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Here's
one of our current issues:
Do Neighborhood Councils Get Equal Time To Speak?
Background:
Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC) has been involved in trying to
get a major development in its surrounding region to take responsibility
for the negative impact it will have on Mar Vista. It has advocated
the scaling down of the project and/or for resources to mitigate
the impact of the project on the Mar Vista community. At stake are
an influx of traffic congestion, environmental degradation and impediment
of views that have long identified the character of some Mar Vista
neighborhoods. (The development I am referring to is Playa Vista,
for those who wish to know.)
At hearings by the Planning Commission, MVCC spokespeople have been
limited to a minute, while L.A. city council people and representatives
of L.A. city department have had virtually unlimited time.
Significance:
The neighborhood council (NC)
spokespeople are not being allowed time to present their views equal
to the time allotted other city officials at hearings and other
meetings where issues are deliberated. NC spokespeople have been
considered members of the public and their time limited accordingly
to a minute or two. (Sounds like the way stakeholders are treated
at board meetings, huh?)
This issue goes to the heart of how NC's
are perceived and treated by city departments and other layers of
government and brings into question the validity of certification
and the viability of serving as the voice of the grass roots.
Citywide Issue:
I propose the following initiative by CIG to the neighborhood councils:
1) Survey to establish a consensus of NC
support for getting clarification of the standing of neighborhood
councils as regards a right of equal and unlimited time in presenting
positions at hearings and other municipal government meetings;
2) If there is no consensus, never mind; if there is and once having
documented it, request that DONE clarify and report back its and
the city's position on the question;
3) Depending on DONE's response, take an appropriate action:
(a)
If, in fact, limiting NC
time is unsanctionable, encourage and assist DONE to inform
all municipal agencies that NC's are considered full partners
in city government and are accorded equal and unlimited time
to have input in deliberations that impact their areas of
responsibility; or
(b) If, in fact, treating NC's
on par with a member of the public is within the guidelines
of the city's intentions when creating the neighborhood council
system, then initiate a campaign by the NC's to amend the
charter to rectify the "unequal right of time" provision so
that NC
spokespeople appearing before other city agencies are afforded
the same rights and courtesies afforded other spokespeople
of other layers of municipal government. |
Ken Marsh
Mar
Vista Community Council
ken.marsh@verizon.net
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