Huizar Motion Supports Subdivision of Neighborhood Councils

A motion submitted by Councilman José Huizar last month that seeks to establish a procedure for the sub-division of neighborhood council could have a significant local impact.

Proposed by Huizar on October 23, the motion states that "there is a need to allow neighborhood councils [...] the capability to petition [the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners] for a boundary adjustment at the same time the Commission considers new council certification for the area being removed if desired at the grass roots level."

The motion stipulates that the certification the sub-division of neighborhood councils should only be permitted if the action would not splinter existing council boundaries and lead to the "orphaning" of communities.

[Huizar's motion can be downloaded from the media assets box above.]

Huizar's motion is likely to be of interest to Hermon residents, who for more than a year have been attempting to form a new neighborhood council distinct from the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council, which currently represents their community.

The Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council currently comprises five communities: Hermon, Mount Washington, Montecito Heights, Monterey Hills and Sycamore Grove.

A Fact Sheet released the Hermon Neighborhood Council steering committee states that "Hermon’s growing activism and sense of its own distinct
future would be better served without the extra level of having to convince four other--some very different--communities to agree with our neighborhood’s plans and goals at each step."

Some members of the ASNC have opposed the sub-division efforts, saying it would splinter the board by creating a geographic gap Montecito Heights and Monterey Hills. Advocates of the plan have disputed those claims.

The ASNC will discuss Huizar's motion at their monthly meeting, .

A motion submitted by board member Jack Fong, a Mount Washington resident, calls for the board to oppose Huizar's motion.

[A copy of the meeting's agenda can be downloaded from the media assets box above.]