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Thanks for an amazing 2013!
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Dear Friends:
As 2013 draws to a close, I'm inspired by the realization of how far we've come as a city under difficult circumstances in recent years. I'm encouraged by our progress so far, and while challenges still lie ahead, I'm confident that the New Year will be brighter still.
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Happy Holidays from your CD2 team!
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This year we celebrated the news that crime dropped in Los Angeles for the 10th consecutive year, making us the safest big city in America. In Council District Two, we've seen job growth and increased business revenues every year since I was elected to the Council, and I'm working hard to expand opportunity further by assisting small businesses, boosting local film and TV production and investing in our infrastructure. As Budget and Finance Chair, I've led the stabilization of the city's fiscal health, and we've begun taking steps toward restoring services such as extending library hours, increasing graffiti removal and upgrading ambulance service. In my district, we've opened new playgrounds, resurfaced or slurry sealed nearly 50 miles of streets and increased tree trimming. And in the year that marked the centennial of the opening of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, we stood on the shoulders of William Mulholland and successfully completed one of the largest and most challenging infrastructure projects in recent memory by replacing one of the city's largest water lines, through Coldwater Canyon, ahead of schedule and under budget.  I'm incredibly grateful to have the honor of representing a district that is known for its activism, in which so many people devote their time, talents and energy to making their community a better place. I'm also blessed to have an exceptionally talented and committed staff of professionals who work hard every day for the people we represent, and as I reflect back on this year I'm very grateful that each of them is a part of our team. Working together, we will continue to build a better future for North Hollywood, Studio City, Sun Valley, Valley Glen, Valley Village and Van Nuys. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to play a part in that progress. As we look forward to great accomplishments in 2014, I want to extend to you my best wishes, and those of my family and staff, for a very happy holiday season and New Year.
Very truly yours,
 Councilmember Paul Krekorian
Second District
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Krekorian Presses for DWP Reform
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"It is not the end of our continuing efforts to reform the DWP, but it is a very important step in the right direction that achieves significant savings for ratepayers."
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Heeding the call from a constituency demanding reform, Councilmember Paul Krekorian worked on a number of legislative solutions in 2013 to help fix the Department of Water & Power.
In November, he introduced two motions that aim to cut down on wait times for DWP customers and improve billing practices at the utility to ensure customers receive accurate information. Earlier in the year, he helped hammer out a contract with the DWP's union that saved more than $400 million over the next four years, and billions of dollars over the next 30 years, for Angelenos. The contract also kept rates from spiking even higher. At the same time, he helped ensure that the Council and the Mayor will retain authority to continue implementing much needed and overdue reforms at the DWP. [read more...]
While the utility's billing system and excessive wait times have yet to be completely fixed (as of this writing), he continues to put pressure on the DWP to ensure that reform comes to Los Angeles. [ read more...]
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Laying a Foundation for
Fiscal Responsibility
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"The future looks much brighter now in the city of Los Angeles than it did, but our job is not yet done. It's important that we continue to move forward on a sustainable budget."
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Following more than a month of hearings and meetings led by Councilmember Krekorian, chairman of the city's Budget & Finance Committee, the city adopted its new fiscal plan in June. The $7.68 billion spending plan, for the 2013-14 fiscal year, balances the city's books while laying the groundwork for future growth. The budget increased the size of the city's reserve fund, allocated $1 million for graffiti abatement and increased spending for services such as tree trimming, funds that went toward beautifying our district and the city.
The budget also allocated $1.1 million for senior meals programs that would otherwise be eliminated due to federal cuts. The action by the Council saved 100,000 senior meals. [read more...]
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Toward a Greener, More Beautiful Community
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Cleanups Conjure Clean Community
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 This year, neighborhoods across the Second District put on their gloves and led the charge toward cleaner streets, sidewalks and communities.
In collaboration with the office of Councilmember Krekorian, neighborhood stakeholders from Studio City to Sun Valley and North Hollywood to Valley Glen volunteered their time and effort to identify blight in their communities, pick up trash and debris, clear overgrown weeds and identify graffiti. [ read more...]
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Los Angeles Becomes Largest City to Ban Plastic Bags
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For more information on the city's reusable bag program, check lacitybag.com. To get your free, reusable bag call us at (213) 473-7002 and leave a message with your name and address so we can send you one ASAP. You can also get one by emailing us here.
