October Board Meeting

WHWCNC FULL BOARD MEETING

Wednesday, October 16, 2019 – 6:30 p.m.
American Legion Hall 826
5320 Fallbrook Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Click For Agenda

Click For MER

Click For Public Safety Report

Click For Budget Allocation

PLUM Report/Porsche Dealer

PLUM Report/Senior Living Housing

PLUM Report/Trillium Project

*PUBLIC INPUT AT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETINGS – The public is requested to fill out a “Speaker Card” to address the Board on any agenda item before the Board takes an action on an item. Comments from the public on agenda items will be heard only when the respective item is being considered. Comments from the public on other matters not appearing on the agenda that are within the Board’s jurisdiction will be heard during the General Public Comment period. Please note that under the Brown Act, the Board is prevented from acting on a matter that you bring to its attention during the General Public Comment period; however, the issue raised by a member of the public may become the subject of a future Board meeting.

Public comment is limited to 2 minutes per speaker, unless adjusted by the presiding officer of the Board.

Comments from Stakeholders and the Public on Agenda items will be heard only when the respective item is being considered. Comments within the Board’s subject matter jurisdiction on other matters not appearing on the Agenda will be heard during the Public Comment period. Public Comment is limited to 20 minutes.

The opinions, positions or actions taken by the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council do not represent or imply similar opinions held by the Owner, Landlord, L.A.U.S.D, or representatives of any venue hosting a meeting of the Neighborhood Council Board, or affiliated committees.

 

AGENDA (Please note that agenda order is subject to change)

Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call

 

Public Announcements:

Office of Councilmember Bob Blumenfield

Office of other Local and State Officials and Other Public Announcements and Presentations

Public Comment Period (on items not on the agenda): (2) minutes per speaker

___________________________________________________________________________________________

 

1. Organization, Operation, Policies, & Procedures:

 

Approval of Minutes:    August 14, 2019 – Regular Meeting

August 14, 2019 – Special Meeting

September 11, 2019 – Regular Meeting

 

1. Officer Reports:

President – Joyce Fletcher

1. Connecting with the neighbors in your area and working for the community
2. The WHWCNC Code of Conduct, our commitment to each other
3. Board member planned social activities, getting to know your fellow board members – Ray and Tamara
4. NC Board Retreat – on a Saturday 9:00am to 3:00pm – Breakfast 8:30, Lunch provided

Vice President – Sheppard Kaufman

1. Discussion related to requirements regarding record retention and other comments

Treasurer – Paul Lawler

Secretary – Komalpreet Kaur Batth

Parliamentarian – Don Patterson

 

 

 

1. Committee Reports – current and future activities

Budget Committee – Paul Lawler and Joyce Fletcher, Co-Chairs

Community Outreach Committee – Peter Fletcher, Chair

Community Services Committee – Joyce Fletcher, Chair

Education Committee – Bill Anderson, Chair

Environmental and Beautification Committee – Karen DiBiase, Chair

Governance Committee – Don Patterson, Chair

Homelessness Committee – Ray Cole, Chair

PLUM Committee – Lauren Coffman, Chair

Public Safety and Transportation Committee – Sheppard Kaufman, Chair

WHIP Committee – Heath Kline, Chair

Ad-hoc – Westfield Promenade 2035 Project – Joyce Fletcher

Ad Hoc Committee – Measure A. Parks Program -Peter Fletcher

Ad Hoc Committee – Arts Fees and Cultural Amenities – Lauren Coffman

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

 

PRESENTATION

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment General Manager Raquel Beltran

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

2. Items for Board discussion and possible action:

 

Item No. (1) Treasurer – Paul Lawler

(19-182) Monthly Expense Report (MER) – September 2019

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion to approve the WHWCNC Budget/Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Monthly Expense Reconciliation [MER] for September 2019. The 2019-2020 Budget currently has a total of $49,455.29 in the budget.

See attached September MER                                                                         ROLL CALL VOTE

 

Item No. (2) Treasurer – Paul Lawler

(19-183) Reallocation of the 2019-2020 WHWCNC Budget

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion for the Board to approve the reallocated WHWCNC 2019-2020 Budget.

