Hollywood Unbound

The Public Square: May 21–23, 2012

2012-05-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

A brief look at items of interest to Hollywood residents that are on upcoming agendas at City Council, City Council Committees, Neighborhood Councils, various City Boards and Commissions, and County Board of Supervisors. LA City Agendas can be found here and LA County Board agendas can be found here.

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, May 21:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- This is a special meeting of the City Council for consideration of the Mayor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget.
- Item 1 (Council File 12-0600).
  - Continued consideration of the a Budget and Finance Committee Report (.pdf) relative to the Mayor’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget, and related Motions and Resolutions.
East Hollywood Neighborhood Council Community Forum & Board Meeting (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at L.A. City College (855 North Vermont Avenue) in the Faculty & Staff Center.
Hollywood United Neighborhood Council Board (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at Seventh-day Adventist Church of Hollywood (1711 North Van Ness Avenue).

Tuesday, May 22:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 10 (Council File 11-1246)
  - Reports from Ad Hoc River and Public Works Council Committees relative to a non-motorized, multi-modal, bridge project connecting Griffith Park and the Los Angeles River Bike Path to the North Atwater neighborhood.
  - As detailed in this CAO report (.pdf), the construction of the bridge, which is currently estimated to cost $4.67 million, will be managed by the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation. Funding for the bridge will come from a “donor gift of $4 million, $274,500 from the [Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation], a non-cash contribution of $100,000 from the Army Corps of Engineers for permits, and $300,000 in AB1290 funds…”. Once complete the bridge will be donated to the City by the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation and its maintenance will be the responsibility (for at least 10 years) of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps.
Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 3 (Council File 12-0448)
  - Negative Declaration and CEQA findings relative to an appeal of the entire determination of the Zoning Administrator to deny a determination for Reasonable Accommodation to permit the construction, use and maintenance of a 4,636 square foot, 11 bed, residential care facility for the elderly at 846 North Sierra Bonita Avenue.
  - Viewpoints: A recent LA Times editorial wades in on the issue and says that “it is particularly troubling that people would disdain living near elderly people in group homes”. I guess the LA Times editorial board is new to this town, as owners of single-family homes in Los Angeles have, on the whole, shown time and time again their distain for living near anything or anybody that they perceive could have even the tiniest negative impact on their property values.

Wednesday, May 23:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 10 (Council File 11-1531)
  - Energy and Environment Council Committee report relative to adoption of policy to ban single-use bags in the City.
  - Recommendation that the City approve a policy for a Citywide ban on paper and plastic single-use carryout bags, subject to certain conditions. Direction to the Bureau of Sanitation to conduct an environmental analysis of the proposed policies and a Request to the City Attorney to draft the required ordinances.
Transportation Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 5 (Council File 11-1987)
  - LADOT report (.pdf) relative to authorizing the LADOT General Manager to administratively renew Temporary Preferential Parking Districts.
  - Per the report, if this ordinance change is approved the LADOT General Manager would automatically renew each Temporary Preferential Parking Districts unless a Council Member requested a written report.
  - Viewpoints: And here I thought that Temporary Preferential Parking Districts were in fact temporary. If this change is made every Temporary Preferential Parking District would, in effect, become a permanent one. Recall that a Temporary Preferential Parking Districts can be created by a simple Council resolution – versus the long public process, gathering of signatures, and counting of cars that is required to create a Permanent Preferential Parking Districts. So, if this ordinance change is approved, communities will start requesting these “new” Temporary districts as they will be easy to create, require no real documentation of an actual parking problem, and will be near impossible to kill. I expect that Council members will start handing these “new” Temporary districts like candy.
Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council Board Meeting (7:00 PM)
- Agenda not yet available on the web. Check here for the Agenda.
  - Meeting is scheduled to be held at the Community Magnet School (located at 11301 Bellagio Road).

The Public Square: May 14–16, 2012

2012-05-13T22:35:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, May 14:

Hollywood Studio District Neighborhood Council Board (6:30 PM)

Agenda (.pdf)

Meeting will be held at Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School (1022 North Van Ness Avenue).

Tuesday, May 15:

Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Council Committee (8:30 AM)

Items 1-3 (Council Files 11-1060, 11-1071, and 11-1070)

Continued consideration of various motions related to the Autry National Center's Museum of the American West in Griffith Park and the former site of the Southwest Museum.
Motions request (1) the formation of a working group to discuss various issues related the long-term operation of the Autry and the Southwest Museum site in Mount Washington; (2) that Recreation and Parks ensure all future grant applications submitted by Autry also seek funding for the Southwest Museum site; and, (3) discussion of opportunities for the future of the Southwest Museum site.

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)

Presentations

Presentation of scrolls to the members of the Thai New Year Festival organizing committee in appreciation for their volunteer work in organizing the annual festival in Hollywood (Supervisor Yaroslavsky).

City Council (10:00 AM)

Item 10 (Council File 11-1392)

Report and Resolution from Public Safety, Information Technology and General Services, and Budget and Finance Council Committees relative to consolidating the Office of Public Safety (which is responsible for patrolling City facilities such as Parks, Libraries, etc.) with LAPD.
Recommendation that the Council approve the consolidation, in concept, and move forward with the implementation of the measures outlined in an associated CAO report (.pdf).
Viewpoints: Just remember, if LAPD does indeed end up taking over the Office of Public Safety don’t expect them ticket dog owners who fail to leash their pets and/or pick up after them.

Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council Board (7:00 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the Los Feliz Community Police Center (1965 North Hillhurst Avenue) in the second floor meeting room.

Wednesday, May 16:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Energy and Environment Council Committee (2:00 PM)

Item 1 (Presentation).

Presentation by LADWP on the status of the 2012-2014 Power Rate Proposal (.pdf) and community outreach efforts. Per a LADWP press release (emphasis mine):

“The power rate proposal requests a 4.6% increase beginning July 1, 2012 and 5.9% effective July 1, 2013 for a total of 10.5% over 2 years, an increase of 1.4 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to the current average rate. For the typical residential customer, using 500 kWh, this would add $3.35 per month to their current $65.79 monthly bill”.

Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council Board Meeting (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the Women's Club of Hollywood (1749 North La Brea Avenue).

The Public Square: May 7–9, 2011

2012-05-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, May 7:

Budget and Finance Council Committee (10:00 AM)
- This is a special meeting of the Budget and Finance Council Committee for consideration of the Mayor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget. Department General Managers, City Staff, and CAO will report as scheduled or instructed.
- Departments/Reports Scheduled: CAO Budget Memo, and any other City Departments as needed.
  - Note: Schedules will change so check here for updated schedules (look for Budget and Finance Agendas).

Tuesday, May 8:

City Council (10:00 AM)

Item 2 (Council File 09-2832)

Consideration of Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee report relative to a Mitigated Negative Declaration and an Zone and Height District Change Ordinance for the Argyle Lofts project at 1800-1802 North Argyle Avenue.
The Argyle Lofts project is a proposed 16-story (186 foot tall) hotel with 225-rooms and 3,000 square feet of restaurant space. The existing 5-story office building at this site would be demolished. Note: This project was originally proposed to be developed as an 87-unit residential condominium. The original project's MND was revised/modified for the new hotel project.

Item 25 (Council File 12-0011-S11)

Motion relative to the transfer of $10,000 from the CD 13 portion of the Street Furniture Revenue Fund to the Hollywood Beautification Team to conduct maintenance activities at the Sunset Triangle Plaza in Silver Lake.
Viewpoints: Putting aside the merits of the Sunset Triangle Plaza project, this request is a reasonable use of Street Furniture Revenue Funds as an argument could be made that these expenses are “incidental” to the improvements that were made to the public right of way at this location.

Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee (2:30 PM)

Item 5 (Council File 12-0303)

Continued consideration of of an Environmental Impact Report (.pdf), Statement of Overriding Considerations, and related California Environmental Quality Act findings, and report from the City Planning Commission, Resolution, and Ordinance (.pdf) relative to the proposed update to the Hollywood Community Plan.

Budget and Finance Council Committee (1:00 PM)
- This is a special meeting of the Budget and Finance Council Committee for consideration of the Mayor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget. Department General Managers, City Staff, and CAO will report as scheduled or instructed.
- Departments/Reports Scheduled: Any other City Departments, as needed.
  - Note: Schedules will change so check here for updated schedules (look for Budget and Finance Agendas).
Mid City West Community Council Board (7:00 PM)

Agenda (.pdf)

Meeting will be held at the National Council of Jewish Women Building (543 North Fairfax Avenue) in the Auditorium.

