Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council

Heavy rains have been forecast for the Los Angeles area starting Monday night and lasting through Thanksgiving weekend, bringing the possibility of flooding and mudslides in the areas that recently experienced wildfires.

Winter rains could cause floods, landslides, mudslides, and erosion in neighborhoods where the fires have burned away vegetation that normally holds runoff water and stabilizes hillsides.

The City has deployed sand and bags today to critical locations so that crews can place sandbags where needed to address flooding as quickly as possible.

The City has also placed sand and bags at many locations where residents can get their own sandbags for free if they wish to use sandbags around their driveways, and yards and in front of doorways to further protect their own homes from water.

All Fire Stations in the City of Los Angeles also have burlap bags and several have sand, that residents can pick up for free, and the firefighters can offer advice on how to properly use them.

The Department of Transportation (LADOT) and Street Services have provided extra K-railing to be strategically placed to divert mudslides and protect homes.

The City has emergency crews on watch to respond quickly if flooding or mudslides become a problem.

The City has sent notifications to relevant general mangers of City Departments to be on alert during the approaching storm and be ready to take action if needed.

For ongoing flood and emergency updates visit the LA Fire Department website at http://LAFD.org.

Burlap bags used to make sandbags are available at all Fire Stations. The LAFD website has information on where to find all locations where free sand is available, as well as instructions on properly using sandbags at

Immediately after the Sesnon fire was brought under control, members of City, County, State and Federal agencies, and Neighborhood Councils were brought together for a Post-Sesnon Wildfire Task Force Meeting to discuss potential flooding and landslides in the burned areas.

The LA Fire Department has already used bulldozers to cut “water bars” or trenches in the hills above O'Melveny Park in Granada Hills to divert runoff water into areas with green vegetation.

County Flood Control crews have cleared out all debris basins in the area to be ready to divert debris in case of flooding and mudslides.

The US Geological Survey has provided us with the most accurate and up-to-date maps showing where hillsides may be weakened and pose potential landslide threats.

The Friends of O'Melveny Park have started a program called "Adopt-a-Tree". Because the city of Los Angeles mandated that all parks be watered only twice per week for 15 minutes each watering, the Friends of O'Melveny Park ask each resident to adopt a tree or bush or flower patch in a park. When you go hiking or walking through the park, please bring a one gallon jug of water and help water the foliage. The little you do will make a great impact.

Please help us to spread this information to the elderly and all residents in the SF Valley. It is imperative that no one is allowed into your home, unless you personally scheduled the workers or have first verified that they are properly identified as who they say they are.

All DWP Personnel carry identification and are glad and happy to answer your questions. If not, then call "911".

On July 29th, the Los Angeles region experienced a 5.4 scale earthquake. It was a reminder and a warning that we live in earthquake country and we need to be prepared for the big one. Luckily, it was uneventful compared to the 6.6 Sylmar earthquake in 1971 and the 6.7 Northridge earthquake in 1994. Both quakes claimed many lives and caused billions of dollars in property damage. It's been over ten years since the Northridge earthquake and experts regularly say it is not a matter of if, but when another earthquake of this magnitude will occur. Take a moment to click on the links and read through all the earthquake preparedness tip sheets. Requires Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (Free download).

Judge calls on L.A. council to reconsider OK of hospital expansion

By David Zahniser
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

September 30, 2008

A judge has issued a tentative ruling calling for the Los Angeles City Council to reconsider its decision allowing a San Fernando Valley hospital to expand, handing a victory to the union activists and neighborhood groups that had criticized the project.

Superior Court Judge Thomas McKnew said the 15-member council used the wrong voting process when it approved a $180-million expansion at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, a facility that treated 17 injured passengers in the Sept. 12 Metrolink train crash in Chatsworth.

Eight of the council's 15 members voted last November to overturn a Planning Commission decision approving the expansion. The project went forward anyway because city law requires 10 votes to reverse the commission.

In his written tentative ruling, McKnew said the council must take up the matter again. His final ruling is expected Thursday.

Roughly half the 101 new hospital beds planned under the expansion would go for emergency room patients. Still, the hospital's proposal has run into a buzz saw of union and neighborhood politics, with the Service Employees International Union arguing that the hospital needs to do more to address the effect of its project on traffic and parking.

SEIU represents healthcare workers and has been in a labor dispute with the chain that operates Providence Holy Cross. In Los Angeles and other parts of the West Coast, the union has used environmental laws to gain greater leverage over hospital chains by filing challenges to their construction projects.

Councilman Richard Alarcon, who has sided with critics of the hospital project, said Providence Holy Cross should stop all work on the expansion until its legal issues are resolved. Alarcon also said that if the ruling becomes final, he would find the votes to force the hospital to prepare an environmental impact report, delaying the project by at least a year.

"Providence Holy Cross has been saying this is about healthcare, when it fact it's about the California Environmental Quality Act," he said. "I believe this judge has put this in the right perspective."

Tim McOsker, a lawyer representing Providence Holy Cross, said his client was weighing its next steps and waiting for the judge's final order. The hospital has already begun construction on the expansion project and could file an appeal, McOsker said.