See attached Reallocated Budget                                                                     ROLL CALL VOTE

 

Item No. (3) Heath Kline, Chair – WHIP Committee

(19-184) Community Impact Statement related to AB -1482, Tenant Protection Act 2019

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

MOTION: Whereas the City Planning Commission has made the following relevant finding in their October 2017 report to the City Council PLUM Committee:

Sharing one’s own home creates fewer neighborhood impacts compared to absentee landlord [Short Term Rental]; and,

Whereas, the CA State legislature passed, and Governor Newsom signed into law AB-1482, the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, which states the following are exempt from Rent Stabilization:

• Housing accommodations, in which the tenant shares bathroom or kitchen facilities with the owner, who maintains their principal residence at the residential real property.

 

• Single-family owner-occupied residences, including a residence, in which the owner-occupant rents or leases no more than two units or bedrooms, including, but not limited to, an accessory dwelling unit or a junior accessory dwelling unit.

 

• A duplex in which the owner occupies one of the units as the owner’s principal place of residence at the beginning of the tenancy, so long as the owner continues in occupancy; and,

 

Whereas, non-owner-occupied property operators do not meet the criteria to register on the City’s Home-Sharing Online Registration Portal; and,

Whereas, Registration on the portal is a requirement to engage in short term home sharing in the City of Los Angeles [https://planning.lacity.org/plans-policies/initiatives-policies/home-sharing]; and,

Whereas, the City requires that registered hosts properly display their home-sharing registration number on all their listings.

Therefore, the Woodland Hills Impacts and Policies [WHIP] Committee recommends that the Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council Board to request Council member Blumenfield to initiate City Council actions for the purpose of bringing the City’s Rent Stabilization and the Home Sharing Ordinances into compliance with the State legislation AB-1482; and,

Furthermore, take action to temporarily enforce the Home Sharing Ordinance only on non-registered operators until a vacation or non-owner-occupied property rental ordinance is established, and, in the interim suspend all enforcement actions against registered hosts, who properly display their home-sharing registration number on all their listings, of owner-occupied single family, including ADU and Junior ADU, or duplex properties.

Additionally, the Board requests from Council District 3 to respond within 21 days of receipt of the CIS with a written reply regarding this recommendation.

Item No. (4) Lauren Coffman, Chair – PLUM Committee

(19-185) Case DIR-2019-3645-DI, 6336 Canoga Avenue, Woodland Hills

Request for development of a new office building

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

MOTION: As pertaining to Case DIR- 2019-3645-DI, having held two public meetings, for the application requesting a WC 2035 Plan Interpretation for the project at 6336 Canoga Avenue, Woodland Hills, the WHWCNC Planning Land Use and Mobility Committee (PLUM) hereby finds that:

 

WHEREAS, the applicant plans to replace an existing functionally obsolete building with a new state-of-the-art office building resulting in a total floor area increase within the horizontal addition and vertical addition allowable limits of Section 5.3.2.7 of the WC 2035 Plan, and:

 

WHEREAS, the project is contained within the interior of an existing large fully developed commercial center and has

no frontage on, impact on or direct relationship with any public street or adjacent properties, and;

 

WHEREAS, the proposed office building does not result in alteration or addition to the street frontage of the large commercial center facing Canoga Avenue, and;

 

WHEREAS, implementation of right-of-way dedication, easement and/or improvements on Canoga Avenue in front of the commercial center, pursuant to the WC 2035 Plan Street Standards, is impractical due to the large number of existing infrastructure elements that would have to be relocated or allowed to remain in place through a revocable permit, and;

 

WHEREAS, the proposed dedication, easement and/or improvements on Canoga Avenue will not result in improvements to traffic flow as no additional street width will be required, and;

 

WHEREAS, the imposition of the right-of-way dedication, easement and/or improvements along Canoga Avenue may result in the inability to obtain the necessary revocable permit which could in turn prohibit the issuance of a building permit for the proposed new office building, and;

