L.A. CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ERIC GARCETTI: “NORTH ATWATER VILLAGE WILL NOT BE A PART OF IT”

L.A. Council President Garcetti publicly stated that North Atwater Village will not be included in the proposed NELA River Corridor Redevelopment Study. Garcetti states in his recent Los Feliz Ledger article:

“We are also working to protect the character of Atwater Village’s residential neighborhoods. Since the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) proposed including North Atwater Village in its study related to the creation of a Northeast Los Angeles redevelopment area, we have been in constant contact with the community and the CRA to ensure concerns were heard and addressed. Recently, the CRA announced this study was being postponed indefinitely. But if and when the study moves forward, North Atwater Village will not be a part of it.”

CRA/LA had sought to create a redevelopment project area in NELA that would include significant sections of Atwater Village. To be included in the redevelopment project area portions of Atwater Village would have been declared legally “blighted”. However, the prospect of declaring portions of Atwater Village legally “blighted” received stiff opposition from residents, businesses and community groups.

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Complete Los Feliz Ledger article, originally published March 3^rd, 2011

How We’re Working to Improve Atwater Village

By Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles City Council President

Atwater Village has seen an impressive turnaround in recent years, and we must keep up this momentum.

In February, the City Council approved my motion to attract more pedestrian-friendly businesses along Glendale Blvd. with a parking credit program. We  heard from the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council that one of the barriers for entrepreneurs wanting to move to Atwater Village are outdated city parking regulations that do not take into account the neighborhood’s specific attributes.

I share with the community a desire to see mom-and-pop shops and restaurants continue to fill the storefronts along Glendale Blvd. and want to ensure new construction continues to foster a “main street” atmosphere. What we do not want is what the city’s red tape could create—parking lots in front of businesses that would create a “mini-mall” atmosphere or subterranean parking lots that no small business could afford.

The new parking credit program is based on a study of the area’s metered spaces, which found that they were underused. Under the program, neighborhood-friendly small businesses can purchase “parking credits” tied to these unused metered spots rather than being required to build expensive, pedestrian un-friendly parking lots. The credits are finite, ensuring that overcrowding will not be an issue. And the money paid for these credits will be put into a special fund dedicated to future Atwater Village parking studies and improvements.

We are also working to protect the character of Atwater Village’s residential neighborhoods. Since the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) proposed including North Atwater Village in its study related to the creation of a Northeast Los Angeles redevelopment area, we have been in constant contact with the community and the CRA to ensure concerns were heard and addressed. Recently, the CRA announced this study was being postponed indefinitely. But if and when the study moves forward, North Atwater Village will not be a part of it.

http://www.losfelizledger.com/2011/03/eric-garcetti-how-we’re-working-to-improve-atwater-village/

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[Editorial] Atwater Village “Blighted?” Not By a Long Shot

By Luis Lopez

The community of Atwater Village is not “blighted”—nor are the other Northeast Los Angeles (NELA) communities targeted by the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA) for redevelopment.

However, this inconvenient truth has not prevented CRA/LA from including Atwater Village in its NELA River Redevelopment Project Study. The CRA’s modus operandi is to declare our homes, our businesses and our Village legally “blighted” so that it can come in solely for the purpose of selling those properties to one or more developers who will then build something CRA/the developers want, not what the community wants or needs. Their tools to accomplish their goals are to declare areas blighted and utilize the eminent domain final blow—and we would not be able to do anything about it.

The CRA/LA would like us to believe that they know best and only have the best of intentions for our village. At community meetings, they tell us that being declared a “blighted” community is not such a bad thing and that eminent domain is something that only happens in “other” redevelopment areas. They also tell us that in exchange for some incremental property taxes they will fix our streets, give us more parks (when in fact, CRA/LA will do none of this UNLESS it is part of a development project by an outside developer) and that they will never-ever increase our residential density with “low-income” housing. The CRA/LA must think that Atwater Village is comprised of dim-witted rubes foolish enough to believe that load of garbage. They are grossly mistaken.

We here in Atwater Village know that our community is not “blighted” nor has it fallen into disrepair or decay, as CRA/LA would want us to believe. Our community is very much alive and vibrant in every aspect. Today, we continue to attract new homeowners or renters while keeping residents that have lived here for generations. We are one of the most ethnically and economically diverse community in Los Angeles County; our village is a place where artists, young professionals and working class folk live side by side. Our property values remain relatively high with a low vacancy rate for both commercial and residential properties and our crime rate is one of the lowest in the area.

Atwater Village is also a self-sustained community. We enjoy the use of our own post office, library, first-rate public and private schools, numerous religious institutions and even an equestrian district—unique in the City of Los Angeles. We have a robust and diverse business community that serves the community, providing a wide range of goods, services and jobs. These are definitely not signs of a distressed or “blighted” community in need of redevelopment… not by a long shot.

More importantly, Atwater Village boasts an active civic life with a virtual army of community advocates. We have groups dedicated to preserving and improving almost every aspect of village life. We have our own Chamber of Commerce, Residents’ association, Neighborhood Council, Neighborhood Watch, support groups for our Public Library and schools as well as religious and general welfare groups. All these groups work in partnership with local government and private supporters to preserve the uniqueness of our village and improve those areas that need improvement, but certainly not redevelopment.

Atwater Village is not “blighted.” Needing street repairs does not constitute “blight.” Needing trees trimmed does not constitute “blight.” Needing up-to-date underground sewer, water and gas pipes does not constitute “blight.” These are normal needs of any community and these services are provided by the City of Los Angeles. CRA/LA will not provide these infrastructures.

The CRA/LA, and by extension our elected representatives, should not mistake our desire to improve our community with a wiliness to make a deal with the devil. The CRA/LA and their redevelopment plan is an unwelcome and unneeded element in our community.

Luis Lopez is an Atwater Village small business owner and community advocate.

Originally posted on the Los Feliz Ledger December 30th, 2010

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LOS FELIZ LEDGER PLANS TO COMMEMORATE ATWATER VILLAGE’S 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH “ALL ABOUT ATWATER” SPECIAL SECTION

The Los Feliz Ledger is planning for an “All About Atwater” special section for its’ June 2010 edition. The special Atwater Village section will focus on Atwater’s 100 Year Anniversary and feature other Atwater related news articles. It will also include an ad section for those Atwater Village businesses wishing to advertise in this edition.

For more information, contact the Los Feliz Ledger at 323.667.9897 or download info flier (pdf file)
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