Wednesday, May 9:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Budget and Finance Council Committee (1:00 PM)
- This is a special meeting of the Budget and Finance Council Committee for consideration of the Mayor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget. Department General Managers, City Staff, and CAO will report as scheduled or instructed.
- Departments/Reports Scheduled: Any other City Departments, as needed.
  - Note: Schedules will change so check here for updated schedules (look for Budget and Finance Agendas).
Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Board (7:00 PM)

Agenda

Meeting will be held at the Ebell of Los Angeles (4400 Wilshire Boulevard) in the Wilshire Ebell Theater.

The Public Square: April 30–May 2, 2012

2012-04-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, April 30:

Budget and Finance Council Committee (10:00 AM)

This is a special meeting of the Budget and Finance Council Committee for consideration of the Mayor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget. Department General Managers, City Staff, and CAO will report as scheduled or instructed.
Departments/Reports Scheduled: LAPD, LAFD, Recreation and Parks, LAPL, Cultural Affairs, General Services, Information Technology Agency, and Personnel.

Note: Schedules will change so check here for updated schedules (look for Budget and Finance Agendas).

Tuesday, May 1:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Budget and Finance Council Committee (1:00 PM)

This is a special meeting of the Budget and Finance Council Committee for consideration of the Mayor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget. Department General Managers, City Staff, and CAO will report as scheduled or instructed.
Departments/Reports Scheduled: Board of Public Works, Bureaus Sanitation, Street Services, Engineering, Street Lighting, and Contract Administration, LADOT, and City Planning.

Note: Schedules will change so check here for updated schedules (look for Budget and Finance Agendas).

Wednesday, May 2:

City Council (10:00 AM)

No items of note.

Budget and Finance Council Committee (1:00 PM)

This is a special meeting of the Budget and Finance Council Committee for consideration of the Mayor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget. Department General Managers, City Staff, and CAO will report as scheduled or instructed.
Departments/Reports Scheduled: Building and Safety, Animal Services, Emergency Management, El Pueblo, Zoo, Aging, Disability, DONE, and Convention Center.

Note: Schedules will change so check here for updated schedules (look for Budget and Finance Agendas)

LAPD: FYI, We’re Too Busy to Ticket People For Not Leashing, or Picking up After, their Dogs

2012-04-29T22:18:00.000-07:00

The LA Times had a story today about the small lawn area adjacent to the new LAPD Administration Building downtown that has been functioning, unofficially, as a dog park for downtown residents. In the story, LAPD Commander Andy Smith speaks about dog owners who fail to leash their pets and/or pick up after them (emphasis mine):

Some disregard a sign that warns them to keep their dogs on a leash and pick up after them. "We are going to put up more signs," Smith said. "Police officers typically don't enforce leash laws. That's done by the Department of Animal Services, and it is a very low grade infraction. It is not something that calls for throwing handcuffs on someone and throwing them in jail."
The dog owners are technically in violation of a city code that carries a fine, Smith said. "But the dogs are not hurting anybody. Animal services are strapped with handling other work too and our police officers, well, are also too busy to come around here and write citations for that." Fines are $25 for a first conviction, $45 for a second conviction and $65 for any subsequent conviction.

LAPD does not typically enforce leash laws. Got it. Enforcing leash laws shouldn’t be LAPD’s priority. Got it. However, Commander Smith should have made it clear that not leashing and/or picking up after your dog is not a “technical” violation of a City ordinance but is an actual violation of a City ordinance. Full stop. If LAPD is not clear on that distinction, and their responsibility to enforce it as resources are available, a quick check of Los Angeles Municipal Code Sections 53.06, 53.49, and 63.44 should clear it up for them.

The only reason this is worth pointing out is that, as you may recall, the Mayor’s Proposed Budget for FY 2012-2013 recommends consolidating the Office of Public Safety (which is responsible for patrolling City Parks) with LAPD. So, if said consolidation goes through, LAPD would be responsible for enforcing (or not enforcing, as the case appears to be) Los Angeles Municipal Code Sections 53.06, 53.49, and 63.44 in City parks.

As someone who lives near the ~~disaster~~ off-leash dog haven that is Runyon Canyon Park, I find Commander Smith’s comments concerning and disheartening. I hope his comments are not reflective of how LAPD plans to patrol our City parks, and enforce their rules, if LAPD does indeed end up taking over the Office of Public Safety.

The Public Square: April 23–25, 2012

2012-04-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, April 23:

Central Hollywood Neighborhood Council Board Meeting (6:15 PM)
- Agenda not yet available on the web.
  - Meeting will be held at the Hollywood City Hall (6501 Fountain Avenue) in the Community Room.

Tuesday, April 24:

Information Technology and General Services Council Committee (9:00 AM)
- Item 3 (Council File 11-1246)
  - CAO report (.pdf) relative to a non-motorized, multi-modal, bridge project connecting Griffith Park and the Los Angeles River Bike Path to the North Atwater neighborhood.
  - Per the report, construction of the bridge, which is currently estimated to cost $4.67 million, will be managed by the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation. Funding for the bridge will come from a “donor gift of $4 million, $274,500 from the [Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation], a non-cash contribution of $100,000 from the Army Corps of Engineers for permits, and $300,000 in AB1290 funds…”. Once complete the bridge will be donated to the City and its maintenance will be the responsibility (for at least 10 years) of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps.
  - Viewpoints: This CAO report has been bouncing around various Council Committees for months. What is the big deal? Why don’t the Committees just waive consideration of the item and send the it on to Council? Its not like the Council is going to reject the bridge – especially given that a private donor is fronting most of the funding.
County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 1 (Council File 12-0460)
  - CAO Report (.pdf) relative to a request for $990,000 in funding from the City’s Construction Services Trust Fund for the City Planning Department for the 1st year of a 5 year work program to revise the City’s Zoning Code.
  - Per the report (emphasis mine):
    - “The requested funds will be used to hire consultants to assist City staff, including a planning and design firm to prepare the new Zoning Code text, graphics and charts; an environmental consulting group to prepare the necessary California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reviews and documentation; and a website development firm to design and implement the project website. The Department anticipates that the cost for these consultants will total $5,038,000 over the five years of the project.”
- Item 5 (Council File 09-2832)
  - Continued consideration of a Mitigated Negative Declaration, report from the City Planning Commission (.pdf), and an Zone and Height District Change Ordinance for the construction of the Argyle Lofts project at 1800-1802 North Argyle Avenue.
  - The Argyle Lofts project is a proposed 16-story (186 foot tall) hotel with 225-rooms and 3,000 square feet of restaurant space. The existing 5-story office building at this site would be demolished.
  - Note: Originally this project was proposed to be developed as an 87-unit residential condominium. The original project's MND was revised/modified for the new hotel project.
  - Viewpoints: Approve it. Somebody build it. I see nothing wrong with building another (reasonably sized) mid-tier hotel in Hollywood.

Wednesday, April 25:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council Board Meeting (7:00 PM)
- Agenda not yet available on the web. Check here for the Agenda.
  - Meeting is scheduled to be held at the Community Magnet School (located at 11301 Bellagio Road).

Mayor’s Proposed Budget for FY 2012-13 Released

2012-04-22T21:39:00.001-07:00

Budget wonks rejoice.

On Friday the Mayor released his Proposed Budget (.pdf) for Los Angeles for Fiscal Year 2012-13. According the Budget Summary (.pdf), as prepared by the Mayor’s Office, the Mayor’s $7.2 Billion Proposed Budget includes:

Elimination of 669 positions (231 of which are filled)
A study of a series of pension reforms for new civilian employees (Fire or Police)
Funding for 6 additional LAFD ambulances, one Engine Company in the Valley, and 9 EMS Captains
Funding to recruit new firefighters and for LAPD to continue to hire officers to maintain current officer levels
Consolidation of General Services Police (Office of Public Safety) with LAPD
Increase certain fees paid by developers in order to support the City Planning Department’s proposed update of the City’s Zoning Code
Increases in various fees and fines, including admission fees at the LA Zoo

Below is a round up of local media stories on the various proposals and highlights in the Mayor’s Proposed Budget.

LA Times on the layoffs:

The bulk of the job cuts proposed in the mayor's new $7.2-billion budget would affect civilian employees at the Los Angeles Police Department, where 159 clerks, secretaries and other administrators would be put out of work. The rest of the layoffs would be spread out among the civilian force at other city agencies, including the Bureau of Street Services, the Department of Animal Services and the Fire Department.

