Q&A: Councilman Greig Smith, District 12

Councilman Greig Smith has served two terms as Councilman for the 12th District--2003-2007, 2007-2011. Smith has said he will not seek re-election and has already endorsed his chief of staff, Mitch Englander, to succeed him in the 2011 municipal election. Smith has made waste management a top priority of his tenure.  He sat down with Encino Patch recently at City Hall to discuss local matters.

Encino Patch: What would you say is the most important issue in Encino right now?

Greig Smith: Issues along Ventura Boulevard continue to be a problem, particularly parking along the boulevard. Bike lanes are coming to L.A., and people want to see expansion. One of the movers and shakers in the bike movement lives in Encino. So there's always the issue of putting bike lanes out there, particularly when you have a heavy traffic corridor like Ventura Boulevard. 

It's going to be very difficult. So I'm always very concerned about the safety of those riders. I understand the need to build bike lanes and expand it into a system that really works in L.A.  But safety comes first, and sometimes they get mad at me when I say that, because they want their bike lanes first and safety second. But I want to see that they're safely done and properly done, so that's an issue. 

Land use is a different issue in Encino, because it's a built-out neighborhood, and there aren't a lot of opportunities. But there have been pressures over the years on Ventura Boulevard to expand Ventura Boulevard and fill it upwards, and there's never been traffic or parking to support that. We've seen that in recent years a lot.

Encino Patch: What is your favorite spot in Encino?

Smith: I like the Old Encino Park. I love history, and that's such a historical park and it's beautiful.

Encino Patch: What is your greatest passion?

Smith: I have a couple passions. One is USC football. Once you're a Trojan, you're a Trojan for life.

I fill my life with public service. I have a viewpoint that it's a citizen's responsibility to be involved and aware, and this has given me a great opportunity to do more than that. I love public service, and if you see my resume, you see a long, long history of non-political involvement. So I just love working with people and solving problems and SC football. Not necessarily in that order.

Encino Patch: What is your favorite aspect of Encino?

Smith: I love the restaurants along the boulevard, and I love the Chamber of Commerce's Taste of Encino. It's a really fun event. Encino is a very lovely neighborhood; it's got nice homes, a nice community and a stable community. But I think I like the restaurants and the Taste of Encino best. 

Encino Patch: If you could change one aspect of Encino, what would it be?

Smith: Speaking as a businessperson, I would like to see some parking structures that would support parking near Ventura Boulevard. I think along that boulevard if we could identify some properties and build parking lots that are right next to it instead of utilizing the parking on the street, we'd be much better off. It would just opens up the traffic lanes and still provide parking for the countless businesses.