Letter To The Editor: Keep Council District 5 Boundaries The Same

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Letter submitted by Robert Ringler, president of the Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council.

As a lifetime resident of the Fifth Council District, I urge you to please maintain the current boundaries of the Fifth Council District in the final outcome of the redistricting process.

I currently serve as president of the Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council, chairman of the LAPD West Bureau Traffic Committee, chairman of the LA County Highway Safety Commission and Co-Chair of the WLAPD Community Police Advisory Board as well as other boards and committees in the Fifth Council District.  Working within the current boundaries of the Fifth Council District we have made substantial progress on crime, planning and land use, transportation and traffic issues which not only benefit our area but the entire City as well.  

The Fifth Council District unites three adjacent, interconnected communities all sharing a common interest. They all are bound together by the Santa Monica Mountain Range. It is important that the integrity of this topographical, geographical, economic and socially cohesive boundary be maintained and not altered by redistricting.  Preserving the interconnecting relationships between our communities is the best interest of the District, the County and is within the letter and spirit of the Voters Rights Act. Any change to the Fifth Council District boundaries would dismantle communities with common interests, surely this would be in violation of the Voters Rights Act.

We do not want to see our neighborhoods, communities and cities divided into separate districts. The Fifth Council District boundaries, as currently drawn, should be maintained. Split communities could result in changes to the service quality and timeliness we have come to expect from the City. My question to the City Council Redistricting Commission is why would take a risk and change what works so well with something that you can’t guarantee will work any better?

As president of the Bel Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council it is imperative that the boundaries of Bel Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council need to be respected in the re-districting process and remain in the 5th Council District as we are a community of interest.

I hope the City Council Redistricting Commission will seriously consider this input, as any redistricting changes would have a huge impact on our community.  Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Robert A. Ringler, President
Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council