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Community Impact Statements
A Primary Tool for Neighborhood Councils

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Community Impact Statements
A Primary Tool for Neighborhood Councils

by: Dr. Daniel Wiseman
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dwisemanmd@yahoo.com

to: Presidents, Representatives & Stakeholders of the Los Angeles City Neighborhood Councils

Community Impact Statements (CIS’s) are one of the most effective ways with which our Neighborhood Council can make its opinions known to the City Council.

Community Impact Statements are clearly and unequivocally documented.

1. CIS’s are made known to the Council Members even before they are developing and deliberating the issue in committee or in City Council.

2. CIS’s become part of the Council File (the documents which are the formal recommendations and motions which establish the policies and laws of our City). They are seen by all (Council Members, their staffs, City Officials, us, etc.) when they review the Council File.

3. CIS’s appear on the agendas when the issue comes before the City Council.

4. CIS’s are part of the process of “exhausting our administrative remedies;” the legal actions necessary before a lawsuit may be started.

Our Council Members can not ignore our CIS’s nor the fact that we express our opinions in them…even ‘tho they (Alarcon, Zine, others) say they don’t read the agendas but rely on their staff to “keep the Council Member up on what is important.”

In addition, they often refer to the NC’s and NC opinions in their public comments, in their deliberations. Hopefully, they will incorporate the messages in our CIS’s in their final decisions.

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How to Submit a Community Impact Statement (Instructions from DONE)

In mid-2003, the City began a new system through which Neighborhood Councils can adopt Community Impact Statements that summarize its official position on City issues and have them printed directly on the meeting agendas. It’s a unique and unprecedented way for each Neighborhood Council’s voice to be known to the City Hall decision-makers and the world before a vote is taken.

There are several ways to send Community Impact Statements to the City Clerk for inclusion on the agendas of the City Council, its committees, and City commissions. A paper version may be sent via postal mail, hand-delivery, fax, or it may be sent through the Internet at http://applal.lacity.org/cis

Getting Set Up:

Each Neighborhood Council with an elected board should notify the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment of up to five official representatives who are authorized to submit its statements. The City will trust that they will be transmitting only official and authorized Community Impact Statements.

Please provide the representatives’ names and contact information to Ms. Jacqueline Mendez via e-mail at Jacqueline.Mendez@Iacity.org, or by fax to (213) 485-4608. She will send each representative a username, password, and instructions on how to use the system. A copy of the Neighborhood Council’s board minutes appointing the representatives or a letter from the Neighborhood Council President is required to confirm the authorized representative(s).

The Process:

Community Impact Statements are limited to 100 words. Usually, it is a summary of a more lengthy position that was adopted. The City Clerk will attach the original statement to the official City Council file, and will scan the statement into the Council File Index system so that it can be retrieved by the public through the Internet.

The City Clerk will not edit statements except in accordance with City Council rules. Statements containing offensive or defamatory language will be returned with an explanation by the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment. If the statement is received by the City Clerk in a timely way, it will be printed on the agenda below the Fiscal Impact Statement for the item. The full statement and any attachments will be placed in the City Council file.

If the statement is received too late, it will be included in the City Council file, copies will be distributed at the City Council meeting, and the Clerk will announce at the City Council meeting that a statement has been received from a Neighborhood Council. At the direction of the City Council President or the City Council, the statement may be read into the record.

A Neighborhood Council may submit only one statement for each agenda item. If several Neighborhood Councils submit statements on the same issue, the agenda will note that fact, and identify the Neighborhood Councils that submitted the statements. The agenda will also note whether the Neighborhood Councils support or oppose the item. The original statement will become part of the official record.

Neighborhood Councils may submit a statement on any agenda item it wishes. Neighborhood Councils are not restricted to commenting on matters within its boundaries because many important issues may not be geographically based, or may directly affect more than one Neighborhood Council.