 

WHEREAS, as an alternative to a right-of-way dedication, easement and improvements along Canoga Avenue, as per the WC 2035 Plan Street Standards, the applicant is proposing landscape and hardscape improvements along Canoga Avenue frontage to further enhance the pedestrian experience along the street frontage as well as provide a strong connection and enhanced community interface between the street and the PAOS and park within the interior of the Project Site, and:

 

WHEREAS, providing additional office space in Warner Center is important, especially in the Downtown District which is described in WC 2035 Plan as Warner Center’s primary employment and entertainment center, and;

 

WHEREAS, the applicant’s findings satisfy the requirements of WC 2035 Plan, Section 10.6.1 for requesting a Specific Plan Interpretation (Director’s Interpretation), and;

 

WHEREAS, all circumstances such as the replacement of an existing functionally obsolete building within the interior

of a fully developed site with a new state-of-the-art building could not be anticipated in the drafting of the WC 2035 Plan.

 

THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Planning, Land Use and Mobility Committee, for the findings and conditions stated herein, finds that the plans for the creative office building project at 6336 Canoga Avenue and the submitted application requesting that the project not be subject to the requirements for right-of-way dedication and/or improvements consistent with Section 5.3.2.7 of the WC 2035 Plan receive the support of the Board of the Woodland Hills -Warner Center Neighborhood Council for the requested actions contingent upon the following conditions:

 

Conditions:

 

1.The applicant shall, as part of the proposed office development project, implement public right-of-way

landscape and hardscape enhancements and on-site landscape and hardscape improvements, as proposed along the

Canoga Avenue street frontage as shown in the applicant’s Exhibit B Canoga Streetscape Conceptual Plan, dated

9/23/ 2019.

 

2.The applicant is encouraged to enhance and upgrade the Canoga Avenue fronting retail buildings in a fashion

consistent with the proposed landscape and hardscape improvements, and the new office building proposed for the

interior of the property.

 

3.All plans presented on October 16, 2019 at the Board Meeting of Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood

Council shall be dated as such and re-submitted to Planning as an (updated) project application submittal.

 

4.The applicant shall not submit any significant, further updated plans for public right-of-way landscape and hardscape enhancements and on-site landscape and hardscape improvements, as proposed along the Canoga Avenue street frontage as shown in the applicant’s Exhibit B Canoga Streetscape Conceptual Plan, dated 9/23/2019, without presenting them to the WHWCNC for support.

5.Additionally, all conditions herein shall be printed on one of the Project Summary pages as commitment to and acceptance of these conditions.

 

6.Relief from the streetscape requirements shall only apply to the project proposed in the current application.

 

The Planning, Land Use and Mobility Committee recommends that the Board of the Woodland Hills – Warner Center Neighborhood Council advise the Los Angeles Department of City Planning and Council District 3 Councilmember Bob Blumenfield of its findings and supporting recommendation for the application presented to the WHWCNC Board on October 16, 2019.                                                                                  See attached Case Report

 

Item No. (5) Lauren Coffman, Chair – PLUM Committee

(19-186) Case No. DIR-2019-3481-SPP-DI, 6033 DeSoto Avenue in Warner Center

Construction of a 7-story Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care Senior Living Facility

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

 

MOTION: As pertains to Case DIR-2019-3481-SPP-DI, having held two public meetings for the application filed by CA Senior Living Holdings to construct a 189,211 SF 7-story senior living facility with a total of 190 units and guest rooms for Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care residents with 120 parking spaces for guests and residents, to replace a 1.5 story commercial structure at 6033 DeSoto Ave. in the College District of Warner Center, the Planning, Land Use and Mobility Committee hereby finds that:   WHEREAS, the Applicant has designed and submitted a proposed senior living facility with a total of 190 units and guest rooms that complies with the existing WC 2035 Specific Plan guidelines and is seeking a determination to clarify the required parking; and

WHEREAS, the Applicant is asking for a Director’s Interpretation to determine that the reduced parking requirements under the LA Municipal Code for a senior care facility apply; and

