Central City Action Committee Cuts Ribbon at Old Fire Station No.

6
On Wednesday, October 11 Central
City Action Committee will celebrate the
opening of their new location in the
former Los Angeles Fire Station No. 6
with an open house and ribbon cutting
ceremony. The open house will be from
2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with the ribbon
cutting ceremony at 4:00 p.m. Mike
Hernandez, Councilman from the 1st
District who assisted CCAC in obtaining
this location, will attend the ceremonies.
Chris Olsen, manager and entertainment
director at Taix restaurant, will entertain
those present with his strolling guitar.
In addition to CCAC, the firehouse now
houses a fire department “mini” museum
and offices for ONRamp, a youth oriented
computer graphic and advanced media
program.
The fire department museum contains
a fire engine and ambulance. For the
opening it will also have an exhibit of
historical fire department pictures
organized by AHCO, an Angelino Heights
preservationist group. Photos, beginning
with horse drawn fire wagons and
continuing until the station was closed
down in the 1990s, were organized by
AHCO member Patty Good whose father
worked at this fire station.
ONRamp will have its Millennium
Project on view upstairs. This is the
second showing of their multi media view Old Fire Station No. 6, Central City Action Committee’s new home at 543
of Echo Park, created by youth. If you East Edgware, was built in 1929 and was originally located on Temple

Echo Park Improvement Association

Meets at 7 p.m. the 1st Thursday of each Month
in Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital 2000 Stadium Way in Elysian Park
 (323) 634-0830

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 The Marian Harlow Memorial Grove
by Trey Baskett
Occasionally nature and humanity assert
themselves in harmony rather than opposition. High
above the rail yards and the LA river, shadowed by
downtown, in a small corner of Elysian Park lies just
such an example. It was little more than dust and
weeds at the intersection of two trails when a group
of local women, among them Marian Harlow, her
sister-in-law Mary Owen, Suzanne Kimbrough, Sophie
Lewis, and Dauna Whitehead began planting flowers
and trees to spruce it up.
Marian Harlow was raised in
Echo Park but left with her
husband in the 1950's. They
returned in the late 1970's and
moved into the house on Altivo
Way where she was born. She and
the other women on the street
quickly established themselves as
community activists working to
keep Echo Park the family
oriented neighborhood it had always been. By all
accounts Marian seemed to be the nexus of the
group. They met over tea and cake once monthly and
(323)
became known as the Elysian Heights Hill Dwellers
Association, Echo Park's first historical community
group. During that time Marian and her sister in law,
Mary, co-authored a three volume set of books
detailing the history of the houses on Altivo Way,
Curran Street and Echo Park Avenue. It was a busy
time and Marian seemed to know everyone. That was
the early 1980's. The garden was taking shape and
the women convinced the Los Angeles Department of
Recreation and Parks to install a
water main for irrigation. The
meetings and plantings
continued month after month,
growing with the community.
In 1989 after years of service to
the area, Marian died. Her loss
was felt deeply by the group and
they resolved to dedicate the
garden to her. Local artist Peter
Shire was commissioned by
Sophie Lewis to construct an appropriate sign and in
1990 the garden became the aptly named Marian
Harlow Memorial Grove. A small red bud tree was
planted in Marian's name too.
Today there is a bench in the center with a little
graffiti on it, comfortably shaded by Marian's (now
large) red bud tree and the spigot is surrounded by
several stainless steel bowls. Left by an unknown
Samaritan, the bowls are always full of water for the
dogs who accompany their human companions along
the trail. It is an inviting stop, filled with bush daisies,
a lodgepole pine, jade, aloe, acacias and a host of
colorful flowers. Suzanne can often be found tending
the grove which is visited daily by those seeking a
quiet place to rest before moving on. The next time

