The Public Square: January 30–February 1, 2012

A brief look at items of interest to Hollywood residents that are on upcoming agendas at City Council, City Council Committees, Neighborhood Councils, various City Boards and Commissions, and County Board of Supervisors. LA City Agendas can be found here and LA County Board agendas can be found here. Meeting times, locations, and agendas are subject to change, so be sure to check and confirm.

Monday, January 30:

• No meetings of note.

Tuesday, January 31:

• Energy and Environment Council Committee (9:00 AM)
  • Item 1 (Council Files 10-0526 and 11-2098)
    • Board or Water and Power Commissioners’ report (.pdf), City Attorney report and ordinance (.pdf), and CAO and CLA to report relative to proposed Water Quality Improvement Adjustment Factor and associated water rate ordinance modifications.
• County Board of Supervisors (9:30 AM)
  • No items of note.
• City Council (10:00 AM)
  • Item 2 (Council File 11-0452-S8)
    • Energy and Environment Committee report relative to the Selection of the Executive Director relative to the appointment of Mr. Frederick H. Pickel to serve as the Executive Director of the Office of Public Accountability.
  • Item 7 (Council File 10-1504)
    • Ordinance relative to the reconfirmation of the Los Feliz Village Merchant-Based
      Business Improvement District. Per the associated City Clerk report (.pdf):
      • “The assessments for the Los Feliz Village Business Improvement District are used to provide beautification programs, communication, marketing and public relations, and administration which directly and specially benefits businesses within the Los Feliz Village Business Improvement District. These services are funded solely by the assessments collected and are provided only to the businesses which pay the assessments. No services are provided to businesses which do not pay the assessments or to businesses located outside of the District boundaries. The assessment dollars collected fund the budget to provide these services within the District boundaries for the purpose of improving the overall area aesthetics in an effort to attract people and concurrently increase business to stakeholders located within the District boundaries. Such services cannot be provided without charging the assessment. Therefore, the services are a direct result of the assessment collected and only the businesses paying the assessment will receive the service.”

Wednesday, February 1:

• Housing, Community, and Economic Development Council Committee (8:30 AM)
  • Item 3 (Council File 12-0049)
    • CAO, CLA, and City Attorney to report with an analysis on what obligations the City has to the employees of the CRA/LA under the CRA/LA’s existing collective bargaining agreements relative to the transfer of housing assets and functions from
      the CRA/LA to the LAHD.
• City Council (10:00 AM)
  • Item 1 (Council Files 10-0526 and 11-2098)
    • Board or Water and Power Commissioners’ report (.pdf), City Attorney report and ordinance (.pdf), and CAO and CLA to report relative to proposed Water Quality Improvement Adjustment Factor and associated water rate ordinance modifications.
• Public Works Council Committee (2:00 PM)
  • Item 1 (Presentation)
    • Presentation from the Board of Public Works relative to the Controller’s Audit of the City’s street furniture contract.
    • Viewpoints: As I noted here, the LA Times recently reported that the City Controller’s Audit (.pdf) of the City’s street furniture contract found that the City lost out on $23.1 million in revenue it should have earned, and that the City’s permit approval process for the installation of street furniture is “very cumbersome” and has “contributed to millions of dollars in lost revenue opportunity to the City.”
  • Item 2 (Council File 11-1068-S1)
    • Bureau of Street Service report (.pdf) on the bus bench and bus shelter programs and its plans to ensure that all benches and shelters are maintained in a safe, clean, and consistent manner.
  • Item 5 (Council File 11-1246)
    • CAO report (.pdf) relative to a non-motorized, multi-modal, bridge project connecting Griffith Park and the Los Angeles River Bike Path to the North Atwater neighborhood.
    • Per the report, construction of the bridge, which is currently estimated to cost $4.67 million, will be managed by the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation. Funding for the bridge will come from a “donor gift of $4 million, $274,500 from the [Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation], a non-cash contribution of $100,000 from the Army Corps of Engineers for permits, and $300,000 in AB1290 funds…”. Once complete the bridge will be donated to the City and its maintenance will be the responsibility (for at least 10 years) of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps.
  • Item 6 & 7 (Council Files 05-1853 and 05-1853-S1)
    • Bureau of Street Services report (.pdf) and City Attorney report (.pdf) relative to a proposed point of sale plan for fixing damaged sidewalks and a proposed ordinance amending the Los Angeles Municipal Code to eliminate the City's responsibility for repairing damage done to curbs, driveways and sidewalks by street tree roots.
    • The Bureau of Street Services report (.pdf) identifies a number of potential options for addressing (or ignoring) the issue of sidewalk repair and how each option could be funded and/or enforced.
• Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission - Special Meeting (6:30 PM)
  • Special public hearing to gather public input regarding the draft map and boundaries for the new City Council district. See here for the Redistricting Commission’s draft map.
    • Agenda (.pdf)
      • Meeting will be held at the Ebell of Los Angeles (4400 Wilshire Boulevard) in the Wilshire Ebell Theater.