Planning for a Better Future Blumenfield Leads City Planning 101 in the West Valley Few things stir more emotion than decisions about development in our neighborhoods, and Councilmember Blumenfield wants all of the communities in the West Valley to have all of the information needed to get involved and shape the future pf Los Angeles. That’s why on June 17th, 2017, Blumenfield hosted Craig Weber from the Department of City Planning (DCP) for a “Planning 101” forum to help local residents understand how land use decisions are made. Mr. Weber shared his insights, expertise and helped start the conversation around the Southwest Valley Plans. “I organized this event because I want to make sure that community members and stakeholders know how this complex process works and have the tools to be better and more successful community advocates,” said Blumenfield. “We who live in the West Valley love our communities and the updating of the plans must reflect our collective values, priorities, and vision. Every step of the way West Valley residents must have an opportunity to stand up and make their voices heard.”
Bringing Community Together for Commity Plan Updates Throughout summer 2017, Blumenfield and the Department of City Planning (DCP) began the conversation with community members and stakeholders about the City’s update to the Community Plans for the West Valley. These meeting will happen all over the City but Blumenfield fought for the West Valley to be the first. These conversations inform and drive how the City balances needed growth with necessary protections for single family home neighborhoods.
Reimagine Ventura Boulevard Late in 2016, Councilmember Blumenfield worked to secure funding to allow for a study of new parking configurations and safety upgrades along Ventura Boulevard between Sale and Royer Avenues. This whole effort is called "Re-Imagining Ventura Boulevard.” The idea for these upgrades came from the engaged stakeholders and the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council, and the Councilmember is excited to take their ideas and work to make them a reality. If successful, the idea of creating a main street here for Woodland Hills could really take off and involve further improvements. After months of community meetings and growing community interest two alternatives have been chosen as feasible options to start realizing the potential of Ventura Boulevard. They have many overlapping features including: diagonal parking, new traffic signals, new street trees, and additional crosswalks to name a few. 32