Plenty of Opportunities to Serve the Community

By Katie O’BRIEN

The Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council (STNC) opened its doors to public for in-person meetings after three years of Zoom meetings due to the pandemic. The main purpose of neighborhood councils is to promote more citizen participation in government and make government more responsive to local needs.

Public participation on the STNC and its committees is encouraged for anyone who has an interest in any committee area. Check the STNC.org website calendar for meeting dates, times and locations; this information is found by clicking on the committee of interest.

The STNC is made up of various committees: beautification; traffic and safety; arts, recreation and culture; land use; outreach; community improvement and government affairs; youth and education; budget; and executive. Over the next few weeks, CVW will outline each of the committees not discussed below, when they meet and their purpose.

The Beautification Committee meets at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the Sunland Tujunga Library, 7771 Foothill Blvd. The mission of the Beautification Committee is to improve the visual quality and enhance the beauty of Sunland Tujunga. The committee may plant trees, organize public art projects, establish gardens, conduct clean-up activities and educate and engage residents and businesses in beautification projects that benefit and give back to the community.

Present projects include the mural at Pinewood Avenue Elementary School that is nearing completion. It shows the history of Tujunga from the time before people to present, and is painted on the walls of the Pinewood Elementary School’s play field between Valmont and Day streets. The creator of this mural is committee member Gerardo Barrientos. A Welcome Garden with native plants was created to celebrate the committee’s 10^th year and is located by Fenwick Street and Sunland Boulevard and created by committee member Roger Klemm. The artwork on the Dept. of Transportation utility boxes seen throughout Foothill and Sunland boulevards is created by various artists. The Beautification Committee is also in the process of cleaning and weeding the area by the Sunland Welcome sign on Foothill Boulevard and Wentworth Street.

Sunland Tujunga Arts Recreation and Culture Committee (STARC) nurtures and promotes artistic endeavors and cultural events within the community; provides a resource for and expands the awareness of the growing diversity of local neighborhoods and works to provide local artists and cultural organizers with the nexus of public space, venues and available support to aid in the achievement of relevant projects. The committee also encourages the use and preservation of existing recreation space and advocates for future funding and expansion as a necessary means for the growth of social interaction among the local community.

STARC meets the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at McGroarty Arts Center, 7570 McGroarty Terrace in Tujunga. The location can change so check the website calendar for location, which is determined each month in advance.

STARC works with the Beautification Committee for projects like the Pinewood Avenue Elementary School mural. An example of such a project is removing the moisture on the wall that would be used to paint an extension of the mural. STARC supports the community by compiling and propagating information on behalf of the artists and organizations that seek support. One of the organizations seeking support is ST Forward, which STARC helped by clearing 200 feet of invasive plants along the median at Pali Avenue and Foothill for Earth Day. STARC is also helping with the Pride Festival at Sunland Park, 8651 Foothill Blvd., on June 3, which is being held from noon to 4 p.m. and features musicians and drag dancers. Rainbow colors are the order of the day.

The Land Use Committee covers new development planned in the area or improvements planned that require a decision by the LA City Planning Dept. Most improvements are “by-right.” According to LA City Planning, “a by-right or ministerial project is one that does not require discretionary review by Los Angeles City Planning. These types of projects can proceed directly to the Dept. of Building and Safety to request a building permit(s) because they meet the existing standards and zoning regulations outlined in the Los Angeles Municipal Code and their scope does not trigger discretionary entitlement review.

“Note: A building permit may require sign-off from other departments at the public counter, even if the project does not require planning review or approval.

“The by-right/ministerial permitting process may also involve administrative approvals to verify compliance with regulations or guidelines, most commonly those of an overlay. Sign-off for these approvals is non-discretionary and can be conducted at the public counter or by a planner assigned to a specific geography before the applicant receives a building permit.”

Most people who come before the Land Use Committee are contemplating work that extends beyond the by-right permit process. The Land Use Committee meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month at the Elks Lodge, 10137 Commerce Ave. in Tujunga. The next meeting is scheduled for May 15.

Next week, CVW will present information on the Safe Traffic and Transportation Committee.