City Maven on the proposed pension reforms:

The mayor is also calling for pension reforms that would impact new civilian employees by increasing the retirement age to 67. Right now, employees can technically retire at 55 with full benefits. The plan would also cap the maximum retirement allowance to 75 percent of an employee’s final compensation. Cost of living adjustments would be reduced and “banking,” which allows unused adjustments to be applied to future years, would go away.

LA Daily News on the proposed consolidation of General Services Police with LAPD:

The mayor also proposed a major departmental shuffling: The consolidation of the General Services Office of Public Safety with the LAPD, a proposal that is intended to help efficiencies and operations.
Under the plan, roughly 100 sworn officers and 100 security guards will move to the LAPD.
The move would swell the LAPD ranks past 10,000 sworn officers, a number long sought by Mayor Villaraigosa, who ran for mayor in 2005 on the promise of adding 1,000 new officers.
The consolidation was criticized by union representatives on Friday, but Villaraigosa dismissed suggestions the move was about achieving his campaign goal.

Hollywood Patch on how the Mayor is “closing” the Fiscal Year 2012-13 General Fund deficit:

Seeking to close a $238 million deficit, Villaraigosa proposed using nearly $83 million in one-time solutions that include payments from the dissolution of the city's redevelopment agency, special parking revenue for basic services and $29 million in MediCal reimbursements anticipated for this year.
The remaining approximately two-thirds of the deficit would be covered through cuts or savings that are ongoing, including a 6 to 12 percent budget cut across across a wide swath of city departments. The mayor and City Council offices would each take an 8 percent budget cut under the plan.

Starting Friday, April 27th, the City Council’s Budget and Finance Council Committee will hold the first of a series of special meetings to consider the Mayor’s Proposed Budget. Obviously there is a lot of interesting things going on in the Mayor’s Proposed Budget (most of it obscured by budget speak and/or buried in the appendixes) and the Budget and Finance Committee is – as always – the place where those issues and complications will be aired and vetted.

This goes without saying, but here it is: As always, the real impact the Mayor’s Proposed Budget will have on City services and the City’s long-term fiscal solvency is buried somewhere in the weeds of 400+ pages of the budget proposal. The flurry of bullet point summaries, PowerPoint presentations, and fancy graphics that will soon be unleashed on the public will only tell so much. Some don’t believe this but what happens in the Budget and Finance Council Committee meetings (and who and how many show up to speak out) really does matter. If you are at all interested in the long-term future of the City (and/or certain City programs), budget season is one of those times you really want to get focused and engaged.

Graphic on the Fiscal Year 2012-013 General Fund Deficit from the Mayor’s Budget Summary (.pdf)

The Public Square: April 16–18, 2012

2012-04-15T22:43:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, April 16:

Budget and Finance Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 6 (Council File 11-0600-S157)
  - CAO report (.pdf) titled Four-Year Budget Outlook and Update to the CAO’s Three-Year Plan to Fiscal Sustainability. From the Report Summary:
    - “As was the case with the original plan, the updated Three-Year Plan involves significant policy decisions, difficult budget choices, and decisive actions required of the City's decision makers. Additionally, this plan requires the cooperation and commitment of the City's management, its employees, and its residents. There are no easy fixes. The fact of the matter is that the City has priced itself out of its ability to deliver services at the level its residents expect. In order for the City to address this imbalance, it must adhere to responsible management and fiscal practices, re-examine its core functions, explore alternative service models, and address the ever increasing cost of its workforce. Furthermore, so long as the service level needs and expectations remain consistent, the pursuit of new revenue sources or increases to existing sources can no longer be delayed.”
  - Viewpoints: This report, it should be noted, is an excellent (and readable) summary of the pertinent fiscal and budget issues facing the City. Consider this report a preview of the City’s Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Budget. Most, if not all, of the points noted by the CAO in this report will likely be reflected in the Mayor’s Budget Proposal, which is due out April 20th.
East Hollywood Neighborhood Council Community Forum & Board Meeting (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at L.A. City College (855 North Vermont Avenue) in the Faculty & Staff Center.
Hollywood United Neighborhood Council Board (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at Seventh-day Adventist Church of Hollywood (1711 North Van Ness Avenue).

Tuesday, April 17:

Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Council Committee (8:30 AM)
- Items 1-3 (Council Files 11-1060, 11-1071, and 11-1070)
  - Various motions related to the Autry National Center's Museum of the American West in Griffith Park and the former site of the Southwest Museum.
  - Motions request (1) the formation of a working group to discuss various issues related the long-term operation of the Autry and the Southwest Museum site in Mount Washington; (2) that Recreation and Parks ensure all future grant applications submitted by Autry also seek funding for the Southwest Museum site; and, (3) discussion of opportunities for the future of the Southwest Museum site.
  - Viewpoints: This Southwest Museum is gone. The Autry saved the Southwest Museum site and its collection. Nobody else (including the City) stepped up to save the Southwest and its collection. The City Council should stop trying to tie the Museum of the American West in Griffith Park to the Southwest Museum site in Mount Washington. The City Council (looking at you Labonge, Reyes, and Huizar) should put the politics aside and let Autry be.
County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 3 (Council File 11-0600-S155)
  - Budget and Finance Committee report relative to the CAO's Forth Financial Status Report (.pdf) for Fiscal Year 2010-2011. Per the report the “Fourth FSR provides recommendations for interim budget adjustments necessary to appropriately fund departments through the end of May.”
- Item 4 (Council File 11-0600-S157)
  - Budget and Finance Committee report relative to the CAO’s report (.pdf) titled Four-Year Budget Outlook and Update to the CAO’s Three-Year Plan to Fiscal Sustainability.
Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 3 (Council File 12-0303)
  - Continued consideration of of an Environmental Impact Report (.pdf), Statement of Overriding Considerations, and related California Environmental Quality Act findings, and report from the City Planning Commission, Resolution, and Ordinance (.pdf) relative to the proposed update to the Hollywood Community Plan.
Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council Board (7:00 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the Los Feliz Community Police Center (1965 North Hillhurst Avenue) in the second floor meeting room.

Wednesday, April 18:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 14 (Council File 11-1987-S1)
  - Transportation Committee report relative to an LADOT report (.pdf) the renewal of various Temporary Preferential Parking Districts for twelve months. Per the LADOT report (emphasis mine):
    - “Considering that the great majority of the (Temporary Preferential Parking Districts) included in the attachment to this report have been in existence for many years without any changes to their boundaries or parking restrictions, LADOT recommends the approval of the (Temporary Preferential Parking Districts) as a package to avoid the time-consuming preparation of multiple individual reports, and review of individual reports in the Transportation Committee and the City Council, as resources are being devoted to the city budget considerations”.
  - Viewpoints: In other words, the LADOT is too lazy to even consider investigating these Temporary Preferential Parking Districts to see if they are still needed. Why they bother calling these districts Temporary – when they are clearly permanent – is beyond me.
Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council Board Meeting (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the Women's Club of Hollywood (1749 North La Brea Avenue).
- Item 4.a.VII
  - Presentation by LADOT on proposed Yucca Street bike and median improvements. For more info on this proposed project, see this post on the LADOT Bike Blog.

Bike Share Program to Launch in LA (and Hollywood) this Year

2012-04-15T22:33:00.000-07:00

Today the Mayor announced that Bike Nation, a Southern California based bike sharing company, will launch a bike share system in Los Angeles in 2012. Per the Mayor’s press release, the Bike Nation bike share system will launch “during the fourth quarter of 2012” will 400 bike stations and 4,000 bikes. Bike Nation will invest $16 million in private funds and commit to operating the system for 10 years. Hollywood, Downtown, Venice Beach, and Westwood will be among the first communities to get bike sharing.

From the LA Times:

Initial plans are to add 400 stations and 4,000 bicycles over the next 18 to 24 months in areas around downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Playa del Rey, Westwood and Venice Beach.

The private investment from Bike Nation will not need any city money, according to the mayor's office and the company. Bike Nation has agreed to a minimum contract of 10 years.

From the LADOT Bike Blog:

Details are still being worked out but we can confirm that Bike Nation USA - a local Southern California based firm – will launch and operate the system in collaboration with the city. The entire system will be privately launched and operated, and will not require any public funding. L.A.’s Bike Nation bike share system will be comprised of 400 kiosks, 6,500 docking stations, and 4,000 bicycles.

