Committees

Budget

Bylaws

Board Positions Open - We Need You!

With the 2010 elections complete, we still have openings for you on the board. Please contact the Secretary to apply for the following positions: Faith Based Organization, Renter, Industrial Representative.

New Library Hours

Please be aware that starting July 18 the library's hours have changed: Tuesday & Thursday 12:30 - 8pm; Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 10:30am - 5pm; Closed Sunday and Monday.

New Hot Lunch Program for Seniors

The Olive Manor Dining Center is beginning hot lunches for seniors starting Monday, August 2. Lunches are available 5 days a week.

Coffee, Snacks, and Activities start at 9 am - 1 pm.
Lunch Serves at 11:30 am
Lunch se sirve a las 11:30 am
Olive Manor Dining Center
13115 Bromont Ave Sylmar, CA 91342
Details

Celebrate the beginning of this program at the kick-off on Friday, August 6. Flyer.

Letter from LA County Dept of Public Works,
July 15, 2010

Dear Mr. Krall:

Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky asked that we respond to your concerns related to the placement of storm-related sediment at the May Sediment Placement Site (SPS) in Sylmar.

The Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) started utilizing May SPS in 1963 for the primary purpose of providing a regional deposition site for soil and rock cleaned out of debris protection facilities and reservoirs.  LACFCD owns approximately 30 of these SPS sites to handle the regions 150+ debris protection facilities and reservoirs.  The Station Fire, the largest fire in Los Angeles County history, accelerated the use of all these facilities.

The burned watersheds of the Station Fire are expected to take five years to recover.  During that recovery period, the foothill communities are at the greatest risk due to the potential for large debris flows.  After each rainfall event, we attempt to remove the debris captured by our debris protection facilities as quickly as possible in preparation for the next rainfall event. The operation this year required continuous sediment transport to the site. Recognizing the impacts to the community, a redesign of the access and truck routes has been implemented.

Use of the sediment placement sites does not require an environmental document. These sites are exempt pursuant totheState of California’s Office of Planning & Research’s CEQA Guidelines, Sections 15301, 15269(a), and 15269(c), as well asthePublic Resources Code Sections 21084, 21080(b)(3), and 21080(b)(4).  Although we are not required to provide environmental reports, we will continue to work with the community by notifying the community of our future operations within May SPS.

The sandbags that you referenced prevent sediment laden runoff from flowing from the perimeter of the site.  A much larger system of drainage facilities protects the fill from erosion and ultimately drains to our downstream storm drains.

Supervisor Yaroslavsky’s office will be scheduling a meeting with the Neighborhood Council as a follow-up to the May 20, 2010, community meeting.  SeveralPublic Works staff will be attending that meeting.  We encourage you to attend this meeting to further discuss these issues.

We appreciate your interest in May SPS and for raising these important concerns.  If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact meat (626) 458-6100.

Sylmar Farmers Market Opens

A new Farmers Market opened on Saturday, June 26 from 9am to 1pm on the first floor parking of Mission College's Eldridge parking. The Farmers Market is sponsored by Mission College and the Sylmar Business Improvement District.

The SNC reviewed a presentation about the proposed market in October 2009 and shared in funding a feasibility study for the market with a contribution of $1,500. Other contributors were: Mission College, $1,500; the BID, $500; and the Chamber of Commerce, $500.

The study considered various locations and ultimately the results of the study were positive and the market is a go. Please join us on Saturdays starting on June 26th.

Summer Reading Program at the Sylmar Library

The Sylmar Branch Library (14561 Polk St. at Glenoaks Blvd.) invites your students to join our free Summer Reading Programs. The Teen Read Club is a community program for teens ages 11-19 years old that encourages them to read for their own pleasure and educational and personal development. The 2010 theme is “Reduce, Recycle and Read”. Its primary goal is to raise teen’s consciousness of environmental issues. The reading program is intended to stimulate interest in reading and reading for pleasure. Students can find more details of the Summer Reading Program on the LAPL Teen Website on http://www.lapl.org.

Reading Club participants will be able to sign up at their local LAPL Branch Library, Central Library/Teen’Scape, and online at http://www.lapl.org. Participants will also receive a book bag and a folder. Teen Reading Program Details.

A similar program is available for elementary students. Elementary Reading Program Details.

Lawn Mower Exchange: Mow Down Air Pollution

The South Coast AQMD is sponsoring a lawn mower exchange program. For details or to make a reservation visit www.aqmd.gov or call (888) 425-6247.

Flyer
Flyer in Spanish

CRA Improvements to Sylmar

Duran Villegas, Community Redevelopment Agency Project Manager, East Valley Region, made a presentation about CRA projects in Sylmar at the March 2010 SNC meeting. He described the development process, including a home ownership assistance program.

The Sylmar Streetscape project covers San Fernando Road from Hubbard north to Polk. They will start the Phase One Truman St. and San Fernando Blvd. landscaped medians projects within the next 60-75 days. View the map and rendering of the medians. The project encompasses four small medians with shrubs, trees, and a “Welcome to Sylmar” sign.

The project will cost about $300,000 to complete and will be paid for by the CRA which is funded by property taxes from properties within the project area. Maintenance for the project will be covered by the Sylmar Business Improvement District, a program whereby local merchants agree to tax themselves to pay for specific improvements to their community.

Phase Two is still in the design phase and is expected to fix curbs and sidewalks and plant trees and medians. More information can be found at the CRA website.

Food Available to Sylmar Families through The Treasure Box

In partnering with faith-based and community-action organizations, The Treasure Box provides families and individuals with a substantial box of grocery store quality food valued between $65-100 for just $30 each.

One Treasure Box is enough food to nutritiously feed a family of four lunch and dinner for almost a week or a senior citizen for nearly a month.

To take advantage of this opportunity, Sylmar families can talk to Light and Life Christian Fellowship (818-367-1600) or First United Methodist Church of San Fernando (818-365-3156).

CERT Emergency Training

If you have experienced Sylmar's fires and are concerned about emergency preparedness you may want to consider CERT training. You may be on your own for days without Police and Fire Dept help in a major disaster. Will you know what to do? Will you be a victim or a leader? Check for classes in your area at WWW.CERT-LA.COM

If you are already CERTified, you are eligible for periodic updated courses. There are some coming up about sand bagging to prepare for potential mudslides after these firestorms. Find out more http://www.cert-la.com/quarterly-trainings.htm