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ARROYO SECO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL (ASNC)
MINUTES OF THE MEETING

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26,-2009 -- 07:00PM TO 09:30PM

MONTEREY ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE CENTER

5926 Monterey Road (at Avenue 60 in Hermon), Los Angeles CA 90042

Supporting documentation for this meeting can be found at:

http://www.asnc.us/2009-archives/October 26, 2009_1009archives.htm

 

I.      CALL TO ORDER (Hank Shaeffer, presiding)

Meeting called to order at 07:15 PM.

II.     ROLL CALL (Glenda Lubelsky)
Present: Martha Benedict; Michael Blatt, Scott Folsom, Anthony Guida, Judy Knapton; Mark Legassie, Pablo Lopez, Glenda Lubelsky, Tom Marble, Joseph Riser, Hank Schaeffer, Jerry Schneider, David Talbert, Ann Walnum

Excused Absences:  Robert Hawkes, Paula Sirola, Robert Rakauskas

Unexcused Absences:  Pablo Lopez; Ernie Sanchez

A Quorum was established.

III.   COMMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT (Hank Shaeffer)

IV.   NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS

1.     Position:  Recreation, Culture & the Arts – At-Large Representative: 

It was announced that David Brunk had withdrawn his application for this position.

After hearing statements from the remaining two applicants for the position:  Gintaras Valiulis (Mount Washington stakeholder) and Martha Benedict (Montecito Heights stakeholder), the Board voted to elect Ms. Benedict at-Large Representative for Recreation, Culture & the Arts, and Ms. Benedict took her place on the Board immediately.  Her term of office is to run until a successor is elected in June 2010.

V.    APPROVAL OF AUGUST 24, 2009 MINUTES

After discussion, on motion duly made and seconded, the Minutes of the October 5, 2009 Minutes were unanimously approved with a spelling correction which will be noted on the Minutes as posted.

VI.   TREASURERÕS REPORT (Mark S. Legassie)

The Treasurer presented a financial report, which has been posted on-line.  The Treasurer pointed out that per Board rules, Unless otherwise outlined in the motion at the time ASNC funding is requested, approved expenditures for community projects must begin within six months, or by the end of the current council fiscal year (whichever is longer), or they will automatically lapse.

VII. ACTION ITEMS -- Funding Requests.

1.     Jerry Schneider gave a PowerPoint presentation and offered the following revised motion, to read as follows:

SIGNAGE PROJECT $3,000 - Motion that ASNC provide funding in the amount of  $3,000 for a Way Finding Signage Project. Funding is contingent upon the project being funded by additional partners for an amount of additional funding of not less than $7,500.  This project has been under discussion for the last two months in the ASNC Environment Committee, and the committee recommends the project. The project will provide directional way finding signage to assist pedestrians find their way to various cultural, historical, and recreational destinations (such as Audubon Center, Debs Park, Heritage Square, and Lummis Home) from the Metro Rail Gold Line Southwest Museum Station.

After discussion, the Board adopted the motion, after further amending it as follows:

The Environmental Committee will come back to the Board with a detailed proposal showing the number and location of the signs after full funding is secured.

2.     The motion to approve the allocation of $2000 in community project funds to the non-profit organization, Northeast Trees, to water 20 trees for one year at locations on Figueroa Ave from 3900 to 4978 Figueroa (which borders the HHPNC) was unanimously approved with one abstention.

3.   The Treasurer announced that an attempt was being made to resolve the Avenue 50 Security Camera issue by treating the BoardÕs previous appropriation as a Neighborhood Purposes Grant.  

 

VIII.         ACTION ITEMS – Non-Funding Requests.

1    710 Freeway discussion

a)  After discussion, on motion duly made and seconded, the Statement (see attached) was amended as follows:

Last sentence in first paragraph to be changed from: Ò The ASNC is opposed to any form of an extension to the 710 Freeway through the ASNC area that will result inÓ to ÒThe ASNC is opposed to any form of an extension to the 710 Freeway through the ASNC area if it will result in:Ó   (Changes are highlighed)

and approved by a vote of 11 in favor; 1 against, and 1 abstention.  The statement is to be sent to relevant elected and appointed officials identified by the BoardÕs 710 working group.