Damien Newton at Streetsblog LA:

The cost to the city will be minimal, as Bike Nation promises to pay for all of the 4,000 bikes and 400 kiosks coming to Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Venice Beach and Westwood. Bike Nation estimates it could take a full year to complete the installation.

Nate Berg at The Atlantic Cities:

Unlike systems in many other cities, L.A.'s bike sharing system will be implemented, operated and funded by a private company. It'll be the largest privately funded bike sharing system in the country, according to Navin Narang, founder of Bike Nation, the L.A.-based company that will be running the system. Bike Nation is a relatively new player in the field, with just one other bike sharing system in the works – a 200-bike system in Anaheim that's expected to open in June.
For the city, having a private entity take the lead is a blessing, and a sign of hard budgetary times; the city has been thinking about starting a bike share program for years, but hasn't had the money. The $16 million project will be funded completely by Bike Nation, which is committing to at least 10 years of operation.

My take: This is exciting news, as Los Angeles residents and visitors would clearly benefit if the City had an extensive bike share system. However, there seems to be a lot of details that need to be worked out between Bike Nation and the City (and presented to the public) and it’s the details that matter. Here’s my initial blizzard of thoughts and questions about the Bike Nation and the City’s proposed bike share system:

Bike Nation is an unproven company (their first system hasn’t even launched yet) and they have no track record (good or bad) to speak off. I like the underdog and all but why exactly did the City go with Bike Nation? Why didn’t the City choose to do a small pilot program with Bike Nation first, before going for the massive rollout?
Did the City issue a request for proposals for the Bike Share System? By the looks of Council File 08-2053, the answer appears to be no. If no, then why exactly didn’t the City go through a competitive bid process for the City’s Bike Share System? There are a number of public bike share system operators nationwide (Alta Bicycle Share, B-Cycle, etc). Was Bike Nation’s offer to privately fund this system so enticing (and so unique) that the City felt it had to jump at the chance?
Nothing is free. How will Bike Nation make back its $16 million investment and make money? Yes, this sounds like a stupid question, but really, how will they? Will it be just from memberships and rentals? Will Bike Nation place ads on the side of their bikes and on the side of their kiosks? If so, how many? Even though the system will be privately funded there will be some costs to the City. Staff from LADOT, Street Services, Planning, and Building and Safety will all need to work closely with Bike Nation in order for this program to work. Have the City’s costs been quantified? What funding source will cover these costs? Measure R? Related: Will the City see any revenue from this deal?
Will this turn out to be a boondoggle, like the City’s bus bench program and street furniture program? Recall that the City similarly said that those programs would be provided at no cost to the City. Instead there have been significant costs, both in missed revenues and unhappy patrons. The bus bench program and street furniture program have both been poorly run and are badly mismanaged, as both consistently fail to place benches and street furniture where riders want and need them.
What happens if Bike Nation fails? Will the City get to keep the kiosks and bikes? And if so, are Bike Nation’s bikes and kiosks compatible with the the systems run by other Bike Share system operators? Related: What happens after the 10 years operation period is up?
Will the bike docking stations and kiosk be placed on the sidewalk, on the street, or a combination of both? If on the street, does the City plan to taking away travel lanes, parking spaces, or both?
Will the Bike Nation system be compatible with Bike Share systems being planned or discussed in neighboring Cities such as Santa Monica? What role, if any, will Metro play?

Image of a Capital Bikeshare Docking Station in Washington, D.C. Capital Bikeshare is operated by Alta Bicycle Share and uses bikes made by Bixi.

The Public Square: April 9–11, 2012

2012-04-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, April 9:

Budget and Finance Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 7 (Council File 11-0600-S155)
  - CAO's Forth Financial Status Report (.pdf) for Fiscal Year 2010-2011. Per the report the “Fourth FSR provides recommendations for interim budget adjustments necessary to appropriately fund departments through the end of May.”
  - Recommendations of Note:
    - Transfer of $465,000 from the Street Banners Revenue Trust Fund equally to each Council District account (i.e $31,000 per District), which “shall be used for roadway improvements; transit related services and equipment; and sidewalk, curb improvements and other beautification projects to improve conditions for public transit patrons.”
    - Re-appropriation of $723,841 from Subventions and Grants to the Bureau of Street Services for the “CRA Santa Monica/Western Avenue Improvement project.”
Hollywood Studio District Neighborhood Council Board (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at Assistance League of Southern California (1370 North Saint Andrews Place).

Tuesday, April 10:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Mid City West Community Council Board (7:00 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art West Building (6067 Wilshire Boulevard) on the Fifth Floor.

Wednesday, April 11:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Transportation Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 2 (Council File 11-1872)
  - City Administrative Officer report (.pdf) and LADOT report (.pdf) relative to the creation of a full-time Pedestrian Coordinator. The CAO recommends the authorization of a Pedestrian Coordinator position, which would be filled by a City employee and be paid for with Measure R funds.

The Public Square: April 2–4, 2012

2012-04-01T23:50:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, April 2:

Budget and Finance Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 5 (Council File 11-0600-S153)
  - City Controller report (.pdf) relative to the revenue estimate for the upcoming fiscal year as well as an estimate of the amount of revenue required to meet the annual debt service requirements for principal and interest for the City's General Obligation Bonds. From the report:
    - “To the extent that there is agreement among economic experts, the national, State, and local economies are expected to grow during the 2012 and 2013 calendar years. Unfortunately, the anticipated growth rate is below trend with a possibility that a full recovery from the recession may not happen quickly. Consequently, I estimate that current fiscal year (2011-12) General Fund revenues, excluding transfers from the Reserve Fund and Special Parking Revenue Fund, will grow from the prior fiscal year by just 1.1 percent. Additionally, I estimate approximately the same growth rate in revenues for 2012-13”.

Tuesday, April 3:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 13 (Council File 11-1376)
  - Transportation Committee report relative to the City's on-street car share Request for Proposals (.pdf). Recommendation that the LADOT be authorized to finalize and release the Request for Proposals in the next 30 days.
  - See this LADOT report (.pdf) for more background info.

Wednesday, April 4:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Energy and Environment Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 1 (Council File 11-1531)
  - City Administrative Officer report (.pdf) and Bureau of Sanitation report (.pdf) relative to adoption of policy to ban single-use bags in the City.
  - From the CAO Report (emphasis mine):
    - “Our Office concurs with the Bureau of Sanitation on a policy for banning single-use carryout bags. However, we do not support a ban on paper bags at this time for reasons of consumer choice and necessity. To our knowledge, very few communities have enacted a single-use ban that includes plastic and paper, including the City of Carpinteria and Austin, Texas. We do recommend, however, that paper bags be offered for a fee of 10 cents, consistent with Los Angeles County, Long Beach and other jurisdictions, to minimize a potential impact on store prices and encourage the use of reusable bags. Under this scenario, we would suggest that paper bag usage be revisited in two years to determine whether a higher fee would be warranted to discourage further use and decrease the environmental risk of increased paper bag consumption, or that paper bags be banned altogether as currently proposed by the Bureau.”

State Awards MRCA $2M in Grant Funds for the Development of Franklin Ivar Park

2012-04-01T13:12:00.001-07:00

Hollywood is about to get a new public park at Franklin and Ivar.

Last week California State Parks announced that it had awarded (.pdf) the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority $2 million in grant funding, from the Statewide Park Program, to develop the publicly owned vacant lot at Franklin and Ivar into a new public park. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy purchased the lot (.pdf) from Caltrans in 2008. Since that time the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority, Hollywood Dell Civic Association, and others, have been working to secure funding to develop the lot into a public park.

Here is how the MRCA described the Franklin Ivar Park project in a July 2011 Staff Report (.pdf):

The proposed project is a 1 acre site in the heart of Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. The site is bordered by an elevated off-ramp of interstate highway 101, local arterial street Franklin Avenue and a residential street Ivar Avenue. The site is currently planted and fenced off, much like other underutilized highway parklands. The land is owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority is working with Hollywood Dell Civic Association to convert this site into a park. The grant request will fund the following features of the park: an amphitheater, Hollywood overlook (with views to Palos Verdes beach community on a clear day), carbon eater screen, bike rack, solar powered water feature, adventure play area, wi-fi seating area, public art, grotto area, solar panel shaded area and an attractive security fence. Hollywood Dell Civic Association has spearheaded this park development and is aggressively working to secure funds to develop the site and have committed to funding maintenance and operation. They are scheduled to go to their governing board in July to authorize a letter of agreement to raise maintenance and operation funds for the park site.

