Mar Vista Community Forum

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski December 2003 E-News

Dec 22, 2003

December 22, 2003

Once again I wish you happy holidays as Christmas, Hanukkah and the New Year approach us! Things have been very busy these past few weeks as the Council is taking a hard look at our budget with the repeal of the Vehicle License Fee. As you know I am a member of the Budget and Finance Committee and we will be looking at all of our City departments in the coming months for ways to reduce our costs. Council will be in recess for the next two weeks, and will resume in the new year, January 6th 2004. While we are ending the year with uncertainty when it comes to our budget, I am happy with the many wonderful things that have transpired in CD11 over this past year. I have been so pleased at the way in which the various communities of CD11 have come together to form Community and Neighborhood Councils, with almost every area within the district belonging to a certified council. My staff and I look forward to continuing to work with Neighborhood Council's as well as the many other community groups within the district. I know that in 2004 my staff and I will continue to work in partnership with my constituents in improving the quality of life and services within our District and the City as a whole.



Calendar Section


Monday, January 5th, Del Rey Homeowners and Neighbors Association, Venice Japanese Community Center, 7pm.

Tuesday, January 6th, Brentwood Community Council, Brentwood Kaufman Library, 7pm.

Thursday, January 8th, Pacific Palisades Community Council, Palisades Library, 7pm.

Tuesday, January 13th, Mar Vista Community Council Stakeholder Meeting, Mar Vista Recreation Center, 7pm.

Tuesday, January 20th, Palms Neighborhood Council, Iman Center, 6:30pm

News You Can Use

Community Care Facilities - After hearing concerns from constituents regarding a proliferation of community care facilities in their communities, I am initiating a motion through Council to have the City Attorney's Office form a taskforce with other City departments to see what can be done at the City level. Since these facilities are regulated by the State of California, we are limited in what ability we have to limit their activities. However, recently, some cities have been successful in similar efforts and we would like to see if we can incorporate their work into our own City system. For more information, please contact Sandi Sawa in our Westchester Office (310) 568-8772.

Ballona Creek Joint Powers Authority- Our office has been working with the County of Los Angeles, Congresswoman Jane Harman, the Army Corps of Engineers, City of Culver City and others on Ballona Creek projects. Seeing the need for future collaboration, I am in the process of submitting a motion to begin conversations about forming either a Joint Powers Authority or a similar type group for all local jurisidictions. If you have any questions about the motion or other related Ballona Creek issues, please feel free to contact Sandi Sawa in my Westchester Office at (310) 568-8772.

CEDAW Ordinance- On Friday, December 19th, the City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance supporting the local implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women. CEDAW is an international human rights treaty, which provides a universal definition of discrimination against women and girls and brings attention to a whole range of issues concerning women and girl's human rights. The UN general assembly adopted CEDAW in 1979 and President Carter signed the treaty on behalf of the United States in 1980, but the US Senate has not yet ratified it. The CEDAW Task Force, lead by the Commission on the Status of Women, and made up of various Council Offices (including CD11), the Mayor, City Attorney, Personnel, Chief Legislative Analyst and a number of non-profit organizations has worked long and hard on drafting the ordinance and are to be commended for their work. (San Francisco is the only other major City in the US who has adopted CEDAW at the local level.) Adherence to the principles of CEDAW at the local level will promote equal access to and equity in health care, employment, economic development and educational opportunities for women and girls and will also address the continuing and critical problems of violence against women and girls. The ordinance also initiates an analysis of the operations of city departments to identify discrimination in, but not limited to, employment practices, budget allocation and the provision of direct and indirect services to residents of the City. For more information on the principles of CEDAW you can contact the CEDAW Task Force at 213-978-0300 or Julie Pietroski of my staff at 213-485-3811.

Airport Update- On Friday December 19, I introduced a motion together with Councilmember Wendy Greuel to address our concerns about contracting practices at Los Angeles World Airports. A report released on December 15 from City Controller Laura Chick found that an environment for potential fraud exists, due to potential abuse and conflicts of interest in the process for awarding multi-million dollar contracts at LAX.