REDUCE STRESS
DEVELOP FLEXIBILITY,
STRENGTH & TONE

Call for class schedule

(323) 953-0496

2810 Glendale Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90039
 DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ANIMAL PROBLEM
DO SOMETHING TO HELP
by Marsha Perloff
“I could never do that – I love animals too much!”
is the response I hear most often, upon learning that I
volunteer at the North Central animal shelter. The fact
is, I love animals too much to NOT do what I do! It’s
not that I don’t understand this reaction. Volunteering
at the shelter is an emotionally taxing experience, but
the reward of knowing I’m making a difference, far
outweighs the heartache involved in this sort of
volunteer work.
Everyone knows that shelters are depressing places
where companion animals are incarcerated. The
animal’s only crime, in most cases, is being in the
wrong place at the wrong time – existing in a world
where there are not enough loving homes for all of
them.
For better or for worse, the values of our
community are directly reflected in our local animal
shelter – not just the sheer number of animals in
impound, but also breed preferences, general health
and temperament, whether animals are altered or
not…If we love our pets so much, how DO all of these
animals end up in the shelter?
The majority of animals in the shelters come in as
strays. These animals may have once been someone’s
pampered pets. Sadly, few have collars or I.D. tags,
and once they are impounded, the majority are not
redeemed or adopted. Due to limited kennel space
and severe overcrowding, up to 80% are euthanized
after 5 days - the legally mandated holding period.
“Owner-surrendered” pets, whose numbers are
growing at an alarming rate, are held over for 2 days
after which, like the strays, they can be made
available for adoption, or euthanized.
For those who believe the key to solving the pet
over-population problem is to construct more shelters,
you have an opportunity in November to cast your
vote on a bond issue making funding for more
facilities possible. For those who believe that the
solution lies in education, I urge you to use your
efforts to promote the wisdom of spaying and
neutering all companion pets, and lobbying for
humane education in every classroom. For those of
you who would like to help the animals directly, I urge
you to consider becoming a shelter volunteer - no
experience is necessary. And for those
who wish to help, but are unable to
visit the shelter on a regular basis,
your donations of old towels, blankets,
and newspapers to make bedding for
newborn puppies and kittens are
always needed and greatly
appreciated.
To volunteer at North Central, call
Steve Cunningham: (213) 485-8542
To visit the dogs at North Central on
the Internet: www.devildogranch.com
Or you can contact Marsh Perlof
through e-mail at:
devildogranch@pacbell.net
North Central Animal Care and Control
3201 Lacy Street (off of Avenue 26)
Open: Tuesday - Saturday 8am - 5pm
City vouchers worth $30.00-off spay &
neuter operations (at most local
Veterinarians) are always available at
 CITY PLAN TO
opinion by Bennett Kayser
Here’s the Glendale Corridor goal: Make commuter
traffic flow more freely along Glendale Blvd. and
Alvarado St., and reduce commuter traffic in the
residential neighborhoods.
Here’s the City’s plan:
(1) Close Berkeley Ave. at Glendale Blvd. by
extending the grass median strip through the
intersection. This will eliminate left turns from both
of those streets, and ends through traffic on
Berkeley. It will also curtail commuter traffic on
eastbound Berkeley and northbound Benton Way.
(2) Install three traffic lights at Aaron St. & Glendale,
at Scott Ave. & Alvarado, and at Scott & Glendale. This
will meter the commuter traffic on Glendale and
Alvarado allowing local traffic to make U-turns on
those streets.
(3) Cut off the end of the Glendale Freeway so that
all southbound traffic will be controlled by the traffic
light at Glendale Blvd. & Fargo St. This will further
“calm” the traffic as it enters Glendale Blvd.
Here’s why the plan won’t work and is bad for our
community: The problems imposed on our community
by the Glendale Freeway are a classic example of the
importance of completing Environmental Impact
Reports (EIR) before building major projects. The
section of that freeway south of the Golden State was
built in the early 1970’s without an EIR, and it has
caused misery to our neighborhoods ever since.
Although its goal is admirable, the City’s plan is bad
for our community. There is nothing in the plan to
reduce morning (southbound) commuter traffic as it
turns right on to Berkeley St. But those of us who live
in west Echo Park and go to our jobs making left turns
from Berkeley are out of luck. The traffic engineer says
we should use Scott, even though it’s narrow, includes
