NCWP Board Agenda - August 3, 2010
Tue, Aug 3, 2010, 6:30 PM

NCWP Budget and Finance Committee
Tue, Aug 3, 2010, 5:00 PM
 

Governmental Affairs Committee

Committee Chair: Ashley Diestal

Meeting Date: 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

Mission: To serve as a practical and direct resource for stakeholders needing the services of government agencies and city services to resolve quality of life issues.

Goals: To identify issues of concern to the community, and then develop, in a timely manner, information and guidelines that will provide stakeholders with the resources that are needed to be proactive in resolving their concerns. This information will be collected by the committee, then distributed and continually updated in print and via the internet.

May 2009 report:

At the Committee Meeting on May 15th,   the Committee heard a presentation from a representative from the Playa Vista Homeowner’s Association (PVPAL) regarding its request from the support of the Committee and the NCWP in seeking the creation of a blinking crosswalk for Pedestrian Traffic crossing Jefferson Boulevard from Playa Vista Drive north of Jefferson Boulevard to Playa Vista Drive south of Jefferson Boulevard.

The Playa Vista resident who presented the request noted that there have been a number of incidents in which vehicles turning left onto westbound Jefferson from Playa Vista Drive south of Jefferson and left onto eastbound Jefferson from Playa Vista Drive north of Jefferson, as well as vehicles turning right onto westbound Jefferson from Playa Vista Drive north of Jefferson and right onto eastbound Jefferson from Playa Vista Drive south of Jefferson have narrowly missed pedestrians crossing from Jefferson from Playa Vista Drive north of Jefferson to Playa Vista Drive south of Jefferson (and vice-versa) while the pedestrians where utilizing the marked pedestrian crosswalk. While such vehicles are required by law to yield to such pedestrians, vehicles are attempting such turns in front of or behind these pedestrians, which presents danger to these pedestrians. The creation of a “blinking crosswalk” would better serve to alert such operators of vehicles that there is a pedestrian crosswalk at the location in question, and to be on the alert for pedestrians making use of he crosswalk.

Following a question and answer session a motion was presented to support the creation of the blinking crosswalk, and the motion was approved unanimously by the Committee. The motion requests that the NCWP write a letter of support to the Department of Transportation and/or any other applicable municipal agency in favor of a Blinking Crosswalk for Pedestrian Traffic crossing Jefferson Boulevard from Playa Vista Drive north of Jefferson Boulevard to Playa Vista Drive south of Jefferson Boulevard.

The Committee also heard a presentation regarding the allowance of permitted parking on Cum Laude Drive, where parking is currently prohibited at all times, to allow resident parking by permit. The presenter noted that there is a shortage of available street parking for residents on adjacent streets, including 91st Street, 92nd Street and St. Bernard Street. Since Cum Laude Drive has no residential dwellings the Committee noted that it would be difficult to comply with the petition process for gathering of resident signatures, since there are no residents on Cum Laude Drive, and it was instead suggested that the presenter contact Council member Rosendahl’s office to present the request that the restriction of no parking permitted at any time be lifted to allow for parking on Cum Laude Drive. The presenter has since been in communication with Jim Kennedy at Council member Rosendahl’s office, and the request is under review.

The Committee last discussed the passage of a motion in October of 2007 regarding the creation Stakeholders residing in Westport Heights (Residential District 9 of the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa(hereinafter “the Council”)) have expressed concerns concerning a traffic problem occurring on weekday mornings on 76th Street in Westport Heights wherein traffic is backed up considerably down 76th Street easterly to La Tijera Boulevard by cars waiting to turn right onto Sepulveda Boulevard from a single lane of traffic from which such right turns are permitted. In order to alleviate the problem, these stakeholders have requested the creation of an optional straight/right turn lane from the middle lane of westbound 76th Street to allow for a second lane of traffic to proceed north onto Sepulveda Boulevard.

Following a presentation by Frances Stronks, District Representative for Residential District 9 for the Council, the Government Affairs/City Services Committee for the Council voted 8-0 to support a motion to have the Council submit a letter to the DOT in support of creating an optional straight/right turn lane from the middle lane of westbound 76th Street onto northbound Sepulveda Boulevard. This motion was in turn made and passed at the regular meeting of the Council’s Board of Directors on October 2, 2007.

