Sidewalk Repair Ordinance Update

Public Works Committee meets tomorrow regarding Sidewalks.  Bureau of Street Services has released a report and recommendations.  If you have an interest in this topic, please attend the hearing.  More details at www.lacity.org and click on Council Calendar

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2012

ROOM 1010, CITY HALL - 2:00 PM 200 NORTH SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

Arts, Parks and Neighborhoods Committee

Councilman Paul Krekorian will chair his final meeting of the ARTS, PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE

for a SPECIAL MEETING* WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2012

ROOM 1060, CITY HALL - 1:00 PM* 200 NORTH SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 * Please note the change in meeting location, time and date.

Agenda includes NC Training, Grievance System, Regional Governance Sysem, NC Funding System. 

LADWP Ratepayer Advocate Confirmed by City Council

The appointment of Dr. Fred Pickel as the Ratepayers Advocate was approved by the City Council this morning. In response to questions as to how he would look at issues, Dr. Pickel said he would analyze the tradeoffs associated with the various alternatives and make a recommendation for the policy makers to consider. Dr. Pickel also wants to establish relationships with the Neighborhood Councils and other stakeholder groups. 

City Park Facts Report

Download a PDF of the 2011 City Park Facts report here.

Individual tables – including some not in the printed report – are available in the navigation bar on the right. Please refer to the Population Density report below for explanations of the population density classes used in some of the tables.
Population Density Report – Certain reports categorize cities based on their average population density (population divided by municipal land area). The density categories are based on standard deviations from the mean.

If you have any questions or comments about City Park Facts or need any of the above data tables in another format, please contact Ryan Donahue.

Ryan Donahue
Research Director
Center for City Park Excellence
The Trust for Public Land
660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Suite 401
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 543-7552, ext. 29

New City Council Committee Assignments

You may have read about this.  

The Council File can be reviewed at http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=11-1529-S3   and the Resolution will be considered at the Wednesday, February 1st meeting of City Council.

The new committee assignments to become effective Feb. 6 are:

Arts, Parks, Health and Aging 
Chair: Richard Alarcon
Vice Chair: Tom LaBonge
Members: Ed Reyes
Audits and Governmental Efficiency
Chair: Dennis Zine
Vice Chair: Bill Rosendahl
Members: Tom LaBonge
Budget and Finance
Chair: Paul Krekorian
Vice Chair: Mitch Englander
Members: Tony Cardenas, Paul Koretz, Bill Rosendahl
Education and Neighborhoods
Chair: Bernard Parks
Vice Chair: Jan Perry
Members: Dennis Zine
Energy and Environment
Chair: Jose Huizar
Vice Chair: Dennis Zine
Members: Tony Cardenas, Richard Alarcon, Paul Koretz
Housing, Community and Economic Development
Chair: Tony Cardenas
Vice Chair: Ed Reyes
Members: Herb Wesson, Richard Alarcon, Jan Perry
Information Technology and General Services
Chair: Jan Perry
Vice Chair: Joe Buscaino
Members: Tony Cardenas
Jobs and Business Development
Chair: Eric Garcetti
Vice Chair: Bernard Parks
Members: Tom LaBonge
Personnel and Animal Welfare
Chair: Paul Koretz
Vice Chair: Richard Alarcon
Members: Dennis Zine
Planning and Land Use Management
Chair: Ed Reyes
Vice Chair: Jose Huizar
Members: Mitch Englander
Public Safety
Chair: Mitch Englander
Vice Chair: Jan Perry
Members: Joe Buscaino, Paul Krekorian, Dennis Zine
Public Works
Chair: Joe Buscaino
Vice Chair: Paul Krekorian
Members: Eric Garcetti
Rules and Elections
Chair: Herb Wesson
Vice Chair: Tom LaBonge
Members: Jose Huizar
Trade, Commerce and Tourism
Chair: Tom LaBonge
Vice Chair: Bill Rosendahl
Members: Eric Garcetti, Herb Wesson, Joe Buscaino
Transportation
Chair: Bill Rosendahl
Vice Chair: Paul Koretz
Members: Bernard Parks, Tom LaBonge, Jose Huizar
Board of Referred Powers
Chair: Tony Cardenas
Vice Chair: Paul Krekorian
Members: Jose Huizar, Ed Reyes, Bill Rosendahl
Ad Hoc City Master Plan on Information Technology
Chair: Richard Alarcon
Ad Hoc on the Proposed Downtown Stadium and Event Center
Chair: Jan Perry
Vice Chair: Tony Cardenas
Members: Ed Reyes, Tom LaBonge, Bill Rosendahl
Ad Hoc on Waste Reduction/Recycling
Chair: Richard Alarcon
Members: Jose Huizar, Paul Koretz, Paul Krekorian
Ad Hoc River Committee
Chair: Ed Reyes
Vice Chair: Tom LaBonge
Members: Jose Huizar
Ad Hoc on Social Equity
Chair: Bill Rosendahl
Vice Chair: Paul Koretz

