The DLANC Sustainability Committee meets on the First Tuesday of every month at the Central Public Library.
Our committee chairs host office hours and neighborhood stakeholders gather for project workshops
to help advance several community-driven initiatives - for Downtown Los Angeles.


What is your vision for a more livable, affordable and efficient neighborhood?

Community Events Calendar

Send an event posting to sustainability@dlanc.com

Solar Energy and Politics

There is a lot of chatter around City Hall these days about the Solar Plan on the March 3 ballot. The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council has not taken a position on this issue so this post is for your information only. If a position is taken, you will have the opportunity to join the debate and have your opinion heard.

The Sustainability Committee has invited Soledad Garcia of the DWP to present at our February meeting. I think it is important for us all to get up to speed on this issue in advance of the meeting. Please note, we will not be debating ballot measure rather we are looking forward as we develop our strategies for the community greening plan and hope to partner with the DWP.

With that said, I have included links to more and I encourage you to look into this issue in greater detail. Check out the final ordinance language here: http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2009/09-1100-s8_ord_180376_12-3-08.pdf

If you have any suggested reading, please send me an email at sustainability@dlanc.com.

Some links of interest:
Simplified Ballot Measure Language
Final ordinance for March 3, 2009 ballot
Full Solar Plan (published by Mayor's Office)
Overview of the Solar Plan (published by Mayor's Office)

11/25/08 Villaraigosa unveils solar plan for Los Angeles (LA Times Article)
12/19/08 Analysis calls ambitious L.A. solar plan 'extremely risky' (LA Times Article)

LADWP Renewable Energy Workshop SATURDAY, JANUARY 10
In an effort to inform and seek input from Neighborhood Council members and stakeholders, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) will hold a workshop about efforts to reduce L.A.'s reliance on fossil-fuels and to increase the supply of renewable energy to 20% of the City's energy use by 2010 and 35% by 2020. The discussion will also include an overview and question and answer period regarding the Comprehensive Solar Plan, an integral part of our move to renewable energy. This is an opportunity for all Neighborhood Councils to learn more about LADWP's renewable energy programs and projects and dialogue with LADWP's CEO David Nahai and Senior Power System Managers on this timely topic.

9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
LADWP John Ferraro Building
LA/Portland/San Francisco Conference Center
111 North Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Considerations for a green office space

The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council has recently opened an administrative office in the Spring Arts Tower and the Sustainability Committee is considering contributing to the "greening" of this office.

The room is a small office for approximately two people at a time and should be adaptable into a small meeting space. This is not an outreach office per se and the Neighborhood Council aspires to have a storefront community center in the future. Therefore, all improvements should be temporary and reusable.

Our meeting on Monday is to determine if the Sustainability Committee should fund and organize this retrofit to make the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council office more sustainable. If you cannot attend, please leave your thoughts in the comments - I will consider your vote in abstentia.

Below are some considerations for the office space. I will be speaking with one of the office volunteers tomorrow to determine other needs.

Storage: We need to store Neighborhood Council files, outreach materials including a banner, and other supplies. There is a tall file cabinet in the office and two desks with drawers but additional storage space would be helpful.

Seating: There is just enough for the desks and a visitor. More seating is required to support small meetings (6 people).

Desks: Two have been donated by Russell Chan, Director, Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council.

Meeting Table: There is no meeting table.

Walls: Bare and white. It would be great to develop a system for posting outreach information for the Neighborhood Council that could easily be moved into a new space.

Special Meeting 12/08/08 - Greening the Neighborhood Council Office

12/08/08 Special Meeting: Greening the Neighborhood Council

Special Meeting for the Sustainability Committee
Monday, December 8, 2008 at 6:30PM
Ardas Cafe, 418 W. Sixth Street

1. Welcome and initial comments.
2. Public comment on non-agenda items.
3. Budget item for approval: Approve money to be used for sustainable improvements to the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council office in the Spring Arts Tower for an amount to be determined. Motion to recommend to the Board of Directors that the Sustainability Committee make sustainable improvements to the Neighborhood Council office.
4. Future agenda items.
5. Adjournment

The public is requested to fill out a “Speaker Card” to address the DLANC SUSTAINABILITY Committee on any item of the agenda prior to the Committee taking action on an item. Comments from the public on agenda items will be heard only when the respective item is being considered. Comments from the public on other matters not appearing on the agenda that is within the Committee’s subject matter jurisdiction will be heard during the public comment period. Public comment is limited to 2 minutes per speaker, unless waived by the presiding officer of the Committee. As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of services, please make your request at least 3 business days (72 hours) prior to the meeting you wish to attend by contacting Committee Board Chair Ashley Zarella at ashley.zarella@DLANC.com.

SI REQUIERE SERVICIOS DE TRADUCCION, FAVOR DE NOTIFICAR A LA OFICINA 3 dias de trabajo (72 horas) ANTES DEL EVENTO. SI NECESITA ASISTENCIA CON ESTA NOTIFICACION, POR FAVOR LLAME A NUESTRA OFICINA AL 323-224-2316.

Parking is available at Pershing Square, across the street.

Thank you, Jon Toktas of Ardas Cafe for your generosity and your space!

MEETING AGENDAS

12/01/09: December Meeting

11/04/09: November Meeting

10/06/09: October Meeting - One Year Anniversary Year in Review

09/01/09: September Meeting

08/04/09: August Meeting

07/07/09: July Meeting

06/02/09: June Meeting

05/05/09: May Meeting

04/20/09: April Meeting

03/30/09: Special Meeting: Neighborhood Council Committees & The SDAT Process

03/16/09: March Meeting

02/26/09: February Meeting (note special date and time)

01/19/09: January Meeting

12/08/08: Special Meeting: Greening the Neighborhood Council Office

11/17/08: November Meeting

11/03/08: Special Meeting: SDAT Grant Application Review and Discussion

10/20/08: October Meeting - Our first!

Our mission

As approved by the Sustainability Committee on Monday, November 17:

The Sustainability Committee is dedicated to empowering the downtown community to create a culture of sustainability.

We will work with the community to increase accessibility to existing programs and services through outreach and public education. We will identify and create opportunities for new programming and partnerships to meet our goals for a more livable, affordable, and efficient urban center.