September 2022

Board Motions and Vote Tallies for September 21, 2022

 

Motion 9(a): The Board of the Studio City Neighborhood Council (SCNC) opposes Council Files 20-
1536, 20-1536-S1 & 20-1536-S2 for a Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program (STAP) due to safety,
liability and aesthetic impacts of digital advertising screens in bus shelters. Studies have shownthat
changing digital ad screens are particularly dangerous as they are designed to distract drivers and result
in harm to traffic safety. The SCNC further opposes provisions for cell phone tracking in bus shelters
that can be shared with the contractor for ad targeting.
This motion is also to be submitted as separate Community Impact Statements (CIS) to[CF 20-1536, 20-1536-
S1 & 20-1536-S2].
A Proposed Accompanying Letter for Transportation Committee Motion 9(a) will also be provided.

9 Yes, 4 Absent.  Motion passes. 

 

Motion 10(a): The Board of the Studio City Neighborhood Council (SCNC) opposes Council Files 20-
1074-S2, 20-1074-S3, 20-1074 & 20-1074-S1 unless all pre-Covid required private parking spaces and
all pre-Covid street parking spaces are returned to their original pre-Covid status. While the SCNC in no
way opposes legitimate ADA compliant sidewalk dining, thelack of required private parking spaces and
street parking spaces are causing severe parking impacts in adjacent residential neighborhoods. While
we understand the need for dining in the street during thepandemic, the time has now come to resume
pre-Covid parking requirements.
This motion is also to be submitted as separate Community Impact Statements (CIS) to[CF 20-1074-S2, 20-
1074-S3, 20-1074 & 20-1074-S1].

8 Yes, 1 No, 4 Absent. Motion passes.

 

Motion 11(a): The Board of the Studio City Neighborhood Council (SCNC) supports Council File 22-0002-
S101, Title: AB 1740 (Muratsuchi) / AB 2407 (O’Donnell) and SB 1087 (Gonzalez) / Used Catalytic Converter
Sales. There has been a rash of automobile catalytic converter thefts throughout the City of Los Angeles.
Criminals steal them for their precious metal content. Many residents of StudioCity have been victims of these
thefts, and replacement parts are expensive. Currently, there are three bills in the state legislature that address
this problem. AB 1740 would require a core recycler accepting catalytic converters to maintaina written record
that contains the year, make, and model number and requires the owner to enter into a transaction. AB 2407
would require a recycler to report information on the purchase and sale of catalytic converters to law enforcement
and to obtain the thumbprint of sellers. SB 1087 would require a traceable method of payment for these special
parts, and permit the purchase of converters only from specified sellers. Collectively, these bills will help stop
this epidemic of thievery and prevent criminals from profiting from selling stolen converters.
This motion is also to be submitted as a Community Impact Statement (CIS) to Council File [22-0002-S101].

9 Yes, 4 Absent. Motion passes.

 

Motion 11(b): The Board of the Studio City Neighborhood Council (SCNC) supports Council File 22-0797,
Title: Illegal Dumping / Multi-Jurisdictional Locations / LosAngeles County / California Department of
Transportation (CalTrans) / Memorandum of Understanding. The City of Los Angeles Sanitation Department
(LASAN) not only collects residential waste but also abandoned and illegally dumped trash. Waste items left
outside of City jurisdiction presents problems ofcoordination with county and state areas, which can result in
lack of timely collection. This has been evident at local homeless encampments and near freeway on/off ramps.
It therefore makes sense for the City to have LASAN report on (1) efforts to coordinate trash collection with
CalTrans; and (2) the feasibility of entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Los Angeles
County and CalTrans to facilitate illegal dumping removal.
This motion is also to be submitted as a Community Impact Statement (CIS) to Council File [22-0797].

9 Yes, 4 Absent. Motion passes.

Motion 11(c): The Board of the Studio City Neighborhood Council (SCNC) supports Council File 22-0930,
Title: Compton Avenue / Nevin Avenue / Metro Right-of-Way/ Official Police Garage (OPG) /Vehicle Towing
and Storage Services / Excess Storage Lot / Lease Agreement. Official Police Garages (OPGs) provide vehicle
towing and storage services for 19 Service Areas located throughout the City of Los Angeles. OPGs provide space
for the City, including the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Department of Transportation
(LADOT), to impound vehicles to await release, transport, salvage, or disposal. Recently, these facilitieshave
faced challenges relating to the storage of impounded vehicles, with several areas experiencing great service
volume relative to capacity. If there is insufficient storage space, abandoned vehicles, such as broken-down RVs,
will be left on our streets and pose a safety hazard. To help alleviate this problem with capacity, the SCNC supports the acquisition of additional excess vehicle storage areas across the City. This includes the Metro Right-
of-Way property located at Compton Avenue and Nevin Avenue, which has already been cleared by the Board of

Police Commissioners.
This motion is also to be submitted as a Community Impact Statement (CIS) to Council File [22-0930].

9 Yes, 4 Absent. Motion passes.

Motion: Draft LAPD Support Letter by SCNC President: RE: Studio City Neighborhood Council Support for Los
Angeles Police DepartmentDear Mayor Garcetti and Los Angeles City Councilmembers: The Board of the Studio City Neighborhood Council (SCNC) writes to declare its strong support for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and to request certain actions from you. The brave officers and diligent staff of the LAPD provide our community with something that is at times taken for granted—our safety and security. We thank you and our Councilmembers for restoring previous LAPD funding. We also support the $87 million operational increase in funding to the LAPD for the 2022-2023 fiscal-year city budget of $11.8 billion. We request that you identify a way forward to achieve full staffing of the LAPD, which is significantly understaffed at this time, especially by national standards. Lack of adequate staffing results in fewer crimes investigated and the inability of the police to respond to criminal activity in a timely manner, which endangers us all. We request that you support the work of the LAPD to enhance your public communications acknowledging the important job the LAPD does and to build relationships with local communities. We declare our appreciation for LAPD SeniorLead Officer Shawn Smith. He is a valuable and dedicated crime fighter whose extensive knowledge and awareness of our community’s crime issues have contributed immensely to the safety and well-being of Studio City. We need more officers like Shawn Smith in Los Angeles. We request that the City Attorney support equal and full enforcement of all laws and ordinances, and that the City Council oppose any politicized special ordinances and/or policies that hinder or prevent the ability of the LAPD to enforce the law. Police enforcement duties should be predictable and consistent. There should not be a blanket policy of non-prosecution of misdemeanors and quality-of-life infractions. Non-
prosecutionwill only encourage further law-breaking. We request these actions from the CityCouncil because Studio City residents and stakeholders strongly believe that additional police support and resources are essential
to help the LAPD and to keep our neighborhoods safe.
Respectfully,
Scott Mandell, President, Studio City Neighborhood Council

9 Yes, 4 Absent. Motion passes.