======================== Steve Crouch
CAP Views Editor - Canyon Area Preservation
CAPViews@comcast.net Hello everyone,
Whitebird could have offered a proposal that fit within our Community Plan, that complemented the community, but they chose to push ahead with a project that only shows their greed. Don’t just take my word for it, learn about this project for yourself and see what is being proposed. If you need more information, please contact me directly. Here’s the meetings that you can attend this week. Monday, December 6 - 7:30 pm
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
Camp Max Strauss, Glendale
(from Marc Stirdivant, President of Glendale Crescenta V.O.I.C.E.) This is to let you know, if you do not already, that the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy will be meeting at Camp Max Straus in Glendale this Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. The public -- and all of you -- are invited. Public comment begins at 8:00 p.m. but if you want to speak, you should get there by 7:30 p.m. to pick up a comment card. Canyon Hills is on the Agenda for that evening. Wednesday, December 8 - 7:00 PM
Sunland Tujunga Neighborhood Council
Mount Gleason Middle School
10965 Mt. Gleason, Sunland
Check out their web site for great details about what’s going on around the area, http://www.sunlandtujunga.org/council/ The STNC voted last month to NOT SUPPORT the Canyon Hills project as proposed. Also hit the link on their web site for more info on Canyon Hills, http://www.sunlandtujunga.org/council/CanyonHills.html
Candidates running in the election for new board members will be on hand to talk and answer questions. Voting will take place on Saturday.
Thursday, December 9 at 9:45AM, lasting several hours
Deputy Advisory Agency of the Planning Department
Special hearing on Canyon Hills
Municipal Building
7747 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga
This is a BIG MEETING! Everyone is requested to attend. The official notice is included as an attachment. Here’s some more information about what we’d like to see discussed: 1) The benefits of the project do not outweigh the problems. There are not sufficient “overriding considerations” to offset the unmitigated negative impacts. The only “overriding consideration” that could be relevant is the need for housing, but these homes are not “affordable housing” and do meet that criteria. 2) The requested amendments to the General Plan and Community Plan are not in the best interests of the community. We know it will set a precedent for future developers at a time when our area is experiencing the greatest growth in its history. The project does not address this larger context – but we must.
3) Since the tract maps must be consistent with the General Plan and Community Plan, the Deputy Advisory Agency (headed by Emily Gabel-Luddy) should not be able to approve of the maps unless the GP/CP amendments are first approved. 4) The General Plan and Community Plan are supposed to provide some degree of predictability for the community and developers. Why should some developers get favors when others are expected to stay within the boundaries of the GP and CP? 5) We need to request that the “comment period” following the hearing is left open for 4 weeks, so that the community can specifically verify the Slope Density calculations from Whitebird. Emily Gabel-Luddy WILL require Whitebird to submit their digitized maps and calculations. We need time to review that properly. 6) Of course – focus on any of the specifics in the EIR you’ve each already identified. There are so many “facts” presented by Whitebird that are not TRUE facts, and it’s up to each of you to point these out. You can be a “resident expert” with valid testimony of what you know to be true – such as traffic density on La Tuna Canyon Road, wildlife issues that are not or under-reported, the equestrian nature of the community, etc.
Saturday, December 11 - All Day - STNC Elections
Municipal Building
7747 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga
Please vote for the candidates of your choice to represent your interests on the Sunland Tujunga Neighborhood Council. The STNC is one of the most active neighborhood councils in the City, and people are taking notice of what we are doing here. Come to the monthly meeting on Wednesday Dec. 8 to meet the candidates and ask them about their positions, then cast your vote. Of course, we’d like you to vote for people who care about land use issues in our area and are willing to take a stand!
Drop box sites located at:
Office of Councilmember Wendy Greuel, 7747 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga
Office of the STNC, 7747 Foothill Blvd., Room 101, Tujunga
OR
By Mail: P.O. Box 87, Sunland, CA 91041
Please come to any and all of these meetings to express your viewpoint. Whether you support or oppose Canyon Hills, it’s most important that you get involved in your community and the organizations that are available to utilize your talent and energy. This will make our community a better place, and one in which you feel you have a stake.
Take care of one another.
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Steve Crouch
CAP Views Editor
Canyon Area Preservation
CAPViews@comcast.net
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