Safety First at Foothill Commerce Town Center

We are happy to see that our Foothill Commerce Town Center development is in full swing!  Be sure to look at the corner of Commerce Avenue and Foothill Blvd.   Heavy equipment excavation  and a  lot of construction activity is going on as you pass by. It is terrific to see this anxiously awaited construction taking place for our future Foothill Commerce Town Center!

Notice... a first in our community....a Public and Worker "Safety" Sign!  This is great to see and very much appreciated! You will also  probably notice that several construction trucks are passing through town as well. They are doing so in accordance with the project's "approved haul route".

A big thank you to the developer. It is nice to see a developer in our community  who is  "following the rules of our Foothill Blvd. Corridor Specific Plan" and being respectful and considerate of our community during their construction activity, including signage, flagmen and enforcing safety precautions.

It is truly refreshing to work with a developer who is trustworthy and who listens and cares about our community. We can now watch the progress that the neighborhood council -- our community members, the developer and Wendy Greuel and staff worked so deligently to bring to where we are today.  Here's to looking forward to a great center that we believe is going to enhance and bring much joy to our community.

Thank You City Council - Thank You Wendy!

Our community members and supporters made history on Wednesday!  Our VOICE was heard by City Council, who voted 12-1 to uphold the PLUM committee recommendation. They declared the proposed Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga a "Project." Councilmember Wendy Greuel says, the City Council is sending a message to them as well as all businesses in Los Angeles that "they must follow the rules." We are proud of the members of the City Council who voted to uphold the recommendation of the Zoning Administrator and PLUM committee after weighing all of the evidence. 

The "Project" determination means our community will now be involved in every step of Home Depot's process. Our Specific Plan is the guiding ordinance for improvement to our only commercial corridor and is unique to Sunland-Tujunga. All impacts of this "Project" on our community must now  be considered.

The Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council (STNC) is committed to continually improve the quality of life in our community. This historic vote by the City Council further solidifies that a united community VOICE makes a difference.  We will continue to move forward with our efforts to insure the laws of our City are followed.

This issue has received a great deal of media coverage and will probably continue over the next few days. Thank you to Councilmember Wendy Greuel for her fire and dedication regarding this issue on behalf of our community. And... a special thank you to all our community members and supporters across the city who stand with us.

Write the City Council

The proposed Home Depot is declared a PROJECT by PLUM. Next, the matter goes before the full City Council on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 at 10:00 a.m.

See front page of STNC web site for more info.

Write to PLUM

You may write to PLUM c/o Barbara Greaves, Legislative Assistant at
200 NORTH SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 or via e-mail
Barbara.Greaves@lacity.org
RE: Council File # 07-2351 DIR 2006-9072BSA-1A
8040 Foothill Blvd - proposed Home Depot in Sunland

This site must comply with the requirements of the Foothill Blvd. Corridor Specific Plan including the benefit of full project review including environmental, noise and traffic impacts. Plans include "structural alterations" to their tenant improvements. The Impact on nearby school and the public safety are at risk. Impact on the quality of life in Sunland-Tujunga is at risk. Full environmental assessment review is required.

PLUM is Tuesday, Aug. 7 at 2 p.m.

The City Council adopted motion by Wendy Greuel asserting jurisdiction over the 7-19-07, North Valley Area Planning Commission’s action to grant the appeal filed by the Home Depot, pursuant to Charter Section 245. The Planning and Land Use Committee will hear the matter on Tuesday, August 7 at City Hall, Council Chambers, Downtown Los Angeles. Meeting starts at 2:00 p.m. and this item is #13.

The STNC invites you to participate in this important quality of life issue in our communtiy. If you would like to ride along in a bus to the hearing, please call the STNC office at (818) 951-7411 to reserve a seat. Meet at North Valley Neighborhood City Hall, 7747 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga at 11:45 a.m.

Copy of PLUM agenda item follows:

07-2351 DIR 2006-9072 TIME LIMIT: 8-21-07; LAST DAY FOR COUNCIL ACTION: 8-17-07 BSA-1A IN COUNCIL: 8-15-07 CD 2 Appeal filed by Ann Jerhoff, Esq. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. (Patricia Keane Tegart, Esq., Latham & Watkins, Representative), from the decision of the Zoning Administrator, pursuant to provisions of Section 12.26-K of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC), that: (a) the Department of Building and Safety did err and abuse its discretion in its determination (Report No. DBS06001-DCP), that the construction work permitted by Building Permit No. 06016-10000-03354 for the conversion of an existing K-Mart into a Home Depot located at 8040 West Foothill Boulevard, is not a “Project” or a “Significant Project” as defined in the Foothill Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan, and therefore not subject to its regulation; (b) the action of the Department of Building and Safety is herein reversed; (c) the construction activity is herein determined to be a “Project” that is subject to Project Permit Compliance Review with the provisions of the Foothill Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan, pursuant to LAMC Section 11.5.7-C; and (d) the construction activity cannot conclusively be determined to be a “Significant Project” until the Department of Building and Safety provides further justification for calculation of replacement value and total renovation costs. (On 7-31-07, the Council adopted Motion [Greuel - Reyes] asserting jurisdiction over the 7-19-07, North Valley Area Planning Commission’s action to grant the appeal filed by Ann Jerhoff, Esq. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., pursuant to Charter Section 245) Protestant/Applicant: Abby Diamond, Sunland Tujunga Alliance, Inc. EX Fiscal Impact Statement: No

Your participation is encouraged.

City Council Asserts Jurisdiction

As most of you have probably heard by now, the Los Angeles City Council voted 12-0 to assert jurisdiction over the Home Depot project in Sunland-Tujunga. This historic motion granted Councilmember Wendy Greuel's request to invoke City Charter Section 245.

Our community now has the opportunity to participate in the public hearing that will determine if the work proposed is indeed a "project" in accordance with our Foothill Blvd. Corridor Specific Plan.

The PLUM hearing will be next Tuesday, August 7 at 2:00 p.m. The STNC has arranged for bus transportation to the hearing. The bus will leave promptly at 12:30 p.m. from North Valley City Hall, 7747 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga. Everyone is welcome, call the STNC office at 818-951-7411 and leave contact info to reserve a seat -- space is limited.

We encourage you to participate and continue to support the efforts to have our laws followed. Tuesday's hearing gave us renewed hope that we do have a VOICE and that we have the ability to improve the quality of life in our community.

On behalf of the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council, we thank Councilmember Wendy Greuel and her staff, the Los Angeles City Council and all our dedicated community members who work so diligently. We are grateful for the support of all the neighborhood councils and organizations from communities around us far and wide.

--Cindy Cleghorn, Chairperson
Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council