a steep hill, has 3 crosswalks for Mayberry Elementary
School, and crosses a blind intersection at Mohawk St.
Afternoon commuter traffic will continue to use
northbound Benton Way, and turn east on the less safe
Scott Av. instead of Berkeley. The problems won’t
disappear; they will just move a couple of blocks away!
When people in Echo Park (east of Glendale and
north of Berkeley) such as patients at Gateway
Hospital, students at Baxter or Elysian Heights School,
or homeowners on Curran or Cerro Gordo streets,
need the Fire Dept., it’s Station 56 at Glendale Blvd. &
Rowena that sends help down Glendale to turn left at
Berkeley. The fire/rescue/ambulance vehicles will need
to drive down the wrong side of Glendale Blvd. from Aaron
CLOSE BERKELEY
St. to Berkeley to gain access to that part of Echo Park.
There is no consideration in the plan for the tanker
trucks and 18-wheelers that deliver mail to the post
office and gasoline to the ARCO station. The traffic
engineer says those large trucks can make U-turns on
Glendale Blvd. The little piece of Scott Ave. between
Alvarado and Glendale is too short for those trucks to
stop without blocking cross traffic. If a tanker truck
“jack-knifes” and spills its load of gasoline while making a
U-turn, it will be disastrous.
If all southbound traffic from the Glendale Freeway
must go through the traffic light at Glendale Blvd. and
Fargo St., the congregation of St. Teresa’s Church and
the children attending its school will likely be exposed to
higher levels of air pollutants as the cars idle while waiting
for a green light.
Closing Berkeley will cause our local businesses to
suffer a reduced number of customers. Traffic won’t
be able to access the merchants’ driveways. Getting to
the Post Office will be even more difficult, and traffic
will increase on residential streets in west Echo Park.
(The merchants at the intersection of Berkeley Av. &
Glendale Blvd. weren’t aware of the City’s plan until
less than two months ago.) Hope of revitalizing that
section of the Glendale Corridor will diminish.
Finally, it divides us into “East Echo Park” and “West
Echo Park.” Some people don’t consider this
important, even though 63% of voters in the 13th
District approved the new City Charter. The new
constitution calls for keeping LA’s communities intact
during reapportionment, and for the formation of
Neighborhood Councils that represent whole
neighborhoods. While there may be multiple views
about where the line is that separates Silver Lake and
Echo Park, there is consensus that the post office,
ARCO station, market, Echo Park Pet Hospital, auto
parts store, and Mayberry Elementary School are in
Echo Park. Dividing communities makes them less
powerful politically and difficult to organize.
Here’s what we need to do: We need to reduce
commuter traffic on Glendale Blvd. There are many
possibilities. A few that have been proposed over the
years include:
Increase to number of public bus routes from the
sources of the commuter routes (Pasadena, La
Crescenta, Glendale, Burbank, etc.) to the most
common destinations such as Downtown LA,
(Continued on page 10)
 ECHO PARK CALENDAR
Event Date Location Comments
st
EPIA Meetings 1 Thursday, 7 p.m. William’s Hall at Barlow
Call EPIA message
November 3, December Hospital in Elysian Park phone for additional
7 information
EPIA Steering 2nd Monday, 7 p.m. Taix French Resaurant Take an active part in
Committee Meetings October 9, November 13 EPIA Join the Steering
Committee
Chamber of Commerce Friday, 1:00 p.m. Taix French Restauant EPCC information/
General Meeting October 20, November message 213-630-3032
17
NODS Meeting 3rd Thursday, 7:30 p.m. 1949 Cerro Gordo St. Call 323-663-6356 or
Neighbors of Dodger Stadium FAX 323-663-6361
Citizens Committee to 1st Wednesday, 7:30 Call 213-666-9651 for
Save Elysian Park Mtg. p.m., November 1, meeting location
December 6
Echo Park Community Garden membership Echo Park Community In case of rain call 213-
Garden meeting 1st Sunday of Garden, 2223 Sunset 882-4835 for meeting
the month 10:00 a.m. all Blvd. (Sunset at location
other Sundays open Rosemont)
hours 10-2.
Echo Park Arts Not regularly scheduled Information at 213- 250-
4155
Echo Park Historical Meets quarterly Call for Information 323-
Society 860-8874.
Introduction to Raja Sundays, 5:00 p.m. 1300 Glendale Blvd. Free
Yoga
Deadline for December Friday, November 22 Send submissions to
EPIAn Ways Newsletter EPIA, Attn: EPIAn Ways
Editor
SPECIAL EVENTS
5th Annual Echo Park October 14-15 Application entry forms for artists, poets,
Arts Festival musicians, performers and more information are
available by calling (213) 250-4155.
Pancake Breakfast to Saturday, 7:30 a.m. - Golden West Church $3 donation to help Fire
Support Fire Fighters 9:30 a.m. November 4 1310 Liberty St. Fighters. For information
and Police call 213-413-1650 .

