In 2013 the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council celebrated its tenth year of service to the community. Over the last several years Board Members have worked to bring Porter Ranch the recognition it deserves with the addition of official blue Porter Ranch signs at the major entrance points to the community. After a significant petition drive, City Committee and Council meetings and considerable tenacity, we are pleased to report that the signs are finally installed!

The PRNC’s goal in 2013 was to continue to insure that Porter Ranch stakeholders have access City resources and to make lasting community improvements. In addition to City signs, the Council sponsored its first ever Community Emergency Response Team class, graduating about 50 new CERT residents of Porter Ranch. Working with Councilmember Mitchell Englander’s office, the Board helped to develop and celebrate the grand opening of Aliso Canyon Park and add bike lanes south of Rinaldi on Wilbur, Corbin and Mason without removing any lanes of traffic. The Board joined Castlebay Lane Elementary in celebrating the Grand Opening of its new Science Lab.

The Council feels strongly that it is important to bring speakers and current issues to our stakeholders, and this year was no exception. We started off with our own City Councilmember Mitchell Englander speaking on the Proposed Street Bond. We brought the City Elections to the voters resulting in record turn out to hear the speakers. Mayoral candidates Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel spoke at back to back meetings in May. District Attorney Candidates Mike Feuer and Carmen Trutanich answered stakeholder questions.

Other community related topics included the Bay Delta Water Project, Open Space Proposal for the Santa Susanna Field Lab, Mail Fraud, First Year Report from the Porter Ranch Community School, and the impending installation of Socal Gas Advanced Meters.

On the subject of lasting community improvements, the Board joined with other neighborhood councils to refurbish the officers break room at the LAPD Devonshire station with new cabinets, refrigerator, stove and more for the kitchen. Funding was also provided for the historical Oakridge Estate Project, hand held weather tracking devices for our local fire stations, and YMCA Thanksgiving Baskets.

As part of its outreach, the PRNC sponsored a number of community and civic engagement events including: the Valley Family Festival, Fourth of July Spectacular, Imagine Jobs Fair, Congress of Neighborhoods, Emergency Preparedness Fair, and the Chatsworth / Porter Ranch Chamber Family Festival.

Finally the PRNC regularly works to keep stakeholders informed and engaged as a community. Our Facebook page has over 260 followers and is growing daily as is our Twitter presence. Our email newsletter is optimized for smart phones and our website will be shortly. You are invited to our monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of the month at Shepherd of the Hills Church. Our next meetings are on January 7 and February 4 at 6pm. You can find out more and connect to us on Facebook.