I’ve long argued that Hollywood is in need of small neighborhood parks, so its great to hear that this park is moving forward. Franklin Ivar is not, by any stretch of imagination, the optimal location for a new park. However, given the needs in Hollywood, every little bit of new public green space is step in the right location. Congratulations to all those who helped make this park a reality -- with special thanks to the dedicated people at the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority and the Hollywood Dell Civic Association who’ve long spearheaded this effort.

For more information on the Franklin Ivar Park project contact Dash Stolarz, Director of Public Affairs for Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, at 323.221.9944 x198.

Images via Hollywood Dell Civic Association February 2012 Meeting Minutes (.pdf)

The Public Square: March 26–28, 2012

2012-03-25T23:46:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, March 26:

City Offices are closed in observance of the Cesar Chavez Day Holiday
Central Hollywood Neighborhood Council Board Meeting (6:15 PM)
- Agenda not yet available on the web.
  - Meeting will be held on the fourth Monday of each month at the Hollywood City Hall (6501 Fountain Avenue) in the Community Room.

Tuesday, March 27:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee (2:30 PM)
- Item 2 (Council File 11-2022-S1)
  - Department of City Planning and LADOT joint report (.pdf) relative to the Mobility Element of the City’s General Plan.
- Item 5 (Council File 12-0303)
  - Consideration of an Environmental Impact Report (.pdf), Statement of Overriding Considerations, and related California Environmental Quality Act findings, and report from the City Planning Commission, Resolution, and Ordinance (.pdf) relative to the proposed update to the Hollywood Community Plan.

Wednesday, March 28:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Transportation Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 5 (Council File 11-1376)
  - LADOT report (.pdf) relative to the City's on-street car share Request for Proposals. Recommendation that the LADOT be authorized to finalize and release the
    Request for in the next 30 days. Highlights from the LADOT report:
    - “LADOT recommends a five-year contract term in consideration of the significant economic commitment required of the provider”.
    - In order to encourage the use of privately controlled parking spaces, and to promote the use of ultra-clean vehicles for carsharing, LADOT has devised a matching program to allow for increasing the number of public parking spaces that may be dedicated to carsharing from 300 to 1000”.
    - “The location of carshare spaces are to be mutually agreed upon between the city and the selected proposer, based on the priorities outlined in the RFP. To further the city's goals, priority is given to providing carshare service at: 1) transit stations and other transportation hubs, and 2) in and around high density residential areas with apartment buildings and condominiums”.
Budget and Finance Council Committee – Special Meeting (6:00 PM)
- Special public meeting will be held at Van Nuys City Hall.
- Item 1 (Presentation)
  - Presentation by the CLA and CAO relative to the year to date status of the City’s budget, next year’s City budget, and any projected shortfalls.

Developers Still Bullish on Hollywood

2012-03-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

The LA Times recently reported that Champion Real Estate Company, the developers behind a proposed mixed-use commercial and residential complex at Highland and Selma, has purchased the parking lot behind Musso & Frank Grill and is proposing to build a mixed use project at the site.

Parking Lot Behind Musso and Frank Grill (looking north)

From the LA Times article (emphasis mine):

Champion Real Estate Co. bought the paved 1.1-acre site behind the Hollywood Boulevard restaurant and between Cherokee and Las Palmas avenues from Common Fund. The price was not disclosed, but Hollywood real estate experts familiar with the property valued it at nearly $10 million.
[snip]
Champion will continue to operate the parking lot behind the Musso & Frank Grill while launching the planning and approval process for what the president hopes will be a $50-million development. He envisions a retail and residential complex, perhaps with a hotel. The parking spaces there now would be replaced in a garage that would be part of the new development.

It will be interesting to hear what Champion ultimately proposes to develop at this site. That said, just about any new use here (hotel, apartments, condos, etc.) would be preferable to the existing surface parking lots and would benefit the community.

My hope is that Champion chooses to create a mixed-use project that (1) provides as little on-site parking as possible as the site is very close to the Hollywood and Highland Metro station and across the street from a City-owned public parking garage; (2) includes a well designed and attractive public plaza or courtyard that can serve as a community gathering space and support the proposed retail establishments; and, (3) provides space for neighborhood serving retail – not t-shirt shops or more nightclubs – as the site sits in a transition zone between Hollywood Boulevard and the residential portions of the Yucca corridor.

The Public Square: March 19–21, 2012

2012-03-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, March 19:

Budget and Finance Council Committee – Special Meeting (6:00 PM)
- Special public meeting will be held at the Port of Los Angeles Administrative Building (425 South Palos Verdes Street).
- Item 1 (Presentation)
  - Presentation by the CLA and CAO relative to the year to date status of the City’s budget, next year’s City budget, and any projected shortfalls.
East Hollywood Neighborhood Council Community Forum & Board Meeting (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at L.A. City College (855 North Vermont Avenue) in the Faculty & Staff Center.
- Item IV.8.D (Action Item)
  - Discussion and possible action regarding development and approval of alternative community zoning plan for East Hollywood, including a Pedestrian Oriented District for Historic Route 66, to be presented to the LA City Council in lieu of the Hollywood Community Plan Update.

Tuesday, March 20:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 16 (Council File 11-0285)
  - Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee Report and Ordinance (.pdf) amending various sections of the City's Zoning Code (a part of the LAMC) to update common findings for conditional uses, adjustments, and other quasi-judicial land use approvals.
- Item 20 (Council File 11-1702)
  - Budget and Finance Council Committee report on the City Controller’s Blueprint for a Transition to Performance based Budgeting for the City of Los Angeles (.pdf).
Budget and Finance Council Committee – Special Meeting (6:00 PM)
- Special public meeting will be held at the Women’s 20th Century Club (5105 Hermosa Avenue).
- Item 1 (Presentation)
  - Presentation by the CLA and CAO relative to the year to date status of the City’s budget, next year’s City budget, and any projected shortfalls.
Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council Board (7:00 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the Los Feliz Community Police Center (1965 North Hillhurst Avenue) in the second floor meeting room.

Wednesday, March 21:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 1 (Council File 12-0307)
  - Continued consideration of a Motion (.pdf) requesting various departments to:
    1. Provide an overview of all of the City-owned equine areas and the work that has been done to maintain, improve, increase, and promote said areas.
    2. Report on the progress of the policies adopted in the 2001 General Plan Conservation Element and details in regard to the equine areas in the City.
    3. Report with recommendations on how the City can better promote the City’s horse trails and equine areas through online and off-line publicity and promotion.
Energy and Environment Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 1 (Report)
  - Executive Director of the DWP Office of Public Accountability (OPA) to report relative to the status and implementation of the OPA.

The Public Square: March 12–15, 2012

2012-03-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, March 12:

The City Council is on recess from Friday March 9th to Wednesday March 14th for the National League of Cities' Annual Congressional City Conference (in Washington, D.C.).
Hollywood Studio District Neighborhood Council Board (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School (1022 North Van Ness Avenue).
- Item 7 (Report)
  - Report by CD 13 on the Western Avenue Streetscape Project.

Tuesday, March 13:

The City Council is on recess from Friday March 9th to Wednesday March 14th for the National League of Cities' Annual Congressional City Conference (in Washington, D.C.).
County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
Mid City West Community Council Board (7:00 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the National Council of Jewish Women Building (543 North Fairfax Avenue) in the Auditorium.

Wednesday, March 14:

The City Council is on recess from Friday March 9th to Wednesday March 14th for the National League of Cities' Annual Congressional City Conference (in Washington, D.C.).
Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Board (7:00 PM)
- Agenda
  - Meeting will be held at the Ebell of Los Angeles (4400 Wilshire Boulevard) in the Wilshire Ebell Theater.

Thursday, March 15:

Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles Board Meeting (9:30 AM)

Item 2 (Consent Item)
- Report (.pdf) recommending the rescission of 12 conditionally approved CRA/LA Projects, and their related agreements, contracts and loans, that were approved by the CRA/LA Board between June 29, 2011 and December 29, 2011. Per the report, the California State Supreme Court’s decision affirming that the State Legislature had the authority to abolish Redevelopment Agencies “effectively prohibits implementation of the previously approved CRA/LA projects”.
- 2 of the 12 conditionally approved CRA/LA Projects that are recommended to have their approval rescinded are located in Hollywood:
  - A grant funding agreement with Youth Policy Institute to provide a conditional grant of up to $120,000 to pay for the provision of social and economic development services to residents in the Hollywood Redevelopment Project Area (Council File 11-1729).
  - A Tri-Party Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Los Angeles’ Bureau of Engineering and the Friends of the Hollywood Freeway Central Park for the preparation of a an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hollywood Freeway Central Park project and the transfer of up to $2 Million in Hollywood Tax Increment Funds to fund the preparation and processing of the EIR and EIS (Council File 11-2115 and Council File 11-2115-S1).

