Ideas Are Sought to Help Kalisher Street

The San Fernando Planning Commission will hold a “town hall” meeting on Wednesday at Santa Rosa Community Center to get community input on the future of Kalisher Street, city officials said.

The meeting, which is aimed at residents and property owners, will focus primarily on land-use issues, said associate planner Jack Cook.

“We’re asking people, what do you want to see built here? The question [for residents] is, what do you want to see your neighborhood look like?” Cook said.

Three men were killed in three separate shooting incidents on Kalisher Street in 1997. Residents have complained for years about local gangs who peddle drugs and fight turf wars in the area.

“It’s definitely true that this has not been one of the more reputable streets in San Fernando. We’ve had a lot of problems down there,” said John Becker, chairman of the San Fernando Planning Commission.

“The idea of this meeting is for us to listen to people’s ideas about how we can improve the area,” Becker said.

Several years ago, in response to neighborhood concerns, zoning laws were changed on Kalisher Street to phase out businesses in favor of single-family residences, officials said.

On Wednesday, officials will discuss the effectiveness of that strategy and consider other land-use measures that might help to make the area safer.

Becker said the Planning Commission would also listen to input from residents about other problem areas in the city during the meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at the center, 511 Kalisher St.