Crime increases during the holiday season as holiday shopping puts more prizes around for the thieves to ply there trade.
Shopping on line can leave packages on porches as easy pickings.
Gifts left in cars or visible through windows are a draw for the thieves.
See below for tips on avoiding being a victim. Read more »
More than 1,900 residents have signed a petition against an FAA plan to allow more passenger flights from Hollywood Burbank Airport over several San Fernando Valley communities, it was reported Friday.
The group, called Studio City for Quiet Skies, launched the petition in response to Federal Aviation Administration plans to move departing flights on a trajectory farther south over Studio City, Sherman Oaks and Encino, the Los Angeles Daily News reported. The petition was on the online site Change.org.
Residents say the changes would bring more noise, traffic and pollution to the area, and they slammed the plan in a series of comments on the petition, according to the Daily News.
“We object to flight paths that expose residents and visitors, our school children, student athletes and people seeking recreation in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area, to constant jet noise and pollution,” according to the petition.
“I don’t understand why commercial air traffic is not being directed over the San Fernando Valley’s commercial and industrial zones, or above our numerous freeways,” a Studio City resident wrote. “Our residential neighborhoods are under constant assault with traffic from major thoroughfares being redirected to side streets where people live and children play by Google Maps and Waze. Now the FAA wants to direct planes over our homes and playgrounds as well. Why?”
Airport officials are also concerned about the change, and the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association and the Studio City Residents Association have both opposed it, the Daily News reported.
Patrick Lammerding, deputy executive director of planning and development at the airport, wrote a letter to FAA officials on Aug. 21, noting his office “cannot express support for the proposed” plan, according to the newspaper.
“It is equally important to us that we act as a good neighbor to the surrounding communities that we serve and who support us,” he wrote.
A spokesman for the FAA said in a statement that the federal agency “is proposing to update two existing routes for aircraft that depart off Runway 15 at Hollywood Burbank Airport. The purpose of the updates is to keep Burbank Runway 15 departures better separated from LAX arrivals to the south and from aircraft that are arriving to Burbank’s Runway 8.”
Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian, whose district includes North Hollywood and Studio City, said in a statement in August that the new paths will “focus more noise over a smaller area, including over schools and quiet residential neighborhoods.” He added that “the FAA’s unwillingness to be transparent about this process and its complete inability to articulate a true public benefit to be derived from the new flight paths wrongly shuts the public out of the discussion,” the Daily News reported.
https://patch.com/california/northridge/plan-steer-air-traffic-over-valley-hits-turbulence
The Neighborhood Council Initiative (known to us as the Street Blitz), run by the Bureau of Street Services (BSS), will be in Granada Hills North real soon. Our area will be assigned a two-person crew on a hot asphalt truck for one day to patch street potholes, pop-outs, small eroded or cracked areas, and do minor curb and sidewalk patching. The crew is not equipped to handle tree roots that have damaged the street, or are they able to do any major repair for uplifted sidewalks.
Up to 15 locations will be inspected, so we’re looking for the worst spots that can be patched. Depending on the conditions and amount of asphalt required, not all identified locations will get fixed during the blitz. Remember, you can always report troublesome locations via 3-1-1. We’re asking for your help in preparing that list for submission to BSS. Since this is based on Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council boundaries, the locations MUST be north of the 118 freeway, west of the 405 freeway, and east of Aliso Canyon, up to the County line. Click here for a map of our boundaries.
Please make your submission no later than July 6.
Include the type of repair (pothole, pop-out, depression, minor lifted sidewalk, etc.), the address (preferred) or intersection, and which side of the street (north bound, east side, etc.). The more info you can provide, the less time spent by BSS trying to find the location. Remember, potholes and minor repairs only. Tree root damage is out, as are streets and sidewalks that require more extensive repairs.
Send your request to [email protected].
Councilmember Englander’s office has worked with L.A.’s Bureau of Engineering and the Department of Recreation of Parks to ensure that the Granada Hills Pool will be operational and open for use during the hot summer months.
The pool is decades old and has developed leaks which threatened the ability to keep it open for summer. However, by working with various departments, the Councilmember’s office was able to make sure the necessary repairs were done to keep it open. They have also fully-funded and developed plans for a new aquatic center at the location which will replace the old pool in time for the 2020 swim season!
Aquatic centers such are important community gathering spaces during summer months that provide a safe and fun place for youth and families to gather while school is out and the weather is hot. See you at the pool!
This week, Councilmember Mitchell Englander joined LADWP Chief Operating Officer Marty Adams, LADWP Chief Sustainability Officer Nancy Sutley, Los Angeles County Business Coalition President Mary Leslie, Actor/Environmental Activists Ed Begley Jr. and Matt Walsh, and students from Porter Ranch Community School to introduce legislation calling for LADWP to explore options to install “floating solar” panels on Los Angeles reservoirs.
