "There's something in the planning department that is going in a liberal direction that isn't going to save our neighborhoods." Other commissioners agreed, this has been a "disorganized process and not the right guidance....each neighborhood has specific needs ..... there need to be solutions for each ... communication and enforcement in advance and....more public awareness."
Three commissioners are to get together on Friday and go over all the comments and get the staff in a better direction.
For now, it appears this is all back to the drawing board for the City Planning Dept. staff.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Mansionization Hearing is May 24
Baseline Mansionization Hearing at the
City Planning Commission
on May 24, 2007- after 1 p.m.
Van Nuys City Hall
14410 Sylvan St., Council Chamber, 2nd Floor
Van Nuys, CA 91401
City Planning Commission hearing notice and a PDF copy of the Supplemental Report (CPC-2007-160-CA) can be downloaded here.
In case you are planning to attend, speakers will be called who wish to offer concrete and specific suggested changes to the staff recommendation. There will be an occasion for those who are for or against the ordinance to be recognized, but there will not be a repeat opportunity for speakers to simply testify as being for or against the ordinance, as that has already occurred and will occur again at the City Planning Commission hearing on June 14.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Erick Lopez by telephone at (213) 978-1243 or by email at Erick.Lopez@planning.lacity.org.
Friday, May 11, 2007
City Public Hearing Notices (various)
Copies of each of these Public Hearing notices will be available later tonight at http://www.stnc.org/documents.html under City Public Hearing Notices (various) on the STNC web site or contact Ed Rock at the STNC office at (818) 951-7411 to receive a copy.
Your attendance and participation at these public hearings is encouraged.
RE: 6511 Foothill Blvd.- Discount Tires - Building & Safety Appeal
DIR2007-0851(BSA). Associate Zoning Admin Public Hearing
Monday, May 14 at 2:30 PM
Marvin Braude Bldg, First Floor
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys
RE: 7229-37-41-45 Tranquil Drive - Haul Route for 2,200 cubic yards
of earth to project site. Hearing is for hauling operations only. Single family dwellings to be built.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 9:30 a.m.
Room 900 (9th Floor), 201 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles
RE: 11130 Oro Vista Avenue, Sunland - Proposed 20-lot single family subdivision.
Zone change from RA-1 to R1-1.
Case Nos. Tentative Tract Map No. 60461, APCNV 2004-2884-ZC, ZA 2007-495-ZV-ZAA, ENV-2004-2834-MND
Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 10:45 a.m.
Marvin Braude Bldg, First Floor
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys
RE: Union Rescue Mission proposed Hope Gardens Facility in Kagel Canyon
L.A. County Regional Planning Commission Public Hearing
Wednesday, May 23, 2007 – 9:00 a.m.
Hall of Records, Room 150
320 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles
BUS TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE – contact 818-890-4590
RE: Mansionization
Citywide Neighborhood Character Study
City Planning Commission
Workshop - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - Time to be announced
Marvin Braude Center
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., 1st Floor - Van Nuys
Info: Staff Report is available. Contact STNC office for copy or attend STNC meeting.
RE: 8040 Foothill Blvd., Sunland - Home Depot's appeal from
the Zoning Administrator's decision of March 2007.
Case No. DIR-2006-9072-BSA-1A
Thursday, June 7, 2007 - 4:30 p.m.
Marvin Braude Center
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., 1st Floor - Van Nuys
BUS TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE – Call 818-951-7411 to sign up
Your attendance and participation at these public hearings is encouraged.
RE: 6511 Foothill Blvd.- Discount Tires - Building & Safety Appeal
DIR2007-0851(BSA). Associate Zoning Admin Public Hearing
Monday, May 14 at 2:30 PM
Marvin Braude Bldg, First Floor
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys
RE: 7229-37-41-45 Tranquil Drive - Haul Route for 2,200 cubic yards
of earth to project site. Hearing is for hauling operations only. Single family dwellings to be built.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 9:30 a.m.
Room 900 (9th Floor), 201 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles
RE: 11130 Oro Vista Avenue, Sunland - Proposed 20-lot single family subdivision.
Zone change from RA-1 to R1-1.
Case Nos. Tentative Tract Map No. 60461, APCNV 2004-2884-ZC, ZA 2007-495-ZV-ZAA, ENV-2004-2834-MND
Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 10:45 a.m.
Marvin Braude Bldg, First Floor
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys
RE: Union Rescue Mission proposed Hope Gardens Facility in Kagel Canyon
L.A. County Regional Planning Commission Public Hearing
Wednesday, May 23, 2007 – 9:00 a.m.
Hall of Records, Room 150
320 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles
BUS TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE – contact 818-890-4590
RE: Mansionization
Citywide Neighborhood Character Study
City Planning Commission
Workshop - Thursday, May 24, 2007 - Time to be announced
Marvin Braude Center
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., 1st Floor - Van Nuys
Info: Staff Report is available. Contact STNC office for copy or attend STNC meeting.
RE: 8040 Foothill Blvd., Sunland - Home Depot's appeal from
the Zoning Administrator's decision of March 2007.
Case No. DIR-2006-9072-BSA-1A
Thursday, June 7, 2007 - 4:30 p.m.
Marvin Braude Center
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., 1st Floor - Van Nuys
BUS TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE – Call 818-951-7411 to sign up
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Mansionization Public Hearing is May 10
The proposed Citywide Neighborhood Character Ordinance will be heard at the City Planning Commission tomorrow morning. Your attendance and participation is encouraged.
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