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 Los Angeles worked to cement its reputation as one of the greenest cities in the U.S. when in July, the mayor signed an ordinance to eliminate plastic bags throughout the city, an action officials said will save millions of dollars and help the environment.
Councilmember Krekorian, who seconded Councilmember Paul Koretz' 2011 motion, said the money the city could save not cleaning up plastic bags will be better spent on core services.
"[I]n these difficult times, the money would be spent much more wisely on parks, ambulances, child development, economic development and many other things," Councilmember Krekorian said in July.
An estimated 2.3 billion single-use plastic carryout bags and 400 million single-use paper bags are used annually in the city of Los Angeles, according to the Bureau of Sanitation. The bags contribute to a major component of litter on city streets and in waterways, impairing water bodies and marine habitats, while creating significant environmental consequences.
Starting January 1, 2014, large retailers will be banned from distributing plastic carryout bags. The ban extends to smaller stores on July 1, 2014. The ordinance also requires retailers to charge customers 10 cents for each paper bag used. Stores that fail to comply with the ordinance will be subject to fines up to $500 for each bag distributed to customers. The ban of single-use plastic bags makes Los Angeles the largest city in the country to adopt such a policy.
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Sustainable Energy on a Global Scale
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Los Angeles to be Coal Free by 2025
In a historic step, the City Council in May approved a DWP plan to end L.A.'s reliance on coal by 2025, two years ahead of schedule as the city continues to invest in renewable energy.
The unanimous vote set in motion the process of weaning Los Angeles off coal, which the city depends on for up to 40% of its energy. [read more...]
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LED Streetlights for a Brighter Future
City workers in June completed an ambitious project to outfit more than 100,000 streetlights throughout Los Angeles with energy and cost reducing LED lights.
When the final street light was switched, Los Angeles became the first city in the world to retrofit its aging fleet of lights to more energy efficient bulbs. [read more...]
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Economic Development on the Rise in CD2
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Local Biz Tours
Councilmember Krekorian toured dozens of small businesses throughout the Second District this year, visiting local shops, restaurants and other economic engines in Studio City, Valley Glen and North Hollywood.
The tours follow a three-year push by the Councilman and staff to implement "real changes to making L.A. a more supportive, affordable and responsive home for business," he said. [read more...]
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Demanding Action
at Valley Plaza
The city took the first step in years toward revitalizing North Hollywood's Valley Plaza. In October, the Councilmember introduced a motion to ensure the city can spur development at the once thriving shopping center.
"We need to move forward with a revitalized Valley Plaza shopping center that will uplift our community rather than degrade it," he said. [ read more...]
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Keeping Jobs in L.A.
In a unanimous vote, the City Council approved a measure in October to waive certain fees to keep jobs and production local.
Television pilot productions will be exempt from about $400 in fees while the city, as it works to shore up one of its most important economic sectors, seeks to gain millions of dollars from shows that stay local and provide jobs to Angelenos. [read more...]
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With a Greater Voice, Rolling Ahead with Transportation
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The Valley's Transit Future
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Earlier this year, Councilmember Krekorian was appointed to the Board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority and elected to serve as chairman of the San Fernando Valley Council of Governments.
With these new roles, the Councilmember said he will push the Council of Governments and the MTA to focus its attention on priorities that broadly impact the Valley and its residents on the issue of transportation to enhance mobility throughout the entire region and pursue a seamless public transportation system that cost-effectively reduces congestion in the San Fernando Valley and all of Los Angeles. [ read more...] |
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Planting the Seed for a More Connected City
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 Working on a stream of multi-modal improvements to transportation in the San Fernando Valley that will begin to materialize in 2014, the Councilmember this year: - Called for a study on how to better enhance and utilize the Valley's DASH lines to increase its service for commuters;
- Helped secure $500,000 from MTA to create a transportation plan of action, called the San Fernando Valley Mobility Matrix to study the Valley's transportation needs while developing a cohesive strategy for transit within the region;
- Sought to ease the parking crunch at the North Hollywood Red Line Station [link] while also enhancing pedestrian and bicycle connections at the Universal City/Studio City Station and the North Hollywood Station;
- Following two decades of debate, moved forward with a plan to build a pedestrian bridge connecting the Universal City/Studio City Station Metro Station and Universal Studios. [read more...]
