Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council May 2024: Issue #24-5 | |
Welcome to the May 2024 edition of the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council's (SONC) newsletter, the Ziff Flyer. | |
|
SONC was happy to join Assembly District 44, CHP, CD 4, and community members for the Spring Shower children's safety event last month.
As the 2023 budget year winds down, SONC will look to appoint a SONC Youth Representative Board member, and potential alternate, for term beginning July 1, 2024.
1st Vice President Howard Katchen will chair our ad hoc selection committee. More information regarding the Youth Representative, and how to submit candidate names, is available later in the newsletter. The deadline for submissions will be May 23.
Our upcoming May 13 board meeting will feature several presentations. Buckley School will give its annual report to the Council, after which we will hear from Council District 4 and Department of Recreation and Parks concerning potential improvements to Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park.
Finally, we will hear from Bureau of Engineering regarding potential projects on the LA RiverWay. This will be a chance for SONC and the Sherman Oaks Community to learn about these initiatives and to provide feedback.
As always, please stay safe and be kind to one another.
With Pride and Determination—
Lindsay
| |
📅 Upcoming SONC Meetings:
| |
|
Human Services Committee
May 6, 2024, 6:30 PM
SONC Board
May 13, 2024, 6:30 PM
Public Safety Committee
May 14, 2024, 6:30 PM
Planning and Land Use (PLUM)
May 16, 2024, 6:30 PM
Outreach Committee
May 21, 2024, 6:30 PM
Finance Committee
May 22, 2024, 6:30 PM
Government Affairs Committee
May 28, 2024, 6:30 PM
| |
|
Vision Sub-Committee
June 6, 2024, 6:30 PM
Executive Committee
See Website for Meeting Date
Airport Committee
See Website for Meeting Date
Green & Sustainability
See Website for Meeting Date
Traffic & Transportation
See Website for Meeting Date
Please visit the committee
page links for meeting agendas and to confirm dates, times and locations.
| |
|
How to Attend SONC Committee Meetings
Whereas the monthly Board meeting takes place at the larger Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center (5056 Van Nuys Blvd), in-person SONC committee meetings are generally held at Sherman Oaks Martin Pollard Branch Library, 14245 Moorpark Street, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 while virtual committee meetings are held via telephone or Zoom. Each Committee Chair is empowered to select a meeting format that works best for their committee. Meeting locations, formats (in-person vs virtual), dates, and times are listed on the applicable agenda published before the meeting.
For information on specific times and locations for each meeting please consult the SONC website calendar page:
https://www.shermanoaksnc.org/calendar
| |
How to Receive Agendas When They Are Posted | | |
|
Subscribe to LA City's Early Notification System (ENS) to be notified via email of all upcoming Board & Committee Meetings and to receive meeting agendas. | |
|
SONC Ad Hoc Youth Representative Selection Committee
Howard Katchen, Chair and Budget Advocate
Email: hkatchen@shermanoaksnc.org
| |
SONC is seeking candidates to fill the Youth Representative Board Seat for a one year term, July 1, 2024 until June 30, 2025. Candidates are to be full time high school students, 14 – 17 years old, reside within
the SONC boundaries, and be able to attend and actively participate in all Board meetings and to serve
on at least one SONC committee.
Why join SONC’s Board: You will participate in civic leadership and learn about government. Possibility
to initiate, participate and support various community projects throughout the year. Add a student
perspective to community concerns and issues.
All interested candidates are requested to submit information including school currently attending,
which grade, extracurricular and community involvement activities.
Candidates are requested to submit their information via email by Thursday, May 23, 2024 to: Howard
Katchen, First Vice President, Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council at: hkatchen@shermanoaksnc.org
| |
SONC Planning & Land Use Committee
and Vision Sub-Committee
Jeff Kalban, Chair
| |
|
The May 16 Planning, Land Use, and Land Management (PLUM) Committee is at 6:30 PM in the Sherman Oaks Library. We will be reviewing the request by Samo’s Restaurant’s (located at 13702 Ventura) request for a beer and wine license.
June 6, the Vision Committee will be reviewing the draft Southeast Valley Community Plan Update that incorporates all of Sherman Oaks. This is the first time we will be seeing what the city is proposing for this 20-year plan of our community. We will delve into the proposed rezoning and its implications for the future of our community. Here is the link to the Southeast Valley Community Plan: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d87f2c729d7f415c85211ca229cc1f31 These are the land use maps for the various communities. Scroll down to the Sherman Oaks-Studio City-Toluca Lake-Cahuenga Pass map and immediately following that is the Van Nuys-North Sherman Oaks map.
On July 18 there will be a joint PLUM and Vision Committee meeting. At that time, the Planning Department will present a revised Southeast Valley Community Plan.
Don't miss out on our regular community engagement opportunities at the Sherman Oaks Library:
Vision: First Thursday of every month at 6:30pm.
Planning, Land Use, and Land Management Committee (PLUM): Third Thursday at 6:30pm.
Your participation is crucial in shaping the vibrant future of Sherman Oaks. Together, let's build a community we're proud to call home!
| |
|
Join us in celebrating a successful collaboration between the Human Services Committee, California Highway Patrol (CHP), and Assemblymember Laura Friedman's Office, at our recent "Spring Shower" event! Together, we hosted a vital initiative where CHP provided invaluable car seat safety inspections. With the participation of over 20 families, they had the opportunity to learn how to properly install and ensure the safety of their children's car seats.