 

Here are committee assignments by council member and district:

CD 1 Ed Reyes
Chair: Planning and Land Use Management, Ad Hoc River Committee
Vice Chair: Housing, Community and Economic Development
Member:  Arts, Parks, Health and Aging, Board of Referred Powers, Ad Hoc on the Proposed Downtown Stadium and Event Center
CD 2 Paul Krekorian
Chair: Budget and Finance
Vice Chair: Public Works, Board of Referred Powers
Member: Public Safety, Ad Hoc on Waste Reduction/Recycling
CD 3 Dennis Zine
Chair: Audits and Governmental Efficiency
Vice Chair: Energy and Environment
Member: Education and Neighborhoods, Personnel and Animal Welfare, Public Safety
CD 4 Tom LaBonge
Chair: Trade, Commerce and Tourism
Vice Chair: Arts, Parks, Health and Aging, Rules and Elections, Ad Hoc River Committee
Member: Audits and Governmental Efficiency, Jobs and Business Development, Transportation, Ad Hoc on the Proposed Downtown Stadium and Event Center
CD 5 Paul Koretz
Chair: Personnel and Animal Welfare
Vice Chair: Transportation, Ad Hoc on Social Equity
Member: Budget and Finance, Energy and Environment, Ad Hoc on Waste Reduction/Recycling
CD 6 Tony Cardenas
Chair: Housing, Community and Economic Development, Board of Referred Powers
Vice Chair: Ad Hoc on the Proposed Downtown Stadium and Event Center
Member: Budget and Finance, Energy and Environment, Information Technology and General Services
CD 7 Richard Alarcon
Chair: Arts, Parks, Health and Aging, Ad Hoc City Master Plan on Information Technology, Ad Hoc on Waste Reduction/Recycling
Vice Chair: Personnel and Animal Welfare
Member: Energy and Environment, Housing, Community and Economic Development
CD 8 Bernard Parks
Chair: Education and Neighborhoods
Vice Chair: Jobs and Business Development
Member: Transportation
CD 9 Jan Perry
Chair: Information Technology and General Services, Ad Hoc on the Proposed Downtown Stadium and Event Center
Vice Chair: Public Safety
Member: Education and Neighborhoods, Housing, Community and Economic Development
CD 10 Herb Wesson
Chair: Rules and Elections
Member: Housing, Community and Economic Development, Trade, Commerce and Tourism
CD 11 Bill Rosendahl
Chair: Transportation, Ad Hoc on Social Equity
Vice Chair: Audits and Governmental Efficiency, Trade, Commerce and Tourism
Member: Budget and Finance, Board of Referred Powers, Ad Hoc on the Proposed Downtown Stadium and Event Center
CD 12 Mitch Englander
Chair: Public Safety
Vice Chair: Budget and Finance
Member: Planning and Land Use Management
CD 13 Eric Garcetti
Chair: Jobs and Business Development
Member: Public Works, Trade, Commerce and Tourism
CD 14 Jose Huizar
Chair: Energy and Environment
Vice Chair: Planning and Land Use Management
Member: Rules and Elections, Transportation, Board of Referred Powers, Ad Hoc on Waste Reduction/Recycling, Ad Hoc River Committee
CD 15 Joe Buscaino
Chair: Public Works
Member: Information Technology and General Services, Public Safety, Trade, Commerce and Tourism

LA City Redistricting Draft Maps Released

The LA City Council Redistricting Commission has released their draft maps showing the Sunland-Tujunga community moved from Council District 2 - Paul Krekorian to Council District 7 - Richard Alarcon.   We are receiving a number of calls and inquiries of what we can do to keep our district as it is currently.  Neighbors in Sunland-Tujunga are planning to meet on Saturday.  If you are interested in getting involved in the City Council Redistricting process now that the maps have been released, please contact Tomi Lyn Bowling at tomi@tomirealty.com OR Nina Royal at NRoyal@aol.com.