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Partnering With Neighbors to
Upgrade the Safety of our Community
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 In February, Luis Ovies walked into the North Hollywood field office, sharing his concern about the corner of Laurelgrove Avenue and Dehougne Street, an intersection not too far from Valley Plaza Library, and those who regularly cross there.
The CD2 team worked with Dept. of Transportation engineers to assess the safety concern at the intersection and approved the installation of a new stop sign
in mid-March. By October, the neighborhood welcomed its brand new stop sign and road markings, which aims to increase safety for pedestrians and the community. [read more...]
In August, our office and neighbors helped identify parts of the community in need of care, such as a stretch of Raymer Street in North Hollywood, that had been ridden with industrial dumping, bulky items, graffiti and unkempt land by business owners. Councilmember Krekorian and staff, working in conjunction with local nonprofit North East Valley Graffiti Busters, helped clean the area while the Dept. of Transportation worked to install overnight parking restriction signs on Saticoy Street east of Bellaire Avenue, where recreational vehicles and trailers parked along the street had been a persistent safety concern. [read more...]
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Ensuring Reliable Water With a
Once-in-a-Century Project
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"This is a vitally important project to ensure the continued safety and reliability of our drinking water. This has been a challenge. It's tested our patience, but I would say that the people of the Valley have passed that test with flying colors."
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 It was one of the largest infrastructure projects in modern L.A. history, replacing a major pipeline installed by William Mulholland a century ago.
For five weeks, workers from the DWP shut down Coldwater Canyon, between Ventura Boulevard and Mulholland Drive, a heavily driven corridor that connected the San Fernando Valley with the city.
"This is a vitally important project to ensure the continued safety and reliability of our drinking water," Councilmember Paul Krekorian said in March. "I know how difficult it will be to drive through the area during this time..."
Crews worked from March 23 to April 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, replacing a nearly century old pipe with a massive new 60-inch trunk line experts said will last for 100 years and deliver 75 million gallons of water per day at a clip of 54,000 gallons per minute. When the news was announced that crews finished two days ahead of schedule and under budget, a collective sigh of relief was heard throughout the canyon and the Council office. "This has been a challenge," Councilmember Krekorian said in April. "It's tested our patience, but I would say that the people of the Valley have passed that test with flying colors." To view behind-the-scene photos of the project, visit cd2news.tumblr.com. [read more...]
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Pushing for Greater Public Safety Measures
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L.A. Seeks Ban on Carrying High Capacity Magazines
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 Under the direction of Councilmember Paul Krekorian, the L.A. City Council worked toward a ban on the possession of high-capacity magazines this year.
The move came in the wake of the Newtown massacre and countless others in Southern California and the state. "While high-capacity magazines are not the cause of gun violence, they do make such tragic cases far more deadly," the councilman said at the time.
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Information Sought for Hit-and-Runs
The City Council approved two $50,000 reward motions this year to help catch those responsible for hit-and-runs in the East Valley.
Grant High School senior David Alexander Granados tragically lost his life in Valley Glen during a fatal accident in March. In a second incident, which occurred in August, a driver struck and killed a 35-year-old man, Michael Bonanomi in Studio City.
The LAPD is still seeking information.
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Action to better track ammo, keep bullets out of wrong hands
At the behest of Councilmember Krekorian, the City Council in May agreed to implement an electronic reporting system aimed at better tracking ammunition sales. The action eliminated the need for police officers to travel to gun stores and shooting ranges to pick up documents.
The new system would allow timely and cost-efficient cross-check of the records of sales against databases of prohibited persons, permitting law enforcement to quickly determine and track illegal possession of guns. [ read more...]
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Parole Denied for North Hollywood Arsonist
State prison officials in July denied parole to convicted arsonist Mario Catanio, who set fire to a North Hollywood restaurant in 1982 after being paid $2,500 by its owners in an insurance arson scheme. During the struggle to contain the blaze, LAFD Firefighter Thomas Taylor, 34, died after falling through the roof of the flaming structure. Citing letters of opposition to his release from Councilmember Krekorian and L.A. firefighters, the California Parole Board denied Catanio's release. [read more...]