WHEREAS, the project meets all other requirements for the College District of the WC 2035 Plan including a 3.14:1 FAR and all landscape and setback requirements; and

WHEREAS, the developer has addressed and resolved a number of the key issues originally raised to the first design of this project;

WHEREAS the applicant has agreed to bring the final garage door design for PLUM approval prior to the WHWCNC Board meeting on October, 16, 2019;

THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Planning, Land Use and Mobility Committee, for the findings and conditions stated herein, finds that the submitted application and plans for the proposed project at 6033 DeSoto Avenue, Woodland Hills, 91367, receive the support of the Board of the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council based on the requested actions contingent upon the following conditions:

Conditions:

1. All plans presented on October 16, 2019 at the Board Meeting of the Woodland Hills – Warner Center Neighborhood Council (WHWCNC) shall be dated as such and resubmitted to Planning as an (updated) project application submittal.
2. The applicant will not submit any significant, further updated plans without first presenting them to the WHWCNC for support.
3. Any further modifications to the site plan and elevation(s)/architecture will be presented first to the WHWCNC for support before submitting them to City Planning.
4. The Applicant will place a project information sign on the project at the beginning of construction of sufficient size that is clearly visible to the street showing a rendering of the proposed/approved project building, plus specifics as to the building size, ownership and contact information. The sign shall be removed upon receipt of the Certificate of Occupancy.
5. All conditions herein shall be printed on one of the Project Summary pages as a commitment to and acceptance of these conditions
6. No temporary banners or signs shall be displayed on the exterior of the building or on the property grounds shall be displayed except for the single construction sign as noted in Condition #4.
7. All current and future property owner(s) accept the responsibility to provide reasonable accommodations (including grade adjustments) to adjacent property owners to facilitate the integration of Pedestrian Adapted Pathways along and between projects.
8. A “Right Turn Only” sign shall be erected at the southern exit of the front driveway.
9. No satellite dishes shall be allowed to be attached to any/all balcony or walkway railings.

The PLUM Committee recommends that the City of Los Angeles Planning Department and Council District 3 Councilmember Bob Blumenfield be notified by the Woodland Hills – Warner Center Neighborhood Council Board of its findings and recommendation for this application and its subsequent conditions.                      See attached Case Report

 

 

Item No. (6) Lauren Coffman, Chair – PLUM Committee

(19-187) Case No. CPC-2019-5592-ZC-SPP-SPPA

New Woodland Hills Porsche Car Dealership,  20539-20625 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA  91364 

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

MOTION: As pertains to Case CPC-2019-5592-ZC-SPP-SPPA-SPE having held three public meetings for the application filed by Keyes Automotive Group to construct a new 80,900 SF, 2 story + roof deck dealership and customer car service center with auto display areas and parking at 20539-20625 Ventura Blvd. in the Ventura / Cahuenga Blvds. Corridor Specific Plan, the Planning, Land Use and Mobility Committee hereby finds that:

 

WHEREAS, the Applicant has submitted a unique and architecturally significant design for a car dealership to replace an older auto dealership at the same site; and,

 

WHEREAS, the design for the dealership meets the bulk of the construction/design requirements of the Ventura / Cahuenga Blvd., Corridor Specific Plan; and

 

WHEREAS, the Applicant’s request for a zone change (under LAMC Section 12.32F) from the current (Q) C2-1L zoning to the C2-1L zone in order to eliminate the existing Q conditions specific to previous structure will not cause any hardships to the community or to surrounding properties or businesses; and

 

WHEREAS, the Applicant’s request for a Specific Plan Exception to permit an increase height of not more than 52’ (top of future solar panels) from the Specific Plan’s 30’ height restriction will not impact any other property owners’ sight lines; and

 

WHEREAS, the request for a Specific Plan Exception to permit an increase inside yard to approx. 180.5 feet instead of the Specific Plan’s 38 feet (LAMC 11.5.7) because it serves as customer parking and an automotive display area, and does not negatively impact the adjoining property; and

