LANDFILL FIGHT: WHAT IF? VALLEY COULD HAVE HAD MORE CLOUT IF CITY REFORMS WERE IN PLACE.Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer For many opponents, the scheduled Dec. 8 city council vote on reopening Reopening Treasury offerings of additional amounts of outstanding issues, rather than an entirely new issue. A reopened issue will always have the same maturity date, CUSIP number, and interest rate as the original issue. the Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Granada Hills comes a year too early. That's because elements of the new City Charter creating area planning commissions Noun 1. planning commission - a commission delegated to propose plans for future activities and developments commission, committee - a special group delegated to consider some matter; "a committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours" - Milton Berle and advisory neighborhood councils Neighborhood councils are governmental or non-governmental bodies composed of local people who handle neighborhood problems. They can be found in many cities throughout the world. are not in effect, so there is no formal way to voice an official protest of the dump. ``This would be a real good test case of the effectiveness of neighborhood councils,'' said Rob Glushon, who served on the Elected Charter Reform Commission. ``Here you have the North Valley Coalition yelling yell v. yelled, yell·ing, yells v.intr. To cry out loudly, as in pain, fright, surprise, or enthusiasm. v.tr. To utter or express with a loud cry. See Synonyms at shout. n. and screaming, and they have their councilman on their side.'' Glushon said a neighborhood council could approach others in areas where they have helped on past issues - such as the closing of the landfill in Mission Canyon and blocking the Lancer incineration incineration the act of burning to ashes. project in South Los Angeles South Los Angeles is the official name for a large geographic and cultural area lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central Los Angeles, and is still sometimes called South Central. . ``What would be interesting is if they went to a neighborhood council in Brentwood and Encino and got them to join forces. And those councils would go to their council member and tell (Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski Cindy Miscikowski represented the 11th District on the Los Angeles City Council for two full terms from 1997 through 2005. Previously, she was an aide to Councilman Marvin Braude and the Executive Director of the Skitball Cultural Center in its beginning stages. ) about their position,'' Glushon said. ``And, then they would go to South Central and get those folks to join them, and they would tell their council member (Councilwoman Rita Walters Rita Walters (1930-) is currently the commissioner of the Los Angeles Public Library. Prior to this position, she served on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 9th district. During that time, she chaired the Arts, Health & Humanities Committee. ) of their opposition. It could be a fascinating demonstration.'' Miscikowski carried the motion to reopen re·o·pen tr. & intr.v. re·o·pened, re·o·pen·ing, re·o·pens 1. To open or be opened again: Officials reopened the airport after the snow was cleared. Schools reopen in September. the landfill. Both she and Walters have indicated they will vote in favor of Browning Ferris Industries' request to reopen the 394-acre landfill. As it stands, the Sunshine Canyon Landfill proposal would not be considered by any area planning commissions to be created because it is a pending application. However, that would not stop any neighborhood councils from weighing in and attempting to develop citywide support. ``The long-term hope is that neighborhood councils would come together and develop a collective view,'' said Xandra Kayden, a political scientist and president of the League of Women Voters League of Women Voters, voluntary public service organization of U.S. citizens. Organized in 1920 in Chicago as an outgrowth of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, it had as its original nucleus the leaders of the latter organization. who was active in the charter reform deliberations. ``If people get involved collectively across the city and decide they don't want this landfill, they will put pressure on the council and get away from neighbor vs. neighbor.'' Councilman Joel Wachs Joel Wachs served for several terms as Los Angeles City Councilman for the 2nd district. He was first elected by defeating incumbent James B. Potter. While in office, Wachs chaired the Public Works Committee and vice-chair of the Environmental Quality & Waste Management said it also would force City Hall to provide information in a more timely manner to the community instead of being given reports on the day of a scheduled vote, such as what occurred last week. ``It was typical City Hall,'' Wachs said. ``Here we had weeks to study this, and we were given a report on the morning we were supposed to vote. ``What is good about the neighborhood council approach is the early warning system. People in the neighborhoods will be given information early on before a vote is made and not afterward af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here . ``It will be a new story. Too often, things are done here at the last minute, and there is little information available. What neighborhood councils will do is open up the whole system.'' However, a different view is taken by Wayde Hunter and Mary Edwards of the North Valley Coalition, the homeowners group that has been fighting the landfill. ``Maybe I'm too cynical, but I don't think it would change anything,'' said Hunter, president of the coalition. ``Neighborhood councils will just be advisory, and they can't force an official to do anything. I'm cynical because I've seen that whoever has the most money wins. ``Unfortunately, in our case, (Browning Ferris Industries) has more money than us and Sylmar together. What drives our City Council has to do with money, power and influence.'' Also, Hunter said he believes the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. will always be shortchanged when a decision comes to the City Council. ``As long as the majority of the council comes from the other side, we will come off second best. The only way to change things is to secede se·cede intr.v. se·ced·ed, se·ced·ing, se·cedes To withdraw formally from membership in an organization, association, or alliance. [Latin s .'' Edwards was equally skeptical. ``It would be nice to think that neighborhood councils make a difference, but I don't think the downtown interests will let that happen,'' Edwards said. ``It all depends on who's appointed to the councils. And I think it will not be people who go against a council member.'' George Kieffer, chairman of the Appointed Charter Reform Commission, argued the neighborhood councils can be a success if they are provided with the early information. ``What we expected is that there will be political pressure from the neighborhood councils in the future, and they will play a role in planning and have an opportunity for input during that process,' Kieffer said. ``One of the things we wanted was to have an early warning system for neighborhood councils to give them an opportunity to make comments.'' Also, Rafe Sonenshein, who served as executive director of the appointed panel, said the neighborhood councils will bring a different dynamic to issues such as Sunshine Canyon in the future. ``What will happen is the developer will go to the neighborhood council first and then to the Planning Commission and the council,'' Sonenshein said. ``Having to go through the neighborhood councils first means that changes would be made from the start to make them happy so you wouldn't have the controversies later on.'' |
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