Land Use and Planning Committee

Manual of Operations MISSION STATEMENT (draft):

To advise the (..your council name..) Council and stakeholders about land use projects in or around (..your area..) that will impact the quality of life of residents, business owners and stakeholders.

To advise the (…your council name..) Council on planning issues and projects affecting the Venice community.

To make recommendations to the (…your council name..) Council’s Board of Officers regarding any exceptions, modifications and variances to the Community Plan and/or Specific Plan for the planning and construction of projects in (..your area..) to forward to the Los Angeles City government entities which shall include but not be limited to City Planning Department, City Building & Safety and City

Public Works as deemed necessary.

Introduction All neighborhood council land use and planning committees have two focii:

1. Reactive 2. Proactive.

Reactive to the permit applications for planning variances sent to all Certified Neighborhood Councils (CNC) by LA City Planning Department Early Notification System listing all permit applications processed by planning department.Proactive to needs within the community, other than formal permit requests, that must be brought before the NC governing Board, City Councilmember and the community.

GOALS and OBJECTIVES:

1. To review (…your NC name..) land use and planning issues, take public input, report on and make recommendations of action to the (..your name…) Neighborhood Council’s Board of Officers in a timely manner on land use and planning issues affecting the Venice community.

2. To render every land use and planning issue reviewed by COMMITTEE transparent to all constituents.

3. To measure development projects against specific plan and community plan.

4. To provide a public forum for stakeholders to hear development projects and voice their support or concerns.

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NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATION POLICY and PROCEDURES:

Prior to an applicant appearing before COMMITTEE, applicant shall convene a meeting of neighbors, residential and commercial, within 1,000 feet of the project to present the project, describe the expected future of the project, take public comment and keep a sign-in sheet of attendance to be presented to COMMITTEE. Copy of notification flyer/letter and radius labels to be provided to COMMITTEE at applicant’s meeting with COMMITTEE.

EXAMPLE: Neighborhood Notification Policy and Letter To Be emailed to Applicant(s)

DATE:

SUBJECT: (..your council name..) Council’s Land Use and Planning Committee Neighborhood Notification Policy.

REFERENCE: (…..List applicants name, address and case number and brief description of project as per the CNC listing and/or permit

application….)

Dear Madam/Sir:

The Land Use and Planning Committee (COMMITTEE) of the (…your council name…) the first panel to hear any planning issue that involves a variance to our Specific Plan and/or Community Plan   Our Mission Statement is:  (….state Mission Statement….)

My name is (………), I am the COMMITTEE member assigned to your project. Please contact me as soon as you set up your neighborhood notification procedures. Contact me at (…list phone and email….).

COMMITTEE Neighborhood Notification Policy requests that a meeting of the immediate neighbors to your project be held sponsored by you, the applicant, to inform your neighbors of your impending project. We have found that a more informal neighborhood meeting to address any problems your neighbors might have with your project is best prior to coming before COMMITTEE in a more formal setting.  

Set date, time and place for your neighborhood meeting. It could be your project space, a community room at the Library, or the local church.

Distribute notices/flyers to all residents within (..state 500’ or 1,000’ or just abutting depending on project) either by hand or USPO mailing carefully stating date, time and hours for this meeting. Email copy of your notice to VNC Board and committees at: (…list everybody that should get this notice…) COMMITTEE needs

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to have a list of the names & addresses of your radius mailing or hand distribution; or a receipt from the company you hire to do the notifying if you do so.

Keep a sign up sheet at the neighborhood meeting asking for name, address, email address and columns for support or disapproval for your project. Keep the signup sheets for the COMMITTEE meeting.

Your project will be on the next available COMMITTEE agenda. At that meeting COMMITTEE will expect you to have nine (9) copies of your project documents – including but not limited to: permit application packet, site plans, findings, City Planning staff report (if done); and documentation of your neighborhood meeting including sign-up sheets and radius mailing labels if notices were mailed.

Sincerely,_______________, COMMITTEE Staff to your project

Land Use & Planning Committee STAFF REPORT

LETTERHEAD

Case Number:

Address of Project:

SYNOPSIS: (..brief description of project for non-land use literate NC board members..)

COMMITTEE MOTION:Regarding Case # (..list case number, ALL suffex, applicant’s name & address..):

WHEREAS: List one reason for COMMITTEE recommendationWHEREAS; List another reason for COMMITTEE recommendationBE IT RESOLVED: List COMMITTEE recommendation for board action

and COMMITTEE vote. (for-against-abstaining 0-0-0 )

Size of Parcel: (according to ZIMAS) (according to permit application)

Size of Project: (according to ZIMAS) (according to permit application)

Parking, on site, off site, leasedor by covenant and where:

Assessed Land Value: (according to ZIMAS)Last Owner Change: (according to ZIMAS)Project Description: (from permit application)

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(..name area..) Subarea:Zone:Date of Planning Report:Date of End of Appeal Period:City Planning Report Prepared by: (city planning staff person)COMMITTEE Staff:Applicant:Address:Representative:Contact Information:Date(s) heard by COMMITTEE:Zoning Administration Date:Applicant’s Neighborhood Mtg:WLA Area Planning Commission Dates:ARGUMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT:ARGUMENTS AGAINST THIS PROJECT:SYNOPSIS OF PUBLIC COMMENT:FINDINGS: (findings as found by COMMITTEE staff research may include city planning staff investigator’s report.

Attached conditions including but not limited to the following; Alcohol – if indicated – standard COMMITTEE conditionsRegular business – standard COMMITTEE conditionsHours per rest of businesses on the street – take average or use meansBASIC MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (if applicable)

DRAFT LETTER FOR PRESIDENT TO SIGN AND SEND TO PLANNING DEPARTMENT, CD11, APPLICANT, and Others.

LETTERHEAD HERE

Date:

Los Angeles City Planning Department200 North Spring StreetLos Angeles, California 90012-2601

Case Number:Address of Project:Applicant:Description of Project:

Dear Madam/Sir:

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This will advise that at a regularly held public meeting of the Venice Neighborhood Council’s Board of Officers on (..date here..) it was moved and passed by a vote of (…vote..) that the Venice Neighborhood Council recommends (..supporting or denying..) referenced planning case.

Please provide a copy of the decision letter to the Venice Neighborhood Council at the letterhead address.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,(..name of…) Council

_____________, President

CC: ApplicantCity Councilmember, and planning staffSecretary of (…council name…)Chair of (…council name..) COMMITTEE

LETTERHEAD HERECOMMUNITY IMPACT STATEMENT (SAMPLE)

Username:Password:

To: Office of the City ClerkLos Angeles City Hall200 N. Spring St., Rm 360Los Angeles,. CA 90012

Re: Council File Number:Planning Case Number: Dept of Building & Safety Case Number:

DATE hereBODY OF CIS(…list the BE IT RESOLVED part of COMMITTEE motion..)

Sincerely,Body of letter – take language from board motion._________________, President, (..your council name..) CouncilCC: patrice.lattimore@lacity.org; For input to City Council

ApplicantCity Councilmember, and planning staffSecretary of (…council name…)

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Chair of (…council name..) COMMITTEE

NOTE: This is just part of a 3-hour presentation on Land Use and Planning Committees within the Neighborhood Council system.

Contact:Challis.Macpherson@verizon.net, or go to the PlanCheckNC website www.plancheckncla.com, to request this free workshop.

BE SURE TO CLEARLY PRINT NAME, EMAIL AND NC AFFIALIATION ON SIGN-IN SHEETS TO GET UPDATE INFORMATION.

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