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

Our mission statement

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.

AIArchitect - AIA newsletter announces the 2009 SDAT Teams

Follow this link to read about our SDAT application and the other communities chosen for the 2009 SDAT (Sustainable Design Assessment Team) grant!

January Regular Monthly Sustainability Meeting

1. Welcome.

2. Presentation by the Erik Knutzen, co-author of The Urban Homestead on sustainable urban living. Discussed the importance of action on multiple levels: the individual, the neighborhood and city.
i. Individual opportunities: growing food; rooftop garden kits (see Chicago examples); self-watering containers; herbs on windowsill and balcony; fermentation
ii. Neighborhood opportunities: referenced work by Nancy Klem in Chicago where a homeless shelter has begun food composting/worm bins on site and sell bags of compost at a farmer’s market; complete street strategies; and the need to serve businesses as well as residents
iii. City opportunities: referenced the City Repair Movement in Seattle; neighborhood orchards
iv. For more information: www.homegrownrevolution.com

3. Henry Proctor raised his concern about trash on the street at 5th and Los Angeles Streets during public comments. May be due to the BID no longer being in place. Brady Westwater offered to follow-up with Henry for more information.

4. Alex Brideau and Ginny Marie Case presented the e-Waste Recycling event to be held at Olympic and Flower Streets on Saturday, February 28, 2009 from 9:00am-3:00pm. Sustainability Committee will be providing support.

5. Minutes (SC-03-081117) approved for the November 17, 2008 meeting. Minutes (SC-04-081208) approved for the December 8, 2008 meeting.

6. Letter received from AIA in recognition of receipt of the 2009 AIA SDAT (Sustainable Design Assessment Team) grant. To be passed to DONE and City Attorney’s office for review.

7. Gunnar Hand, Stanley Michaels, Athenel Ocampo, Jennifer Regan, Veronica Siranosian, and Ashley Zarella met to reorganize the office and begin planning for sustainable enhancements to the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Office at the Spring Arts Tower.

8. Proposed committee structure and rules (10 minutes) – to be deferred until February 2009.

9. List of goals of sustainability objectives developed at the November 17, 2008 meeting were reviewed and discussed with more focus on categorizing our efforts and establishing attainable goals. The discussion focused on creating a sustainable live-work community, urban beautification, trash/recycling, green roofs, outreach/advocacy/education.
i. Sustainability Committee agreed to support the eWaste Recycling Drive in support of the Los Angeles Morning Rotary Club.
ii. The Morning Rotary Club has begun surveying downtown in anticipation of our upcoming tree planting initiative

10. Committee approved the proposed $1,500 budget outline and reimbursements. Ashley Zarella will receive $65.59 in reimbursements for work done for the SDAT grant application and meeting preparation. The Committee agreed to allocate $1,200 to the AIA SDAT visits and the remaining funds will be used for future outreach events.

11. Adjournment

January 2009 Meeting

The next Sustainability Committee meeting will be on Monday, January 19 at Ardas Cafe, 6:30pm-8:00pm. Click here for the agenda.

Sustainability Committee awarded the 2009 AIA SDAT Grant

A bit earlier than we anticipated but we are thrilled to announce that the Sustainability Committee application for the 2009 Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) grant has been accepted!

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) SDAT program is a community assistance program that focuses on the principles of sustainability. SDATs bring teams of volunteer professionals (such as architects, urban designers, planners, hydrologists, economists, attorneys, and others) to work with community decision-makers and stakeholders to help them develop a vision and framework for a sustainable future.

The SDAT process helps communities:
• understand their structure at various scales and contexts;
• explore interactions between ecological, sociological, economic, and physical systems;
• visualize potential futures;
• articulate the qualities of a place;
• advance the principles of sustainable communities; and
• define the role of stakeholders and players in both the public and private sectors.

The SDAT community assistance program provides communities with six components:
* Preliminary visit
* Three-day visit from a multidisciplinary team
* A report highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the community with regard to sustainability, along with the opportunities and obstacles to change
* Consultations after a three-day visit
* A conference call six months after delivery of the assessment report to review progress
* One-day follow-up visit to complete a secondary assessment, one year after the SDAT report is delivered
* A team of architects and other professionals such as planners, hydrologists, economic development specialists, and others are selected for each multidisciplinary SDAT team based on their credentials and the specific needs of each community. The team works in conjunction with local stakeholders to help shape the community’s strategy to increase sustainability. In order to provide the most objective assessment, the team members are from outside the particular communities.

For 2008, the AIA will fund $15,000 of each project and communities are expected to raise the remainder, including a $5,000 cash contribution.

This is an exciting opportunity to support the community greening strategy already in development as part of our mandate as the Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. Thank you to all of our supporters -- we will release more information once it is available. To check out the application, go to this SlideShare presentation. Happy New Year!

January 2009 Meeting Agenda

When: Monday, January 19, 2009, 6:30-8:00pm
Where: Ardas Café (418 W. Sixth Street)

MEETING AGENDA SC-05-090119
1. Welcome.
2. Presentation by the Erik Knutzen, co-author of The Urban Homestead on sustainable urban living. (25 minutes).
3. Public Comment on Non-agenda items including community announcements (5 minutes).
4. Review meeting minutes from the November and December meetings (5 minutes).
- Action Item: Approve minutes (SC-03-081117) for the November 17, 2008 meeting.
- Action Item: Approve minutes (SC-04-081208) for the December 8, 2008 meeting.
5. Report on ongoing projects (5 minutes)
- Status on the SDAT (Sustainable Design Assessment Team).
- Status on the “greening the neighborhood council office” initiative.
6. Proposed committee structure and rules (10 minutes).
7. Discussion and determination of 2009 committee objectives (25 minutes).
- Determine outreach event for February
- Downtown tree planting initiative
8. Request for approval on funds from Sustainability Committee budget (10 minutes).
9. Future agenda items (2 minutes).
- February 16, 2009 meeting will include a presentation by DWP on Solar Energy.
- Outreach programming.
- Approval of committee rules.
10. 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.

Toolkit Brainstorm

Leave your thoughts, recommendations, website links for resources you think will be of interest to the Downtown community. We're looking for programs that address resource efficiency, offer rebates or incentives for participation, or are - quite simply - to good to miss!

Leave your comment below. Thank you.

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

1. Motion approved: Sustainability Committee has approved a motion to lead a needs assessment and inventory, design and implement sustainable enhancements as part of our commitment to greening the Neighborhood Council. The Sustainability Committee will provide a matching contribution of up to $200.

2. Sustainability Committee planned to meet at the Neighborhood Council Office in the near future to start the initial assessment and develop plan.

Meeting Minutes - 11/17/08 - Approved

1. A presentation by Krista Kline of the Mayor’s Office of Housing & Economic Development provided an overview of the new Green Building program, explaining that the primary incentive was an expedited city review process. There are still many details to be worked out with this program and Ms. Kline offered to return to present the program when there are considerable changes.

2. The proposal for the AIA Communities by Design 2009 SDAT grant application has been submitted and is available on CD upon request. The proposal is also now available online.

3. Motion to approve meeting minutes (SC-01-081020) and (SC-02-081103) and for the October 20, 2008 and November 3, 2008 meetings, respectively, approved.

4. Committee discussed and made a final decision regarding its mission statement. As approved by the committee, the Sustainability Mission is:

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.

5. Group discussion on committee goals and objectives to help the Sustainability Committee develop policies and implementation actions. For list of objectives brainstormed – see Appendix A.