More Say Sought in Emergency Projects

A new bill recently introduced in the state Senate would give a community the power to overturn through a referendum a City Council decision to impose an emergency redevelopment area on it.

The bill also would give more decision-making authority in an emergency redevelopment project to community advisory groups that currently can only express their opinions to the city.

Details of the bill will be presented by Sandy Brown, deputy chief of staff to state Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica), who introduced the bill, at a meeting of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. tonight.

The bill would empower community advisory groups that work with the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency in four disaster redevelopment zones established in the San Fernando Valley late last year. The four zones are in Sherman Oaks-Studio City, the West San Fernando Valley, the Northeast Valley and North Hollywood.

Of the four areas, the one most likely to try to void its redevelopment zone is Sherman Oaks-Studio City. The community was divided over the idea, with the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. against it and the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce in favor of its creation. The homeowners group sued the city in an attempt to halt the redevelopment project in January.

The bill also provides for a community advisory group to have its own attorney. Currently, community advisory groups can direct their legal questions to attorneys who work for the CRA.

The bill would give a community advisory group in an emergency redevelopment area the same powers enjoyed by a Project Area Committee in a regular redevelopment area. If enacted, policy decisions by a community advisory group in an emergency redevelopment area would stand unless overridden by a two-thirds majority of the City Council.

The homeowners group will meet at 8 p.m. at Union Federal Bank, 13300 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks.

Senate Bill 700, which was introduced Feb. 22, has been referred to the state Senate’s Local Government Committee. No date has been set for a hearing.