Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council February 2024: Issue #24-2

A rainy day at the corner of Woodman Ave and Ventura Blvd, 1952

Welcome to the February 2024 edition of the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council's (SONC) newsletter, the Ziff Flyer.

Message from the President

Lindsay Imber

email: [email protected]

I hope you are all staying safe during this storm. Here are a few tips to survive the rain!


> Make sure your emergency kit with food/water, first aid, medications, and other supplies is ready to go (and that you know where it is). Charge batteries and devices in case the power goes out.


> Familiarize yourself with evacuation routes out of the neighborhood, just in case.


> Sandbags are still available via the Fire Department.


> Although it might be a little late now, make sure your roof rain gutters are clear of debris or obstructions.


> If you notice a street-level catch basin near an intersection is blocked or clogged with debris, call LA Sanitation's 24-hour line at 1-800-773-2489 to report it.


> If you haven't yet, adjust your irrigation schedule and let nature do the watering for you this week.


> If you have trash day during a rainstorm, place your bins either on the curb or about a yard into the street, away from the curbside gutters.


SONC's February board meeting will feature motions proposed by several committees which have been hard at work reviewing local issues affecting our community.


The Airport Committee will put forth a motion pertaining to proposed departure procedure changes at Burbank Airport that will impact how planes from BUR fly over Sherman Oaks and other valley communities.


The Government Affairs Committee will consider a City Council file relative to copper wire theft from streetlights and a pilot program to convert damaged lights to solar.


The Planning Land Use Management Committee will propose SONC adopt a stance on CEQA thresholds and methodology updates.


And the Traffic Committee has a motion about DASH bus lines and how to improve this local public transit.


We invite you to attend our council and committee meetings and to be part of the democratic process.


Please see the below calendar for a list of upcoming SONC meetings and events. Always refer to the SONC website's calendar for up-to-date details, including a meeting location or virtual meeting information.


Stay safe and be kind to one another.


With Pride and Determination—

Lindsay

📅 Upcoming SONC Meetings:

To view up-to-date details, please visit the SONC calendar.

Human Services Committee

February 5, 2024, 6:30 PM


Executive Committee

February 8, 2024, 6:30 PM


SONC Board

February 12, 2024, 6:30 PM


Public Safety Committee

February 13, 2024, 6:30 PM


Planning and Land Use (PLUM)

February 15, 2024, 6:30 PM


Outreach Committee

February 20, 2024, 6:30 PM


Government Affairs Committee

February 27, 2024, 6:30 PM

Finance Committee

February 28, 2024, 6:30 PM


Vision Sub-Committee

March 7, 2024, 6:30 PM


Airport Committee

See Website for Meeting Date


Green & Sustainability

See Website for Meeting Date


Traffic & Transportation

See Website for Meeting Date





Please visit the committee

page links for meeting agendas and to confirm dates, times and locations.

How to Attend SONC Committee Meetings


Whereas the monthly Board meeting takes place at the larger Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center (5056 Van Nuys Blvd), in-person SONC committee meetings are generally held at Sherman Oaks Martin Pollard Branch Library, 14245 Moorpark Street, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 while virtual committee meetings are held via telephone or Zoom. Each Committee Chair is empowered to select a meeting format that works best for their committee. Meeting locations, formats (in-person vs virtual), dates, and times are listed on the applicable agenda published before the meeting.


For information on specific times and locations for each meeting please consult the SONC website calendar page:

https://www.shermanoaksnc.org/calendar

How to Receive Agendas When They Are Posted

Subscribe to LA City's Early Notification System (ENS) to be notified via email of all upcoming Board & Committee Meetings and to receive meeting agendas.

SONC Committee Updates
SONC Planning & Land Use Committee
and Vision Sub-Committee
Jeff Kalban, Chair

Discover the future of Sherman Oaks! Join us on February 15 at 6:30 PM at the Sherman Oaks Library for a presentation on the Orange Line Transit Neighborhood Plan by the Planning Department. Your input is crucial as this plan will significantly impact the northern part of Sherman Oaks. Share your thoughts and be part of the discussion.


