Meeting Date: 03/21/09 02:00 PM

Meeting Type: Regular

Location: Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Blvd, 6th Floor Board Room,

Details:

  1. Presentation by Ken Urbina, Principal of Gardner Street Elementary.  Principal Urbina will talk to us about our community elementary, its programs, improvements, and its needs in terms of support from the the community.  Possible motion and vote.
  2. Presentation by Stephen Box, community activist, regarding improving biking in Los Angeles:  access, safety, bike lanes, awareness.  Possible motion and vote.
  3. Presentation by stakeholder David Ambroz and invited guest Paul Koretz, candidate for CD5, regarding intersection of Sunset Blvd and Crescent Heights as well as other safety concerns of pedestrians, runners & bikers in community.  Possible motion & vote
  4. Update on  community events/issues.
 
Adjournment (4:00 PM or earlier)
The public is requested to fill out a “Speaker Card” to address the committees of the meeting on any item of the agenda prior to the committees taking action on an item. Comments from the public on Agenda items will be heard only when the respective item is being considered. Comments from the public on other matters not appearing on the Agenda that is within the committees’ subject matter jurisdiction will be heard during the Public Comment period. Public comment is limited to 3 minutes per speaker unless waived by the presiding chair(s) of the meeting. Agenda is posted for public review: Gardner Street Elementary School, Valley View Elementary School, Yucca Community Center, on bulletin boards at the top and bottom of Runyon Canyon Park, Los Angeles Library: Will and Ariel Durant Branch and electronically on the Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council website WWW.HHWNC.org.

As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request.

To ensure availability of services, please make your request at least 3 business days (72 hours) prior to the meeting you wish to attend by contacting the Neighborhood Council Project Coordinator at (213) 485-1588, toll-free at (866) LA HELPS, or e-mail to [email protected]

PROCESS FOR RECONSIDERATION: The committees may reconsider and amend their action on items listed on the agenda if that reconsideration takes place immediately following the original action or at the next regular meeting. The committees, on either of these two days, shall:
  1. Make a Motion for Reconsideration and, if approved,
  2. Hear the matter and Take an Action.
     
If the motion to reconsider an action is to be scheduled at the next meeting following the original action, then two items shall be placed on the agenda for that meeting:
  1. A Motion for Reconsideration on the described matter and
  2. A Proposed Action should the motion to reconsider be approved.
A motion for reconsideration can only be made by a committee member who has previously voted on the prevailing side of the original action taken. If a motion for reconsideration is not made on the date the action was taken, then a committee member on the prevailing side of the action must submit a memorandum to the committee(s) chair(s) identifying the matter to be reconsidered and a brief description of the reason(s) for requesting reconsideration at the next regular meeting. The aforesaid shall all be in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act.

 3-12-09

 

Area 7 Meeting 3-21

 

2:11 Meeting convened by Cheryl Holland (CH)

2:11 Opening introductory statements, CH:

Agenda based upon new “green” environmental standards, based upon decreasing use of automobiles; improvement of local schools; bike riding perceptions and allowances in Hollywood.  

2:15 Mr. Ken Urbina (KE), principal of Gardner Street Elementary, takes the floor; begins powerpoint presentation on Gardner Elementary.  31 years in service of LAUSD

2:20 Gardener’s auditorium dedicated to Michael Jackson; after community vote in light of his troubling actions, “MJ” part covered

2:21 Powerpoint begins.  Est. 1910.  API (Academic Performance Index): 841, exceeding government standard of 800.

2:22 Gardener includes school for advanced studies, arts program school, state preschool

2:24 KE recommends websites for API lookups.  Average lower-grade class size 20:1, upper grades 30-35:1.

2:27 KE continues, outlining programs in schools for advanced studies.

2:30 KE continues, 27 students in state preschool program.  7:1 preschool ratio.

2:30 KE continues, school rules: Be safe, be responsible, be respectful

2:32 KE continues, “Mr. Urbina’s Character Education Book of the Month”; new technology center.

2:36 KE continues, no local buisness adopt-a-school partners.

2:37 KE continues, kids helping kids program with Hollywood HS.

2:38 KE continues, STAR physical education, special events including “Entrepreneur Day” and “Talent Show”

2:41 Question is fielded: open house event? KE responds, April 21st, Tuesday.  Also science fair.

2:42 Question is fielded: how many classes per grade? KE responds, 2 to 4 per grade.  22 classrooms.

2:43 KE continues, other events: “Gardnerville goes Green” with Tom Labonge.

2:44 KE’s powerpoint concludes.  He mentions pepper tree of 80 years which was toppled by inconsiderate construction adjacent to the school.  

2:46 CH takes the floor to ask questions of KE.  What is art school for Gardener, and how can neighborhood contribute?

2:48 Barbara Whitkin represents “Discover Hollywood”.  Is interested in doing art services for Gardener.

2:49 Marielena is contact for donations at Gardener Elementary.  

2:51 Valerie Keegan tells KE that fire department buses can be secured for visits to the LAFD museum.  

2:54 KE continues, MJ sign is under contention.

2:56 KE continues, an arts program school is selected by LAUSD, and teachers are provided by LAUSD, including dance instruction, visual arts instruction, and drama instruction.  

3:00 CH advocates the attendance of public schools.

3:01 Question is fielded: is class size capped? KE responds, class size is capped at 20 until 4th grade.  

3:02 CH introduces Stephen Box (SB).  CH advocates the use of “alternative forms of transportation” as an introduction to SB.  

3:05 SB takes the floor.  Introduces himself as a bike activist, active at the state level.  Serves on CalTrans district bicycle committee.  

 

3:06 SB founded “Bike Writers” collective with his wife.  Advocates “complete streets” theory.

3:07 SB says cycling is good for everyone: motorists, business, cyclists, pedestrians, residents.

3:09 SB created “cyclists’ bill of rights”.  Passes out copies.  

3:11 SB asks for Neighborhood council to support bill of rights.

3:12 SB mentions cyclist “master plan”.  

3:12 SB says that streets optimized against cut-throughs raise property values by up to 10%

3:13 SB mentions master plan workshops in the upcoming months.  

3:14 SB is a member of CA “safe routes to school” board.  

3:17 SB reviews: Citywatch LA master plan, safe routes for school funding, bill of rights.  

3:18 Next Saturday, 10 AM, Hollywood City Hall, 6501 Fountain, strategy session for memorandum of understanding with DOT and neighborhood councils.  

3:20 SB says all ideas must be within bicycle master plan, regarding Cahuenga multi-use path.

3:28 David Ambroz (DA) takes the floor.  Tells story of multi-car multi-pedestrian crash, at “The interesection of death”.

3:30 DA has little luck with DOT or CD5, talking about dangerous intersection.  Mentions simple fixes.  

3:31 Meeting attendee mentions their own accident at this intersection.  

3:33 Mentions Paul Koretz (PK) as CD5 candidate.  

3:35 PK takes the floor.  

3:35 PK was deputy during first 4 yrs of cityhood of West Hollywood.  Started neighborhood watch.

3:36 PK recalls comments on the crescent heights intersection.  Expresses cooperative position on fixing intersection.  

3:38 PK promises action on fixing intersection’s danger.  

3:43 PK compares West Hollywood’s infrastructure successes with Los Angeles’ problems.  

3:46 CH asks for a motion to endorse SB’s cyclist’s bill of rights.  Moved by Norma Foster, seconded by Wanda Thara.  

3:47 Vote is passed 14-0, unanimous.  

3:51 Various short questions are brought and answered.  

3:53 CH gives closing review.  

4:01 Meeting adjourns.  

keyboard_arrow_up