It is unclear if a letter was sent from the Council after passage of the motion, as a copy cannot be located. Whether such a letter was sent or not, the problem has only worsened in the eighteen months since the motion was passed, and the request was made that the Council renew its request that an optional straight/right turn lane from the middle lane of westbound 76th Street onto northbound Sepulveda Boulevard be created to alleviate this continuing problem. A letter to this effect has been drafted and will be presented for approval at the next meeting of the Council on June 2nd.

The next meeting of the Committee will be on Tuesday, June 16th at 6:30 p.m. at Westchester Christian Church.

 
 

Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa
NCWP Government Affairs/City Services
Chairperson - Ashley Diestel
www.ncwpdr.org
 

The public is requested to fill out aSPEAKER CARDto address the Board on any item of the agenda prior to the Board 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 Board\'s subject matter jurisdiction will be heard during the Public Comment period. Public comment is limited to 2 minutes per speaker, unless waived by the presiding officer of the Board. 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 (213) 485-1360.


Date and time:

Place: Westchester Christian Church 87840 La Tijera Blvd., Westchester

Welcome and Introductions

Discussion/Action (Motion)

  1. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items (Please complete a Speaker Card) - 2 minutes per speaker
  2. At our last meeting Committee members elected to follow up on the following old business items. We will briefly discuss the results of those actions and consider any further actions if necessary:
    1. Construction of a blinking crosswalk for pedestrian traffic crossing Jefferson Blvd from Playa Vista Drive north of Jefferson Blvd. to Playa vista Drive south of Jefferson Blvd.
    2. Request for allowance of permitted parking on Cum Laude Drive and 91st Street between Gulana Avenue and Paseo Del Rey Avenue in Playa Del Rey
  3. Status of prior request pursuant to motion passed by the NCWP for creation of two right turn lanes from 76th Street onto Sepulveda Boulevard.
  4. Discussion on the concern by Mr. Donald Fast.  He spoke at the September meeting of the General NC Board about the over cutting of street trees in Playa Del Rey.
  5. Public Transit: LADOT has begun a comprehensive analysis of its transit services to respond to a projected $23M shortfall in fiscal years 2010-11.  It is critical that riders provide input so that LADOT can determine how to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of its services while minimizing impacts on transit riders.  Fare increases, service reductions, and elimination of LADOT transit services are real possibilities unless additional funding is identified.   What action, if any, does this committee wish to take in response to this issue?
  6. Public Transit: Metro is preparing an Alternative Analysis (AA), Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS), in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the Crenshaw Transit Corridor, which extends approximately 10 miles from Wilshire Boulevard on the north to El Segundo Boulevard on the south.  The corridor within the study area has a north-south orientation and includes five jurisdictions: the Cities of Los Angeles, Inglewood, Hawthorne, El Segundo, as well as portions of unincorporated County of Los Angeles. The corridor study area is generally defined as the area extending north to Wilshire Boulevard, east to Arlington Avenue, south to El Segundo Boulevard, and west to Sepulveda and La Tijera Boulevards.

    The project purpose is to improve public transit service and mobility in the Crenshaw Corridor between Wilshire and El Segundo Boulevards. The overall goal of the proposed project is to improve mobility in the corridor by connecting with existing lines such as the Metro Green Line or approved transit lines such as the Exposition Light Rail Transit (LRT) (under construction). Mobility issues in the corridor have been well documented in many studies, including the Crenshaw-Prairie Corridor Preliminary Planning Study (1994), the Route Refinement Study (2000), the Major Investment Study (MIS) (2003), and the 2004 Regional Transportation Plan. What action, if any, does this committee wish to take regarding the concerns of this community?
  7. LA City Budget Shortfalls and the impact on city services: Bernard Parks, L.A. City Councilmember from District 8, Chairman of the Budget & Finance Committee has spoken candidly with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition in a nearly two hour Q & A session at their monthly meeting. Ron Kaye, former editor of the L.A. Daily News, and sharp critic of city hall, complemented Parks on his understanding of the financial problems facing the city and appreciated his concern. According to Parks the city employee unions have crafted work rules and influence to stymie any rational chances to bring the budget under control. He said here we are in September and the unions have not allowed one dollar of the Mayor’s budget of shared sacrifice to be implemented. What actions, if any, does the committee wish to recommend to the general board regarding priorities for the city?
  8. Discussion regarding calendaring of issues for consideration by the committee.
  9. Adjourn

Powered by NCManager