Plans are underway for the Annual Holiday Parade to be held on Sunday, December 10th, 1 pm - 3 pm. The Echo
Park Chamber of Commerce has contacted members and member organizations who have participated in the
past, but we welcome new people to help with the many details that must be taken care of to stage this event.
The many hours of volunteer efforts each year are the foundation of being able to bring this parade to the
community. If you are interested in joining the planning committee, give us a call at (213) 630-3032. Many
hands make light work.....the more the merrier! from Bonnie Scanlan, President, Echo Park
 


 ARTS & CRAFTS SALES
Saturday ONLY 12PM - 5PM
Eastside Artisans Row
Lemoyne St. & Sunset Blvd.
CHILDREN'S EVENTS
Sat. & Sun. 1 pm - 5 pm
Youth Art Workshops
Lemoyne St. & Sunset Blvd.
EXHIBTIONS
Sat. & Sun. 12PM - 5PM
“In the Heart of the City:
Landscape, Community and
Creativity”
Echo Park United Methodist
Church, 1226 N. Alvarado
Sat. & Sun. 12PM - 5PM
“ Firehouse 14”
Old Fire House No. 6
534 E. Edgeware Rd.
Sat. & Sun. 12PM - 5PM
Yard Art
1300-1500 blocks of Echo Park
Avenue
Tour Begins at Lemoyne St. &
MUSIC
Saturday ONLY 12 pm - 5 pm Schedule
“Cruise Control: Sit Back & Enjoy
the Electronic Ride “
Lemoyne Street & Sunset Blvd.
5th Annual
Saturday ONLY 10 pm - 2 am
“Here Comes Trouble: L.A.¹s Echo Park Arts Fesival
Finest Emerging Musicians”
Taix Restaurant, 1911 Sunset
Blvd.
October 14 & 15, 2000
Sunday ONLY 12:30PM - 5:30PM
“World Music”
Echo Park United Methodist Sunset Blvd.
Church, 1226 N. Alvarado
POETRY
TOURS Saturday ONLY 7 pm - 9 pm
Sat. & Sun. 12 pm - 5 pm Evening Poetry Reading
Studio Tours Peter Shire Studio, 1850 Echo
Tours Begin at Lemoyne St. & Park Ave.
Sunset Blvd.
Sunday ONLY 12PM - 2PM
Sat. & Sun. 12 pm - 1 pm Afternoon Poetry
3 pm - 4 pm Fototeka, 1549 Echo Park Ave.
Historic Walking Tour