Consultant expected to be nominated as DWP ratepayer advocate

January 17, 2012 |  2:22 pm

Los Angeles energy consultant Frederick H. Pickel is expected to be nominated Tuesday as the first ratepayer advocate to oversee proposed customer rate hikes at the city’s Department of Water and Power.

In a letter obtained by The Times, sent hours before a search panel was scheduled to announce its choice for the voter-created position, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa informed Pickel that city officials must “move quickly” on proposed increases.

“Already the credit agencies have spoken about the department’s need for increased revenue,” Villaraigosa said in his letter. “They have noticed the delay in setting new rates and have acted accordingly to lower the DWP’s credit ratings. Further delays will only further increase the costs to the department, to the city and ultimately our residents and customers.”

Pickel, 59, on Tuesday would not confirm his nomination, which is subject to confirmation by the City Council. He is president of the Los Angeles-based Wilshire Energy Consulting Group, which specializes in the power and gas industries, according to its website.

In March, voters passed a charter amendment to establish an Office of Public Accountability and a ratepayer advocate at the Department of Water and Power, a position that would independently scrutinize proposed rate increases at the agency.

Passage of the measure followed a battle between the City Council and the DWP in 2010, in which the utility  threatened to withhold a $73.5-million transfer to the city’s general fund if it did not approve electricity rate hikes.

In December, the agency’s board approved a hike in water rates that would add about $5 a month on the average residential user’s bill. The increase, the agency said, is needed to pay for improvements to meet federal water quality requirements and to protect the agency’s credit rating.

But the council must ultimately approve any rates changes, and several members at the time said they would not vote for increases until the advocate is in place.

Samoa Apartments Determination Letter

REMINDER:  Committees and the full STNC board will meet tonight to support appeals being filed with the City Planning Department.  Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings.

The City Planning Department has conditionally approved the proposed 64 unit Samoa Affordable Housing Apartments project.  The Samoa sub-committee will meet on Monday at 6 pm followed by the full Land Use Committee meeting at 7 pm.  If you have an interest in this proposal, please plan to attend.

Samoa Determination Letter

LADWP Rate Increase Updates

On January 3, the DWP Board approved a Proposition 218 notice for
adding the increased Sewer Service Charge fees to DWP bills.  DWP does
not control these fees.  The Department's bills are simply the vehicle
by which the city collects the money.  The City Council had already
approved the increased sewer fees on October 19, 2011.

On December 6, the DWP Board approved an emergency increase in the
Water Quality Improvement Adjustment Factor to cover the cost of water
quality programs that are mandated by government rules and
regulations.  The changes were to take effect February 15.  The City
Council must approve these changes by ordinance.  The City Council has
not acted on them yet.

Welcome New Board Members

Welcome new board members appointed at the January 11 meeting.  Sonya Marquez, Region 3 and Kresse Armour, Region 1.

Notice of Special Board Meeting regarding Day St. Apartments

Notice of Special STNC Board Meeting
Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 6 p.m.
North Valley City Hall

6:00 PM

Call to Order

Discussion/Action:  Approve STNC letter of support for preliminary plans regarding 7650 Day Street, Tujunga proposed 48 units of permanent housing being developed, by right, by Los Angeles Family Housing.  [Note:  draft letter attached for review in advance of meeting.]  This item tabled at the Dec. 14, 2011 STNC meeting.  Purpose of Special Board Meeting:  Support letter needed to meet Jan. 9^th , 2012 deadline to LA Housing Department.

Adjourn.                                                                                                                [Posted: 01/4/12 remove after 01/05/12] 


Check the front page of the STNC.org website for the agenda and more information.