Jun 23, 2009 12:01 pm US/Pacific
Van Nuys Neighborhood Hopes To Join Sherman Oaks
VAN NUYS, Calif.
A half-mile strip of Van Nuys may soon become part of Sherman Oaks, according to a Los Angeles City Council committee that approved a petition today to change their neighborhood's name.
The issue now goes to the full City Council for a vote.
Hundreds of residents and business owners in the neighborhood bordered by the 405 Freeway, Hazeltine Avenue, Oxnard Boulevard. and Burbank Boulevard signed the petition.
It was also supported by the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce and Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, who represents that district.
The Sherman Oaks and Van Nuys Neighborhood Councils opposed the name change, but Councilwoman Janice Hahn said "the overwhelming support for this name change is compelling."
Councilman Richard Alarcon, chair of the City Council's Education and Neighborhoods Committee, sided with the residents.
"If you want to change the name of your community, who am I to oppose that?" he said.
The area covered by the name change includes 1,800 residential homes, accounting for 8 percent of the residential dwellings in Van Nuys. It used to be called Sherman Oaks until postal officials gave it a Van Nuys ZIP code in 1961, according to city officials.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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