Opposed to the proposed Sunland/Tujunga Residential Floor Area District? Here are some pertinent information.

Many Sunland and Tujunga residents oppose the lastest zoning proposal from the Los Angeles Department of Planning, primarily changing the MAX SIZE (remodels or new) OF ANY HOUSE IN THE AREA TO 30% of the lot size. On August 28, 2008 the Los Angeles Planning Commission convened, heard, and approved the Case CPC-2008-2861-RFA.

10/15/2008 The Sunland Tujunga Zoning Change has been passed into law. Yet, it is still challenged by way of the following:

-- A protest was submitted of the L.A. City Council Hearing on this matter. We expect a rehearing based on a Brown Act violation.
-- A protest was submitted of the L.A. City Council's use of an Urgency Clause in the hearing of this ordinance. We expect a rehearing based on an inacurrate and incorrect justification.
-- I have retained the attorney Fred Gaines of Gaines and Stacey LLC as representation on this matter.
The attorney presented the matter to the LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, via this LETTER.
A BIG "GOOD JOB" TO THE SUPPORTERS AND THOSE SIGNERS OF THE PETITION. STAY TUNED!!!

9/24/2008 YAH!!! Some movement. LA City Clerk's Council File Management System IT'S NOT LAW YET!!!

Council File: 08-2348
File Activities
09/24/2008 City Clerk transmitted file to Planning and Land Use Management Committee Clerk to verify file content.

Well, the Sunland Tujunga Neighborhood Council claims that the Sunland Tujunga Residential Floor Area District (City Council Case # 08-2348) MUST be rushed in order to ensure that the ICO, Council Motion CF # 04-2085 and # 06-2840-S2, which is a certain building moratorium, does not expire and thereby cause a mad rush of builders to submit permits. The ICO expired in September 2007. WELL, surprise, surprise, surprise. THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO CLAIMS AN URGENCY CLAUSE OF THE ORDINANCE BASED ON THIS EXPIRATION DATE OF SEPTEMBER 2008. THE DATE IS INCORRECT. A Protest Letter was sent to Mayor Villaraigosa, Council President Garcetti, The LA City Clerk, and The LA Ethics Commission. Reference the ICO #179184 to find the expiration clauses. IS THERE GOING TO BE A MAD RUSH OF BUILDERS SUBMITTING PERMITS TODAY????? HA, HA, COME ON. (note that I corrected my stated dates)

Protest Letter#2 09/18/2008

9/12/2008 I contend that we were STEAMROLLED by not given adequate time overall to speak on this item. Council Rule #7 was violated, thus breaking the L.A. Municipal Code law.

The Los Angeles City Council passed the ordinance 08-2348 "Sunland-Tujunga Residential Floor Area District" on Friday, September 12, 2008 as Special Agenda Item #20. The proceeding can be viewed online at lacity.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=130&clip_id=4152

For fast access to Item #20 only, at the left hand side pull down box, it says "Jump To...". You click on Item #20

The ordinance is scheduled to be signed into law by the Mayor and then enacted after it's notice is published in a local paper.

Hopefully a positive response will be had from our protest letter:

Protest Letter#1 09/15/2008

RAMMED THROUGH this Sunland-Tujunga Residential Floor Area District, which reduces remodels and new homes sizes to 30% of lot size. THEY WAIVED THE PLUM HEARING AND ONLY GAVE LESS THAN 2 MINUTES OF OPPOSITION SPEAKING TIME AT THE CITY COUNCIL HEARING.

It's Council case file# 08-2348 and was heard yesterday, on Fri 9/12/08 as a SPECIAL AGENDA ITEM. This means that it was put on the agenda with only 24 hours notice.

The proponents claim that they needed to rush it through before the expiration of the current moratorium, an Interim Control Ordinance (ICO). This is a bogus argument. They passed this detrimental law, bad for Tujunga's best interest.

At the hearing, one speaker held a petition of 21 signers against this ordinance, including names from professions outside the building industry such as engineers, teachers, military, etc. Wendy Greuel and her staff knew about the considerable opposition, through letters, phone calls, and the prior opposition at the City Planning Commission's hearing. Yet, she rammed it through with almost no opportunity for opposition public hearing. IT WAS A SHAM.

Tujunga homeowners are considering litigation against the City of Los Angeles.

ALMOST ALL OF Sunland and Tujunga... THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE FOR NON-HILLSIDE RESIDENTS. Beware that THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL APPLY TO YOU. The Dept of Planning is changing the definition for HILLSIDE. The maps are changing. IF YOU WERE TOLD THAT THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO YOU, THINK AGAIN. IT MAY, VERY SOON!!!!

CITY COUNCIL HEARING THIS FRIDAY, 9/12. GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO SAY NO!!!!!!! It's being placed on the SPECIAL AGENDA, sneaky agenda which comes out tomorrow. BRING YOUR PETITIONS!!! CONTACT ME FOR CARPOOLING INFO musastan@hotmail.com

When there, fill out a speaker card, even if you don't wish to speak, and submit your petitions!!!

Los Angeles City Council SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
10:15 A.M. OR AS SOON THEREAFTER
AS COUNCIL RECESSES ITS REGULAR MEETING
JOHN FERRARO COUNCIL CHAMBER
ROOM 340, CITY HALL
200 NORTH SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

ACTION ALERT.... ACTION ALERT.... Everyone, sign the Petition and send it to Councilmember Greuel. KEEP THE ORIGINAL, BUT MAIL A COPY.

PETITION TO OPPOSE THE Sunland Tujunga RFAD (less than 1MB pdf file)

Councilperson Wendy Greuel
City Hall Office
200 N. Spring Street, Rm475
Los Angeles, CA 90012
phone: (213)473-7002

L.A. City Planning Commission Determination Letter (large pdf file 8MB)

Comment letters from interested parties (large pdf file about 11MB)

The Residential Floor Area District is a provision of the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance , enacted in Los Angeles Municipal Law in June, 2008 (pdf file about 2MB)

UPDATE:The City Council's PLUM Committee WAIVED the hearing and it's going DIRECTLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL. They're steamrolling this!!! Look at the SPECIAL AGENDA FRIDAY'S 9/12 Los Angeles CITY COUNCIL MEETING. 24 hours notice is all they need to place this on that agenda and steamroll this!!!. Stay tuned in for further updates.