b)  A motion was adopted that the ASNC shall file the following Community Impact Statement in support of L.A. City Council File #09-0002-s189 (Garcetti/Huizar/ Reyes, submitted Sept. 30, 2009), a resolution whereby the City would oppose any extension of the 710 Freeway via tunnel through Zones 1 and 2, while calling for any portal opening for such a tunnel in Zone 3 to be south of Valley Blvd. (Zones as defined by the Caltrans/MTA SR-710 Tunnel Technical Study):  

ÒThe Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council supports this action insofar as the resolution opposes as impractical and costly any completion of the 710 Freeway underneath our ASNC communities, contained almost completely in Caltrans ÒZones 1 and 2." As good neighbors in the City NC system, ASNC defers to the LA32 Council, representing El Sereno, regarding any construction there. Within Los Angeles City, LA32's area would bear the major portion of any potential negative effects from a possible tunnel extension through "Zone 3."

2.   By motion duly made and adopted, the ASNC Board indicated that it has no objection to the placement of a ÒRose HillsÓ community sign on Monterey Road adjacent to (but not within) the ASNCÕs boundaries.   

3.   The motion to amend the Standing Rules or Bylaws (as determined by Rules and Elections Committee) so as to enable the President to take part in board votes has been deferred to the next meeting of the Board.  Tom Marble agreed to research Robert Rules of Order to ascertain whether a Bylaws amendment will be required.

4.   The proposal by Roy Payan of the Montecito Heights Improvement Association, for the ASNC to sponsor a food drive for needy families in all ASNC communities was tabled to the next meeting of the Board.

5.   After discussion, on motion duly made and seconded, the Board unanimously approved the resolution:

                        Whereas, the November 6th public comment deadline only provides 42 days for consideration and input to the               draft LA Bike Master Plan, thereby severely limiting neighborhood council participation,

 

                        The Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council requests that the deadline for input be extended to January 8th to                                 provide at least 90 days to critique and provide input to the Draft LA Bike Master Plan.

IX.   COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS.  Due to the lateness of the hour, on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously approved, committee reports and further business on the Agenda was tabled to the next meeting of the Board.

X.    NEXT MEETING

1.     Future meeting dates and locations:

The next meeting will be held on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009, at the Monterey Adult Day Health Care Center.

XI.   ADJOURNMENT

      Meeting adjourned at 09: 45 PM


arroyo seco neighborhood council

pOSITION REGARDING PROPOSED 710 EXTENSION

 

The Los Angeles city-certified Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council (ASNC) represents the historic and unique Northeast communities of Hermon, Monterey Hills, Mount Washington, Montecito Heights, and Sycamore Grove in land use and other local governmental issues.  The ASNC is opposed to any form of an extension to the 710 Freeway through the ASNC area if it will result in: 

¥           The loss of homes, businesses, or any existing amenities in our communities;

¥           devastation or diminished use of any remaining open areas or green space enjoyed by ASNC stakeholders within our boundaries;

¥           any compromise of the geological stability of our area;

¥           further delays in the realization of improved public transportation options for ASNC stakeholders;

¥           increased traffic on our communities' primary feeder streets as a result of any such extension, whether after any proposed construction or for extended periods during construction;

¥           more congestion on existing freeways that serve our area's residents, workers, etc;

¥           heightened noise levels related to re-configured traffic flows;

¥           placement of ventilation devices that deface the landscape or concentrate pollutants in any of our communities, negatively affecting constituent health;

¥           or, any other environmental or aesthetic degradation that cannot be mitigated successfully.

Further, the ASNC urges a consideration of alternatives to the 710 Ògap closureÓ that address more precisely the current and future needs of our constituents as well as the rest of Southern California – reducing congestion, improving air quality, increasing connectivity for pedestrians, making our cities more livable – such as:

            ¥           Trip Reduction and Transportation Demand Management for autos;

            ¥           low-build options to facilitate traffic movement within Òthe gapÓ;

¥           a more comprehensive transit network, providing seamless connectivity;

¥           heavy rail taking freight to more remote hubs for transfer to trucks.

The ASNC keeps its constituency informed through its website: http://www.asnc.us/ as well as its group email: asncalert@yahoogroups.com.  As the 710 issue evolves, the ASNC will host public forums to present all sides of the debate and offer a venue for all concerned constituents to become involved.