On March 7, at 6:30 PM, also at the Sherman Oaks Library, the Vision Committee will host a presentation by the Bechtel Corporation on their innovative proposal for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor, Alternative 4. Learn about the system, route, proposed stations, costs, and more. Engage in the conversation and contribute your perspective.


The Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council Vision Committee is actively addressing challenges posed by 100% affordable housing projects in our community, which lack sufficient parking. With new state and city laws favoring multi-family housing without parking criteria, the issue of limited on-street parking becomes crucial. We're exploring solutions for safe commuting, school drop-offs, shopping, and more. While no one else is addressing this, we are! Join us in seeking a solution that works for all of Sherman Oaks. Share your ideas and participate in the study.

Meet with us at the Sherman Oaks Library for Vision meetings at 6:30 PM on the first Thursday of the month and Planning, Land Use, and Land Management Committee (PLUM) meetings at 6:30 PM on the third Thursday of the month. Be a part of shaping the future of Sherman Oaks!

SONC Outreach Committee

Kylee Peña, Co-Chair

Brett Collier, Co-Chair

Email: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]

Our next committee meeting will be held virtually on February 20, the third Tuesday of the month.


Have suggestions for how you'd like to see us show up in our neighborhood? Reach out!

SONC Airport Committee

Bob Bramen, Chair

Email: [email protected]

For the past 14 months Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), owner of Van Nuys Airport (VNY) has beeen conducting a Vision Study as a precursor to updating the 2006 VNY Airport Plan. At SONC’s January 24th Airport Committee meeting LAWA presented their latest Vision Study proposals that included a new land use concept plan which would consolidate all of the current aviation uses into just two categories: “Aviation Area” that would allow any type of aircraft (jet, rotary, or propeller) and “Aviation Area- Propeller Aircraft” that would only accommodate prop planes. At the conclusion of their presentation however LAWA stated that they will no longer be proposing a “preffered” alternative land use concept, but instead will produce a summary report documenting the alternative land use plans they considered, the technical studies performed, and the public responses they received. LAWA will provide a summary report and background materials to LA Department of City Planning so that City Planning could start developing the updated Airport Plan/VNY Specific Plan. The summary report will be shared with the public.


Following the presentation there was public comment as well back and forth Q&A between the Committee and LAWA. Because of LAWAs announcement that they are not going to be selecting a preferred alternative, a draft motion the Committee had on the agenda that requested all of LAWAs Alternatives was tabled to the next meeting so that a revised motion reflecting new input from the meeting could be incorporated.


Also on the agenda was a motion on the Burbank Airport (BUR) Departure Procedure Amendments Draft Environmental Assessment (EA). The Draft EA analyzed three alternatives: No Action Alternative; Alternative A which would add two new waypoints that mirror the departure procedures outlined in the FAA's Settlement Agreement with Benedict Hills homeowner groups; and Alternative B which increases the minimum climb gradients in the No Action Alternative.


The BUR Draft EA is available at https://www.faa.gov/regulationspolicies/policyguidance/noise/community/burbank-draft-environmental-assessment.


Public Comments on the BUR Draft EA can be submitted to the FAA until March 24, 2024.

SONC Green & Sustainability Committee

Avo Babian, Chair

Email: [email protected]

Our committee will be discussing issues, such as increasing sidewalk trees and promoting Green Businesses. We will also be discussing How to Help Sherman Oaks to comply with SB1383- mandatory residential composting.


We will work on a motion to help with awareness and compliance, and ways to get residents to use the Green Bin.

SONC Human Services Committee

Pamela Harris, Co-Chair

Sarah Manuel, Co-Chair

Email: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]

Thank you to everyone who volunteered for the 2024 Homeless Count in Sherman Oaks on January 23, 2024. It was wonderful to see the community come together to support LASHA and the Human Services Committee in counting our unhoused neighbors.

