After eight years of existence, neighborhood councils in Los Angeles are still struggling to define who should be involved in their process of advising the city.
"Today, there are 89 neighborhood councils covering most of the city, and many have struggled with this very issue in one form or another. The Neighborhood Council Review Commission also looked at this question during an evaluation of the system required by the City Charter."
"Thousands of Angelenos participate in neighborhood councils, including about 1,600 elected to the boards that advise City Hall on issues such as land use, budget priorities and delivery of city services. Councils are providing input on such contentious issues as the location of a Home Depot in the San Fernando Valley and the controversial mansionization of single-family homes."
"But one question is still unsettled: Who exactly is a stakeholder? Does it mean that a neighborhood is represented only by people who own houses or businesses there? What about people who attend religious services in the neighborhood? Who send their kids to school there?"
FULL STORY: Wide-open local politics
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
Brightline West’s future may rely on $6 billion federal loan
The company has until Nov. 2 to make a $400 million equity investment into its proposed high-speed rail line.
LA Metro’s ultimatum: no extra buses for LA28 if federal funding isn’t imminently secured
If Metro does not provide additional buses, LA28 organizers will have to find a new way to manage Olympic traffic. LA28’s budget does not include a line item for transit.
Colorado’s Largest Data Center Could Rise Next to Homes — Without a Public Hearing
The proposed campus would consume 11 times the power of Denver International Airport; as it has across the country, opposition mounts.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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