Floating solar is an emerging and extremely efficient form of renewable clean energy. By covering the surface of reservoirs, floating solar conserves water by reducing evaporation and prevents harmful algae growth by blocking sunlight. Additionally, there is no land costs associated with the installation and there is greater efficiency of output due to the cooling effect of water.
Los Angeles reservoirs provide hundreds of acres of local surface area that can be used as a platform for capturing solar energy. The initial pilot calls for approximately 11.6 MegaWatts of solar installation on DWP reservoirs. That is enough energy to power approximately 3,190 homes per year and the offset 15.9 million lbs. of CO2 emissions per year or the equivalent of removing 1,567, cars from the road. LADWP estimates that Los Angeles Reservoirs have an achievable potential of 53 MW which translates to the electrical use of 21,000 homes annually or the equivalent of taking 10,320 cars off the road.
According to the State Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), retail sellers and publicly owned utilities are required to procure 50 percent of their electricity from renewable energy resources by 2030.
Los Angeles is in a unique position to lead the country in the adoption of clean, renewable energy. With our geography, our climate, and our city-owned and operated utility, we have all the ingredients necessary to push for the wide-use and adoption of solar energy. By co-locating these panels on city-owned reservoirs, we eliminate the land-use cost and impacts of traditional solar panels.
Read the motion, here and watch news coverage below.
http://abc7.com/science/la-councilman-proposes-floating-solar-panels-on-reservoirs/3366827/
On Wednesday, February 21st, the City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to rein in out-of-control party houses in Los Angeles. The ordinance creates a series of escalating fines against the homeowners or those who rent from them, who use their homes for massive gatherings that disturb neighbors, block the public right-of-way, and threaten public safety. It includes increasing fines of up to $8,000. The ordinance also requires those who violate the ordinance to post a public notice for 30 days notifying neighbors of their unlawful conduct.
The new law, first proposed by Councilman David Ryu in 2016, expands the definition of “loud and unruly conduct” to include loud noises, obstruction of a street or public right-of-way, public intoxication and more.
The ordinance, which was supported by a variety of neighborhood councils and community organizations, is meant to dissuade property owners from renting out their homes to professional party-throwers and reduce the likelihood of future violations, freeing up law enforcement personnel for other purposes.
“Too often, we have seen people renting out their homes for the express purpose of turning it into a venue for elaborate events,” Councilmember Paul Koretz noted. “These aren’t barbeques or birthday parties, these are massive events with cover fees and throngs of people tossing cigarette butts in fire prone areas. Trying to control them has been a challenge for the City because the laws and jurisdictional authority have not been clear. This ordinance changes that.”
The new ordinance provides the City with a focused set of procedures and punishments to better address the phenomenon.
“With this new ordinance, the party is over for these completely out-of-hand neighborhood headaches,” said Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer. “With escalating fines into the thousands of dollars, this ordinance has the teeth to help us continue our house party prosecutions with greater effectiveness.”
Apologies in advance to party fans Chad Kroeger and JT Parr.
GRANADA HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS
THIS MEETING COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE BIG ONE?
(EARTHQUAKES, FIRE, AND OTHER DISASTERS)
February 1, 2018 at 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Our Granada Hills Emergency Plan Event will be held at Granada Hills Charter High School located
10535 Zelzah St. in Rawley Hall.
This meeting will help you to save lives including your own, your families, and your neighbors. The Granada Hills Emergency Plan is dedicated to keep you and your loved ones as safe as possible. During the meeting, you can hear local guest speakers and government officials present helpful information about the following:
Your Neighborhood Council Emergency Preparedness Alliance (NCEPA) tells us that during a major catastrophe we will all be on our own for 3 to 14 days or more; our emergency responders (LAPD and LAFD) do not have the resources to take care of all of us. It is up to us to take care of ourselves and each other!
For more information please call Mike Benedetto (818) 723-8087 or visit www.GHSNC.org
Mailing Address: 11024 Balboa Blvd., Box 767; Granada Hills, CA 91344
Thursday, January 18, 2018, at 7:00PM
St. Euphrasia School Auditorium
17637 Mayerling St
Granada Hills, CA 91344
The Neighborhood Councils of Granada Hills want YOUR input on the update to the General Plan for the City of Los Angeles.
We will be soliciting community feedback on:
– Long-Term Growth
– Air Quality
– Conservation
– Housing
– Mobility
– Noise
– Open Space
– Public Services and Recreation
– Safety
– Anything YOU think is important
“Love is a Warm Blanket” is an annual blanket drive for the homeless in Los Angeles and beyond during Winter months, whose mission is to warm the hearts of the homeless and spread love with donations of blankets. New and gently used (washed) blankets will be collected at drop off sites until February 2018. You can also order directly through their Amazon wishlist.
