Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee 8/25/11 Meeting Report

Northridge Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee

On Thursday August 25th I had the privilege of chairing my first Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee meeting. We had a great turn out and a lively conversation about several agenda items in the neighborhood as well as public comments about non agenda items. As a result, the committee has crafted 3 agenda items to be placed on the September 13th agenda for the Northridge West Neighborhood Council board meeting. I hope you come out to provide input and I'm looking forward to serving the neighborhood to the best of my ability moving forward by hosting the Planning Land Use and Zoning committee meetings at least once every two months.

Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee Meeting Minutes:
Meeting Minutes, Thursday, 25 August 2011 

Location: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Restaurant (Patio)
18705 Devonshire Street Northridge CA, 91324 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm

Members Present:
Theresa Bidner
Mary Finley
Paul Kirk
Marcy Orkin
Mike Orkin
Bryan Reff
Don Ward (chair)
Glen Wilson

1.    Non Agenda Public Comment
Fraternity House complaints and issues on Lassen Street across from Nobel Middle School.  There may be possible violations of their conditional use permit. There are parking issues on small street south and parallel to Lassen due to teacher parking overflow and student pickup drop-off.

2.    The Oakridge Estate PAB (Park Advisory Board) - Discussion / Public Comment
There were concerns of a lack of transparency by the PAB toward community constituents.. Plans and renderings presented at the last PAB meeting were not posted publicly or to the internet. Plan and rendering presented on poster boards were shown at the PAB meeting but not elsewhere. Post-it note public comments collected at the meeting should be posted to Internet. NWNC Planning and Land Use Committee members are concerned that some PAB committee meetings have NOT been open to the public. Meeting times and place not convenient. Seeking meeting place for January board meeting to occur in Northridge rather than Granada Hills and in the evening rather than during the day. Possible meeting place suggestions: Wilkinson Center, Chase Bank and Devonshire House.

Resolution: Craft resolution urging Oakridge Estate PAB to increase transparency to community, reexamine PAB meeting times and locations, and post proposed plans, renderings, and public comments at local libraries and on the internet.

3.    Northridge Vision – Discussion / Public Comment
Very little information to be found. Awaiting presentation of plan Oct 11th NWNC meeting.
The committee is concerned about additional car traffic to the area. The committee encourages robust public transit, walking and cycling facilities. Like idea of college town feel.

Resolution: Craft resoultion urging walking, cycling, transit facilities be part of the plan. Encourage college town feel.

4.    Rydell Chevrolet Additional Repair Stall - Discussion / Public Comment
New repair stall faces south towards homes on Lemarsh Street. There is a potential for noise. If neighbors are disturbed by noise consider erecting a berm / sound wall. No motion was proposed. Rydell organization noted to be friendly people. The addition may provide more jobs in the area.

5.    Walgreen CUP - Discussion / Public Comment
The committee has concerns about selling small-sized bottles of spirits and wine, and individual cans or bottles of beer. This may encourage alcohol abuse in the immediate vicinity of the Shopping Center and beyond resulting in a negative impact to our community.

Resolution: Craft resolution urging Walgreens not to sell beer in individual cans or bottles, spirits in miniatures or half-pints, and wine by splits, snipes, or ponies.

3 RESOLUTIONS for 9/13/11 NWNC Agenda

TITLE: Oakridge Estate PAB Transparency and Convenience Resolution
AUTHOR: Don Ward, Chair Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee
REFERRED TO: Northridge West Neighborhood Council by Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee

WHEREAS The Oakridge Estate Park Advisory Board was set up with the intention of community involvement; and

WHEREAS constituents in the immediate surrounding neighborhood have expressed concerns that the Oakridge Estate Park Advisory Board meetings are difficult to attend due to current meeting time and place; and

WHEREAS constituents have expressed concerns of a lack of publicly available up-to-date information, sketches, renderings, plans, and meeting minutes posted to the Internet as well as posted to physical locations; be it

RESOLVED that the Northridge West Neighborhood Council urges the Oakridge Estate Park Advisory Board to consider evening meeting times within the immediate neighborhood; and be it further

RESOLVED that the Northridge West Neighborhood Council urges the Oakridge Estate Park Advisory Board to make available all information, current plans, renderings, and meeting minutes to be posted publicly on the Internet and public locations in the immediate surrounding neighborhood of the Oakridge Estates proposed park location



TITLE: Northridge Vision Transparency and Convenience Resolution
AUTHOR: Don Ward, Chair Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee
REFERRED TO: Northridge West Neighborhood Council by Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee

WHEREAS The Northridge Vision plan will have a profound affect on the neighborhoods and surrounding areas of CSUN (California State University Northridge); and

WHEREAS constituents in the surrounding neighborhood have expressed concerns that the Northridge Vision project is lacking in transparency and available information; and

WHEREAS constituents have expressed fears of additional car traffic due to lack of alternative transportation options; be it

RESOLVED that the Northridge West Neighborhood Council urges Northridge Vision to consider evening meeting times within the immediate neighborhood of CSUN; and be it further

RESOLVED that the Northridge West Neighborhood Council urges Northridge Vision to make all information, current plans, renderings, and meeting minutes publicly available by posting on the Internet and in public locations in the surrounding neighborhood of affected areas and surrounding communities; and be it further

RESOLVED that the Northridge West Neighborhood Council urges Northridge Vision to include planning for robust alternative and public transportation facilities at CSUN and affected areas including additional cycling and pedestrian friendly facilities; and be it further

RESOLVED that the Northridge West Neighborhood Council urges Northridge Vision to facilitate, and encourage Northridge towards a small college town character.




TITLE: Walgreens Conditional Use Permit Resolution
AUTHOR: Don Ward, Chair Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee
REFERRED TO: Northridge West Neighborhood Council by Planning Land Use and Zoning Committee

WHEREAS Walgreens located at 18515 Devonshire Northridge, CA 91324 seeks a conditional use permit to sell carry off beverages of beer and wine; and

WHEREAS constituents in the immediate surrounding neighborhood have expressed concerns about the selling of small-sized bottles of wine, and individual cans or bottles of beer which may encourage alcohol abuse in the immediate vicinity of the Shopping Center and beyond resulting in a negative impact to the surrounding community; be it

RESOLVED that the Northridge West Neighborhood Council urges the CUP commissioner  to consider prohibiting Walgreens from engaging in the sale of beer by individual cans or bottles and wine by the pint or half pint, splits, snipes or ponies.