Because even the perception of improper conduct at a city agency does not further the public's and the City's interests, we have brought a motion to take several steps:
* Conduct hearings in various Council committees to review both contracting practices at the City's proprietary agencies and LAWA's proposed reforms in response to the City Controller's audit.
* Seek a city ordinance prohibiting City Commissioners from political fundraising on behalf of any City elected official.
* Seek another ordinance banning Commissioners from sitting on panels that review bids for a contract award.

City Council must ensure that a culture of secrecy and a pay-to-play environment does not exist in the awarding of multi-million dollar contracts at the airport, including contracts for the LAX Master Plan that the City Council is expected to vote on.

West LA Civic Center News- Over the years, when I have looked at the large surface parking lot behind the West LA Municipal Center, I have imagined how wonderful it would be to better use the space for housing with components of affordable or senior housing built onto the property. It seems that now my dream may actually be coming a reality.

After a previously proposed land swap initiated by Councilmember Ruth Galanter between the City and a private develope,r with property in Playa Del Rey, never quite took hold, Patriot Homes, Inc., a Southern California housing developer, approached me about doing a different land swap with the land it owns in Playa Del Rey, directly adjacent to the Del Rey Lagoon Park, and another site in Council District 11. I suggested the WLA Municipal Center site as I have long envisioned a better use for the property.

The City owns 2/3 of the Del Rey Lagoon, which has a park surrounding it, while Patriot Homes owns the other 1/3. If the City were to obtain the property, it would ensure the protection of this sensitive ecosystem and ensure the land would be in public hands for perpetuity. Patriot Homes would still like to give the property to the City, and is hopeful that a housing development on the West LA Municipal Center property could be a huge benefit to the community.

My office, in conjunction with the Mayor's office, has discussed this proposal at length. Currently, the property houses the WLA Municipal Building, a senior center, outdoor amphitheater and pedestrian mall. The Mayor, through his attempts to bring Municipal services closer to individual communities, has identified this site as a location ideally suited to provide expanded City services. In exchange for the opportunity to build multi-family housing on the City-owned site, Patriot Homes has offered to build a new Municipal Building, senior center and community space, as well as deed the Del Rey Lagoon property to the City as open space. As you know, the Municipal Center, though not old, is not large enough to hold all of the services the Mayor and I would like to deliver. A new, larger building would be able to house not only the services currently in the site, but also uses such as Building and Safety, Public Works, Transportation, City Planning and other constituent services. In addition, Patriot has committed to honoring their previous commitment of $100,000 to the City for the lagoon.

While there is much left to do to make this proposal a reality, I and the Mayor are very supportive of the project and believe it has many positive components for the entire community. In order to determine what it would take to make this project feasible, I recently made a motion to the City Council to request that the City Attorney and the Department of General Services work to facilitate an agreement between Patriot Homes and the City in regard to the development of housing and a new Municipal Building and Senior Center on the current WLA Civic Center site.

I have also asked that an implementation plan necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives of this proposal be prepared. I expect that information shortly. As part of this proposal, I will be encouraging community dialogue and feedback to determine what the best uses of the site are, what community amenities will be provided, and any other information that will ensure a project which will benefit the community.

Please feel free to contact Debbie Dyner or Mark Edwards in my office if you would like more information or have questions at 310-575-8461.

Five-Star Restoration Challenge Grants- The National Association of Counties, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Wildlife Habitat Council, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Community-Based Restoration Program within NOAA Fisheries and other sponsors (e.g., Office of Surface Mining), are pleased to solicit applications for the Five-Star Restoration Challenge Grant Program. The Five Star Restoration Challenge Grant program is open to any public or private entity. Applicants should complete the application form (download at: http://nfwf.org/programs/5star-rfp.htm) Applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2004, results will be available in late May and projects will be evaluated to the extent by which the guidelines are met. Projects must involve diverse partnerships, ideally organizations, that contribute funding, land, technical assistance, workforce support, and/or other in-kind services. Awards are between $5,000 and $20,000; the average grant is $10,000. For more information, please visit EPA's website www/epa.gov/owow/wetlands/restore/5star.