The Public Square: March 5–7, 2012

2012-03-04T23:19:00.000-08:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, March 5:

Budget and Finance Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 2 (Council File 11-1702)
  - City Controller report on the Controller’s Blueprint for a Transition to Performance based Budgeting for the City of Los Angeles (.pdf).
  - From the report summary: “Across-the-board budget reductions made without
    reliable performance data linked to costs do not serve City decision-makers or the public well. A performance-based budgeting process would allow decision-makers to better understand the trade-offs of various budget options and, ultimately, to prioritize among policy proposals.”
Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Elections Committee – Special Meeting (4:00 PM)
- Item 1 (Council File 11-0187-S3)
  - Communication from the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission
    relative to a Final Report and Map Recommendations (.pdf) on their proposed new City Council District Boundaries.

Tuesday, March 6:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 14 (Council File 12-0073)
  - Audits and Governmental Efficiency Committee report on a City Controller report (.pdf) relative to the Controller’s Audit of the City’s street furniture contract.
- Item 15 (Council File 11-1658-S1)
  - Audits and Governmental Efficiency Committee report on a Bureau of Street Services report (.pdf) in response to the Controller’s Audit of the City’s street furniture contract.
Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Elections Committee – Special Meeting (4:00 PM)
- Item 1 (Council File 11-0187-S3)
  - Communication from the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission
    relative to a Final Report and Map Recommendations (.pdf) on their proposed new City Council District Boundaries.

Wednesday, March 7:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 4 (Council File 12-0307)
  - Motion (.pdf) requesting various department to:
    1. Provide an overview of all of the City-owned equine areas and the work that has been done to maintain, improve, increase, and promote said areas.
    2. Report on the progress of the policies adopted in the 2001 General Plan Conservation Element and details in regard to the equine areas in the City.
    3. Report with recommendations on how the City can better promote the City’s horse trails and equine areas through online and off-line publicity and promotion.
Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Elections Committee – Special Meeting (4:00 PM)
- Item 1 (Council File 11-0187-S3)
  - Communication from the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission
    relative to a Final Report and Map Recommendations (.pdf) on their proposed new City Council District Boundaries.

Vine Street Towers Project (1601 North Vine Street) Appears Dead in the Water

2012-03-04T08:23:00.001-08:00

Ron Kaye LA has a great post up recalling the controversy surrounding the City Council’s approval of the Vine Street Tower Project; the $1,100,000 settlement agreement between Molly's Burger, CRA/LA, and project developer Hal Katersky; and, Councilmember Eric Garcetti’s role in pushing the Vine Street Towers Project forward.

The project, as you may recall, proposed to construct a 8-story, 107,298 square foot, mixed-use commercial building, with ground floor retail and 194 parking spaces in a 5 level subterranean parking structure on CRA/LA owned property at 1601-1605 North Vine Street.

The most controversial part of the project was the proposed land deal. As part of the land deal the CRA/LA proposed to sell their property at 1601-1605 North Vine Street to the project developer, Hal Katersky, for $825,000, even though they had purchased it – from Hal Katersky – just a few years before for $5,450,000. Bad as that sounds the story gets worse: When the CRA/LA purchased the property from Hal Katersky in October 2006 their own appraisal pegged the value of the site at only $4,070,000, but the CRA/LA staff decided to ignore their appraisal and recommend instead that their Board pay $5,450,000.

Anyway, here’s Ron Kaye on the current status of the project (emphasis mine):

On Feb. 16, Chris Essel, CEO of the defunct agency, told the panel appointed by the governor to clean up LA’s redevelopment mess that 1601 N. Vine project was in serious trouble because “material changes” had occurred and the new developer was unable to meet the conditions of the CRA contract.
Specifically, the requirement for entertainment industry tenants was unattainable so the contract would have to be negated or renegotiated by the new redevelopment panel, the designated local agency headed by developer Nelson Rising.
The $4.6 million gift of taxpayer money promised to Katersky and his Pacifica Ventures was no longer on the table.
With the project all but dead, the land sits idle with the only winner of this dark comedy about City Hall corruption being Mrs. Kwok Yi, owner of Molly’s Burgers who managed to walk away with a $1.1 million payday from the CRA and Katersky to close her modest stand adjacent to the office project site.

Head over to Ron Kaye LA to read his entire story, which also includes a number of video clips from City Council meetings on the project. In the video clips you can watch Councilmember Eric Garcetti heap endless praise on the project, defend the terms of the CRA/LA’s deal, and exhort his fellow Councilmembers to approve it.

I’ll say this: Looking back on the project, it is amazing to think how much time, effort, and financial resources were wasted by the CRA/LA on the Vine Street Tower Project -- resources that clearly could have been better used elsewhere in Hollywood. It is projects like this that make me happy the CRA/LA was abolished. The terms of this deal just never made sense and CRA/LA staff had to have know that. Yet the CRA/LA (and Councilmember Eric Garcetti) continued to ~~go through all these shenanigans~~ try to justify the project. All this for a project that was, at the end of the day, supposed to just be a simple "Class A" commercial office building in Hollywood. Amazing.

The Public Square: February 27–29, 2012

2012-02-26T20:38:00.000-08:00

As always, the meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, February 27:

Central Hollywood Neighborhood Council Board Meeting (6:15 PM)
- Agenda not yet available on the web. Search here or here for the Agenda.
  - Meeting is regularly scheduled to be held on the fourth Monday of each month at the Hollywood City Hall (6501 Fountain Avenue) in the Community Room.
East Hollywood Neighborhood Council Community Forum & Board Meeting (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at L.A. City College (855 North Vermont Avenue) in the Faculty & Staff Center.
- Item 11D (Action Items)
  - Discussion and possible action regarding development and approval of alternative community zoning plan for East Hollywood, including a Pedestrian Oriented District for Historic Route 66, to be presented to the LA City Council in lieu of the Hollywood Community Plan Update.

Tuesday, February 28:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Audits and Governmental Efficiency Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 1 (Council File 12-0073)
  - City Controller report (.pdf) relative to the Controller’s Audit of the City’s street furniture contract.
  - Viewpoints: As I previously noted here, the City Controller’s Audit (.pdf) of the City’s street furniture contract found that the City lost out on $23.1 million in revenue it should have earned “due to the methodology used to calculate annual fees paid to the City”. The Audit also found that the City’s “cumbersome” permit approval process (e.g. each City Council Office has “veto” power of the placement of street furniture) for the installation of street furniture caused installation delays, which contributed to City missing out on another $14.9 million in revenue it should have earned.
- Item 2 (Council File 11-1658-S1)
  - Bureau of Street Services report (.pdf) in response to the Controller’s Audit of the City’s street furniture contract
Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee (2:30 PM)
- Item 1 (Council File 11-0086-S4)
  - City Planning report (.pdf) on policy options relative to the transfer and/or preservation of the land use powers held by the former CRA/LA. Per the report, the three identified options are:
    1. “Develop a limited transition ordinance, addressing Municipal Code references to redevelopment, and zoning code references to redevelopment to shift decision making authority from CRA/LA to the Director of Planning and the Planning Commission”.
    2. “In addition to #1, develop an ordinance to incorporate all Redevelopment Plan land use permit review authority for existing Redevelopment Plans, and shift authority for implementing land use review from CRA/LA to Director of Planning”.
    3. “In addition to #2, adopt transition ordinances for each Redevelopment Plan to fully integrate land use regulatory controls into the Department of City Planning's overlays, specific plans, and code regulations”.

Wednesday, February 29:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 11 (Council File 12-0197)
  - Transportation Committee report on a LADOT report (.pdf) requesting authority to not enforce certain categories of parking laws in the Los Angeles Municipal Code.
  - Recommendation that (1) LADOT be authorized to “not enforce certain categories of parking laws in the LAMC when requested in writing by a Councilmember or the Mayor” and (2) LADOT be directed to “establish the administrative procedures to effectuate the policy…”.
  - Per the LADOT report (.pdf), “There are instances when the best interests of the public are served by allowing parking enforcement exceptions to existing municipal parking laws on a limited basis and in special circumstances” such as canceled street cleaning, designated City holidays, school events, and events involving elected officials.
Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission (4:00 PM)
- Item 4 (Discussion)
  - Commission discussion and possible approval on actions related to the Final Council District Boundary Map Recommendation and Report to the City Council.

