Sustainability Committee meeting Tuesday, April 6 at the Central Public Library

Join us for our next regular meeting of the Sustainability Committee on Tuesday, April 6 at the Central Public Library (Meeting Room A) from 6:30PM-7:45PM.

Meeting Agenda:

1. Welcome and Introductions.
2. Review and approval of meeting minutes from February and March 2010 meetings.
3. Announcements:
4. Neighborhood Council elections registration for candidates has started! You are encouraged to sign-up as a candidate and run for a seat on the Board of Directors.
5. 2009-2010 Budget: all expenditures must be submitted by April 15, 2010 to the City of Los Angeles. To discuss and review budget allocations.
6. Green Space: Harlem Place Project will be presented in May 2010 – probably around the time of ArtWalk. Volunteers needed.
7. Green Space: Urban Garden Guide. Review cost proposals for printing and make a decision about next steps.
8. Green Space: Tree Planting Guide. Gunnar to present guide to tree planting.
9. Green Space: Green Pockets is underway and we need your help organizing Big Sunday (May 1-2). Motion to request support of DLANC Board of Directors.
10. Mobility: Car-Free Fridays. Propose that the Fourth Friday of every month is designated Car-Free Fridays. For more information, check out www.la-bike.org and http://la-bike.org/events/cff_supporting_orgs.html for more information about this initiative.
11. Mobility: Pedestrian Cross-Walks presentation of research into Downtown Urban Design Guidelines and proposal to request changing the timing of pedestrian crosswalks along corridors in the neighborhood.
12. Energy & Water: DWP and the proposed rate increase. The Sustainability Committee discussed this issue last Fall 2009 – do we want to take this on again? Next steps to be determined.
13. Resource Toolkit & the DLANC Website: could this become our “online resource toolkit” and should the Sustainability Committee take a more active role in helping with the online content?
14. Sustainability Committee Chair office hours are designated opportunities to work on projects for the community. Come visit!
15. Adjournment.

Next regular meeting: Tuesday, February 2

Join us for our next regular committee meeting - it is open to all!

When: Tuesday, February 2, 2009, 6:30-7:50pm
Where: Central Public Library, Meeting Room A (630 W. 5th Street)

Proposed 2010 Projects: Developing Community-Based Initiatives for the Neighborhood

As discussed in December 2009 and January 2010, here are the community ideas to date for projects to be considered at Thursday's workshop (see post below).

Thursday's workshop will focus on identifying a few key projects for 2010 from this list, developing project goals and other information, and start working towards the successful implementation of some community-based initiatives organized by the general topics of Water/Energy; Waste/Recycling; Mobility; Green Space; and Green Business.

You are welcome to attend - please RSVP to sustainability@dlanc.com if you are able to attend.

Project Ideas (Community Volunteer)

Accessibility, Partnerships & Community Vision
Universal Wi-Fi Access (Oscar)
Online Toolkit (?)
Nonprofit partnerships (Stan)
Community Greening Strategy & Microloan program study (Veronica)
Sustainability Vision Meeting (Gunnar)
SDAT Outreach & Partnerships (AZ)

Green Business
Engage Schools – UCLA, USC, LACCD (AZ)
Green Business Information (India)
Sustainability How-To Workshops

Green Space
Tree Planting, Schools & Gardens (Gunnar, Azya, Sean)
Community Gardens & Urban Gardening Workshops(Dawna, Marc, John, Skid Row Housing Trust?)
Green Alleys: Small Open Space Calculator Tool & the Harlem Place Project (Bren Students/Matt)
Model Green Block & Events: Margo Green Block – Block Parties and Urban Lab (Zane)

Mobility
Caltrans Grant – Community Assistance Program, Transportation (Veronica)
Congestion, parking buy out and other urban strategies (Stephen)
Pedestrian/Bike-Friendly Urban Advocacy (CicLAvia, Park[ing] Day LA, and other events)

Waste/Recycling
Trash & Storm Drain Research (Matt)
Styrofoam Research (Stan)
Survey Recycling Downtown (Maral)

2010 Community Projects - Get Involved this Thursday

Join us this Thursday, January 21 at the Los Angeles Theater Company (LATC) for our first 2010 Project Break-Out Meeting. We are hosting round-table discussions in an interactive setting to focus on our proposed community projects that address issues of Water/Energy; Waste/Recycling; Mobility; Green Space; and Green Business.