 

WHEREAS, the Applicant has addressed and resolved several key issues raised by the PLUM Committee of the WHWCNC; and

 

WHEREAS, the Applicant has agreed to add a line of articulated risers/pedestals to help create a partial ―street wall‖ effect of display cars in the parking lot fronting Ventura Blvd.;

 

THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Planning, Land Use and Mobility Committee, for the findings and conditions stated herein, finds that the submitted application and plans for the proposed G-5 Porsche car dealership at 20539-20625 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, 91364, receive the support of the Board of the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council to the requested actions contingent upon the following conditions:

 

Conditions:

 

1. All plans presented on October 16, 2019 at the Board Meeting of the Woodland Hills – Warner Center Neighborhood Council (WHWCNC) shall be dated as such and re-submitted to Planning as an (updated) project application submittal.

 

2. The applicant will not submit any significant, further updated plans without first presenting them to the WHWCNC for support.

 

3. Any further modifications to the site plan and elevation(s)/architecture will be presented first to the WHWCNC for support before submitting them to City Planning.

 

4. If allowed by the existing Specific Plan, the Applicant will place a project sign on the project at the beginning of construction of sufficient size that is clearly visible to the street showing a rendering of the proposed/approved project building, plus specifics as to the size, ownership and contact information. The sign shall be removed upon receipt of the Certificate of Occupancy.

 

5. All conditions herein shall be printed on one of the Project Summary pages as a commitment to and acceptance of these conditions

 

6. No temporary banners on the exterior of the building or any temporary signage along Ventura Blvd. or the 101 Freeway shall be displayed except for the single construction sign (if allowed).

 

7. A partial ―street wall‖ of risers/pedestals shall be constructed on the southern border of the parking lot abutting Ventura Blvd. so that cars can be creatively displayed and not simply parked in a line facing Ventura Blvd.

 

8. Barrier walls for 2nd story and roof parking shall be tall enough to shield view of the majority of the cars parked behind them.

 

9. Enhanced landscaping and detailing to be added on berm in front of Ventura Blvd. parking lot and in front of walls of the building.

 

10. All car deliveries to be off-loaded on lot and not in median of Ventura Blvd.

 

11. Applicant will work with DOT in an effort to have landscaped center medians on Ventura Blvd. in front of dealership with turn lanes and access cuts to the three driveways of the dealership.

 

The PLUM Committee recommends that the City of Los Angeles Planning Department and Council District 3 Councilmember Bob Blumenfield be notified by the Woodland Hills – Warner Center Neighborhood Council Board of its findings and recommendation for this application and its subsequent conditions.                      See attached Case Report

 

Item No. (7) Paul Lawler Treasurer and  Joyce Fletcher, Chair – Community Services Committee

(19-188) Funding Request – WHWCNC Booth – Dustin Troyan Motor for Toys Event

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion for the board to approve the request for funding of $500.00 from the WHWCNC 2019/2020 Budget – Community Services Committee line item for a WHWCNC Booth at the Dustin Troyan Motor for Toys event to be held on December 1, 2019 at Pierce College.

Please donate toys for the toy drive.                                                                   ROLL CALL VOTE

 

Item No. (8) Paul Lawler Treasurer and Joyce Fletcher, Chair – Community Services Committee

(19-189) Funding Request – Purchase of Neighborhood Council Logo Tent, Portable Table and Chairs

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion for the board to approve the request for funding up to $2,000.00 from the WHWCNC 2019/2020 Budget / general outreach budget for the purchase of a WHWCNC pop-up logo branded tent, portable table and (6) folding chairs to be used by all WHWCNC committees to provide various services to the community with the purpose of providing information and outreach on a wide variety of community topics.