Redistricting: Redistricting Commission to Vote on a Final City Council District Map

2012-02-21T20:34:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 22nd, the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission is scheduled to meet to vote on a Final Map Recommendation to the City Council for the new City Council District boundaries. The meeting agenda and a Memo from the Redistricting Commission Staff can be found here (.pdf).

Last week the Commission met and approved a number of adjustments to the Commission’s Original Draft Map of City Council Districts. The Commission staff took that approved list of adjustments and developed the Adjusted Draft Map. The Adjusted Draft Map was released last Friday and can be found at the Commission's website.

Here’s how the Redistricting Commission Staff describes the Adjusted Draft Map, and the changes they made to it last week, in their Memo (see Item #3 on the Agenda) to the Commission:

“The Adjusted Draft Map cures historically divisive issues, as well as paying close attention to a new issue that has developed over the last 10 years, the formation of 95 Neighborhood Councils. In the Adjusted Draft Map, 69.5 percent (66) of Neighborhood Councils are kept whole, an increase of 24 Neighborhood Councils over the 2002 Council District lines, while dividing 27 Neighborhood Councils between two Council Districts and 2 Neighborhood Councils between three Council Districts. The proposed Map unites the Baldwin Hills and Leimert Park communities, a major issue of contention in 2001-02, that have been divided for at least forty years. The proposed Map also unites Downtown Los Angeles (also a major issue of contention in 2001-02), another neighborhood that has been divided for twenty years. Furthermore, the proposed Map unites the Koreatown community under one Council District, another major issue of contention in 2001-02 and a community that has been divided for at least forty years. Lastly, the proposed Map helps to cure the divide in Northeast Los Angeles by placing the communities in two Council Districts, an area of the City that has been split between three Council Districts for at least forty years.”

As an aside, I’d note that the Adjusted Draft Map does nothing to “cure the divide” in Hollywood, which has been split between multiple Council Districts – in some way, shape, or form – for at least 50 years. Of course, there are some in Hollywood (such as the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce) who seem to prefer it that way, but that is an issue for another day.

Following Wednesday’s meeting, Commission staff will make any last adjustments to the Adjusted Draft Map, develop the proposed Final Map, and put together the Commission's Final Map Recommendation report for the City Council. The Redistricting Commission will meet one last time, on Wednesday, February 29th, but no additional adjustments will be made to the Final Map at that meeting. The proposed Final Map will be submitted to the City Council no later than March 1, 2012.

Once the Final Map has been submitted to the City Council the Redistricting Commission’s role in the process will be complete. At that point, the City Council has the authority to amend and modify the Redistricting Commission's plan in whatever way they want. The City Council is required to adopt a redistricting plan no later than July 1, 2012.

The Public Square: February 20–22, 2012

2012-02-19T22:53:00.001-08:00

Meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, February 20:

City Offices are closed in observance of the President's Day Holiday.
Hollywood United Neighborhood Council Board (6:30 PM)
- Agenda
  - Meeting will be held at Seventh-day Adventist Church of Hollywood (1711 North Van Ness Avenue).
- Item 7 (Discussion and Possible Action)
  - Update and possible position/letter regarding the City’s Redistricting process.

Tuesday, February 21:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 2 (Council File 10-1504)
  - Ordinance relative to the reconfirmation of the Los Feliz Village Merchant-Based
    Business Improvement District and associated City Clerk report (.pdf).
County Board of Supervisors (1:00 PM)
- No items of note.
Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council Board (7:00 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the Los Feliz Community Police Center (1965 North Hillhurst Avenue) in the second floor meeting room.

Wednesday, February 22:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 11 (Council File 11-0600-S152)
  - Budget and Finance Committee report relative to the CAO's Third Financial Status Report (.pdf) for Fiscal Year 2011-2012. Per the CAO report, “the projected Citywide deficit [of $72.0 million] has been eliminated”. However, the report also notes that the projected budget gap for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1st, will be “between $150 million and $200 million”.
Public Works Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 1 (Presentation)
  - Presentation from the Bureau of Engineering relative to the process for street vacations and temporary closures.
Transportation Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 2 (Council File 12-0197)
  - LADOT report (.pdf) requesting authority to not enforce certain categories of parking laws in the Los Angeles Municipal Code.
  - Per the report, “There are instances when the best interests of the public are served by allowing parking enforcement exceptions to existing municipal parking laws on a limited basis and in special circumstances” such as canceled street cleaning, designated City holidays, school events, and events involving elected officials.
Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission (4:00 PM)
- Item 3 (Discussion)
  - Commission discussion and possible approval on actions related to the Final map of Council District boundaries.
Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council Board Meeting (7:00 PM)
- Agenda not yet available on the web. Check here for the Agenda.
  - Meeting is scheduled to be held at the Community Magnet School (located at 11301 Bellagio Road).

Redistricting: Redistricting Commission to Discuss Potential Adjustments to the Draft City Council District Map

2012-02-14T21:56:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 15th, the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission is scheduled to meet to vote on potential adjustments to the Commission’s Draft map of City Council Districts in order to provide direction and recommendations for the Commission’s Final Map.

The Commission’s draft map, which was released just over three weeks ago, was subject to a fair amount of criticism (and some praise) from residents across the City; including a number of City Councilmembers. Over the last two weeks the Commission held seven public hearings across the City to gather input and comments on the Draft Map. During those public hearings the Commission acknowledged the Draft Map’s “imperfections” and noted that “many inadvertent things” happened when the Draft Map was put together.

At tomorrow’s meeting the Commission will consider at least 75 proposed adjustments to the Draft Map (see Item #3 on tomorrow’s Agenda). The Commission will vote on each of these proposed adjustments (and possibly others, as suggested by Commission members) in order to develop a consensus list of final adjustments to the Draft Map.

A number of these potential adjustments involve making changes to the Draft Map’s proposed City Council boundary lines in the Hollywood area. These potential adjustments include:

No. 10: Place the area of Los Feliz bounded by Western Avenue, Franklin Avenue, Normandie
Avenue, and Los Feliz Boulevard (with the exception of the businesses on the north side of Hollywood Boulevard that are part of Thai Town) in Council District 4. This adjustment would mirror the current City Council District boundary line in this area.
No. 11: Place the Hollywood Business District, as identified by the CRA/LA Hollywood project area (.pdf) boundaries, completely within Council District 13.
No. 12: Move the Southeast portion of Silver Lake north of Sunset Boulevard back to Council District 13.
No. 27: Unite Hollywood in Council District 4. At a minimum, move the boundary between Council District 13 and Council District 4 (which the draft map proposes be at Hollywood Boulevard) north to Franklin Avenue.
No. 41: Unite the communities of Little Armenia and Los Feliz in one City Council District.
No. 60: Revisit the creation of a 6th majority population Council District in the San Fernando
Valley as the current configuration of 2 overlapping Valley/LA Basin Council Districts better
protects and maintains communities of interest on both sides of the Santa Monica mountains.
No. 75: Unite Hollywood in Council District 4.

Following tomorrow’s meeting, the Commission staff will use the list of final adjustments to develop the proposed Final Map. The Redistricting Commission will vote on the proposed Final Map on Wednesday, February 22nd, and submit that proposed Final Map to the City Council no later than March 1, 2012. Again, as I’ve noted before, the City Council is not required to adopt the plan developed by the Redistricting Commission and it has the authority to amend and modify the Redistricting Commission's plan as it seems fit.

The Public Square: February 13–15, 2012

2012-02-12T19:58:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 13:

Budget and Finance Council Committee (2:00 PM)
- Item 6 (Council File 11-0600-S152)
  - CAO's Third Financial Status Report (.pdf) for Fiscal Year 2011-2012.
  - Per the report, “the projected Citywide deficit [of $72.0 million] has been eliminated”. However, the report also notes that the projected budget gap for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1st, will be “between $150 million and $200 million”.
  - Viewpoints: The LA Times writes that “[e]very fiscal year since 2007-08, the city has projected at midyear that it would face a multimillion-dollar deficit and has taken steps to eliminate it. Santana expects the pattern to continue and said the city must find new ways to reduce costs and build up its reserves. The city has adopted severe measures to hold down costs, such as halting hiring for most city jobs.”
Hollywood Studio District Neighborhood Council Board (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School (1022 North Van Ness Avenue).
- Item 10.1 (PLUM Committee)
  - Discussion and possible action relative to a proposed conditional letter of support for Target Shopping Center project proposed for the corner of Sunset and Western (5520 Sunset Boulevard) in East Hollywood.

