Silver Lake Web Site

Important Master Plan News!

Silver Lake, December, 1999

11/20/2003

The Committee to Save Silver Lake's Reservoirs, Councilmembers Eric Garcetti and Tom LaBonge, and representatives of participating city departments will host an open-house at the Silver Lake Recreation Center to review current plans to add safe pedestrian paths around much of the Silver Lake Reservoir Complex. Come anytime between 11:00am and 3:00pm. For more information, visit www.csslr.org

9/17/2003

Reservoirs to be taken out of service

Last November, in a workshop at Marshall High School, the Silver Lake community submitted feedback regarding the DWP¹s plans to construct alternate, covered water storage facilities to meet more stringent water quality rules. All of the proposals would have meant at least 5 years of a disruptive construction project on the reservoir property. With the specific suggestion of Councilmember Tom LaBonge, the DWP has now determined it’s preferred location for the project is off-site at the “Headworks” property, along the LA River, across the street from the entrance to Forest Lawn. A companion project will create a natural open space area above and adjacent to the Headworks storage facility.

At the completion of the project, estimated to be 2009, Silver Lake and Ivanhoe Reservoirs will be completely removed from the drinking water delivery system. This fact opens the door to many important questions regarding the short- and long-term future of the reservoirs. The community needs to address these and other related issues in the ensuing environmental documentation process. Click here for more details

2/24/2003

Community meeting for tree selection

The City is in the initial planning stages to add a new landscaped median to protect the walk/jog path along the Westside of the reservoir. Trees are part of the preliminary plan.

The planning meeting will be at the Cal Fed Community Room at the corner of Glendale adn Silver Lake Bl. There will be presentations by the lead agency, the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering (BOE) Landscape Division and Street Tree Maintenance.

This meeting is co-sponsored by Silver Lake Residents Association and the Committee to Save Silver Lake’s Reservoir. For additional information, please call 323 668 2643.

1/10/2003

Report on 11/16/2002 Meeting--Photos from workshop

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) held a community workshop on November 16, 2002 to outline potential water quality construction projects at the Silver Lake / Ivanhoe reservoir complex. The event was staffed by representatives of the DWP and both the Committee to Save Silver Lake’s Reservoirs (CSSLR) and the Silver Lake Residents Association (SLRA). More than 400 interested community members attended, and many provided extensive feedback regarding the aesthetics of each of the proposed concepts, concerns about construction impacts, the long term viability of the reservoirs as an open water amenity for the community and future recreational benefits that might be obtained as mitigation for the project. A compilation of that feedback is posted on CSSLR’s website, at www.csslr.org .

As a result of the feedback received, the ongoing mediation efforts between the DWP and the Coalition to Preserve Open Reservoirs (CPOR) and discussions with the Los Angeles City Council offices for the 4^th and 13^th districts, the DWP is now exploring an alternative project that would involve installation of water storage tanks at a location several miles from the Silver Lake / Ivanhoe reservoir complex. It is currently unclear how such an offsite construction project would effect mitigation benefits available to the Silver Lake community (eg: the improvements outlined in the Silver Lake Reservoirs Master Plan) or future maintenance / management of the reservoir and surrounding property. These issues will be discussed in the ongoing CPOR mediation process between the DWP and community representatives.

The DWP anticipates being able to assess the viability of this new potential project by late spring 2003. This information will be shared with the community as soon as it is available.

11/16/2002

Workshop to provide an update to the community on the potential Silver Lake Reservoir improvements being evaluated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, The Committee to Save Silver Lake's Reservoirs, and the Silver Lake Residents Association

Meeting Announcement

Master Plan Executive Summary

SLRA Newsletter Article
Master Plan Chronology

12/12/2001

Assemblyman Dario Fromer announced 2.3 million has been allocated to implement parts of the Master Plan. More details,

4/2/2001

Copies of the full master plan document are available at the Los Feliz and Atwater Public Libraries.