Vendor will be approved by Empower LA.                                                         ROLL CALL VOTE

 

Item No. (9) Paul Lawler Treasurer and Joyce Fletcher, Chair – Community Services Committee

(19-190) Funding Request – Booth at the Annual 2020 Memorial Day Parade

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion for the board to approve the request for funding up to $500.00 from the WHWCNC 2019/2020 Budget – Community Services Committee budget for the purchase of a booth at the Annual 2020 Memorial Day parade to be held on May 25, 2020.                                                                                                         ROLL CALL VOTE

 

 

 

Item No. (10) Paul Lawler, Treasurer and Joyce Fletcher, President

(19-191) Funding Request – WHWCNC Board Retreat

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion for the Board to approve a request for funding up to $1,500.00 from the WHWCNC 2019/2020 Budget to facilitate the WHWCNC Board Retreat.                                                                  ROLL CALL VOTE

 

Item No. (11) Paul Lawler, Treasurer and Peter Fletcher, Chair – Community Outreach Committee

(19-192) Funding Request – WHWCNC Logo Bags

 

Discussion and possible action:

Motion for the board to approve up to $1,600 from the WHWCNC 2019-2020 Budget for the WHWCNC to purchase, from approved vendor Halo Branded Solutions, 1,100 WHWCNC branded logo re-usable shopping bags for the WHWCNC to distribute to stakeholders at various community events.                    ROLL CALL VOTE

Item No. (12) Paul Lawler, Treasurer and Peter Fletcher, Chair – Community Outreach Committee

(19-193) Funding Request – WHWCNC Board member website photographs

 

Discussion and possible action:

Motion for the board of the WHWCNC to approve up to $1,200 from the WHWCNC 2019-2020 Budget for professional head shots/photographs of board members by approved vendor Siya Kharkar/Divine Shots Photography to be used on the WHWCNC website.                                                                                        ROLL CALL VOTE

Item No. (13) Paul Lawler, Treasurer and Peter Fletcher, Chair – Community Outreach Committee

(19-194) Funding Request – WHWCNC Board member business cards

 

Discussion and possible action:

Motion for the board of the WHWCNC to approve up to $750 for the purchase of business cards for all board members of the WHWCNC. Vendor to be determined.                                                            ROLL CALL VOTE

Item No. (14) Paul Lawler, Treasurer and Ray Cole, Chair – Homelessness Committee

(19-195) Funding Request – West Valley Food Pantry / Peace of Peace Episcopel Church

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion to approve funding up to $1,000.00 from the WHWCNC 2019-2020- Budget for a Neighborhood Purpose Grant for approved vendor, The West Valley Food Pantry/Prince of Peace Episcopal Church. The WHWCNC contributes annually to The West Valley Food Pantry to provide meals to our underserved residents during the Holiday season.

ROLL CALL VOTE

 

Item No. (15) Paul Lawler, Treasurer and Ray Cole, Chair- Homelessness Committee

(19-120) Funding Request –WHWCNC Booth at the West Valley Neighborhood Alliance on Homelessness

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion for the board to approve up to $1,000.00 from the WHWCNC 2019-2020 Budget / Homelessness Committee Budget for an outreach booth at the job fair held by the West Valley Neighborhood Alliance on Homelessness.

The alliance is made up community leaders working to address the homelessness crisis in the West San Fernando Valley area. Our alliance consists of appointed Neighborhood Council Homelessness liaisons, government representatives, non-profit representatives, social workers, and concerned community members.   ROLL CALL VOTE

 

 

Item No. (16) Paul Lawler, Treasurer and Ray Cole, Chair – Homelessness Committee

(19-120) Funding Request – Mobile Showers for Homeless Persons in Woodland Hills

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion for the board to approve up to $1,000.00 from the WHWCNC 2019-2020 general outreach budget to support a mobile shower for homeless persons in Woodland Hills in conjunction with City homeless services.

