COUNCIL WILL MEET IN SYLMAR : AGENDA TO COVER N. VALLEY ISSUES.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Amid complaints that city government is too distant to residents of the San Fernando Valley, the Los Angeles City Council will hold its regular meeting Tuesday at Mission College in Sylmar.

For the second time in a year, the council is meeting in the Valley, where community leaders have complained that Los Angeles City Hall is too inaccessible to residents.

Late last year, the council met at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

``It's always a good idea to meet out closer to where the people are,'' said Sandy Hubbard, a leader of the Lake View Terrace Improvement Association. ``I will be there. I'm taking off work to be there.''

Councilman Richard Alarcon, who represents much of the Northeast Valley, said holding a meeting in his district is a good way to give his constituents a close-up view of their government in action.

``It will give people a chance to sit down and participate in a City Council meeting in their own neighborhood, especially people for whom it is difficult to go downtown,'' Alarcon said.

Tuesday's council meeting will be held starting at 10 a.m. in the Campus Center of Mission College, 13356 Eldridge Ave.

Alarcon has put together an agenda that will focus on issues affecting the Northeast Valley, including proposals to allocate money for equestrian trails at Hansen Dam and an Environmental Awareness Center on Osborne Street in Lake View Terrace.

The council also will consider renaming the closed Lopez Canyon Landfill as the Lopez Canyon Restoration Project.''

Before the council meeting, a fair will be held at the Campus Center in which city departments will set up booths to provide residents with information on how they city can serve their needs, said Annette Castro, the councilman's chief of staff.

The councilman is tapping his political officeholder account to provide all who attend the fair with a continental breakfast, prepared by culinary students at Mission College.

Some students from the college's political science classes are expected to attend the meeting as well, said Shari Borchetta, the college's dean of administrative services.

``I think it's exciting to see the City Council in action,'' she said.

Alarcon said meetings out in the communities are an important part of serving the people better at a time when some residents want to break off from the city.

``Certainly with regard to today's talk of secession, if there is to be mitigation of that kind of effort we have to do much more to empower people,'' Alarcon said.

``I think it's absolutely essential to give people in a metropolis the size of Los Angeles a sense that government cares about what they want.''