We want to thank CHP and Laura Friedman's Office, First 5 California for the donation of their New Parent Kits, along with other donations from our community for our new parents! It was a heartwarming day of community service, especially for new and expecting families.
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for our next virtual meeting on Monday, May 6th at 6:30pm. Stay updated by visiting the SONC Human Services committee page at https://www.shermanoaksnc.org.
Let's continue making a positive impact together!
| |
|
The following editorial was submitted to SONC and concerns an update regarding SB 9, a state bill SONC previously voted to oppose. With this court decision ruling SB 9 itself legally violative, we cannot help but recall SONC's February 2021 motion that identified the precise issues that the court has found unconstitutional. SONC unanimously voted to oppose then-SB 9 and SB 10.
SB 9 Declared Unconstitutional
SB 9, the state law that ended single family zoning by allowing four homes to be built on a single-family lot or allowing a single-family lot to be split in half with two housing unit on each half, has been declared unconstitutional.
Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council (SONC) and the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association (SOHA) opposed SB 9 because it was presented as a bill that addressed our affordable housing problem but none of the units built under SB 9 were required to be made affordable. We always felt this was a bill created more to benefit developers than homeowners.
The bill caused controversy because the State claimed that affordable housing was a statewide problem and as a result, they could overrule any city’s land use laws. In California we have 121 Charter Cities of which Los Angeles is one. Charter cities have their own charter that grants them constitutional right to govern their own municipal affairs. Land use is considered a municipal affair. Cities fought against the loss of this local control when the bill was introduced. The bill ultimately was passed and became law in 2021.
On April 22, 2024, the Superior Court in Los Angeles ruled SB 9 unconstitutional. Granting a victory for the case brought by the City of Redondo Beach vs Attorney General Rob Bonta.
In the ruling the lawyers for Redondo Beach argued that the premise of SB 9 was neither reasonably related to its stated concern of ensuring access to affordable housing or narrowly tailored to avoid interference with local governments right to determine its own land use laws.
The Court stated that the State of California, “presented no evidence to support the assertion that the upzoning permitted by SB 9 would result in any increase in supply of below market-rate housing.” And concluded that “SB 9 is therefore unconstitutional as violative of the “home rule doctrine.”
This ruling will certainly be challenged by the State of California. The ruling currently applies only to Charter Cities, but it has tremendous potential impact. If this ruling is upheld, a Charter City that allows SB 9 could be sued by individuals objecting to its application.
We will keep you informed if this case is appealed.
Submitted by Maria Pavlou Kalban
Member of the SONC Vision Committee
Vice President of SOHA
Founder of United Neighbors
| |
|
Subscribe to SONC's
Early Notification System via the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment to receive all agendas for council meetings and committee meetings.
| |
|
|
The Office of District 4 Councilmember Nithya Raman provides Sherman Oaks with a dedicated field deputy to handle resident and business owner issues at the city level. Ryan Ahari is the Sherman Oaks Field Deputy, and also services Van Nuys. If you need assistance with City services, agencies, and departments (graffiti, trash, abandoned properties, and more), you can contact the CD4 office here or via (213) 473-7004.
In addition to contacting the office, for any issues related to homelessness anywhere within Council District 4, you can contact Senior Homelessness Deputy Sarah Tanberg (sarah.tanberg@lacity.org).
| |
|
Volunteer with
The Valley of Change
Feed Our Friends In Need
Second Saturday of Month
Community Cleanup
Second Sundays
'Come to the Corner'
Email Contact:
info@thevalleyofchange.org
For more information please visit:
TheValleyofChange.org
| |
| |
|
Volunteer with NHIFP
Take advantage of helping out your community.
North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry is looking for volunteers.
| |
LA Regional Food Bank
If you are interested in volunteering with the LA Regional Food Bank, please visit this link.
Questions, concerns, please email:
| |
|
L.A. Works
Join L.A. Works and learn about all the volunteer opportunities available here in our great City of Los Angeles!
| |
|
Get Involved In Your Community
If you are interested in becoming a Block Captain and starting a Neighborhood Watch Program in your neighborhood, please contact your Senior Lead Officer at the email addresses or phone numbers listed below to obtain further details. There are 4 senior lead officers assigned for all of Sherman Oaks:
Jose Saldana
email: 30853@lapd.online
(818) 731-2565
9SL89
Mariana Romo
email: 40229@lapd.online
(818) 731-2563
9SL63
Joel Gutierrez
email: 36816@lapd.online
(818) 731-2560
9SL41
Kristan DeLatori
email: 32914@lapd.online
(818) 731-2562
9SL37
| | |
|
Get Involved!
What interests you?
If you live, work, own property, own a business, or belong to a non-profit organization, school, or religious institution in Sherman Oaks, you are a stakeholder in Sherman Oaks. We hold monthly Board of Directors and various committee meetings which you are invited to attend to learn about and participate in your community. Join SONC's Mailing List today.
| |
What is a Neighborhood Council?
The Neighborhood Council system enables meaningful civic participation for all Angelenos and serves as a voice for improving government responsiveness to local communities and their needs. We are an advisory body to the City of Los Angeles, comprised of stakeholder volunteers who are devoted to the mission of improving our communities.
Neighborhood Councils advise the Mayor, City Council and City Departments on the City budget and will give local residents greater say over the decisions that affect our lives. You can view a brief video explaining what Neighborhood Councils do and what it means to be a Neighborhood Council member here. |
| | | |