Neighborhood Councils may use its statement to request a delay of a vote. However, such a request cannot prevent the City Council from taking an action. The City Attorney has advised the City Council to make reasonable efforts to comply with the spirit and intent of the law, and to notify Neighborhood Councils as soon as possible prior to making decisions.

The Department recommends that either the statement, or the larger official position that will be added to the record, if submitted, include other enlightening information about the vote and the position, such as explaining the other side of a divided vote, the results of an advisory vote taken may have been taken among the stakeholders, the results of a community survey, or a reversal of a previous position. For instance, if the vote is less than unanimous, decision-makers may want to know the reasoning of the other side for the sake of clarity.

It is also suggested that information be included that explains who made the decision (i.e., was it a vote by the entire governing board, by a committee, or by an officer authorized by the board to take positions, etc.?). The point is that there have already been some problems with individuals within a Neighborhood Council speaking for themselves and giving City agencies the impression that they are speaking for the entire Neighborhood Council.

The City Clerk will accept statements only from Neighborhood Councils that have governing boards in place, and have voted in a public meeting to establish the position, or have established in a public meeting some other process for establishing official positions.

Via Fax or Mail:

You may submit a signed statement by faxing it to the City Clerk at (213) 978-1079. It can also be mailed or hand-delivered to the City Clerk at 200 North Spring Street , Room 395, City Hall, Los Angeles 90012.

Council File Index:

To track any City Council file and to view related documents, such as the Community Impact Statements, go to http://cityclerk.lacity.org/CFI/

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Below, is an example of a CIS as to format and content:

CIS on NCRC RECOMMENDATION #66

Reference Number(s): 05-0894-S3

Agenda Date:

Item Number:

Brief Summary: Our NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL supports the idea of equal funding for all of the L.A. City NCs. The inequities of size, from 18,000 to 108,000 residents should be equalized by sub-dividing the larger NCs. A “neighborhood” of over 30,000 residents (and our NC is one of the largest) makes it hard for the NC Activists to communicate with and effectively represent the NC’s community and, often, there is really more than one cohesive neighborhood, anyway. (NOTE: This is 471 characters ... within the 500 character “limit.”)

Additional Information: The 90 NCs, their Resident Populations and Dates of Certification:

ORDER by
2000 CENSUS
Neighborhood Council
Name
NUMBER of
Residents
DATE
Certified
       

1

Wilshire Center-Koreatown NC

103,364

08/05/2003

2

Boyle Heights NC

85,913

05/21/2002

3

Emp. Congress Southeast Area NDC

85,125

03/23/2002

4

Van Nuys NC

78,210

07/23/2002

5

Pacoima NC

73,966

03/07/2002

6

Sylmar NC

69,624

05/06/2003

7

Mid Town North Hollywood NC

69,026

09/24/2002

8

Panorama City

66,241

03/15/2007

9

Wilmington NC

63,466

12/11/2001

10

Woodland Hills-Warner Center NC

62,479

03/06/2002

11

Reseda NC

62,174

10/08/2002

12

Sherman Oaks NC

60,921

10/29/2002

13

Historic Highland Park NC

57,699

05/28/2002

14

NC of Westchester/ Playa del Rey

54,675

03/12/2002

15

Mid City WEST NC

54,619

06/25/2002

16

Greater Echo Park Elysian NC

53,022

04/16/2002

17

United Neighborhoods of the Historic Arlington Heights, West Adams, and Jefferson Park Communities

