Verdugo Hills Golf Course DEIR released 5-20-09

The DEIR has been released and is ready for your review. The full document is available from the City Planning Department's web site. Here's what you do. Go to http://cityplanning.lacity.org/ - then click on Environmental - then Draft EIR. Scroll til you come to Verdugo Hills Golf Course Project. Currently it is the second one. When you click on the name it will take you to the following link http://tiny.cc/VHGCDEIR. Scroll down and you will see the DEIR sections and DEIR Technical Appendices.

Printed copies are available upon request and at cost. Also, CDs of the entire document will be available too. A physical copy will be available at the STNC office.

The CEQA workshop will be held on Sunday, June 7. If you are interested in an all day workshop to learn more about the process that the VHGC project will be going through, please sign up. There is a $35 materials fee. See attached flyer for more info. Deadline to sign up is June 3.

A community wide meeting with the developer for this project will be scheduled soon.

6511 Foothill - Discount Tires

At the May 18, 2009 STNC Land Use Committee meeting Discount Tires presented their plans for the application for a Conditional Use Permit and Specific Plan Project Permit Compliance for their tire business.

6826 Valmont - 7 units proposed

At the May 18, 2009 STNC Land Use Committee meeting the designer presented a new design for the proposed 7 unit townhome development. The site has 4 units existing. This was the third visit to the LUC and the committee expressed satisfaction that the design complements the surrounding neighborhood. The next step is for the owner to file his application with the City and proceed through the process which will include a public hearing. The property owner thanked the LUC for helping to bring a much better design for the neighborhood.

NC Elections 2010

In the past week there has been a lot of discussion at several meetings and among neighborhood council leaders across the City on how we can bring the cost of neighborhood council elections down. As you may know, the City Clerk will oversee our elections in the future and they are earnestly working on all the preparations for the 2010 election year.

STNC's election will be held during the week of March 21-28, 2010 unless the City Council votes next week to postpone til after July 1, 2010.

I attended the City Clerk hosted Elections Group meeting this past Saturday. Below are some notes from the meeting. More to follow in the coming weeks. Also see this announcement flyer by the City Clerk's office: http://tiny.cc/C6vPk

1. Concern regarding City Council and budget dollars for NC elections.
2. Vote By Mail - Regardless of City Council decision the NC Elections Group has determined the VBM procedures:
- VBM person fills out form that can be provided by NC outreach but once goes to City Clerk there is no other handling by anyone other than the City Clerk.
3. Disabled stakeholders and on site voting on election day. Concerns as to cost for transporting disabled voters.
4. Ballot Design - Suggested that color ballots be used to include all voting categories for that region. Example: EC Board on Region 1 + group rep ballots. Reason: some NCs have had as many as 7 pages of ballots per voter.
a. City Clerk is testing an Electronic voting system that would be integrated.
b. City Clerk has designed the ballots so they will always be the same as to design, fonts, no titles, alpha order per Elections Procedures, etc.
5. Vote Results - No results on night of election. Official results within 7 days (this varies depending on NC). City Clerk will issue certified results and post to web site. City Clerk will certify final election results.
6. Challenges - There is a thorough list of what challenges must provide to file a challenge to an election. City Clerk will respond to challenges within 30-days. The NC Regional Grievance process will be used should the City Clerk's response not be satisfactory.
7. The 5-day period is same period of time for recount and challenge. Same time window.
8. Election timeline reviewed. Does not include outreach. NCs responsible for elections outreach.
9. NCs to create an Attachment C to the Elections Procedures that will be the "outreach timeline". This will be in collaboration with the Region NC's they want to work with. Outreach costs to be responsibility of each NC.
10. City Clerk staff are available to visit all NCs to go through the 2010 Elections Procedures. They will visit twice if requested.
11. City Clerk determines polling location.
12. 2008 Filing Forms will be posted to the City Clerk web site. This will be the next item reviewed at the Elections Group meeting on June 6.
13. June 13 will be the voting for election day for the Regions. It would be good for NCs to get together on this in advance so as to save time. STNC is Region B.

Council District 2 Election

City Declares Fiscal Emergency

STNC Meeting - May 13 at Mt. Gleason

Join us on Wednesday, May 13th at Mt. Gleason Middle School, 10965 Mt. Gleason Avenue, Sunland. Park in lower lot and look for STNC signs.

It was six years ago this month when the STNC became certified as an official neighborhood council in the City of Los Angeles. We are all volunteers. Come to hear about our accomplishments and future expectations. Councilwoman Wendy Greuel "may" also stop by for a brief visit.

