BUILDING STANDARDS
The council approved more stringent water and energy efficiency standards for new construction projects throughout the city.
New codes include changing toilets to be more energy efficient at the time the property is sold and making sinks and other water fixtures more efficient.
The new regulations will affect some single-family homes and mixed-use and commercial projects.
WHAT IT MEANS
The changes are due to take effect near the start of 2009.
VOTE: 4-1
TRAFFIC CONTROLS
The council blessed a report from the city’s Traffic Department that recently completed an annual study of traffic signals and crosswalks near Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School, finding that the area around the school is safe.
Ken Johnson, Burbank’s traffic engineer, told the council he does not believe a four-way stop sign should be erected near the school, saying it would unnecessarily slow traffic and that up to 95% of all students travel to and from school by car, with less than 50 students walking to Emerson.
WHAT IT MEANS
The council agreed but left the door open to future stop signs or traffic signals in the future should they feel the need warrants such traffic improvements.
NO VOTE
SUPPORT FOR CURFEW
The council discussed ways to support the proposed mandatory curfew of all flights at Bob Hope Airport from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
The recommendations include mailing notices to Burbank residents to detail the proposed ban and encourage them to contact elected officials; outreach efforts by Mayor Marsha Ramos and members of the council to elicit support from elected officials at the state and federal level; and sending a delegation to Washington D.C to meet with congressional members and Federal Aviation Administration representatives.
WHAT IT MEANS
Reps. Adam Schiff, Howard Berman and Brad Sherman have already signaled their support for the proposed curfew, which has to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.
VOTE: 5-0