Tuesday, February 14:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 25 (Council File 12-0208)
  - Motion relative to approving the negotiated payment of $300K, from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to the City, to pay for City resources need to facilitate the production of the 2012 Academy Awards (Oscars) at the Kodak Theatre.
  - Viewpoints: Why is the City subsidizing the production of the Academy Awards? The broadcast rights to the Academy Awards generates a significant amount of revenue for the Academy so it is inconceivable that Academy -- unlike a lot of Los Angeles’ special cultural events and festivals -- can’t afford to fully reimburse the City’s for its costs and expenses.
Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee (2:30 PM)
- Item 1 (Verbal Report)
  - Verbal report by City Planning and City Attorney, relative to the preparation of an
    ordinance that would transfer/preserve the land use powers held by the now dissolved CRA/LA.
Mid City West Community Council Board (7:00 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the National Council of Jewish Women Building (543 North Fairfax Avenue) in the Auditorium.

Wednesday, February 15:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 32 (Council File 12-0031)
  - Transportation Committee Report relative to instructing LADOT to (1) report with recommendations and actions necessary to permanently close Yucca Street to through vehicular traffic at Las Palmas, Cherokee, and Whitley Avenues with traffic diverters that prevent access for vehicles but allow bicycle and pedestrian movement, and (2) to designate Yucca Street as a bicycle friendly street.
Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission (4:00 PM)
- Item 3 (Discussion)
  - Commission discussion and possible approval on actions related to the Final map of Council District boundaries.
Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council Board Meeting (6:30 PM)
- Agenda (.pdf)
  - Meeting will be held at the Women's Club of Hollywood (1749 North La Brea Avenue).

The Public Square: February 6–8, 2011

2012-02-05T20:18:00.001-08:00

Monday, February 6:

Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission - Special Meeting (6:30 PM)
- Special public hearing to gather public input regarding the draft map and boundaries for the new City Council district. See here for the Redistricting Commission’s draft map.
  - Agenda (.pdf)
    - Meeting will be held at Occidental College (1600 Campus Road) in Thorne Hall.

Tuesday, February 7:

County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
- No items of note.
City Council (10:00 AM)
- No items of note.
Planning and Land Use Management Council Committee (2:30 PM)

Item 1 (Council File 11-1223)

LADOT report (.pdf) relative to the Southern California Associations of Governments’ draft 2012 Regional Transportation Plan. The draft 2012 Regional Transportation Plan “includes planned transportation projects and demographic assumptions through the year 2035. The plan presents a strategy for the investment of $524.7 billion in the region's transportation system between 2012 and 2035 and, for the first time, a Sustainable Communities Strategy for the six-county region”.
Of interest, the LADOT notes that Southern California Associations of Governments’ “desired and projected land use pattern for the City” for 2035 (as shown on a map entitled "City of Los Angeles Year 2035 Preferred Scenario by Development Type) is inconsistent with many of the City’s Community Plans and “shows a level of residential density considerably higher than shown on the adopted Community Plan maps.” LADOT is recommending that City clarify to the Southern California Associations of Governments that the City “may or may not implement the land use pattern described on the SCS Map for 2035”.
This item will also be at the Transportation Council Committee on Wednesday, February 8th. See below.

Wednesday, February 8:

City Council (10:00 AM)
- Item 2 (Council Files 10-0526 and 11-2098)
  - Board or Water and Power Commissioners’ report (.pdf), City Attorney report and ordinance (.pdf), and CAO and CLA to report relative to proposed Water Quality Improvement Adjustment Factor and associated water rate ordinance modifications.
- Item 18 (Council File 12-0182)
  - Motion recommending the transfer $1,000 from the Council District 4 portion of the Street Furniture Revenue Fund to the Bureau of Street Services for the “establish a program to inspect the Deodar Cedar trees on Los Feliz Boulevard”.
Transportation Council Committee (2:00 PM)

Item 5 (Council File 12-0031)
- Continued consideration of a motion (.pdf) instructing LADOT to report with recommendations and actions necessary to permanently close Yucca Street to through vehicular traffic at Las Palmas, Cherokee, and Whitley Avenues with traffic diverters that prevent access for vehicles but allow bicycle and pedestrian movement.
- Viewpoints: Per the motion, the above mentioned Yucca Street intersections have been subject to a temporary vehicular street closure, pursuant to Section 21101.4 of the California Vehicle Code, since 1995. As I noted in this post, CVC Section 21101.4 permits a street to be temporarily closed to the public for 18 months and permits a maximum of eight 18 month extensions. Therefore, the total permitted "temporary" street closure length under CVC 21101.4 is 162 months or 13.5 years. This street closure has been operative since May 1995 – a total of 16.5 years – which clearly is far longer than the maximum legally permitted “temporary” street closure.”
Item 7 (Council File 11-1223)

LADOT report (.pdf) relative to the Southern California Associations of Governments’ draft 2012 Regional Transportation Plan. The draft 2012 Regional Transportation Plan “includes planned transportation projects and demographic assumptions through the year 2035. The plan presents a strategy for the investment of $524.7 billion in the region's transportation system between 2012 and 2035 and, for the first time, a Sustainable Communities Strategy for the six-county region”.
Of interest, the LADOT notes that Southern California Associations of Governments’ “desired and projected land use pattern for the City” for 2035 (as shown on a map entitled "City of Los Angeles Year 2035 Preferred Scenario by Development Type) is inconsistent with many of the City’s Community Plans and “shows a level of residential density considerably higher than shown on the adopted Community Plan maps.” LADOT is recommending that City clarify to the Southern California Associations of Governments that the City “may or may not implement the land use pattern described on the SCS Map for 2035”.

Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission - Special Meeting (6:30 PM)
- Special public hearing to gather public input regarding the draft map and boundaries for the new City Council district. See here for the Redistricting Commission’s draft map.
  - Agenda (.pdf)
    - Meeting will be held at City Hall (200 North Spring Street) in the City Council Chambers.

Redistricting: Redistricting Commission to Hold Public Hearings Across the City to Discuss Draft City Council District Map

2012-01-31T23:11:00.000-08:00

As you no doubt are aware by now, last week the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission finally released its first draft map of the proposed new City Council District boundaries. The Commission developed the first draft map after holding 15 public hearings across the City that were ostensibly designed to gather community input on the proposed Council district boundaries.

The Commission’s draft map was -- unsurprisingly -- greeted with a hail of criticism, with residents of several communities (and a number of City Councilmembers) expressing concerns with the Redistricting Commission’s proposed district boundaries. Below are some links to just a few of the many stories that have been written this week on City’s redistricting process and the Commission’s proposed boundaries:

Redistricting proposal hits hard: 9th District to become poorest in LA – Blogdowntown
Draft Proposal Keeps Hollywood Within 3 City Council Districts - Hollywood Patch
Confusion is word of the day in L.A. City Council remapping - LA Daily News
Angelenos quick to blast proposed council districts – LA Times
Proposed Koreatown redistricting debated – LA Times
Residents balk at L.A. Council District 4's proposed new shape - LA Times
The Five Most Furious Reactions to the Redistricting of Los Angeles – LA Weekly
A Grassroots Call for Honest City Council Districts – Ron Kaye LA
Race, Ethnicity, Class and Hipness -- How (NOT) to Draw City Council Districts – Ron Kaye LA
Council District Maps, Council District Problems - Street Hassle
Perry: New District Lines “Flat Out Politics” - The City Maven
Redistricting the Council: The Pieces Don't Add Up to a Plan – KCET SoCal Focus
The Political Blood Sport Known as Redistricting Comes to L.A. – KCET 1st and Spring

Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, February 1st, the general public will again have the opportunity to give the Redistricting Commission its input on the proposed Council district boundaries. The Redistricting Commission has scheduled a series of seven public hearings across the City to gather public input on their recently released draft map. The schedule for the seven public hearings is show below and the flyer can be found here (.pdf).

If you are interested in where the final lines will be drawn, this set of meetings likely your last chance to (publicly) participate in the process. Following this last set of public hearings, the Redistricting Commission will make its final revisions to the proposed City Council District map, hold a final vote, and submit its selected redistricting plan to the City Council for its consideration by no later than March 1, 2012. Recall, however, that the City Council is not required to adopt the plan developed by the Redistricting Commission and it has the authority to amend and modify the Redistricting Commission's plan as it seems fit.