Nick’s News for April 2022
Welcome to the latest edition of "Nick's News," which is my monthly newsletter covering the latest developments at City Hall and events in the City of Burbank. In this month's issue of Nick's News, we will cover:
A brief recap of Burbank City Council meetings in March 2022.
A summary of the work that I'm doing outside of City Council meetings.
A preview of City Council meetings in April 2022.
A short summary of upcoming community activities and events.
I would like to begin by briefly addressing two of the latest developments at Burbank City Hall. First, the City Council recently approved a plan to return to in-person meetings starting on May 3, 2022. This policy will also apply to city boards, committees, and commissions. We look forward to welcoming the public back to the City Council Chamber next month!
Second, the City Council was recently presented with a first draft of our five-year homeless action plan. It had many good components, but I moved to table it because it lacked a detailed timeline for implementation and comprehensive strategies to address homelessness. The entire City Council agreed.
In my view, we must approve a plan that compassionately and comprehensively addresses homelessness. Developing concrete plans to open emergency shelter locations is important, but the city must also re-evaluate how we search for grant funding and improve the coordination of care among our nonprofit service providers.
A revised five-year homeless action plan will be presented to City Council later this year. In the meantime, I look forward to working closely with my colleagues and the service providers in our community to ensure that we approve a plan that we can all be proud of!
As always, please feel free to visit my community page to learn more about what's happening in Burbank and how you can get involved! You can also click on one of the icons at the bottom of this newsletter to get real-time updates by following one of my social media accounts.
Review of March 2022 City Council Activity
On March 1, 2022, the Burbank City Council conducted a regularly scheduled meeting. Both the agenda and video from the meeting are available for viewing on the City of Burbank's website. The highlights from this meeting include:
A proclamation declaring March 2022 as “Women's History Month” in the City of Burbank.
Adoption of an ordinance repealing Burbank Municipal Code section 3-3-516, and an ordinance amending Burbank Municipal Code section 3-3-523.
Approval of an Automatic Aid Agreement for the exchange of fire protection, specialized, rescue and emergency medical services between the City of Los Angeles and the Cities of Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena.
Introduction of an ordinance amending the Burbank Municipal Code relating to solid waste and organics recycling, pursuant to Senate Bill 1383.
Review of the General Fund's financial status as of December 31, 2021, as well as the adoption of resolutions amending the fiscal year 2021-2022 budget for mid-year adjustments.
On March 15, 2022, the Burbank City Council conducted a regularly scheduled meeting. Both the agenda and video from the meeting are available for viewing on the City of Burbank's website. The highlights from this meeting include:
A proclamation declaring March 31, 2022, as “Cesar Chavez Day” in the City of Burbank.
Adoption of an ordinance amending the Burbank Municipal Code relating to solid waste and organics recycling, pursuant to Senate Bill 1383.
Introduction of an ordinance amending the Burbank Municipal Code to replace gender-specific language with gender-neutral language.
Appointment of Paul Dyson to serve on the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority for an unexpired term ending May 31, 2023.
Appointment of five Burbank community members to serve on the Charter Review Committee.
Adoption of an ordinance amending the Burbank Municipal Code related to the definitions and standards for single family residential zones, and a resolution updating the citywide fee schedule.
Adoption of a plan to return to in-person meetings for the City Council, Boards, Committees, and Commissions.
Please note that the Burbank City Council did not meet on March 8th, 22nd, and 29th.
What am I working on?
Outside of City Council meetings, I am busy working to support each of the adopted city goals. Below is a short synopsis highlighting some of my work on these issues.
Homelessness - As discussed above, the City of Burbank has worked with a consultant to develop a 5-year homelessness action plan to connect our unhoused population with resources and ultimately reduce our unhoused population. Over the past month, I have had several community meetings with our non-profit service providers to review the existing homelessness action plan and to identify areas for improvement. City staff will be bringing back the latest draft of the plan later this year.
Affordable Housing - I am continuing to represent the City of Burbank as a voting member of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Community, Economic and Human Development Committee. We are working collectively to explore various funding opportunities for the creation of affordable workforce housing in our community. I have also worked closely with Assemblymember Laura Friedman's office and city staff to connect Burbank tenants with information and resources available through the Housing Rights Center. If you know someone who needs help, please consider contacting the Burbank Landlord and Tenant Commission today.
Sustainability - Last month, I requested a first-step report from city staff regarding the creation of a cool roofs ordinance to further our sustainable practices. A "cool roof" is a roofing product that reflects sunlight and absorbs less heat than traditional roofs. Cool roofs lower roof temperatures on hot sunny days thereby keeping homes cooler inside. Consumers save energy by reducing the need for running air conditioning systems, which helps reduce our carbon footprint and the strain on our utility provider. I hope to see this ordinance back before City Council by the end of the year!
