Zero Waste The City has a Zero Waste
team soliciting opinions on how to reduce solid waste.
Find out how you can participate.
Zero
Waste Brochure.
Bureau of Sanitation The BOS is working to
convert our solid waste into renewable energy.
Read the brochure.
Shift Happens This is the 150th
anniversary of the last great San Andreas Earthquake.
Dare to Prepare is a campaign to prepare for the next
big quake. Find out what you can do at the
Dare to Prepare site. Read the
LAFD letter.
The DWP offers incentives to recycle your old
refrigerator and buy an energy efficient one. Other
appliance incentives are available too. Receive $100
towards an ultra low flush toilet. Read about
DWP rebates.
Online Service Requests
You
can place service requests for street repair, tree trimming,
downed trees or palm fronds in the street
online.
Did you know that you
can view all permit requests for a property online?
Click here to access the City's online reporting
system. Enter in the address and view the permits.
Trash pickup
continues on all on holidays except:
-New Years Day
-July 4th
-Labor Day
-Thanksgiving Day
-Christmas Day
WELCOME
Porter Ranch Neighborhood
Council is certified by the
City of Los Angeles to work
with stakeholders to make
Porter Ranch a Better Place
to Live, Work and Grow.
Snow dusts Oat Mountain
in Porter Ranch during
storm on December 17,
2008. Photo by Risa
Jackson.
January 6, 2009 Board
Meeting
Agenda In January we are
delighted to have speakers
on two topics: Mr. Joe Avila,
Executive Assistant to
the DWP General Manager
will be presenting
information on the
Solar Initiative,
which will be on the
March ballot. Mr. Avila
is responsible for
covering a number of
subject matter areas
within the LADWP
including legislative
policy, business and
operational analysis and
support to both the
Water and Power Services
Divisions. He will be
joined by Simone Taylor,
Governmental &
Neighborhood Relations
Liaison for the DWP. The
Solar Initiative
Presentation will begin
at 7:15pm.
You may review the
DWP Presentation in
advance. You may be also
interested in
Solar Initiative Packet
that was prepared for
the City Council by the
City of Los Angeles
Chief Legislative
Analyst and contains his
analysis cover letter, a
one page list of
findings from the PA
Consulting Firm which
reviewed the solar
initiative before it was
sent to the City
Council, Draft Copy of
PA Consulting's
PowerPoint Presentation
and a second report
prepared by Barua, Block
and Company for Solar
Green USA.
The LA Times reported
the existence of this
packet and it was
recently made available.
The two reports take
different views of the
Solar Initiative as well
as the cover letter
prepared by the Chief
Legislative Analyst.
This information is an
important supplement to
the DWP presentation and
this information was
prepared after the date
of the DWP presentation.
We will also have John Dierking,
in Tax Compliance from
the LA City Office of
Finance. He will be
speaking on Business Tax
Renewal
at 6:15pm. Bring your
questions.
John Dierking is the
current Taxpayer
Advocate for the City of
Los Angeles, Office of
Finance. The Taxpayer
Advocate serves as a
liaison and advisor to
taxpayers and provides
assistance with complex
business tax problems.
The Taxpayer Advocate
program is designed to
provide personal
assistance to taxpayers
who have business tax
problems that have not
been resolved in the
usual manner. The
Taxpayer Advocate is
dedicated to researching
and resolving issues and
complaints from
taxpayers after an
exhaustive effort has
been made to resolve
them.
The Office of Finance
was created in 2000 as a
result of Charter reform
efforts. On an annual
basis, the Office of
Finance collects over $2
billion in revenue from
various sources
including business
taxes, licenses, fees,
and permits which pay
for numerous essential
municipal services to
City residents and
businesses. Our primary
responsibility is to
collect revenues,
outstanding
delinquencies and claims
on behalf of other City
departments.
The Office
of Finance also assists
other revenue producing
departments in the City
by recommending
standardized billing and
collection procedures
based on best practices
in an effort to improve
the City.s collection of
outstanding debt. We
carry out the mission
statement through the
efforts of 342 employees
and a budget of $23.4
million. The Office of
Finance also provides
information to
businesses and
individuals regarding
the City's tax and fee
collection program.
Recycle Your Christmas
Tree
As part of its
environmental
commitment, the City of
Los Angeles offers
residents the chance to
recycle Christmas trees
at Recreation & Parks
sites and Fire Stations
throughout the City on
Saturday, Jan. 3 and
Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009,
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. Recreation & Parks
sites also accept bulky
gift packaging for
recycling.
Recreation & Parks sites
will give a free green
gift to every person who
drops off a tree!
Last year we collected
more than 80,000
Christmas trees that
were turned into mulch
and re-used, instead of
going to the landfill
where they release
greenhouse gases that
contribute to global
warming.