(Continued from page 12)
people can live on the land, and how the business and
commercial areas will be used. The greater the
density, the more crowded and congested it becomes.
Zoning follows from the density decisions. The built-in
conflict is that residents want to keep the existing
Community Plan
density or reduce it, and real estate developers want to
increase density because they will make more profit.
Developers often ask for variances on their property to
get an increase in density greater than the plan allows.
This violates the integrity of the plan and is an attack
on the rest of the community. If the Council member
supports the variance, it usually goes through. This is
called "selling us out to developers" which is one of the
worst forms of treachery a Council member can
commit. And it does happen.
Our Planners have some very good maps of our
plan area. One shows the densities currently allowed
by the existing plan. It shows single family residence,
low density and R-1 zone in the hilly parts of our area.
This was what we achieved in the last go-around.
Before that the plan provided for much greater
densities. Another map shows the existing actual land
use right now. The important thing is to compare the
two maps. Both maps use yellow to color-code single-
family residence. Overwhelmingly, the whole area of
our plan is color-coded yellow on the second map of
current actual use. Not all, but most of the residential
area is now single-family homes. The plan needs to be
revised now so that it will correspond better to the
actual use. This is called "down-zoning." In other
words, the residential areas in the flats should become
color-coded yellow after they revise our plan. What this
would do is protect the existing character of our
various neighborhoods in their present density. And, it
would make it hader for over-developers to buy a
house, demolish it, and build a big apartment
building.
Our plan area already has among the greatest
population density in the whole city. We can't take any
more congestion. This was my message during the
focus groups. Call Patricia about this.
Planners now have many new innovative ways to
protect our area. An example is the Historical
PARK
ARTS
5th Annual runs from 12 pm to 5 pm on both as a setting for artwork created
Echo Park Arts Festival days and into the evening on specifically for the festival. In
Saturday. From the corner of addition, there will be an outdoor
Scheduled for October 14 -15
Lemoyne Street and Sunset poetry readings and nighttime
The fifth annual Echo Park Arts
Boulevard, festival visitors will be musical performance at Taix
Festival will showcase an estimated
greeted with live musical Restaurant on Sunset Boulevard.
100 Eastside visual artists, poets,
performances, arts and crafts for All events are free to the public.
musicians and performers in two
kids, and an artisan village where Th e event , wh ich fu nded
dozen venues spread across the
local artists will sell handmade primarily through a generous grant
community. One of the largest
gifts. from the City of Los Angeles, is
neighborhood art festivals in Los
Shuttle buses will take visitors to sponsored by the Los Angeles
Angeles, the Echo Park event will be
artists studios and galleries located Cultural Affairs Department and
held on the weekend of October 14-
in historic buildings and hillside Council members Jackie Goldberg
15. Visitors will be able to
homes. The three main exhibition and Mike Hernandez.
experience the work of new,
sites are also spread around the For more information, please call
emerging talent and such well
community and include the historic (213) 250-4155 or refer to the Echo
known artists as sculptor Peter
Echo Park United Methodist Church Park community web site:
Shire, poet and performance artist
and the recently restored Angelino www.echopark.net
Luis Alfaro and the experimental
Heights Fire House. Along Echo
music group Crib.
Park Avenue, artists will use the
Downtown Echo Park will serve
front porches and yards of homes
as the gateway to festival, which

1911 SUNSET BOULEVARD

LOS ANGELES, CA 90026
(213) 484-1265
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The July issue of the EPIAn Ways included a letter
to the editor from Mr. Michael Kogan expressing his
position on the issue of the parking lot being
confiscated for assigned re-usage as a sports playing
field. Though not clarified, Mr. Kogan indicated he
was somehow intricately involved in the inception of
this plan, to the point he was the one who suggested
the entire lot be used, not just a portion of it. Mr.
Kogan further indicated he spoke to numerous
people about the idea, mentioning several members
of EPIA and CCSEP, in January and February.
So the question still goes begging as to why those
most effected by this, the general populous of
residents and business district owner/operators,
were not aware nor informed this proposal was being
formulated? A select few having a one-on-one
discussion with Mr. Kogan does not qualify as
process and public information being available. Nor
should there be an implication that either EPIA or
CCSEP, as organizations, endorsed and supported
this proposed plan which was never discussed at
meetings nor made common knowledge throughout
the community.
As so often happens when there is a difference of
opinion, twists and turns take away from the base
principle involved and other tentacles reaching into
the mix to turn it into something it is not. Pure and
simple it is about the parking lot being a key part of
the infrastructure in the retail business district for
the use of the residents and businesses in the area.
It is admirable that Mr. Kogan expressed his loyalty
and support of the council member, but the heart of
the issue still remains the parking lot. If this
proposed project plan is sustainable on its own
positive merits as Mr. Kogan thinks it is, then it
would have weathered any storm of protest through
process and public scrutiny from all facets of this
community, not a select few, and certainly not in a
well choreographed setting.
Finally reference is made to the “siding with
business interests over those of the community”. The
business interests are part of the community! The
attitude of “them” versus “us” is detrimental towards
forming a cohesive partnership of community.
Creating a “them” label for business and casting
“them” in the role of the bad guy does not exhibit
logical thinking that recognizes successful, decent,
thriving retail districts are the economic anchor of
communities. The business community of Echo Park
is constantly accessed and utilized for support and
contributions from the various resident organizations
– it is called partnership. Through many years of
hard work and interaction, both aspects of
community have come to a point of mutual respect
and consideration for one another. Because of this,
yes, the “them” have the support of the “us” as there
is only “we”.

