The process of updating the city's General Plan began in the same way that the act of change comes for many of us- by taking a good look in the mirror.

Over the past year, city staff, council members, consultants and resident volunteers have picked over the entire community with a fine-toothed comb, trying to determine which parts of town aren't living up to their potential and might benefit from alterations to the General Plan.

In this issue, the Acorn begins an in depth series focusing on the 13 sections of Simi Valley that are said to be in need of improvement (see story on page 1).

They are areas of the city that, for one reason or another, haven't made the best use of their current zoning, either because of unforeseen changes to the site or because the land wasn't properly zoned to begin with.

The purpose of this series is not to point the finger at those parts of town that aren't performing well economically, but to let our readers in on the most critical portion of the General Plan update- the part where staff considers which areas might be in need of rezoning.

If the term "zoning" is unfamiliar, it simply means the act of deciding which uses are best for a parcel of land- usually residential, commercial or industrial. The process is important because it dictates what developers are allowed to build in certain areas of town.

Ever wonder why you don't find a car dealership in the middle of a quiet, residential neighborhood? That's because of zoning. And getting it right- creating the correct balance of land use to sustain economic viability- is essential to the future growth and quality of life in Simi Valley.

One need look no further than the neighboring San Fernando Valley to see how land use decisions can run amuck.

The Simi Valley General Plan update will decide the future look and feel of the neighborhoods we visit every day.

So shouldn't you get involved? Let the Acorn's new series, "Rethinking Simi Valley," get you started.