News

All proceeds of this Limited Edition Zebra T-Shirt & mug to benefit the NHIFP.

Toluca Lake Zebra lovers can rejoice. The North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry has teamed up with designer Mitchell Bernal for a limited edition T-shirt & mug, with all proceeds benefiting the all volunteer pantry’s efforts to feed the community. Tee available in 5 colors until 10/20/20.

Bernal, former Disney artist and creator of Skelanimals, shed some light on the meaning behind the zebra caricature.

“The zebra combines elements of color that work cohesively together to create this beautiful and elegant creature,” Bernal said. “By all of us working together as one to help each other, we too can be part of something beautiful and elegant in our world.”

To order click  here.

If you do nothing else today, please, PLEASE, PLEASE contact our Senator and Assemblymember:

Senator.hertzberg@senate.ca.gov                                        916-651-4018

Assemblymember.nazarian@assembly.ca.gov                     916-319-2046

Our Single-Family Neighborhoods Are on The Chopping Block

Senate Bills 902 & 1120 and Assembly Bills 725 & 3040 will end single-family neighborhoods.

Most senators and assembly members are supporting these bills!

SB 902 and SB 1120 will allow 10-unit apartments built in every neighborhood and all single-family lots to be split in half, to build multiple housing units on each half.

AB 725 and AB 3040 will mandate that single-family neighborhoods be identified as locations for multi-family development and allow four dwellings built where one home stands now. In most cases, these changes are “by right” (meaning no community input) and no affordable units are required. In case you’re wondering: No communities are exempt — not gated, not hillside, not working-class or middle-class communities. These bills increase land speculation, gentrification, and displacement of vulnerable communities.

Join our coalition of diverse neighborhood groups from South LA, South Bay, the San Fernando Valley, Wilshire District, Venice, Calabasas, Altadena, Brentwood and Sunland-Tujunga and beyond to fight these bills.

On August 10th , we need to act together!

On August 10 th , each of us must send an email to our state senator and state assembly member urging them to stand up for single-family neighborhoods and vote NO on
SB 902, SB 1120, AB 725 and AB 3040 .

Please vote against SB 902, SB 1120, AB 725 and AB 3040. These laws, rushing toward approval in Sacramento in August, would allow: 10-unit luxury apartment buildings in every neighborhood; single-family lots split in half to build multiple housing units on each half; and four dwellings on single-family lots. Most allow destruction of stable existing housing — to build more expensive housing.

Your senator and assembly member are listed below:
Senator.hertzberg@senate.ca.gov    916-651-4018
Assemblymember.nazarian@assembly.ca.gov    916-319-2046

Join Us August 15th for South LA’s Virtual Town Hall on SB 1120
Call 669-900-9128
Meeting ID 823 264 9979
Password 1121

We held our first Food Drive last month to benefit the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry that has been supporting those in need in the Valley for 35 years. Chase Bank lent us the use of their parking lot in order to have a contactless food drive through drop off.

Many members of the community of all ages volunteered in the effort and Councilman David Ryu came by to lend his support. Twenty-five tubs and boxes of dried and canned food were collected from over 60 cars, plus bikes and walk ups. We plan to hold another drive during the Fall Holiday season.

Thank you to all who donated and helped.

Toluca Lake Food Drive

Sunday, June 14, 2020   10:00 am – 1::00 pm

To benefit the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry
A no contact drive through event at
Chase Bank, 10050 West Riverside Drive
Donors are encouraged to wear masks when passing off donations.

Volunteers are needed to help set-up, collect and sort non-perishable food donations.

For more information, ontact Terry Herkner 818-606-8635 or email: membership@tlhoa.org

NHIFP.Org

Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council
meeting Tuesday, June 23, 7:00 pm
via Zoom

Plans are being made regarding changes to Riverside Drive, including bicycle safety lanes and bus stops. Please join this online meeting to express your views on these improvements.

Check the GTLNC.Org website for information.

Mobility Plan Documents for Toluca Lake

Below is a link to the draft minutes from part 2 of the last GTLNC board meeting. The discussion regarding this motion starts on page 25. It’s important to highlight that these are only the draft minutes and haven’t been approved yet by the board. There might be some adjustments or corrections after the board has a chance to review them and provide feedback.

Below are excerpts from the 2035 Mobility Plan and its reference document the Complete Streets Design Guide. These documents are quite long, so these pages are those that pertain to Toluca Lake. 