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171 Firefighters Spent 83 Minutes Fighting a Valley Fire. That Was Just the Start of Their Heroic Effort.
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"It's important that we recognize this great example of the kind of heroism, the kind of skill, the kind of extraordinary performance that our fire department makes us so proud of everyday."
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 On a calm Wednesday morning in February, hundreds of firefighters rushed to 5260 Bellingham Avenue, responding to what they called a Major Emergency Structure Fire that ripped through a four story apartment complex in Valley Village.
Less than 90 minutes after the call came in, nearly 200 firefighters extinguished the blaze, containing most of the fire to a couple of units and saving all of the 75 tenants in the building. Injuries were minimal and the Red Cross worked with residents to provide resources in the wake of the fire in which the structure was left in tact with a few units heavily damaged.
The LAFD responds to more than 1,000 calls everyday for medical service, accidents, rescue and fire incidents. But dousing fires is only part of what they do, something to which residents on Bellingham can attest. After the fire, the department's Battalion 14 set up a 24-hour fire watch while keeping the displaced residents updated with information about services available to them. [read more...]
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Solved: The Mystery of the Darkened Park
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We learned of the issue around Halloween, from a neighbor complaining that a local off leash dog park near Whitnall Highway in North Hollywood was dark. The lights, they said, no longer operated at night and concern brewed through the neighborhood that the heavily utilized park would no longer be accessible to the community after sunset, one of its most popular times.
Immediately, our office took on the case and vowed to fix the situation, to turn back on the lights and figure out why they were off in the first place. We soon learned that this wasn't a simple switch to flip. The case of the darkened dog park revealed a web of red tape involving two neighborhood councils, three city departments and confusion about who was supposed to be doing what and which entity was entrusted with certain responsibilities.
About eight years ago, the city opened the Whitnall Off-Leash Dog Park. Almost immediately after the ribbon was cut, it was clear that the $250,000 officials used to create the park would not cover the cost of lighting. At the time, an agreement the two neighborhood councils in the region - Toluca Lake and Mid Town NoHo - hammered out an agreement to share the cost of lighting on nearby poles to help extend use of the park after dark.
Their agreement would not last forever. When the shared contract lapsed in June, Mid Town NoHo Neighborhood Council, where the park is located, agreed to pay the bill until December. The paperwork was not processed correctly, it was soon discovered, and the lights switched off in October.
We spoke with DWP, where officials checked the lights and said there were no mechanical issues. They could be turned on, but, the bill, now past due since June, had to be paid. Because this case involved neighborhood councils, we approached the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, DONE, where staff members found the missing paperwork and, at our behest, worked to fix the situation.
Approaching December, residents worried that while the lights would soon be on but there were no guarantees for 2014.
On Dec. 11, the Mid Town NoHo Neighborhood Council was set to meet. On its agenda was a strategy session to find a way to pay for the lighting bill. This would be a moot discussion as that night we put the finishing touches on a deal for the Department of Recreation and Parks to consume the annual cost - $1,600 - for the lights.
The lights went on and the Whitnall Highway Dog Park was lit. What originally seemed like an easy flip of a switch transformed into a maze of bureaucracy that slowly untangled with a rugged persistence.
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Students Shine at the 3rd Annual Media Festival
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"I'm thrilled that our festival once again gave them a forum to fully showcase their vision.
I have no doubt that among the finalists we announced will be Oscar and Emmy winners of the future."
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Enthusiastic young filmmakers and a throng of film buffs filled the seats of North Hollywood's El Portal Theatre in March to watch the final 36 films of the 3rd annual Los Angeles Student Media Festival to showcase a night of impressive storytelling.
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Community Leaders Honored
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 The City Council honored several neighbors and organizations this year for their exemplary work and contributions to the community. As leaders, activists and stakeholders, they continue to be agents of change in their communities and fuel the growth and progress of Los Angeles. |
 We lost many great people this year. Some were pillars of business, others led their lives with a quiet dignity. All were loved and will be missed. The City Council this year paid tribute to those leaders and many more, including Art Ginsburg, Steve Porus-Lange, William Gross and Jon Krikorian, for the contributions they made to their communities throughout their lives. They will be remembered for their compassion, dedication and spirit. |
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Copyright � 2013. All Rights Reserved.
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