(Continued from page 5) S.M.ART Systems, Inc.

Bought a computer and don’t know how to
Will Glendale Corridor Plan Divide Echo Park?
get the benefits you expected?
Hollywood, and the Wilshire District. WE CAN HELP YOU
Implement the “Ruben Lovray Plan” which increases the
capacity of the Golden State (5) Freeway to Downtown LA, and Your Community Computer Helper
closes the terminus of the Glendale (2) Freeway from south of
Training & Tutoring
the 5 to Glendale Blvd.
Close the terminus of the Glendale Freeway and use half of it Upgrades & Installations
as a park-and-ride lot for DASH-type buses to workday
destinations and to Dodger Stadium and other entertainment Flyers & Newsletters
venues. Network Systems Design
Allow only high-occupancy vehicles (HOV) to use the terminus
of the Glendale Freeway for access to Glendale Blvd. HOV’s Internet Assistance
should carry at least three people. (This plan does not include
an HOV lane on Glendale Blvd.) Call Us at 323-660-2839
SMARTsys@Earthlink.net
LIBRARY HAPPENINGS
In October, the library will begin offering free, one experience for paid jobs, or letters of
-hour classes on how to use the library’s exciting on- recommendation for college, urge them to call the
line computer catalog. Learn how to browse the vast library for more details. It’s not too late to enroll in
holdings of your Los Angeles Public Library’s 67 the Fall Class.
branches and Central Library from any on-line On Saturday, October 21, at 2pm., author of The
computer anywhere! Learn how to order materials Holy Spirit of My Uncle’s Cojones (Arte Publico, 1999),
from far-flung libraries across the city and have Marcos Villatoro, will appear at the branch to
them delivered for you to your neighborhood branch, present “Stories from a Latino Southerner.” Mr.
or how to check your record and confirm your latest Villatoro’s appearance, free and open to the
“due dates,” and many other function of our flexible neighborhood, is part of the Los Angeles Public
“Virtual Library.” October classes are scheduled for Library’s “Los Angeles Writes” series featuring local
all Monday evenings from 6pm-7pm. No authors in libraries across the city.
appointment necessary, but don’t leave home Also for young people, the library will host
without that library card! another “Design Your Own Dream House,”
And if you’re curious about all this “Internet,”
“web,” and “on-line” stuff, the library can help Library Hours
satisfy your curiosity. Take our free 1 ½-hour Monday 12:30-8:00 p.m.
Internet introduction (Spanish or English) right at Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
the library. You get plenty of personal attention. Wednesdays 12:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Class sizes are limited to 4 people at a time. And Thursdays 12:30-8:00 p.m.
they are held at a variety of times and days. The Fridays 12:30 – 5:30 p.m.
class starts at the first very basic steps – no Saturdays 10:00 a.m. – 5:30
experience required! p.m.
On Thursday, October 5, the library will present
the “Mr. Lizard Show.” Bring the kids for this after- Library Address
school (from 3-5pm) extravaganza to see real live 1410 W. Temple Street
lizards! Los Angeles CA 90026
The Fall “Service Volunteer” class for high school Phone 213.250.7808
students begins on Saturday, October 14. If you FAX 213.250.3744
know teens who must complete “community service” World Wide Web Address
credits for graduation, who want to earn work http://www.lapl.org
24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL

from The Coalition to Save Van de Kamp's by Andrew Garsten, Spokesperson (323) 661-0150