Los Angeles Animal Services Holiday advice- L.A. Animal Services urges pet owners to take special precautions to protect pets from holiday cheer with a few suggestions: Keep pets away from strings of lights or electrical cords, pets can strangle themselves or chew on electrical cords and cause a fire hazard; monitor all pet activity; tie down your Christmas tree to prevent it from toppling over; keep pets away from Christmas trees and ornaments where they can hurt themselves; tinsel, thin ribbon and string are deadly to cats when ingested- keep this material away from them; place ornaments toward the top of the tree - away from pet's reach; pets and candles don't mix- keep pets away from candles; keep pets on their regular diet- do not include them in the diversified diet typical to humans during the holidays; when throwing a party, keep pets in a back bedroom so that they do not become overly excited or escape; provide warm, secure, out-of-the-wind shelter for outdoor pets; provide clean, warm bedding; and all small animals should be kept indoors. If you are going out of town for the holidays: make sure pet enclosures are secure, pets have proper identification, and make arrangements for the care of your pets; provisions for food, water and appropriate care in a secure environment.

In observance of the Christmas and New Year holidays, Los Angeles' six shelters/Animal Care and Control Centers will be closed on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25th and New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1, 2004. Although shelters will be closed, service for emergencies will be available and animals will be accepted 24-hours-a-day. For additional information or to reach any of the city's shelters, the public may call 1-888-4LA-PET1/1-888-452-7381 (TTY-Hearing Impaired: 877-875-8205) or visit the website: www.LAAnimalServices.com

Pet gift certificates- For Christmas, L.A. Animal Services suggests pet gift certificates to enrich the lives of both people and animals. If someone you know is ready for a pet, don't buy them the animal?…especially during a season that is stressful for most. Remember that a new pet requires time and attention - a commodity that is usually in short supply during this busy time of year. Instead, give a Pet Gift Certificate from L.A. Animal Services. That way, you give the person time to think about what animal is compatible with his or her lifestyle. When ready, the gift recipient can select the perfect pet from among the hundreds of adoptable animals at any of the city's shelters and provide a homeless animal with a loving home. Pet Gift Certificates are available in a variety of amounts and go towards adoption fees that include vaccinations, microchips, spaying or neutering and (for dogs), licensing. To find out which L.A. Animal Shelters offer pet certificates visit their website. Shelters are open on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and on Sundays from 12 Noon to 4:00 PM. Another gift to consider is a donation, on behalf of the gift recipient, to the City's Animal Welfare Trust Fund. Donations enhance the quality of life for shelter animals by funding animal supplies, medical equipment and improvements to Animal Shelters. Donations can be mailed to: L.A. Animal Services, 419 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. www.LAAnimalServices.com

Zoo News- You can celebrate the Zoo this holiday season with a wide range of fresh, thoughtful gifts that will be meaningful not only to the receiver but to our community and the natural world as well. Whether it's a Zoo membership, animal naming privileges, or the opportunity for someone to make his or her mark on the Zoo through a Paw Print or Discovery Center tile-these gifts will last far beyond the holidays. Give a gift membership to the Los Angeles Zoo by going to: http://www.lazoo.org/membership.html.

New signal at Manchester and Sepulveda Westway - Many of you have called my office to inquire as to the status of the new signal at this location. I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that the Department of Transportation and the Department of Water and Power are currently putting the final touches on this signal, which should be energized shortly after the holidays.

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I hope you have enjoyed this update. As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions on making this monthly newsletter more interesting, informative and useful to you. If you like what you see and weren't an original recipient, e-mail your "subscription requests" to miscikow@c11.ci.la.ca.us Our regular readership has grown continuously, if you have friends or neighbors you think might like to receive this monthly update, please refer them to us. Thanks for your interest! Also e-mail us if you don't want to receive this newsletter, and we'll take you off the list.

Cindy