Blankets are personally handed out to the general homeless population on the streets, at distribution events in communities including Skid Row, and to homeless shelter residents including emergency Winter shelters.
You can drop off a donation at any of the following locations.
The Valley Economic Alliance
5121 Van Nuys Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, 91403
Drop Off – Monday–Friday, 8am-6pm
Note – Box on 2nd floor lobby.
The San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission
8756 Canby Ave.
Northridge, 91325
Drop Off – Monday–Friday, 9am-5pm
Note: Buzz in through main gate.
Crossfit Lomita
2074 Pacific Coast Hwy
Lomita, 90717
Drop Off – Monday–Thursday, 5am-8:30pm
Friday, 5am-7:30pm
Saturday, 9am-12pm
Sunday, 9am-11am
https://www.ghnnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/GHNNC-Street-Vending-10-2017.pdf
WHEREAS, on January 06, 2015, Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council recommended that the City of Los Angeles should prohibit all street vending within the City limits;
WHEREAS, on March 01, 2016, Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council reaffirmed its opposition to street vending, and further resolved that if the City of Los Angeles chose to support street vending then Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council would, in principal, support Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition’s conditions on such street vending;
WHEREAS, on February 15, 2017, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to decriminalize the act of vending food and products along the streets of the City of Los Angeles;
WHEREAS, Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council now seeks to provide a more definite statement on the conditions under which the community would support a street vending ordinance for the City of Los Angeles;
WHEREAS, the City of Los Angeles is one of the most diverse and populous cities in the world, and is comprised of neighborhoods with such substantially different characters and needs that those neighborhoods will desire significantly different types and amounts of street vending;
WHEREAS, each of the ninety-seven Neighborhood Councils recognized by the City of Los Angeles is in the best place to determine what types, amounts, and locations of street vending their own community will be willing to support, able to maintain, cause the least detrimental effects associated with street vending, and be to the most benefit to the community;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council supports the following conditions and requirements on the permitting of street vending, and urges the Los Angeles City Council to integrate these suggestions into any ordinance in the City of Los Angeles that establishes a legal framework for permitted street vending:
The Granada Hills Rotary Foundation is offering 75 laser-engraved memorial bricks to be added to the Memorial Walkway in the Granada Hills Veterans’ Park. The Foundation maintains the Granada Hills Veterans’ Park, which they refurbished in 2009 and 2010.
The memorial bricks have helped raise funds for the renovations and continue to help pay for maintenance. There are now 900 bricks which were sponsored and have names and messages from individuals, families of fallen and current soldiers, local businesses and community-based organizations. The Veterans’ Park’s pergola was made possible by the Granada Hills Improvement Association.
New landscaping, brick and cement work, flagpoles, monument and statue were supported by Jake Parunyan, Kenn Cleaners; Councilmember Mitchell Englander; former Councilman Greig Smith; the Granada Hills South Neighborhood Council; the Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council; the Department of Cultural Affairs; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2323; and the Granada Hills Rotary Foundation.
For more information or to request a brick, call (818)366-2020 or email [email protected].
July 4th is one of the best days of summer. Whether you take your party to the beach or stick with a backyard barbecue, remember that fireworks are illegal in the City of Los Angeles! Fireworks are dangerous – they can cause serious injury and death to people, damage homes and property, and potentially start brush fires.
The Emergency Management Department wants us to remind you to celebrate safely. For more safety preparation please visit http://emergency.lacity.org.
Here are our tips for a safe celebration:
LA Animals Services would also like you to know that they are preparing for their busiest time of year! They need your help to make space in our crowded shelters for the influx of terrified lost pets by fostering a pet for four days or more. If you won’t be in town or can’t foster at this time, please help us spread the word!
The loud sounds of July 4th fireworks frighten dogs and cats. If they get out of the house or yard, they run in fear. Then these frightened pets can’t find their way home and end up at our City shelters.
There are hundreds of wonderful animals of all ages, breeds and sizes waiting to be your temporary companion. Fostering is a great way to see what it’s like to have a four-legged addition to your family. Go to LAAnimalServices.com/foster to learn more or go to the City Animal Shelter nearest you and ask for a Foster application. They’ll get you fostering a pet right away!
There are few things better than watching a movie under the stars in Los Angeles. OK, maybe an all-you-can-eat taco bar under the stars is better, but barely. From an iconic cemetery to a rooftop in the heart of the entertainment capital of the world, L.A.’s spring and summer outdoor screenings are held at amazing venues that make them immersive rites of passage. Several lineups haven’t even been announced yet, but other series are about to kick off and you have to get tickets early or you’ll miss out — these things sell out. We’ll be updating this list throughout the spring and summer, so check back frequently for new stuff. (Continue at LA Weekly)
Councilmember Mitchell Englander and the Department of Public Works invite you to attend a Town Hall Meeting of the Board of Public Works. During the meeting, we will discuss public works projects in our district, offer an opportunity for community members to interact with Public Works staff, and learn about the challenging and exciting work that goes into creating our communities.