Wendy Gruel February
Speaker
Wendy
Gruel, LA City
Councilwoman and
candidate for City
Controller in the March
2009 elections will be
the speaker at the
February 3, 2009 Porter
Ranch Neighborhood
Council meeting at
Shepherd of the Hills
Church. She will be
sharing with us some of
the opportunities she
sees in the City through
the Controller’s office.
As Councilwoman, she was
Chair of the
Transportation
Committee, Vice-Chair of
the Budget Committee and
a member of the Audits
and Government
Efficiency Committee,
the Energy and the
Environment Committee,
and the Jobs and
Business Growth
Committee. Her
experience includes work
in the Clinton
administration, in the
office of Mayor Bradley,
and the Corporate
Affairs Department of
DreamWorks SKG.
Flood and Mudslide
Warning
December and January are
our rainy season. They
bring the possibility
of flooding and
mudslides in the areas
that recently
experienced wildfires.
Winter rains could cause
floods, landslides,
mudslides and erosion in
neighborhoods where the
fires have burned away
vegetation that normally
holds runoff water and
stabilizes hillsides.
They have deployed sand
and bags today to
critical locations so
that City crews can
place sandbags where
needed to address
flooding as quickly as
possible.
They have also placed
sand and bags at many
locations where
residents can get their
own sandbags for free
if they wish to use
sandbags around their
driveways, and yards and
in front of doorways to
further protect their
own homes from water.
All Fire Stations in the
City of Los Angeles also
have burlap bags and
several have sand, that
residents can pick up
for free, and the
firefighters can offer
advice on how to
properly use them
Fire Station 96
21800 Marilla St., (1
block south of Lassen, 1
block east of Topanga
Cyn.) Chatsworth
Free YMCA Memberships to
Military Families
The North Valley Family
YMCA is providing free
one year, YMCA
memberships to families
with a spouse or parent
called to active duty in
the U.S. National Guard
or in the military
Reserves.
The program is sponsored
by the YMCA of the USA
and the U.S. Department
of Defense to address
the needs deployed
military personnel
family members who live
far from a military
installation. The
North Valley YMCA,
at 11336 Corbin Avenue,
began offering the free
memberships October 1,
2008, for military
families residing within
the branch’s service
area.
The
Y also offers
monthly morning hikes - free
and open to the public.
This year, family hikes
are scheduled so that
younger children can
participate. North
Valley YMCA opens the
hikes to non-YMCA
members as a way to
reach out to the larger
community.
Dana Hamlin, a North
Valley YMCA member for
five years, joined the
group this spring and
recalled a recent,
six-mile night hike in
the San Fernando Valley.
The walk began at the
end of Reseda Boulevard
and followed a trail up
into the hills
overlooking the Los
Angeles basin to a
concrete platform with a
huge telescope mounted
on it.
“You could see all the
way to Dodger Stadium,”
Hamlin said. “It was a
panoramic, beautiful
view. You forget there’s
a lot of beauty right
around here.”
The next hike will be at
9 a.m., Saturday,
December 6, a three-mile
hike to Vasquez Rocks in
Santa Clarita. A
1.5-mile family hike is
set for 10 a.m., Sunday,
Jan. 4 at Corriganville
Park in Simi Valley,
followed by a six-mile
hike Saturday, January
17 at the Mishe Mokwa
Trail-Sandstone Peak in
Malibu.
Greatest Fire Risks
"Ember Intrusion" is
cited as the most likely
cause of homes burning
during a wildfire
reported the LA Times,
November 18, 2008.
Vulnerable points
include: attic vents
with greater than 1/8
inch mesh, cracked roof
tiles, barrel roof tiles
open at the bottom row,
debris collected in rain
gutters, open doors,
windows, garage doors,
gaps under doors and dog
doors, open eaves,
unscreened chimney,
single paned untempered
window glass, wooden
decking, fencing and
patio furniture, awning
and items piled up near
the house.
Landscaping that is
particularly flammable
include: palm trees,
cypress, junipers and
lavender. All harbor
significant woody, dry
material ready to ignite
and spread fire. You can
verify this yourself by
investigating what
burned along the north
end of Tampa and on
Sesnon near Tampa. This
area is filled with
scorched palms and
junipers. Many
homeowners are taking
action to remove theirs
now. This is is an
excellent time to
investigate what you can
do to make your house
more fire-proof.
November 2008 Board Meeting
BongHwan (BH)
Kim, General Manger for the
Department of Neighborhood
Empowerment (DONE) was the
guest speaker at our
November Board meeting. He
spoke about the role of
neighborhood councils,
support provided by DONE,
and some proposed changes to
the Neighborhood Council
system.