The STNC meeting is the place to get all the latest updates between our Community, the City and beyond. A number of updates are on the agenda including the expected release date of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Verdugo Hills Golf Course, K-Mart property, Angeles National Golf Club - Tujunga Wash area, Historic Resources Survey L.A., Phase III Water Conservation, Community Plan update schedule, Family Fun Days, Mountain View Elementary Carnival, plans for the July 4th Parade and Fireworks and more. There will be an update regarding next year's STNC Elections due to be scheduled in the first quarter of 2010.

You may have heard that the City's Budget & Finance Committee has recommended slashing neighborhood council budgets by as much as 78%. The Mayor and Neighborhood Council leaders across the city have firmly said "no". Attend Wednesday's STNC meeting to hear the latest news and how you can get involved.

Meeting postcards were mailed last Thursday. Please let me know if you did not receive one. Agenda is posted on the STNC web site at www.stnc.org.

We look forward to seeing you. Refreshments will arrive after 6:30 p.m.

Neighborhood Council Funding

The news that the City is considering reducing Neighborhood Council budgets to $11,200 from $50,000, a reduction of 78% has been shocking for neighborhood council volunteers throughout the City. $11,200 would not be enough for Neighborhood Councils to conduct meetings or outreach much less any neighborhood improvements. There are a number of opportunities for you to get involved in this urgent issue issue that could drastically effect the future of the STNC and all neighborhood councils throughout the City and the partnership we have with our City Council. Remember, we are the "certified neighborhood councils in the City of Los Angeles". Write to express your concerns or see other options below. This is the time for Neighborhood Councils to educate and advise the community at large, and the City Council, as to the importance of the NC funding program as they move through their deliberations.

The City's Budget and Finance Committee will convene on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 1 p.m. at City Hall to finalize their complete recommendations to send forward to the City Council. You are encouraged to attend this committee meeting. It is being held in the main City Council room as a large crowd is expected. Bring copies for your letters and neighbor's letters.

Neighborhood Council presidents will hold a press conference at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 15 on the steps of City Hall and then speak during public comments at the City Council meeting that starts at 10 a.m. This will be a first in the history of NCs!

The full City Council will then begin holding special meetings to consider the Committee's budget recommendations starting on Monday, May 18, 2009 and you are encouraged to attend those meetings as you can.

Please encourage your neighbors to also write, comment and contribute to this very important issue. We are partners with the City in our efforts to improve the quality of life in Sunland-Tujunga and the entire City.

Neighborhood Council Elections - 2010

NC Elections. STNC is in Region B. At the May 9 meeting with the City Clerk the "lottery" was held and the week for our election is March 28-April 3, 2010. I have checked the calendar and this is the exact same week as Passover and Easter holidays. I have asked other NC reps present at the meeting their opinion on requesting our week be changed. I have sent a note to the City Clerk's office so we'll see if the date range will be changed. It will be difficult for NCs to promote their elections to be held on any day during that week. However, if it is to be held that week, the next step would be to pick a date that all the NCs in Region B can agree to for election day. STNC has historically held our election on Saturdays. It would be nice to do the same but some NCs are holding elections on a weekday. If you have an opinion, please let me know. At the June 13 meeting with the City Clerk we will decide the date. The other NCs in Region B are: Arleta, Foothill Trails District, Mission Hills, North Hills East (in formation), North Hollywood Northeast, Pacoima, Panorama City, Sun Valley and Sylmar. Also reviewed was the draft elections procedures. The STNC's Bylaws Committee will report at Wednesday's STNC meeting any needed changes our STNC Bylaws need so we can hold our elections. If you have an interest in the City Clerk NC Election meetings they are being held every Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. at Piper Tech. (I can send details if you don't have it. Info is also available from the DONE web site)

Regarding election materials records retention. It was agreed that all NCs should automatically receive Candidate Filing Forms and Stakeholder Registration Forms. Other election documents can be requested from the City Clerk for a fee charged to the neighborhood council. NCs will need to identify the point of contact for receipt of these records.

As of now, all NC elections will also have Vote By Mail if the City Clerk runs the election.

Should Taxi Cabs Park in Residential Areas?

The city is considering allowing parking in residential neighborhoods for taxi cabs. There are a few taxi's that have had tickets and because taxi's have advertising on them the support comes from the billboard companies.

The LADOT is not in favor of the proposal (see report 3-12-09 from Rita Robinson). The current law is a 3 hour limit for any commercial vehicle in residential areas.

If you have an interest in this, plan to participate in the upcoming public hearings and/or write to the City Council. The STNC may consider a position at the 5-13-09.