Land Use Committee to Hold Special Meeting Saturday

In the wake of a pair of significant local land use and zoning developments, the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council's land use committee will on Saturday, Feb. 9 hold a special meeting to get the advisory board back on track.

HHPNC Vice President Hector Huezo explained that the board had stopped meeting regularly some time in December after the resignation of committee chair Tom "Clyde" Williams.

As a result, the board has been silent on two major land use issues in the neighborhood; including the pending construction of a nine-home gated community on Burwood Avenue and the re-zoning from residential to commercial of Sun's Restaurant on North Figueroa Street.

"Community members are concerned that these issues were going by without research and recommendations to the full HHPNC by the land use committee," Huezo said."We want to be responsive and don't want to let things go by the wayside."

Huezo said that Saturday's meeting will be focused on organizing the committee and engaging community members.

The agenda includes motions to confirm the voting members of the board and to elect the board's new chairperson.

Huezo noted that this meeting was "espeically an opportunity for non-board members to get involved in the neighborhood council in a way that is more formal." HHPNC stakeholders are eligible to serve on advisory boards such as the land use committee.

The committee will also discuss "bike lanes and street configurations coming to Figueroa Street in Highland Park and public hearing for Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the LA River Center and Gardens on 570 W. Ave. 26."

The HHPNC Land Use Committee will meet on Saturday, Feb. 9 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Academia Avance Charter School, located at 115 N. Ave 53. The meeting will be held in the church basement.