EDITORIAL : THE VALLEY'S CENTER; L.A. HAS FINALLY STARTED RECOGNIZING THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE WESTSIDE AND DOWNTOWN.

CITY Hall has finally discovered the Valley and its 1.3 million people.

How do we know?

The council recently acted on a number of key issues, such as approving construction of the Van Nuys Civic Center and working on wooing DreamWorks to North Hollywood, that directly benefit Valley residents.

These are welcome first steps in acknowledging that a third of Los Angeles exists north of the Santa Monica Mountains and its residents deserve the same kind of enlightened and powerful leadership that the downtown and the Westside enjoy.

But while the actions are welcome, they are crumbs off the table of power and lack vision of a cohesive master plan that would truly define L.A. and make the most of each region's best assets.

Van Nuys is the perfect example. After years of empty promises and halfhearted tries, the council last week approved construction and lease of a new municipal building in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. The 132,000-square-foot building recognizes the need for providing key city service centers in areas far from downtown.

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski is to be commended for leading the debate on finally getting a new civic center built and for announcing plans to open her 11th District office at the site when it's completed in 18 months.

It is curious, however, that the councilwoman, who lives in Brentwood, is the only one of the five council members representing Van Nuys who feels it's important to provide a service for a community carved up and tossed aside by self-serving politicians years ago.

The respect Miscikowski is showing for the area is appreciated. And it should prove to all residents and neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles that paying attention to what City Hall does, and demanding accountability and representation, pays off.

But it's only a small percentage of the work that needs to be done if City Hall truly wants to restore relations with outlying communities that are part of L.A. in name only.

For starters, where's the broad plan for the whole area that will capitalize on turning the civic center into the Valley Center?

Certainly, it's welcome that the new center will include space for the city departments of Building and Safety, Transportation, Engineering, Contract Administration, Street Maintenance, Planning, and Fire, plus branches of the City Clerk's, Mayor's and City Attorney's offices. What a convenience that will be for Valley residents.

But why stop there? Why not make the Valley Center a model for what the city is prepared to do for communities big and small throughout Los Angeles?

Wouldn't it be great if the city provided a video-conferencing screen and community room during City Council meetings to save precious time for Valley residents who want to address the council but can't take off work to spend a half-day or more downtown.

Setting up satellite council meetings could bring the council to the people, since the council hasn't made good on its promises to hold more meetings outside downtown.

But what the area really needs is a plan to revitalize Van Nuys, perhaps something like Universal's CityWalk that draws a community together, offers families, teens and adults a place to stroll, shop and gather.

The Valley Center. The Valley's heart and soul. The possibilities are endless.

It's time to get started. But it won't happen unless Valley voters get a lot better organized to demand the quality of life in their neighborhoods that they deserve and paid for.