51,838

05/14/2002

18

Mar Vista CC

50,417

08/13/2002

19

Greater Wilshire NC

49,632

12/02/2003

20

Canoga Park NC

49,416

06/18/2002

21

Vernon/Main NC

48,490

01/28/2003

22

Greater Valley Glen Council

47,520

08/27/2002

23

Hollywood Hills West NC

46,844

05/07/2002

24

LA-32 NC

46,456

05/21/2002

25

VAN NUYS NC

45,936

01/22/2002

26

Winnetka NC

45,220

07/22/2003

27

Vermont Harbor NC – decertified

45,000

12/17/2002

28

Emp. Congress West Area NDC

44,609

03/23/2002

29

South Central Avenue NC

44,156

06/24/2003

30

West Van Nuys/ Lake Balboa NC

43,515

09/09/2004

31

Encino NC

43,371

10/08/2002

32

Mid City NC

42,368

02/19/2002

33

Sunland-Tujunga NC

42,319

05/27/2003

34

Pico Union NC

42,248

06/03/2003

35

West Adams NC

40,325

02/19/2002

36

North Hollywood Northeast NC

39,670

09/24/2002

37

Community and Neighbors for Ninth?District Unity (CANNDU)

39,210

03/11/2003

38

Emp. Congress Central Area NDC

38,650

03/23/2002

39

Emp. Congress North Area NDC

38,650

04/27/2002

40

Venice NC

37,758

03/12/2002

41

Greater Griffith Park NC

37,236

06/11/2002

42

Park Mesa Heights CC

36,648

03/23/2002

43

Watts NC

34,806

12/03/2002

44

Silver Lake NC

34,675

02/11/2003

45

Tarzana NC

34,570

01/14/2003

46

South Robertson NC

33,957

08/13/2002

47

Eagle Rock NC

32,729

04/02/2002

48

Chatsworth NC

32,686

04/26/2003

49

Arleta NC

32,586

10/22/2002

50

Studio City NC

32,227

10/29/2002

51

Lincoln Heights NC

32,134

04/27/2002

52

Hollywood Studio District NC

32,118

11/01/2005

53

Central San Pedro NC

31,614

02/12/2002

54

Harbor Gateway North NC

30,875

11/12/2002

55

West Los Angeles NC

30,873

10/07/2003

56

Del Rey NC

30,420

10/28/2003

57

Sun Valley Area NC

30,085

05/07/2002

58

Westside NC

28,801

06/04/2002

59

Central Alameda NC

28,593

09/30/2003

60

Granada Hills North NC

28,563

09/10/2002

61

Emp. Congress Southwest Area NDC

27,705

03/23/2002

62

Coastal San Pedro NC

27,628

12/11/2001

63

Palms NC

27,026

12/14/2004

64

Bel Air-Beverly Crest NC

26,636

10/08/2002

65

Granada Hills South NC

26,528

01/17/2006

66

Downtown Los Angeles NC

25,355

04/27/2002

67

Rampart Village

25,145

03/05/2007

68

Arroyo Seco NC

24,521

10/02/2002

69

Glassell Park NC

24,210

01/08/2002

70

MacArthur NC

23,711

06/03/2003

71

Harbor City NC

23,270

03/26/2002

72

P.I.C.O. NC

23,222

03/12/2002

73

NC Valley Village

22,967

09/10/2002

74

Harbor Gateway South NC

22,613

04/08/2003

75

Northridge East NC

22,260

11/30/2004

76

Mission Hills NC

21,370

04/19/2005

77

Northwest San Pedro NC

21,312

02/12/2002

78

Olympic Park NC

20,122

12/02/2003

79

Hollywood United NC

19,944

10/15/2002

80

Northridge West NC

19,664

10/26/2004

81

North Hills West NC

19381

02/25/2003

82

Foothill Trails District NC

18,899

03/25/2003

83

Central Hollywood NC

18,740

04/09/2002

84

Historic Cultural NC

16,065

04/27/2002

85

Porter Ranch NC

15,834

07/01/2003

86

Atwater Village NC

14,931

02/11/2003

87

Old Northridge CC – decertified

13,819

03/19/2002

88

Greater Cypress Park NC

13,147

11/19/2002

89

Greater Toluca Lake NC

10,833

09/10/2002

90

Elysian Valley Riverside NC

7,323

07/09/2002

(You can append as much material as you want, here, to clarify and emphasize your opinion.)

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Dr. Daniel Wiseman
dwisemanmd@yahoo.com