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LANCC Minutes

LANC Coalition
April 12, 2008
L. A. DWP Building
111 N. Hope Street, Los Angeles

MINUTES

1. Meeting was called to order at 10:19 PM by Chair, Len Schaffer.

2. The minutes were unanimously approved as corrected.

3. Public Comment: Heinrich Kieffer stated that he will be communicating with NCs regarding the South West Museum . Jeff Block stated that City Watch has had four articles on the DWP rate hikes. Soledad Garcia said that the DWP is due to present their budget report on May 3, 2008. She would like to coordinate the LANCC meeting with the budget report. Dan Villegas has been involved with LANCC for four years and stated that the NCs are becoming stronger. Together we can do what we need to. Todd Martin insists that DWP OSC members and stakeholders should be on the DWP board.

4. Trent Lang, president of the CA Clean Money Campaign, stated that they are trying to get LA City as their first city to commit to clean money campaigns. Erik Garcetti has asked for NC input. Workshops need to be set up. 78% of political races are won by the largest spenders. It's doubtful they listen to stakeholders. Public financing is voluntary. If outside interests promote candidates with their own money, matching funds go out immediately to candidates using the funds. Clean elections would equal approximately one tenth of one percent of the city budget.

5. Bill Christopher said that SB1818 was approved in 2004, and it overrides all city laws. Cities can no longer control where buildings go. It actually cuts affordable housing rather than increasing it. What do we want LA to look like in 2050? He wants NCs to get involved in city growth for the future. We can have an enormous impact. The city is growing at five tenths of one percent and where does the growth go? If developers sue, the city must pay attorney fees and costs. The city must look into support services for density that are lacking at the current time. Such things as jobs, policing, housing, federal funding, planning, etc. must have long term planning. The city does not have density zones, but does linear streets. No infrastructure reports have been done.

6. Ben Davis of Pico Union NC said that they have the highest density in the US outside of NYC. The city has greatly increased density all over his area when they are already too dense. The city has ignored their concerns. A motion was made proposing that NCs support revising SB1818. With one abstention, the motion passed.

7. Home Depot and the LA City Attorney's office will mediate talks with the Sunland Tujunga community. Meanwhile the lawsuit brought by Home Depot has been suspended. They are trying to sidestep the community and get the city to do away with the required EIR.

8. There will be a new committee formed to follow the DWP activities, with one member from each city council district. The city is not being served well by DWP personnel. The rate increases will go for more employee raises and COLA.

9. Heinrich Kieffer explained that all the original NCs that signed on to the LANCC must vote on the charter changes that were made earlier this year.

10. Charlotte Laws of the South Valley reported that several NCs have voted to join LANCC. Margo Harris of the South area is working to get the south area together and represented. She may have six more NCs joining the LANCC.

11. None discussed.

12. None discussed.

13. The meeting was adjourned at 12:57 PM.