3/8/2001

Over 300 people attended the Community Meeting and Candidates' Forum for the 13th council district. The attendees had a chance to see the final version of the Silver Lake Reservoir Master Plan and listen to the candidates opinions of the plan and suggestions for funding it. You can view the Executive Summary (PDF file), and we will also be posting more detailed portions of the document on this web site. Also, we are looking for people who want to be involved with the implementation of elements of the Master Plan. If you are interested, please contact us.

2/12/2001

Community Meeting to unveil Silver Lake Reservoir Master Plan on March 7. See flyer for details

1/1/2001

On December 19, 2000, the DWP Board of Commissioners approved the Silver Lake Master Plan. This means that the plan as defined by the Silver Lake Community at the forums and focuses primarily on passive recreational uses of the reservoir grounds is essentially unchanged. Stay tuned for an upcoming community meeting to see the final product. The next step is to get money to implement some of the proposals outlined in the plan.

6/2/2000

Thanks to everyone who submitted a letter or e-mail message in support of Assemblyman Wildman's budget request. With your help, funding proposal for the Master Plan made it out of the Budget Committee. The next step will be to make sure that Governor Davis does not eliminate it with his line-item veto authority. In the near future, we will again ask you to submit letters and e-mail messages to convince Governor Davis to leave the Master Plan funding intact.

The final Master Plan documents are nearly complete and are being submitted to the DWP Board, Councilmembers Goldberg and Ferraro, and the Department of Recreation and Parks for review. Once they have reviewed the document, there will be a community meeting to present the results to the Silver Lake community. Watch for an announcement this summer.

5/1/2000

The Master Plan is in the final stages of revision and we hope to make a presentation to the community this summer. However, because of the prospect for State funding and the schedule for the State Assembly Budget Committee, we need your help in advance of the presentation.

Assemblyman Scott Wildman has submitted a budget request of $5.98 Million. This will help to fund one half of the improvements to be recommended by the Master Plan for the Silver Lake Reservoirs.

As you can imagine, competition for State funding is intense. That is why we need your help. Your voice can make a difference. Experience has shown that original letters to elected officials are far more effective than form letters.

We ask you to assist by preparing a letter (or e-mail) using the information listed below. The Committee to Save Silver Lake's Reservoirs (CSSLR) will collect the mailed or emailed letters and deliver them to Assemblyman Wildman's office. Delivered collectively the letters will have maximum impact.

Addressee: The Honorable Denise Moreno Ducheny
Chairperson, Assembly Budget Committee
State Capitol, Room 6026
Sacramento, CA 95814

Subject: Assemblyman Scott Wildman's $5.98 Million request to fund safety improvements to streets adjoining the Silver Lake Reservoirs. Refer to it as Budget Item No. 3790-102.

Funding the project will provide a raised continuous paved pathway for pedestrians and joggers around the reservoirs.

Improve safety conditions on the streets adjacent to the reservoir property by separating pedestrians and joggers from automobile traffic.

Allow public access during daylight hours only to 24 acres of park-like reservoir property which is now closed to the community.

The project is necessary because hundreds of pedestrians and joggers use the streets surrounding the reservoirs every day for recreational purposes.

Conditions are dangerous for pedestrians and joggers.

Two fatal accidents have occurred involving pedestrians walking on streets around the reservoirs.

The Silver Lake community will benefit because DWP will make 24 acres of park-like reservoir property accessible to the public for the first time.

Unlike other proposed urban projects, nothing will need to be done to reclaim the land for recreational use.

This recreational opportunity is located in an area of Los Angeles which has a serious shortage of open space and public parks.

The Master Plan has received broad based support from the Silver Lake community that is diverse both ethnically and economically.

Tips:
   These points are only suggestions.
   Please feel free to relate your own experiences.
   List your address on the letter.

Next step: Mail your letter care of CSSLR, P.O. Box 39735, Los Angeles, CA 90039.
Or send e-mail to masterplanbudget@silverlake.org.

Deadline: Because of the budget calendar we will need your letter by May 5, 2000.

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