A Busy First Day for Council's Englander

On his first day as new District 12 councilman, Mitchell Englander presented three motions, and one is on the agenda for Friday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting.

He is asking the council to establish a remote access weather station that will alert firefighters in the communities of Chatsworth, West Hills, Porter Ranch and Granada Hills of conditions that pose a fire risk.

In areas that are designated Very High Fire Severity Zones, the National Weather Service issues Red Flag warnings to the fire department so that they may plan the pre-deployment of supplemental fire resources, if needed.

The warnings are based on humidity, wind speed, temperature and other factors that are collected by a network of remote weather stations, according to the proposal.

The installation of a remote access weather station in District 12 would enable firefighters in Chatsworth and surrounding neighborhoods to receive the Red Flag warnings. The motion, which was seconded by Councilman Tom LaBonge, proposes to transfer $20,159 to the Los Angeles Fire Department for this purpose.

Orange Line Extension

Englander also authored a motion to instruct the Department of Transportation to meet with businesses in the Chatsworth-Northridge Industrial Core to discuss the option of a local shuttle service that would serve key locations to and from the Chatsworth Metrolink Station as the neighborhood prepares for next year’s opening of the Orange Line Extension.

The discussion would include representatives from Metro; Metrolink; Cal State Northridge; the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the council district.

“Given the tremendous importance of the Chatsworth-Northridge Industrial Core as an employment base and the region's need to reduce traffic congestion, it is important to consider ways to encourage employees to use transit to commute to and from their job,” the motion stated.

The four-mile Metro Orange Line Extension, which will connect the Canoga Station to the Chatsworth Metrolink Station, is set to open in summer 2012. It will include a new bikeway, pedestrian paths and additional parking at the Chatsworth Station.

The motion states that “When the Metro Orange Line opens for service, it will greatly expand the Chatsworth Metrolink Station's role as a transit hub by connecting Metrolink, Amtrak and local bus service, as well as connecting the Northwest Valley to the South Valley, and to farther designations such as downtown Los Angeles via the Metro Red Line Subway.”

The motion was referred to the Transportation Committee, but it is not currently scheduled on a meeting agenda. Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who chairs the committee, seconded the motion.

DWP Rate Proposals

In June, the Department of Water and Power’s (DWP) proposed rates were announced. Two independent review processes, one prompted by former Councilman Greig Smith in 2004, and one approved by voters in the March election, now have the chance to analyze the actions of the DWP.

The council’s review process hires an independent party when the DWP announces any rate adjustment. Voters chose to have the DWP Office of Public Accountability (OPA) also provide an independent analysis of proposed water and power rates. However, the executive director of the office has not been selected yet; last week the council voted just to approve an ordinance for creating a five-member committee made up of DWP rate payers. The council has an Aug. 15 deadline to nominate the members of the committee, two of whom Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will select, according to the ordinance.

Englander’s motion asks the Board of Water and Power Commissioners to consider the independent analysis by the OPA, as well as the council’s independent third party report. The councilman also wants both reports to be submitted to the council and the mayor, upon the approval of the water and power rate proposals.

Councilwoman Jan Perry, who chairs the Energy and Environment Committee, seconded the motion with City Council President Eric Garcetti. It was referred to the committee on July 1, but it is not currently scheduled on a meeting agenda.