Even if you have never attended a Sustainability Committee meeting before - you are welcome and encouraged to participate! There will be a full list of proposed projects posted on our website tonight: www.downtownsustainability.com.

This Thursday promises to be a fun evening of discussion and planning for 2010 and pizza will be served. Join us as we kick-start this new format for the Sustainability Committee community-based projects. Please RSVP to sustainability@dlanc.com if you can attend.

2010 Project Break-Out #1
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Los Angeles Theater Company (LATC)
514 S. Spring Street
6:30pm - 8:30pm (Pizza will be served)

AIA SDAT visit to start this Wednesday

After many months of anticipation, the AIA SDAT (Sustainable Design Assessment Team) arrives this Wednesday for a three day visit and study of our neighborhood. In November 2008, the Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council successfully applied to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Center for Communities by Design SDAT Grant - which provides our community with more than $15,000 in resources and professional expertise from across the nation to help us meet our goals for a more sustainable urban environment.

Since its inception, the Sustainability Committee has been working towards the development of a community greening strategy and resource toolkit to help our stakeholders make more sustainable choices where they live, work and play. This grant will provide us with the professional expertise we need to make a comprehensive plan for our Neighborhood Council to implement in the coming years - with the help of our community partners and stakeholders. With an additional focus on creating a transferable plan, the SDAT will provide us with a resource we hope to share with other NCs across the city for a truly grassroots approach and solution to sustainability in Los Angeles.

In addition to tracking our progress over the course of the three day visit, click below to learn more about our project, goals, itinerary, and how you can get involved.
DOWNLOAD our media package & itinerary

SDAT Project Goals and Objectives
SDAT National Team
SDAT Steering Committee

SDAT Visit Agenda Day 1: Wednesday, December 2
10:00AM SDAT Neighborhood Tour
4:00PM SDAT Steering Committee Meeting - Central Public Library Meeting Room A
5:30-7:00PM Community Mixer at Ciudad - Come meet the team!

SDAT Visit Agenda Day 2: Thursday, December 3 - The Standard
10:00AM Working Group/Stakeholder Meeting 1: Downtown Business Improvement Strategies & Redevelopment
11:30AM Working Group/Stakeholder Meeting 2: Streetscape, Open Space, Placemaking & Transportation
2:00PM Working Group/Stakeholder Meeting 3: Housing & Neighborhood Amenities
3:30PM Working Group/Stakeholder Meeting 4: Neighborhood Governance & Community Leadership
7:00PM Live Working Group - public invited to view

SDAT Visit Agenda Day 3: Friday, December 4
6:00PM Public Presentation of Preliminary SDAT Report

Sustainability Planning at the Grassroots Level - Hosted by the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council

Community members, steering committee, and other neighborhood councils are invited to the Public Presentation of the Preliminary SDAT Report. The SDAT will present their initial proposal and plan for the community and will provide a finalized report in early 2010. Your feedback is encouraged!

Friday, December 4, 2009
Starting at 6:00pm
Ronald F. Deaton Civic Auditorium
LAPD Police Administration Building
100 West First Street

Reception to follow.

SDAT Visit - Tour of Downtown Los Angeles

Wednesday, December 2

The SDAT will take a tour of the neighborhood with a few stops along the way. Due to limited capacity, the tour is not open to the public but we encourage media participation as this will be an opportunity to meet the national team of experts. Please contact us at sustainability@dlanc.com to participate.


View Sustainable Design Assessment Team Visit in a larger map

LA Bioneers Beaming Conference - check out the Sustainability Committee presentation

The first-ever LA Bioneers Beaming Conference was a success - and we have found several interested stakeholders who would like to get involved with the Sustainability Committee. Although the event cost money to participate, volunteers got in for free for the day and we benefited from this first-ever partnership with Project Butterfly.

Check out the presentation made by Sustainability Committee Chair Ashley Zarella Hand, LEED AP, Assoc. AIA on Saturday, October 17 during the Sustainable Communities Panel. Check out the event website for the full line-up.

Sustainable Communities Presentation - LA Bioneers Beaming Conference October 17, 2009

View more presentations from Ashley Zarella.