SONC Human Services Committee Co-Chair Pamela Harris

Our next meeting will be virtual VIA ZOOM, please join us on Monday, February 5th, 2024 at 6:30pm. You can find the zoom login on our committee page at shermanoaksnc.org. We hope you join us on the first Monday of the Month to learn how you can help our underserved community within Sherman Oaks.

SONC Public Safety Committee
Susan Collins, Chair

Due to a scheduling conflict with the library, the Public Safety Committee will not meet this month - February 2024.


The Public Safety Committee meets on the 2nd Tuesday of most months, from 6:30pm - 7:50pm, in the Sherman Oaks Library.


Subscribe to SONC's 

Early Notification System via the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment to receive all agendas for council meetings and committee meetings.

Subscribe to ENS

The Office of District 4 Councilmember Nithya Raman provides Sherman Oaks with a dedicated field deputy to handle resident and business owner issues at the city level. Ryan Ahari is the Sherman Oaks Field Deputy, and also services Van Nuys. If you need assistance with City services, agencies, and departments (graffiti, trash, abandoned properties, and more), you can reach Ryan through his CD4 web page here or call (213) 424-2412 and Ryan's email address is: [email protected]


In addition to contacting Ryan, for any issues related to homelessness anywhere within Council District 4, you can contact Senior Homelessness Deputy Sarah Tanberg ([email protected]) or Homelessness Deputy Josh Scarcella ([email protected]).

Click here to download the SONC Guide to Free Resources in the Sherman Oaks area
Volunteer Opportunities:

Volunteer with

The Valley of Change


Feed Our Friends In Need

Second Saturday of Month


Community Cleanup

Second Sundays


'Come to the Corner'


Email Contact:

info@thevalleyofchange.org



For more information please visit:

TheValleyofChange.org

Stay connected:
Twitter: @ValleyChange
Volunteers Cleaning Communities Come and Join Us to make a difference meet new people get some exercise and have some fun
Volunteer with NHIFP

Take advantage of helping out your community.

North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry is looking for volunteers.

To sign up, please visit: https://nhifp.org/
LA Regional Food Bank

If you are interested in volunteering with the LA Regional Food Bank, please visit this link.
 
Questions, concerns, please email: 
L.A. Works

Join L.A. Works and learn about all the volunteer opportunities available here in our great City of Los Angeles!

Facebook - @laworks 
Twitter - @LAWorksNow 
Instagram - @laworksnow
 
Please visit LAWorks.com
Van Nuys Neighborhood Watch news

Get Involved In Your Community

If you are interested in becoming a Block Captain and starting a Neighborhood Watch Program in your neighborhood, please contact your Senior Lead Officer at the email addresses or phone numbers listed below to obtain further details. There are 4 senior lead officers assigned for all of Sherman Oaks:


Jose Saldana

email: [email protected]

(818) 731-2565

9SL89


Mariana Romo

email: [email protected]

(818) 731-2563

9SL63


Joel Gutierrez

email: [email protected]

(818) 731-2560

9SL41


Kristan DeLatori

email: [email protected]

(818) 731-2562

9SL37

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What interests you?

If you live, work, own property, own a business, or belong to a non-profit organization, school, or religious institution in Sherman Oaks, you are a stakeholder in Sherman Oaks. We hold monthly Board of Directors and various committee meetings which you are invited to attend to learn about and participate in your community. Join SONC's Mailing List today.
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What is a Neighborhood Council?
The Neighborhood Council system enables meaningful civic participation for all Angelenos and serves as a voice for improving government responsiveness to local communities and their needs. We are an advisory body to the City of Los Angeles, comprised of stakeholder volunteers who are devoted to the mission of improving our communities.

Neighborhood Councils advise the Mayor, City Council and City Departments on the City budget and will give local residents greater say over the decisions that affect our lives. You can view a brief video explaining what Neighborhood Councils do and what it means to be a Neighborhood Council member here.
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