Motion for the WHWCNC Homelessness Committee to complete and submit the paperwork for the Mobile Shower RFP to Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority so that we can have mobile showers in Woodland Hills

ROLL CALL VOTE

https://www.lahsa.org/news?article=581-2019-mobile-showers-program-rfp

Presentation: https://www.lahsa.org/documents?id=3847-2019-mobile-showers-program-rfp-presentation.pdf

 

Item No. (17) Paul Lawler, Treasurer and Ray Cole, Chair – Homelessness Committee

(19-121) Funding Request – WHWCNC website GIS Mapping of Homeless Services

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion for the board to approve up to $500.00 from the WHWCNC 2019-2020 Budget – Homelessness Committee Budget for GIS Mapping of homeless services in Woodland Hills and West Valley to be placed on the WHWCNC website to provide information to the community.                                          ROLL CALL VOTE

 

Item No. (18) Paul Lawler, Treasurer and Ray Cole, Chair – Homelessness Committee

(19-122) Funding Request – NPG – Community Dinner Prince of Peace Church

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Motion for the board to approve funding up to $1,000.00 from the WHWCNC 2019-2020 Budget – General Neighborhood Purpose Grants (NPG) funds for an NPG for the Community Dinner held at the Prince of Peace Episcopal Church. A free nutritious home-cooked meal for those in need is served every second and fourth Saturday at 5 pm. What began as a Prince of Peace ministry has become a community outreach to the many homeless and struggling people in the west San Fernando valley. Supporting organizations have included the Boy Scouts, schools, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish congregations, this parish, and others in the community. Their dedicated participation as cooks, servers, and cleaners as well as their financial backing has helped maintain the quality and quantity of these dinners.

ROLL CALL VOTE

Item No. (19) Sheppard Kaufman, Chair – Public Safety Committee

(19-123) Community Impact Statement (CIS) CF-19-0600-S126 Crossing Guards / Public School Traffic Safety and Control

 

Discussion and possible action:

 

Re: CF 19-0600-S126 Crossing Guards/Public School Traffic Safety & Control

 

MOTION: WHEREAS pedestrian fatalities and injuries are an ever-growing issue in the City of Los Angeles and the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council Public Safety Committee  has received complaints about pedestrian safety from parents and/or parent groups at three area elementary schools, Serrania Ave Elementary, Woodland Hills Elementary and Calabash Elementary; and,

 

WHEREAS The City of Los Angeles is responsible for the hiring of Crossing Guards to protect students and others during school drop-off and pick-up at LAUSD Schools, and;

 

WHEREAS some schools, including in the Woodland Hills area, are not staffed with their full complement of Crossing Guards and parents and administrators are being told that the it could three to four months from the point of a job offer to brining a guard on staff, and;

 

WHEREAS the availability of LAPD Traffic Enforcement is extremely limited in the West Valley relative to the number of residents and the number of schools in need; and,

 

WHEREAS, regrettably, many of the people who drive or park recklessly are, in fact, parents rushing their children to school as well as commuters seeking “short-cut” routes to Ventura Blvd and other major streets,

 

THEREFORE, the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Public Safety Committee recommends that the Board of the WHWCNC provide the following recommendations to Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, the City Council and the Mayor’s Office, as well as LAUSD Board Members Melvoin and Schmerelson, and CA Assemblymember Gabriel, with regard to the specific schools for which complaints were received and school traffic safety in general:

 

First, we appreciate the work that LADOT and LAPD have done to address our initial concerns regarding these schools and we recognize that there is shortage of staffing and a backlog of projects throughout Loa Angeles.  We ask that while more permanent solutions work through the pipeline, we would like to work with CD3, LADOT, LAPD, CHP and LAUSD and local schools to explore solutions that can be implemented more quickly.

 

We ask that the following options be considered individually, and grouped as needed to best fit impacted school sites:

 

