Citywide Budget Survey - Deadline to participate extended to Jan. 31, 2009

Mayor’s Budget Survey – STNC Board and stakeholders are reminded to complete the online survey or the paper survey as soon as possible. Deadline is January 12. We have an opportunity to let the City know how we feel about spending the City’s annual budget. Let’s exceed the goals and get as many surveys turned in as possible.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hX409b9Zyb98ZiT7_2bTsNtA_3d_3d or Spanish http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=J7i3Xohfpnw7i_2fGjUa9BIw_3d_3d

Hillside Area Definition Amendment

Hillside Area Definition Amendment – This item is the next step from the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance and our Residential Floor Area (RFA) Ordinance. It now has a case number and is on track for the public hearing process. CPC-2008-4683-CA and ENV-2008-4684-EAF. This amendment will include definitions for the limits on building homes in hillside areas throughout the City. This is an item we have been watching so we can review and weigh in.

Zoning Code Reform Updates

1. RIO – River Improvement Overlay public hearings Friday, Dec. 12 at noon in Van Nuys and Monday, Dec. 14 at 8 a.m. City Hall. These hearings will be held before Mr. Rothmann and are preliminary to the full City Planning Commission hearing. This is an early opportunity to participate and comment. This RIO will be used for the future of the Tujunga Wash so it would be good to participate in these meetings and hearings.
2. Sober Living Homes – This came out of a motion by Councilmember Smith to regulate “Group Residential Units”. City cannot regulate 6 or fewer per dwelling. City is proposing regulations on 7 or more occupants that will involve a Conditional Use (CUP) process and have to meet certain findings. Considerations that some are licensed and some are not; radius of several close to each other, other sensitive receptors and more. City has looked at Riverside, Newport Beach (most challenged in the courts), Murietta. Meetings and public hearings to come up in early 2009.
3. Parking Management Ordinance – Five tools to come out of this ordinance.
a. Change of use parking standards
b. Commercial parking credit system to manage parking better
c. Universal Valet – contract with one valet operator per area. Community Planner for the area would be the point of contact for the universal valet.
d. Parking reduction permit so no variance needed.
e. Allow offsite parking within residential areas
Watch this item as it moves along. Commerce Avenue may consider some of these opportunities to improve restoration and business growth to the area.
4. Second Dwelling Units – the City is drafting an ordinance to allow a second dwelling unit in single family zones. Opportunity will not be allowed in hillsides, two front doors will also not be allowed. More info/details later as this item moves along with meetings and public hearings.

Categorical Exemption Not Appropriate for a Home Depot in Sunland

The Department of City Planning released their letter to Home Depot that plans for a Home Depot store at the former K-Mart site cannot receive a Categorical Exemption from CEQA. The Department of City Planning believes the proposed use is more than a "negligible expansion" of that use of the property.

To view a copy of the letter from Associate Zoning Administrator Maya Zaitzevsky, please check the front page of the STNC web site.

Join us at the STNC meeting next Wednesday, December 10 at 7 p.m. Meeting will be held at North Valley Neighborhood City Hall for more updates.

Board of Neighborhood Commissioners (BONC)

The BONC held their December 2, 2008 meeting at our own North Valley Neighborhood City Hall. This is the commission that certifies neighborhood councils, approves contracts for training and funding items and monitors neighborhood council progress. This was a rare opportunity for the BONC to meet in our community. We met the commissioners, DONE general manager and staff as well as other neighborhood council leaders.

The BONC awarded plaques to the Sunland-Tujunga and Sylmar NC's for their courageous response during the Sayre Fire and Five Year Anniversary Certificates for the following NC's - Porter Ranch, Granada Hills North, North Hills West, Sun Valley Area, and Pacoima.

Other items on the BONC agenda included the proposals for the implementation of State mandated ethics training, policy making values and criteria, and the BONC's policy calendar.

Above photo: L-R: Deborah Ray, Cindy Cleghorn, Commissioner Esther Cepeda, Commissioner Linda Lucks, Nina Royal, Commissioner Daniel Gatica, Lydia Grant, Mark Seigel, Commissioner Al Abrams, DONE General Manager BongHwan Kim

Recreation & Parks Assessment Final Results - Dec. 11

Last July the community participated in a workshop at Sunland Recreation Center. The final report results of the Rec and
Parks Assessment will be released on Dec. 11. You are invited and encouraged to attend.

Here is the link with the info.

www.lacityneighborhoods.com/newsflash_a/donenewsflash_a93857033_11262
008.pdf