City Council Approves Department of City Planning and Development
This Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council approved my proposal to functionally integrate the Departments of City Planning and Building and Safety to create the Department of City Planning & Development. Supported by a joint report submitted by the Department of Planning and the Department of Building and Safety outlining the recommendations and corresponding action on the City Budget, Council unanimously approved the action.
In survey after survey, year after year, the City of Los Angeles has been described as the region's ‘least business friendly city,’ it is imperative that we restructure our building process to promote growth and job creation within the City of Los Angeles.
This process has been 13 years in the making for me personally, having worked to reform City Building and Planning policy, prior to my service as a Councilmember.
This is a pivotal time citywide, where policy changes, zoning practices and technological enhancements are all under discussion. We are succeeding where many previous attempts have failed.Currently, building in the City of Los Angeles is a complicated undertaking often involving numerous departments. A recent attempt to reduce the number of departments involved in the City permitting process from 12 to 2 never got off the ground.
This process will include inclusive outreach to Neighborhood Councils, businesses, residents and stakeholders. This integration will also protect and strengthen community input on all proposed development projects.
This new unified system will center on a full customer service approach fundamentally changing the way the City of Los Angeles treats businesses. It will provide certainty through comprehensive code updates and reform, plan updates and will utilize technology to enhance communication and promote transparency.
The Valley Family Festival!
Get ready for three days of family-friendly fun in the park at the Valley Family Festival coming up Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 2 at Northridge Park.The AMAZING lineup includes carnival rides, games, live music, dance, a health fair with a blood mobile, community booths and gourmet food trucks!
There will also be bouncers, arts and crafts activities for the kids! The Young Masters Symphonic Concert Band, the Fab Girls, Into the Mixx, Sylmar Folklorico, and many more will be performing live.
What better way to kick off the summer than this awesome outdoor celebration of the San Fernando Valley? Please "like" the Facebook event page, share it on your Facebook page and invite your friends to attend!Friday, May 31 - Carnival Preview
and Senior Dance
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Saturday, June 1
12:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Sunday, June 2
12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Northridge Park
10058 Reseda Blvd.
Northridge
We are proud to host this event in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Northridge and the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks.
Help Complete the Memorial Walkway
The Granada Hills Rotary Foundation is offering 100 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 825 bricks which were sponsored and have names and messages from individuals, families of fallen and current soldiers, local businesses and community-based organizations.This is the last opportunity to sponsor a memorial brick. The deadline to sign up is June 27, 2013, and the final 100 bricks will be installed in mid-July.
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, please contact John Weitkamp at jweitkamp@aol.com or (818) 363-3144 or Dr. Carl Melnik at drmelnik@ghoc.com or (818) 366-2020.
CD12 Photo Contest
As part of our “Year of Healthy Living,” Councilmember Englander is hosting a District 12 Photo Contest. We are seeking submissions of photographs depicting examples of healthy living. District 12 boasts the most public parks in Los Angeles, providing photographers a wide variety of opportunities to capture examples of a healthy lifestyle. However, healthy living means more than just eating vegetables and exercising. It also means taking care of our community, our environment, our mental health and more. There is a lot of room for creativity in the “Year of Healthy Living” Photo Contest.
After an initial screening process, photos will be posted on our contest Facebook page. Finalists will be determined by how many “likes” your photo gets on the Facebook page and five winners will be chosen by Councilmember Englander. The finalists and winners will have their work proudly displayed at Councilmember Englander’s Community Service Center in Chatsworth.Click here to visit our CD12 Photo Contest Facebook page.For more information please contact Semee Park at (818) 882-1212 or email atsemee.park@lacity.org.
New Horizons 6th Annual 5K Run/Walk
New Horizons, a North Hills based nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower individuals with special needs, will hold its 6th Annual 5K Run/Walk fundraiser on Saturday, June 1 with on-site registration and check-in beginning at7:00 AM at Woodley Park in Van Nuys.Saturday, June 1
7:00 am (Registration)
8:30 am (5K Run)
9:30 am (Walk)
Woodley Park
6350 Woodley Ave.
Van Nuys New Horizons “5K Run/Walk on the Horizon” fundraiser benefits programs and services provided for clients with special needs. Registration is $30 for adults; $10 for children and New Horizons clients. All registered participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt along with a “goodie bag.”For more information or to register or donate online, please visit www.newhorizons-sfv.org/walk.
Rotary Club Wine Tasting
The Rotary Club of Northridge/Chatsworth is hosting a wine tasting fundraiser. Come sample wines from around the world and delicious hors d’oeuvres. Space is limited to the first 120 guests.Saturday, June 8
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Ticket Prices $45 (online) $50 (at the door)
Mandel Residence
22560 La Quilla Drive
ChatsworthFor more information visit http://rotartywinetasting2013.eventbrite.com.
2nd Annual Gospel Fest
The First United Methodist Church of Canoga Park presents its 2nd Annual Gospel Fest. The free event will feature gospel groups, choirs, soloists, comedians, dancers, food, vendors and lots of kid’s activities.
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