1. LAUSD consider implementing a student generated take-home safety awareness project for kids to show their parents, or other non e-mail outreach in conjunction with school site councils, governing boards and parent-teacher groups.
2. The use of LADOT Traffic Control Officers at schools where Crossing Guard positions are vacant (Serrania Ave – main entrance) or additional guard positions might be warranted (WH Elementary – San Feliciano at De La Osa).
3. LADOT Parking enforcement during drop-off and pick-up times to enforce red-zone restrictions close to school cross-walks.  Could start with a “warning only” period and move on to citations (Calabash, Serrania, and WH Elementary among others)
4. LADOT and Caltrans work to make the Topanga Canyon Blvd / De La Osa St. crossing safer  by replacing the flashing yellow with a Hawk type signal and CHP monitor the crosswalk more proactively, via regular or volunteer car, during the school drop-off period from 7:45a-8:15a (Woodland Hills Elementary)
5. Allow for schools and DOT to work together to experiment with the use of safety equipment not currently in-use by LADOT such as:  portable “in-street” stand up “stop for pedestrian” signs that could be used by school administrators, and/or the installation of permanent in-street stop signs on certain “one lane each direction” streets where circumstances warrant – such as when the crosswalk is wider than average (Serrania Ave).
6. LAPD use volunteer, cadet or reserve staffed cars to help enforce and calm traffic during school drop-off and pick-up hours.
7. LAPD/LADOT consider the use of a rotating unstaffed “dummy” LAPD car to help control reckless driving near schools.  The car could have a speed feedback sign mounted inside or on top – which could trigger the red-blue flashing lights of the car.
8. LADOT and City Personnel Department work to safely speed up the background check & training process in order to get open crossing guard positions filled more quickly; and that LADOT promote open jobs more effectively in order to have staff in place at the beginning of the school year before there are more fatalities.
9. Work with willing school administrators, parent valets, or others to deploy cones in red zones and other safety devices to better protect pedestrians during the drop-off/pick-up times at crosswalks without crossing guards.
10. We ask that during the CD3 street-sweeping schedule review process, that DOT, Street Services and LAUSD explore modifying parking restriction and street sweeping times in order to allow easier parent parking near schools during pickup times (ie; Tuesdays are 1:33p dismissal days at LAUSD elementary schools and there are Street Sweeping restrictions in place from Noon – 2p Tuesdays on many streets near, for example, Woodland Hills Elementary School).

Finally, we ask that all agencies from LADOT and LAPD to LAUSD work to find permanent, creative solutions to the ever-increasing rate of reckless driving throughout the city.

Additionally, the Board requests from Council District 3 to respond within 21 days of receipt of the CIS with a written reply regarding this recommendation.                                       See Attachments: Serrania petition

 

 

5. Board Member Area Reports:

Area 1, Area 2, Area 3, Area 4, Area 5, Area 6, Area 7, At-Large, Youth member

Announcements: The next Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.

Meeting dates for or the upcoming 2019 -20120 year; the proposed Board meeting are held the second Wednesday of every month at the American Legion Hall located at 5320 Fallbrook Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91367 at 6:30pm.

HOWEVER, please check the www.whcouncil.org website calendar page for any changes that may occur.

 

Adjournment of meeting:

 

Minutes Submitted by:

 

 

*THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT – As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices and other auxiliary aids and/or services, may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of services, please make your request at least 3 business days (72 hours) prior to the meeting you wish to attend by contacting Joyce Fletcher, at (818-340-6554 or email j.fletcher@whcouncil.org or the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment at (213) 978-1551 EmpowerLa@LACity.org

*PUBLIC ACCESS OF RECORDS – In compliance with Government Code section 54957.5, non-exempt writings that are distributed to a majority or all of the board in advance of a meeting may be viewed at our website: www.whcouncil.org or at the scheduled meeting. In addition, if you would like a copy of any record related to an item on the agenda, please contact Joyce Fletcher at (818) 340-6554 or email j.fletcher@whcouncil.org

*PUBLIC POSTING OF AGENDAS – agendas are posted for public review as follows:

• www.whcouncil.org – go to the website Calendar page and click on the date – Board meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month. Check the calendar for any change of meeting date.
• You can also receive our agendas via email by subscribing to L.A. City’s Early Notification System at https://www.lacity.org/subscriptions

*RECONSIDERATION AND GRIEVANCE PROCESS – For information on the WHWCNC process for board action reconsideration, stakeholder grievance policy, or any other procedural matters related to this Council, please consult the WHWCNC Bylaws. The Bylaws are available at our Board meeti