OurLA Newsletter

Smart Growth: How will Los Angeles "become a better version of itself?"

In a recent L.A. Times Opinion piece, the Mayor was called to task on his vision of making Los Angeles the Venice of the 21st Century by mimicking "the dense, transit-dependent cities of high-rise apartment buildings like New York, Chicago, Boston, and Paris." The attraction of L.A., the piece continues, is its "pattern of dispersion and its strong attachment to the single-family home."

The piece challenges the Mayor to, rather than "become someplace we are not," make Los Angeles a "better version of itself."

Aren't we talking semantics here? For "a better version of LA" is exactly what the Mayor's plans intend to create.

He has proven this by appointing a new Planning Commissioner with a reputation for planning from a neighborhood standpoint, seeking community participation in all that she does. The new plans for the city will incorporate the desires of the communities of people that already exist.

But the city will grow, and so grow smartly, and differently, it must.

The Mayor's plans call for the construction of housing along public transit corridors and mixed-use development. As the city gets larger, more and more people will either live and work in the same community, or be able to take public transit from home to work.

There are already hundreds of thousands of single-family homes in this City, and the freeways are gridlocked. The city is losing valuable hours of productivity by its residents due to traffic congestion.

Smart, different growth is the only way.

The Green Path Project - LA is two-thirds of the way to 20% Renewable Energy

The Mayor has promised to do everything possible to make Los Angeles a more environmentally-friendly place. To Keep OurLA Green, everyone needs to pitch in.

In November, the Mayor announced "The Green Path Project." The Green Path is a major transmission line that will deliver "green," renewable energy to Los Angeles from the Salton Sea. With the implementation of this project, the City of Los Angeles is two-thirds of the way toward its goal of using 20% renewable energy by 2010. This represents a significant step in an effort to become the greenest city in the nation.

• Learn how to shut off gas, water, and electricity in case the lines are damaged.
• Check chimneys, roofs and wall foundations for stability.
(Note: If your home was built before 1935, make sure your house is bolted to its foundation. If your home is on a raised foundation make sure the cripple walls have been made into shear walls. Call a licensed contractor if you have any questions.)
• Secure water heater and appliances that could move enough to rupture utility lines.
• Keep breakable and heavy objects on lower shelves.
• Put latches on cabinet doors to keep them closed during shaking.
• Keep flammable or hazardous liquids such as paints, pest sprays or cleaning products in cabinets or secured on lower shelves.
• Maintain emergency food, water, medicine, first aid kit, tools and clothing.

For more information regarding how you can best prepare for an earthquake both at home and in your community, see www.lafd.org/eqbook.pdf.

No more Potholes

Did you know the average motorist spends an additional $671 per year due to driving on roads in poor condition?

In September, the Mayor kicked off "Operation Pothole," promising to speed up one of the City's most basic services by filling 35,000 additional potholes in a 14-week period.