TOP STORY:Council plots its course

CITY HALL — The newly organized Burbank City Council met Saturday to set a course for the coming year, outlining recurring policy objectives like reducing traffic and furthering sustainability goals while also introducing long-term visions.

Among the goals outlined by Mayor Marsha Ramos, who asked the each council member to generate 10 items for the goal-setting workshop, were updating the city's general plan — establishing guidelines for land use, transportation and protecting air quality — and promoting a "sustainable" community with a healthy balance of economic, social and environmental components.

To further that balance, Ramos voiced her support for the city's ongoing efforts to move toward zero waste and underscored the need for a conservation program in Burbank, as well as allocating funding for eco-friendly products and vehicles.

Highlighting the importance of facilitating a healthy local economy, Ramos also proposed pursuing new programs that would promote small businesses and start-ups in Burbank.

Vice Mayor Dave Golonski stressed the need to carry through on infrastructure improvement and pursuing environmentally conscious policies in city programs that have already been introduced. Last month the Public Works Department presented a comprehensive report on the city's recent strides and remaining challenges in pursuing those goals.

"If you look at both infrastructure and the sustainability, there are initial efforts, but there're a lot more details that need to be fleshed out — that's the bottom line," he said. "There's 38 different components in the sustainability plan and we have to prioritize and figure out what the funding implications are and what we're going to do in year one."

Reducing traffic congestion was on Golonski's list, along with recommendations that the city contract with an outside party to conduct a comprehensive review of traffic circulation in Burbank.

The city's Traffic Department has been working to improve traffic flow throughout the city and a second set of eyes could shed light on what else can be done to improve circulation, he said.

"Our traffic department is busy scheduling these things and dealing with these day-to-day issues," he said. "So sometimes it's hard to get the opportunity to really step back and look at the big picture."