Craig Collins, a resident of Silver Lake for almost thirty years, was elected president of the SLRC at its November board meeting last week.  He takes over leadership of the Conservancy from outgoing president Noah Stein.

Craig was active in conservation efforts in the Pacific Northwest prior to moving to Los Angeles, where he spearheaded efforts to create a National Scenic Area in the Columbia Gorge.  He also worked to develop solar and conservation energy policies for the Western states.

Currently he creates comprehensive visual and written strategic communications for a variety of non-profit, conservation and community organizations.

Also elected to continue serving in their posts as incumbents were Cherie Miller, vice-president; Herb Gold, treasurer; and Leslie Edmonds, secretary.

The City Maven, a blog that covers Los Angeles City Hall, recently posted a story about the Headworks by Travel Town, which will feature underground reservoirs that will replace Silver Lake and Ivanhoe in a couple of years.  The story tied the project to possible DWP rate hikes:

http://www.thecitymaven.com/2011/11/09/dwp-reservoir-project-linked-to-proposed-water-rate-increases/

A Silver Lake Neighborhood Council Committee will hear a proposal by Dion Neutra, son of famed architect Richard Neutra, to move the new signalized pedestrian crosswalk connecting the east side of Silverlake Blvd. with the new Meadow.  His proposal is to move it to the intersection of Earl and Silverlake to create a crosswalk and traffic signal there because he believes that the current location blocks views of the famous modernist VDL House that his father designed and built in the mid-20th Century.

Residents on Earl Street are opposed to moving the signal because they say that it will turn Earl into a heavily trafficked connector between Silverlake and Glendale Boulevards in the same way that Duane Street is now.  They say less drastic measures can be taken to protect views of the architecturally significant home.  Here are the meeting details if you want to weigh in:

MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 7th @ 7:00 pm
Citibank (2450 Glendale Ave — Community Room)
Silver Lake Neighborhood Council (SLNC)
Transportation & Public Works Committee

Should SHEEP weed Silver Lake Reservoir Path?  The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council voted to explore that option Wednesday night at its monthly board meeting; read about it here:

http://echopark.patch.com/articles/should-sheep-groom-silver-lake-reservoir-path

Good news for us tree huggers!  The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has modified the alignment of the 66-inch pipe feeding the new regulator station, deleted the flow meter vault, and relocated the station and its appurtenances to protect three mature sycamore trees.  The DWP also hired a consulting arborist.

In consultation with the arborist and in consideration of input provided by the Silver Lake Community, the DWP will be incorporating changes into the project design and construction that will preserve more of the mature trees located on the grassy knoll at the south end of the Silver Lake Reservoir, just beneath the dam and west of the Recreation Center.  A more detailed description of the changes, along with a rendering, can be found here:

Grassy Knoll Proposed Alternative V3

Grassy Knoll Proposed Alternative Rendering