As we have reported before, Lucia Properties - aka the Cimmarusti's, have vowed to appeal the Planning
Commission's ruling to disallow their plans to demolish the Van de Kamp's Bakery building. The Cimmarusti's
must file their appeal within 20 days of the date of the Planning Commission's Finding Report. The report was
dated September 26th, so they have until October 16th. Failure to do so kills the paperwork that has wended
it's way through the Planning Department, effectively making them start from scratch if they still want to
pursue any plans with Van de Kamp's. If they do file, it first goes to the Planning and Land Use Management
(PLUM) Commission consisting of Council Members Bernson (Chairman), Hernandez and Miscikowski. PLUM
can kill the appeal. If the PLUM Commission fails to deny the appeal, it sends it to City Council chambers
where 10 council members must vote to overrule the Planning Commissioners.
Now is the time where we can severely wound, if not entirely kill the Cimmarusti's plans to destroy Van de
Kamp's. Send a note, call or e-mail Council Members and the PLUM Commissioners to tell them to STOP the
Cimmarusti's.
It is imperative that as many individuals from the community as possible contact city council members and
the PLUM Commissioners to tell them to STOP the Cimmarusti's.
JEB’S VIEW
Opinion by Jeb Brighouse
Overview on Neighborhood Councils
Political observers from other cities say that L.A.
doesn't have any local politics. Other cities can have
exciting, vigorous, open and public political life. The
controversies and struggles over the use of political
power are very important. It's mainly what's
happening in a healthy democracy. Politics is the
spectator sport of choice for grownups. Community
activists are many of the players in this sport in any
democracy. So, what's wrong with L.A.?
Here, our politics is invisible to the general public.
You would never guess that there are any activists
here if you rely on the L.A. Times. This is one of the
central journalistic failures of the Times as a
newspaper. The Daily News is only a little bit better.
There is almost no coverage of the City Council or
County Board of Supervisors except in personality
puff pieces. This has produced a political culture here
that has eliminated the role of the sovereign citizen.
Only a very few of us still know about how democracy
should function at the local level in L.A. Including
people like me, political junkies. But soon, this
political wasteland will end.
Neighborhood Councils are coming next summer.
The Dept. of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE)
just published their first draft of the guidelines. The
cauldron of change is simmering. Political power will
be redistributed forever. This is causing controversy
that will get a lot bigger, and a lot more public.
Hooray, democracy has a chance to happen in L.A. at
last!
Political power is what is at stake. Creating new
power for neighborhoods will cause the power of City
Council members to shrink. The size of the shrinkage
will be in proportion to how effective the local
councils become. This is why they typically oppose
the councils. A few Council members are grimly
opposed to neighborhood power. They are trying to
undermine them by supporting a group that makes
phony accusations against DONE. They claim that
DONE must use professional community organizers.
Of course DONE
doesn't have to
Opinions expressed in this do any such
newsletter are those of the thing. DONE did
writers and do not necessarily set up an
reflect the position of the Echo a d v i s o r y
Park Improvement Association c o m m it t e e
i n c l u d i n g
community
activists and non-profit group reps. We'll see if
anything useful comes of this. I doubt it.
I suggest that a problem centers on the use of the
term "stakeholder." This trendy and politically correct
word should not be used in connection with
neighborhoods. "Stakeholders" implies that there are
certain special people who are politically more
important. And therefore, the "stakeholders" deserve
to be over-represented in comparison to the general
population of neighborhood residents. This notion
isn't democracy. It automatically discriminates
against everybody else in the general population. At
worst it seeks to stack the representation in favor of
groups that are supporters of the Council member.
Non-profit corporations that get public money coming
through their Council member are dependent on
these political favors. They are not free to do anything
except kiss the hand that feeds them. This violates
one of the first guidelines DONE has defined for
Neighborhood Councils, namely that they must be
independent.
The next topic to be explored another time is,
"How do non-profit corporations buy the support of
their City Council member?"
As you can see, the fun is about to begin. Become
a community activist and get in on the excitement.
"Let the good times roll," as they say.
Community Plan Update Process
The Echo Park/Silver Lake Community Plan is
being updated by the City Planning Department. They
held a series of five focus groups in different places in
our area. For the last plan revision, years ago, there
was an appointed Citizens Advisory Committee and I
was the Chairman. This time the Planning Dept. is
keeping much closer control over the content of the
revisions. So, the good-will and professionalism of
our individual Planners becomes crucially important.
Several of us went to all five of their meetings. Our
designated Community Planner is Patricia
Diefenderfer (213-485-6763), her supervisor is Dan
Scott, and his supervisor is David Gay. I am very
favorably impressed with all of them based on what I
saw in their focus groups. We expect to continue to
work with them successfully.
Basically, the Plan defines how the land can be
used in our communities. The main issue to keep in
mind is "density." This is the control over how many
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