"We still have the need for [hospital] beds in the Valley," he said. "Providence will need to evaluate the best and quickest way to bring these additional beds on line."

McOsker was one of several lobbyists to represent the hospital during last year's council debate.

The SEIU and the pro-labor Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy teamed up with a handful of neighborhood groups to argue against the project. The alliance also helped organize Community Advocates for a Responsible Expansion, a group that is now a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

Although he did not rule on the environmental process used by Providence Holy Cross, McKnew warned that the report prepared for the project "may not be the appropriate document."

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who appoints each planning commissioner, toured Providence Holy Cross in the wake of the Metrolink crash and met injured passengers.

On Friday, the mayor held a $1,000-per-ticket fundraiser at the law offices of Mayer Brown LLC, a firm that represents the hospital chain in the case.

Two days later, Villaraigosa attended a fundraiser held by various liberal community organizers, including some with the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy. Two of the event's co-hosts, Roxana Tynan and Patricia Castellanos, have registered as lobbyists at City Hall.

david.zahniser@latimes.com

Mark your calendar for the 8th Annual Granada Hills Street Faire, a great Valley tradition, on Saturday, Oct. 4, in Old Granada Village.

More than 200 local business and nonprofit groups participate, with giveaways at many booths.

Your Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council will have a booth there to answer any questions you may have and show you how to get involved in your community.

Enjoy outstanding dishes from the area's restaurants and free entertainment including classic cars, dance troupes and live blue grass music. Children's activities include pony rides, a petting zoo, rock climbing, moon bounces, face painting, and health screening services.

Massive Las Lomas Development Blocked in City Council
March 19, 2008

Councilman Greig Smith's motion to have the City make a policy decision to stop the Las Lomas development, stop the annexation of the land into City of Los Angeles and reject the Supplemental Fee Agreement to allow the developer to expedite the project, was approved by the City Council today. The Las Lomas project was too big, too dense, and couldn’t be planned in a worse place. It would have a devastating effect on traffic and the environment, and would unacceptably strain our water, infrastructure and public safety resources.

The huge coalition of opponents to Las Lomas who came together to say no to this project have our gratitude and praise for stepping up to the plate to defend our community. Residents, community groups, elected officials, Neighborhood Councils, and environmental groups took official positions of opposition to Las Lomas, wrote letters of opposition, and made public comments against the development at Neighborhood Council meetings, City Council meetings and Planning & Land Use Management Committee meetings.

Today was a big victory for the San Fernando Valley in the fight to protect our quality of life and ensure that we focus on the needs of our communities.

Councilman Smith Introduces Motion to Kill Massive Las Lomas Development

Feb. 6, 2008

Los Angeles - Councilman Greig Smith introduced a motion Wednesday, Feb. 6, signed by seven Councilmembers, the maximum allowed, to make a policy decision to stop the massive Las Lomas development. It allows the City to dictate its future land use, and not leave it up to developers to determine.

"This project has been lurking in the dark corners of City Hall for nearly a decade," said Councilman Smith, whose District is next to the proposed development site and would suffer immeasurable negative impacts from it. "It's time to finally take them out of the shadows and stop this project for good."

The motion states: Las Lomas Land Company wants to expand the boundaries of the City of Los Angeles by annexing County-Unincorporated territory, 2/3 of which is located outside the City of Los Angeles' Sphere of Influence (SOI) in order to build a massive development at the confluence of five major freeways.

Unlike proposed projects located within the boundaries of the City, whereby the City must process the project, proposed projects outside of the City boundaries require a policy decision pursuant to the City Charter.

In six years since the project surfaced, the City has not made a formal policy decision on whether it wants to expand the City of Los Angeles in order to build the Las Lomas project and provide the necessary resources to service this new "mini-city." These resources include, but are not limited to: water, sewer, police and fire, power and public works services.

In light of the information presented to the Budget & Finance Committee that questions the appropriateness of a supplemental fee agreement prior to a policy decision being made by the City;

I THEREFORE MOVE that all work on the proposed Las Lomas project stops until the aforementioned policy decision is made by the City Council.

I FURTHER MOVE that the Council pursuant to the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) section 12.35, which states: ".The Council may establish specific zoning by ordinance for land or territory to be annexed." make the policy decision whether or not to pre-zone the land area before any supplemental fee agreement be considered.

I FURTHER MOVE that if the Council votes not to pre-zone the land portion within the City's Sphere of Influence that all City Departments immediately cease and desist all work associated with the Las Lomas Development by the Las Lomas Land Company, LLC and return all materials submitted by the Developer.

I FURTHER MOVE that if the City should decide to move forward with the Las Lomas project then prior to negotiating or entering into a supplemental fee agreement, the City shall obtain an opinion from all relevant governmental agencies to determine; (1) if the City is the proper lead agency for the entire proposed project; (2) if the City can legally process an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) outside of its jurisdiction in this particular case; and (3) if the City can pre-zone outside the City's Sphere of Influence.