Wednesday, May 17
5:30 pm
Mayall Academy of Arts & Technology Magnet
16701 Mayall St.
Northridge, CA 91343
Click here to view the flyer. For more information, call the Board of Public Works at (213) 978-0262. Per Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, equal access and reasonable accommodation services are available upon request with 72 hour advance notice.
This Saturday, please join the LA Department of Convention and Tourism Development in kicking off National Travel & Tourism Week by showing that the City of Los Angeles does welcome all visitors from everywhere! You may have seen the inspiring #EveryoneisWelcome video which is part of the global welcome initiative launched last week by our partners at the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board to promote LA as a welcoming destination.
We invite you to support the “Everyone is Welcome” initiative by volunteering to help create a large human welcome sign that celebrates the diversity and inclusivity that defines Los Angeles. This event will take place on Saturday, May 6 near LAX at the Carl Nielsen Park, 9100 Jenny Avenue, Los Angeles. Take part in sending a warm welcome to visitors around the world by volunteering for one of two shifts: 8:00am – 11:00am and 11:00am – 2:15pm. Bring your family and friends and enjoy food, refreshments, giveaways and free parking!
Free parking will be provided to all participants at Lot C (of LAX). From this location, participants will be guided over the short walking distance to the location of the event. No parking in the surrounding neighborhoods of the park is permitted.
Dress comfortably! Avoid any branding on your clothing and bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen if you wish as the event is entirely outdoors.
Although the event will feature a family friendly environment and we encourage you to bring family and friends of all ages, an aspect of the event will have a height requirement which will make it unlikely that children under the age of 12 would be able to participate.
To learn more and RSVP – click this link www.discoverlosangeles.com/everyoneiswelcome
The Police Commission is seeking the assistance of the community by completing an online survey to express their thoughts, opinions, and concerns in regards to the LAPD’s video release policy. We encourage the neighborhood Council members and their community constituents to visit www.lapdvideo.org to complete the online survey. The survey is provided in both English/Spanish languages, and is completely confidential.
A Los Angeles City Council committee Monday discussed ways to combat three years of rising gang-related crime in the west San Fernando Valley.
Although the west valley enjoys a reputation as a quiet area low in crime, it is home to 16 gangs, according to a report produced by the Los Angeles Police Department and Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development, or GRYD.
“There are a lot of people out there who think that the west valley is gang-free; they are deeply mistaken. Not only must we fight those gangs head-on, but we must ensure that our children have good prevention programs and healthy after-school opportunities that divert kids from becoming gang members,” said City Councilman Bob Blumenfield, who represents part of the area and introduced a motion calling for the report.
In 2014, 177 violent gang-related crimes were logged in the area. The number jumped to 288 in 2015, then 289 in 2016, according to the report. Read more »
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is set to deliver his 2017 State of the City address today at City Hall at 10am.
Watch it live at https://facebook.com/Garcetti
The location of the City Hall chambers for the annual speech is a departure for Garcetti, who last year delivered it at an LED maker near the Port of Los Angeles, at the Valley Performance Arts Center at Cal State Northridge in 2015, and at the Wallis Annenberg Building at the California Science Center in 2014.
George Kivorik, Garcetti’s press secretary, declined to give any preview of what the mayor might discuss. A top focus of last year’s speech was the city’s improving employment numbers.
One topic likely to receive attention is President Donald Trump’s actions and rhetoric on immigration.
The president has threatened to cut federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities, and although the mayor has resisted calling for the city to embrace the term, L.A. could be a target for a loss of funds due to the police department’s limited cooperation with federal authorities on immigration.
Two local issues that could be a focus are housing and transportation, as city voters in November approved a measure that aims to raise $1.2 billion to construct housing for the homeless and country voters approved a measure that is projected to raise $120 billion over 40 years for transportation projects.
Garcetti, who was re-elected for a second term in a landslide in March, is set to deliver the speech at 10 a.m., and at 11 a.m. his proposed budget for 2017-18 will be released.
City Council President Herb Wesson plans to introduce a motion Wednesday to eliminate oil drilling in Los Angeles near homes, schools and other facilities.
The motion calls for a study on the proposed restrictions, which would also include parks, churches and health-care facilities.
Wesson’s motion does not state how far a drilling operation might need to be located from protected facilities, but it calls for the Department of City Planning, with the assistance of the city attorney and the city’s petroleum administrator, to report back within 90 days with an analysis of possible changes to the city’s zoning code that drilling operations be located within “a certain setback proximity” of residential facilities.
Residents who live near drilling sites have been speaking out in recent years and complaining of health complications they believe are connected to the local oil fields. Read more »
