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Hear that sound? That's not a jetliner landing at Van Nuys Airport. Those are moans and groans about the impending new area code overlay in the San Fernando Valley.
A March 24 judicial decision recommended that the 747 overlay, which would require Valley residents to dial 1 plus the area code within the 818 or 747 area code, be implemented rather than force half of the region to switch numbers (if that happens, the West Valley so deserves to be booted from 818, suckers). It goes to the California Public Utilities Commission next week and if approved, the change will happen in the fall of 2009.
However, nothing is final with the judge's decision. There were 30 days for the public to comment since March 24, but it seems no outreach was done to warn the public. The Daily News' investigation is probably the single biggest piece of PR the issue has received.
"I'm shocked that the PUC moved forward after there was a promise of a clear and transparent debate about what was going to be best for the San Fernando Valley," Councilwoman Wendy Greuel told the Daily News. "A hearing was held and no further action had been communicated to the public. It's disconcerting to see the PUC went to a judge without notifying the public and we are only now finding out this has occurred."
818 was created in 1984, splitting off from 213. It helped create identity in Valley areas. Then in 1997, 818 was split again, leaving Pasadena and other San Gabriel Valley cities with 626.
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I don't want to be known as a airplane (as in a Boeing 747) I like my 818.
5 Public Hearings were held! The original order was from ~1999!
These public officials who comment negatively and unintelligently need to wake up and realize the world exists beyond their bubble!
The 818 has never ending gridlock, illegal immigrants bankrupting our city/country, innocent people being shot, terrorists who want to kill us, and you whine about an area code?!
Those who have 818 numbers already, keep them. There's no change in the price of a normal phone call. No company's will need to reprint stationary or be inconvenienced with those burdensome costs.
Boo hoo...dialing 1+10 digits for a call. Learn how to use speed dial you Boobs.
I can have 5 public hearings too, but how did they announce them to the public? Did they do their required public postings on a random board in the public announcement corner of Whole Foods?
I'm not that concerned with the area code change, but more with the fact that outreach was done to the minimum of legal standards, which is basically doing nothing. Come on, even the Department of the Interior goes as far as e-mailing LAist to let us know or random events they'll be at in SoCal. Is the PUC that lame that they cannot do simple outreach to the public?
I'm not an advocate of the CPUC or otherwise. However, nearly 800 people showed up at the (5) Public Hearings and commented on their preference.
Maybe the focus needs to be directed internally rather than on others.
It's easy to blame a government agency, call them and others names for our lack of attention. Somehow these ~800 people got the word with plenty of advanced notice though, right?