Panel Deadlocks on Valley Glen Proposal

The Livable Neighborhood Council was unable at a special meeting Monday to make a recommendation to Councilman Mike Feuer on whether to change the name of a portion of Van Nuys to Valley Glen

The council, a 25-member nondecision-making body created by Feuer, deadlocked at 5-5 with three abstentions after residents and business owners argued their cases.

Feuer has final say on the proposal but is not expected to make a decision any time soon.

The area in question is bordered by Victory Boulevard to the north, Burbank Boulevard to the south, Woodman Avenue to the west and the Tujunga Wash to the east.

The issue has been a source of controversy in Van Nuys for months. In November, more than 70% of the homeowners in the proposed area signed a petition supporting the name change, citing a sense of a united community.

On Monday, dozens of Van Nuys residents, most of whom live outside the proposed borders of Valley Glen, attended the meeting to oppose the change, saying it would hurt the sense of community they are trying to establish in Van Nuys.

“It was a very emotional meeting,” said Michael Randall, a member of the council. “People feel very strongly about this. There are no easy solutions.”

The controversy is the latest attempt to rename a Valley community. In recent years, several areas have changed names, with proponents often citing a need for a greater sense of community. At issue in almost all of these incidents as well as in the Valley Glen controversy, is whether these communities are trying to distance themselves from the problems of their current neighborhoods rather than trying to solve them.