2 Suburbs May Get Council Video Link

San Fernando Valley and San Pedro residents would be able to testify through video-conferencing during the Los Angeles City Council’s downtown meetings under a proposal that advanced Wednesday.

The council’s Rules and Elections Committee approved the plan and recommended that a pilot program to be tried in San Pedro and the Valley in the next 120 days and said it could be expanded to other far-flung areas of the 469-square-mile city.

The proposal, which must also be passed by the budget committee and then the full council, was put forward by Councilman Greig Smith to address complaints of distant neighborhoods that they are too far removed from city government.

Smith envisions residents all around the metro area being able to participate in council meetings that are usually held at City Hall downtown by going to an existing city office in their neighborhood.

A group of Valley residents drove to the meeting to voice support for the proposal.