Public Safety - I recently attended a meeting hosted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the Los Angeles County Counsel's Office regarding the prevalence of human trafficking in Southern California. Since that meeting, I have had extensive conversations with Los Angeles County Counsel, our Burbank City Attorney, and several community members about the requirement that certain establishments post a human trafficking notice, as provided for in California Code of Civil Procedure 52.6. Moving forward, I will be working with our City Attorney to explore whether the City of Burbank should adopt an ordinance expanding the training and posting criteria set forth in state law.
Lastly, I will be conducting office hours at Burbank City Hall from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on both April 12th and on April 26th. I will be available to address your questions or concerns by telephone or by Zoom. Please send me an email if you'd like to register for a one-on-one meeting, either in-person or by Zoom. You can also reach me by telephone by calling (818) 806-9392.
Overview of City Council Meetings for April 2022
The Burbank City Council will be meeting each week during April 2022. As a reminder, you can view the agenda forecast and the meeting agendas by visiting the Burbank City Clerk's webpage. Below is a short summary of each upcoming meeting.
On April 5, 2022, the City Council conducted a virtual meeting at which the following agenda items were discussed:
Adoption of an ordinance amending the Burbank Municipal Code to replace gender-specific language with gender-neutral language.
Adoption of a project list for the Road Repair and Accountability Act (Senate Bill 1) for fiscal year 2022-2023.
Adoption of a resolution approving the Burbank Housing Agency's Annual Plan for the Section 8 program, as well as updates to the proposed administrative plan.
Consideration of an urgency ordinance and fee resolution to establish interim development controls and fees for two-unit residential developments and urban lot splits in single family residential zones, in order to allow the City Council time to study the effects of Senate Bill 9.
Appointment of Christopher Malotte, Laura Tenenbaum, and Bill Luddy to fill vacancies on the Burbank Water and Power Board.
Authorization to issue a request for proposals to lease 2244 N. Buena Vista Street to a non-profit organization.
On April 12, 2022, the City Council will conduct a regularly scheduled virtual meeting at which the following agenda items will be considered:
Presentation of a legislative update from Assemblymember Laura Friedman.
Approval of the 2021 General Plan and Housing Element Annual Progress Reports.
Approval of a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) Comment Letter to Metro regarding the North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project.
Updates on the solar and battery project at the Hollywood Burbank Airport regional intermodal transportation center.
Burbank Police Department's implementation of a parking enforcement hybrid services pilot program.
Consideration of public comment and communication options for public meetings, as well as the continuation of virtual meetings until May 3, 2022.
On April 18, 2022, the City Council will hold a special meeting for the ministerial design review of the proposed development project at Pickwick Bowl and Gardens for compliance with Senate Bill 35. In summary, the developer is proposing to demolish the existing Pickwick bowling alley and construct 96 residential townhomes (3-story floorplans) ranging from 1,333 to 1,912 square feet in size on a 5.05-acre site. Please note that the Pickwick project site documents are currently available for viewing here.
On April 26, 2022, the City Council will conduct a regularly scheduled virtual meeting at which the following agenda items will be considered:
Presentation of a proclamation declaring "Holocaust Remembrance Day" in the City of Burbank on April 28, 2022.
Adoption of a resolution extending the local state of emergency caused by COVID-19.
Initial review of the proposed fiscal year 2022-2023 budget for the City of Burbank.
Burbank Activities and Events
Each month I highlight some of the activities and events taking place in our community. As a reminder, you can view the complete calendar of events maintained by the City of Burbank by visiting our webpage. Below are just a few events that I'd like to briefly highlight.
On Saturday, April 16th, the Burbank Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the city's annual Spring Egg-Stravaganza from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This event is FREE for Burbank residents. The cost is $5.00 for non-residents to participate. There will be activities, prizes, and games available throughout the event - no registration required. However, registration is required for the egg hunt. You can register today by clicking here to reserve your spot or be placed on our waitlist.
Join the Burbank Public Library at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, April 22nd, as we celebrate Earth Day! Did you know that each year, around ⅓ of the food produced on the planet for human consumption gets lost or wasted? Burbank's Recycling Center Specialist Amy Hammes and Landfill Supervisor Curtis Jordan will join us to discuss the City of Burbank’s upcoming food scrap collection program, which will be starting later this year, in accordance with Senate Bill 1383.
On Sunday, April 24th, the Buena Vista Branch of the Burbank Public Library is hosting a Bilingual Family Concert with children’s songwriter Nathalia Palis from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Nathalia engages families in an interactive musical performance with themes like space exploration and cruising down the Amazon River. Sing, dance, and even learn a little Spanish in this fun multicultural experience for families! Bring your own blankets and lawn chairs for this exciting outdoor event.
Join the Burbank Chamber of Commerce for the Excellence Awards at Pickwick Gardens on Saturday, April 30th. The Chamber will proudly shine a light on some of the brightest business stars in our community. Come mingle, eat, and drink as we applaud our award winners and celebrate the landmark Pickwick Gardens from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Please click here for more event and ticket information.
Thanks again for reading this month's edition of Nick's News. If you have any questions or concerns that you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me by using the button below. Stay safe and be well!