These are the links for the full documents for those who want them for reference: 

• •   Complete Street Design Guide.pdf
  •   Mobility Plan 2035.pdf
  •  ADAPT-DRAFT
  •  GTLNC May Activity Report
  •  Monthly Reconciliation
  •  GTLNC Board Agenda, June 16, 2020
  •  GTLNC Board Agenda, May 26, 2020
  •  GTLNC Board Agenda, May 19, 2020

Kari Negri-Donatelli
TLHOA President

At last month’s GTLNC Board meeting there was a Motion to approve the City’s “ADAPT” program and 2035 Mobility Plan.  The motion is listed below:  

• MOTION N: To approve the Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council’s statement requesting that the “ADAPT” (Adjusted Deployment to Accelerate Paving in High Traffic Corridors) program implement the 2035 mobility plan on the streets already scheduled for repairing.
  • • Amendment Failed –  6/9/0
    • Motion Passed – 10/4/1

Below are some important items to note with this approval (full text is attached):

StreetsLA’s “ADAPT” program and the 2035 Mobility Plan

• Whereas the Los Angeles City Council adopted a “2035 Mobility Plan” in 2015; 
• Whereas the City’s normal modus operandi is to implement street reconfigurations (such as adding bike or bus lanes) while repaving a street; 
•  Whereas the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) is responsible for striping the street and therefore chooses how the space is used 
•  Whereas it is expensive to the taxpayer and unrealistic to expect the city will return to add bus and bike lanes that were recently striped unless they need to be repaved; 
• Whereas Mayor Eric Garcetti issued Executive Directive on February 10, 2020, instructing city departments to “deliver more and better bus transit” “activate streets” with more active transportation options and “prioritize the Right-of-Way” fulfilling commitments under L.A.’s Green New Deal; 
• Whereas bike lanes could provide a post COVID-19 alternative to people fearful of transit; 
• Whereas a comprehensive bus lane and bike lane network would provide a healthy, efficient, traffic reducing and climate change friendly alternative to single vehicle occupancy; 

• Therefore be it resolved that the Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council requests that the City implement the 2035 Mobility Plan (including any bus or bike lanes as specified in the plan) when repaving streets under the ADAPT program (and after the ADAPT program), or delay such repaving until such a time that the 2035 Mobility Plan can be implemented. 

This is a Community Impact Statement, the strongest overture the GTLNC can send to the LA City Council, meant to demonstrate community support for a pending City Council Motion.   This is an approval of the 2035 Mobility Plan.

As there have not been comprehensive community discussions, forum(s), or a survey on the 2035 Mobilty Plan prior to this vote, it would seem reasonble that this topic merits more discussion with our community.  We should solicit feedback on the propsed 2035 Mobility Plan improvements, specifically on Riverside Drive, before we indicate to the CIty to implement the plan.

GTLNC Vote Reconsideration Option

There is a formal process to request a vote be reconsidered by the GTLNC; see below an excerpt from GTLNC Bylaws regarding “Reconsideration”. (https://www.gtlnc.org/bylaws/).  

Article VIII Section 4, for Reconsideration, the GTLNC Bylaws, which is the governing document for this NC on conducting their meeting for reconsideration, states the following:

Any stakeholder may petition the Council to reconsider any matter on which the Council has previously taken an action. The petition must be submitted to the Council in writing prior to the regular meeting of the Council next following the meeting at which the Council action was taken. The petitioning stakeholder shall be afforded an opportunity to address the matter in person before the Council. The matter shall not be reconsidered unless a majority of the Council members vote affirmatively to take up the matter.

If further conversation is desired, a petition must be signed (by 50 individuals) and delivered to the GTLNC President to be placed on the June 16th Agenda.  

***  To be clear, this is NOT a request to reject parts / all of the 2035 Mobility Plan.  This is a request to have a comprehensive community discussion before a vote on a long term plan that will impact our community for years to come is approved.

Mayor Garcetti and Department of Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer announced stronger “Safer at Home” orders, instructing Angelenos to stay at home for all but essential services. This announcement orders the closure of nonessential stores, playgrounds, and bans on gatherings of 10 or more people, effective at 11:59PM on Thursday, March 19th. Shortly after, Governor Newsom ordered all Californians to stay home except for essential purposes.

Some things you can do:

• Take a walk outside
• Shop for essential items at the grocery store
• Order take-out or delivery
• Commute to jobs deemed essential