"A council's role is
advisory to the City
Council. An NC's power is
not so much in its formal
role, but rather in its role
as caretakers and stewards
of the local quality of life
while holding government
more accountable," Kim said
in describing his vision for
councils. The opportunity is
to take an issue, get the
community to weigh in on it
and bring the recommendation
to the Councilman's office.
NCs become more effective
with sufficient notice about
pending City Council
decisions and a
sophisticated understanding
about how decisions are made
at City Hall.
Asked about the ongoing
challenge of effect NC
outreach, he said that "the
most effective outreach tool
is relevance," tackling
issues that the community
cares about. He noted that
the PRNC has done a great
job with outreach.
He commented that he would
like to see the role of DONE
changing from payment
processor and enforcer to
capacity builder to enable
NCs to expand their
influence and reach. His
challenge is to use 15 field
staff to effectively serve
90 councils and 1,700 NC
board members. Some ideas
include changing the
financial system to be one
with more NC control and
DONE verifying NC financial
audits. Online ethics and
best practices training
would provide a common level
of understanding among board
members and online reporting
of training completed by
individual NC board members
provides transparency and
accountability.
He was careful to point out
that his resources could
shrink in light of the
budget crisis and that there
would probably be another
look at reducing the $50,000
currently allocated per NC. Mayor's Budget
Survey
Planning for the next City
budget is underway, and the
Mayor˘s Office and City
Departments would like your
input on what you think
should be our priorities in
budget planning
considerations. The survey
is available online at the
DONE web site -
www.lacityneighborhoods.com
PRNC Receives Award from
BONC
During the Congress for
Neighborhood Empowerment on
October 11, 2008 the PRNC
received an award from the
Board of Neighborhood
Empowerment for coming
alongside the Chatsworth
Neighborhood Council during
the Chatsworth Train
Accident on September 12,
2008.
Coyote Alert: Harden the
Target By Becky Leveque
Under cover of twilight two
coyotes jumped over our
backyard fence violently
attacking and killing our
dog, Smokey on January 15,
2008. My husband, Dave,
stood less than 50 yards
away from Smokey and heard
the violent attack as it was
occurring. He ran to the
hill and saw the two coyotes
running on the cement drain
below our home. Smokey
climbed up the hill and made
her way back into the house.
Dave wrapped her in a towel
and rushed her to the vet,
where she immediately
underwent three hours of
surgery. Smokey died of her
injuries two hours later. It
was heartbreaking.
As we investigated the
coyote problem we found many
neighbors with small,
unprotected dogs in their
back yards. We need to
harden our target for
coyotes just like
Neighborhood Watch hardened
the target for crime. One
house at a time. Prevention
is the key.
Coyotes are not protected
animals. However, Animal
Services has a policy of not
killing coyotes, because
that encourages their
growth, with fewer coyotes
contending for the same food
supply. Officer Pro from the
West Valley Animal Shelter
told me, “Coyotes have a 76
mile radius, they are very
territorial, smart, cunning,
quick and hungry.” They can
easily jump over a six foot
fence. The type of coyotes
we have are called “Urban
Coyotes”. They adapt very
easily.
Coyote
Recommendations:
The Southern California
Veterinary Medical
Association recommends
bringing pets inside at
night, as most attacks occur
at night. Bring pet food
inside at night too, remove
fallen fruit from trees, and
store trash in containers
with tight lids. If you see
a coyote stalking your pet,
they recommend you yell and
throw rocks at the coyote
and take your pet inside.
The
LA County Department of
Animal Care and Control
notes that backyard brush
provides habitat for coyote
prey and should be cleared;
coyotes would rather dig
under a fence than jump over
it, so fences should have an
“apron” buried at least four
to six inches, extending out
20 inches and securely
attached to the fence.
Report coyote sightings to
the West Valley Animal Care
& Control Center at
888-452-7381. For a map of
coyote activity, visit
www.coyotebytes.org.
You may also report coyote
sightings
to
Becky Leveque, PRNC
Police, Fire & Safety Chair.
Please include the specific
date, time, location and
number of coyotes.
Our Mission
To provide an inclusive open forum for public discussion of issues and to advise the City of Los Angeles on issues
concerning City governance, the needs of this neighborhood council, the
delivery of City services, and on matters of citywide nature.
To initiate, execute and support projects for the
physical, social and cultural improvement of the Porter Ranch Neighborhood.
To facilitate communication between the City of Los
Angeles and Community Stakeholders on issues of concern to the community and /
or the Stakeholders.
Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council Boundaries-Map
The Southern boundary is the 118 Freeway
The Eastern boundary is Aliso Canyon
The Northern boundary is the City line
The Western boundary is on the East side of Brown's Canyon road. Starting at
the City Line on the North end, down to the gate at the South end of Brown's
Canyon and then proceeding in a straight line South to the 118 Freeway
Copyright 2004-2006, PRNC P.O. Box 7337
Porter Ranch, California 91327-7337
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