October 10, 2009
Meeting Summary
East Eaton Wash Neighborhood Association
Preparation
E-mail reminder was sent and some phone
calls were made
Acknowledgments
Kathy hosted us on a very nice weather day and provided a variety of cookie and juice refreshments.
Attendees
9 members
Meeting
Agenda Items:
The meeting began about 11:15 am
- Ice Rink decision
- At its September
14 meeting the City Council heard the recommendation from the City
Manager to open negotiations with Polar Ice Ventures for a
public/private partnership plan to build and run the proposed ice rink
project adjacent to us.
- With one member absent (Gordo) the
Council came one vote short of agreeing to go forward, effectively
ending work on the project. Voting against were Council members
Tornek, McAustin, and Holden. Voting to go forward with
negotiations were Council members Madison, Haderlein, Robinson and
Mayor Bogaard.
- In
the meantime, the city staff is to work with the other
stakeholders to see what the possibilities are for renovating the
existing rink at the Convention Center and continuing to operate it
after termination of the existing lease in September 2011. A very
rough estimate was made that that would cost about a million
dollars. And although there is no current specific plan or
funding to return the ballroom to be used as such, it is anticipated
that it would be at most 7 years until plans and funding would be
worked out to do so.
- Starting
October 2 the "Pasadena Build the Rink Committee" has been soliciting
signatures for a petition requesting a revote of the City Council on
the basis of one member having been absent the first time and that his vote
could change the outcome.
- An
October 6 article in the Pasadena Star News quoted
Councilmember Gordo as saying it is "not a dead issue" and supporting
continuing to look for a way to make it work. The article
provided no indication that he would request a revote on the September
14 proposal.
- So
although the ice rink project is down for now in the exact form it was
last proposed, it could be rejuvenated if someone puts forward a
modified proposal that requires fewer financial resources
from the city. Or at a future time when the fiscal situation is
less severe. This will remain a possibility until the land is
used for some other purpose and/or a full ice rink facility is built
somewhere else.
- A
member raised the question whether if we and the neighborhood on the
other side of the wash were to get ourselves declared historic
neighborhoods we could put an end to the ice rink proposal as a
violation of historic status. Aside from whether we would
actually like all the restrictions of being a historic district or
would have any chance of being declared one, the city does not consider
the proposed ice rink site to be part of either of our neighborhoods -
they consistently have declared no problem due to its distance and
separation by the power lines on our side and the wash on the other.
- Electric and dump trucks on our streets
- Over
the past month this problem has been worked on by multiple residents on
multiple fronts and also by our Council member's field representative.
- Thanks
to Kristy, who lives on Alameda, contact was made with Kerry Lynch,
engineering manager for
power delivery at Pasadena Water and Power. He has promised to
work on a solution with a goal of finding one by the end of the
year. After Kristy talked to him, Rhonda Stone, the
Councilmembers field representative had several discussions with Mr
Lynch. The last report is that he is working on a possible
solution - no further information is known.
- Although
Council member Haderlein is already aware of the problem, it would
still be helpful to write him with your complaints including how the
traffic is negatively affecting you. Getting it off our streets
is likely to cost something and the more hard information he has about
its negative effect on the neighborhood the better.
- Advocating
that if the activity cannot be moved to city yards or other place in
the city, then PWP should upgrade their own access road from Maple and
use that.
- Mr
Lynch has provided his phone number so that we can complain about
specific drivers who are speeding. He said a few have already
been fired for speeding. Write down the date and time, street,
direction of travel, and whatever identifying truck detail you can get
such as the type of truck, contractor name, license plate or
other identifying number. Mr Lynch's office phone is 744-7851. He has also provided his cell phone number.
- There
has been some success in slowing trucks down by making it obvious they
are being watched. Standing out there with a camera is one way.
If you've got a camera with video capability, that could provide
evidence of speeding. Capturing the sound and feel for evidence
could also be helpful in bringing the impact of the situation to the
Council.
- The
expansion of traffic on Avocado, Del Vina, and Las Lunas that began in
August was apparently an attempt to reduce the impact of the traffic on
Alameda residents after PWP realized there were complaints. They
may also have become aware that a traffic count was about to occur on
Alameda. Of course having the trucks use multiple streets
somewhat backfired for PWP
because it raised the visibility of the problem to a lot more
people.
- The
trucks are servicing capital power projects throughout the city.
Reportedly they are not using the city yards because the city wants to keep the contractors separate from the City trucks.
Previously it was stated it was because there wasn't room there.
So don't know the real reason.
- The
dump trucks are indeed bringing dirt and debris removed from
construction sites, sifting and sorting it into categories such as
concrete vs dirt, accumulating each type until there is enough to take
a full load to the dump, and then carting that off. It appears
they are also keeping piles of clean rock aggregate and dirt which are
used for backfilling excavations.
- In
mid September there was a traffic count taken on Alameda between
Mercury Lane and Santa Paula. Do not have the results of that
count yet. (However, subsequent to our meeting we have learned from
Alameda resident Kim that the City will be sending out a letter to
Alameda owners/residents on whether speed humps are wanted.
Letter recipients are encouraged to respond promptly. It is not
clear whether the renters or their landlord will receive the
letter. If a renter does not receive it and wants humps, they
should advocate to their landlord to respond that way. Unreturned
ballots are treated the same as no votes.)
- Park
- New pedestrian path
- The new pedestrian path to Viña Vieja
Park has been constructed. The path is expected to open as soon as it has passed
Edison's inspection, which is anticipated to occur this week.
- The path runs from a gate on Avocado Ave at Las Lunas Street
north just inside the fence and then behind neighborhood houses until
it reaches the easternmost southern corner of the park.
- The path area is not as wide as previously planned. Edison felt it was too
close to the "too low" lines so now it is only a total of 11 feet wide
- 8 ft path and 3 foot landscape buffer.
- The split rail fence previously planned next to the path inside
the park was eliminated to reduce cost. It's absence will also
make the path's existence less obvious to park visitors from outside
our area.
- The plantings in the landscape buffer along the eastern side of most of the path are called Hopseed
Bush. Along the south end of the path adjacent to Avocado Ave are
Blue Oat Grass. There is a 20' gap in plantings in the middle of
the area because Edison insisted that was necessary to maintain access
to the small telephone pole on the neighbor's property on the other
side of a 6' wall.
- Gates on Avocado and at the park boundary are to be closed and
locked each night. Public Works maintenance crews are expected to
open them in the morning. Intercom security is to close them in
the evening.
- A temporary sign is supposed to be put on the current path's Avocado gate
redirecting people to the new entrance.
- Some people may find the lack of outside visibility to/from
the path to be a security concern. This is recognized, but no
non-opaque fencing material was considered suitable due to electrical
conductivity issues and the "too low" power lines. Hopefully the
power lines will be raised when a new circuit is added to the adjacent
towers in a few years.
- Grapevines trellis, commemoration plaque
- At
some point soon the chain link fence to the north of the dog park that
the grapevines are growing on is supposed to be replaced by some kind
of trellis.
- There is also supposed to be a plaque put on a nearby boulder
commemorating the planting of the grapevines as a symbol of the history
of the park location and our neighborhood. The intent is to have
something or permanence reminding future park patrons and caretakers
that the grapevines are more then just a landscape choice. We
are to assist with figuring out the wording for the plaque.
- Avocado frontage planting
- Now
that the ice rink project is presumed dead and therefore not
maybe/supposedly going to landscape the west frontage of Avocado
Avenue, our Councilmember's field representative is asking what we'd
like to do to improve it without much expense. Possibilities
include just continuing individual neighbor efforts as have been
occurring, or making a plan to be undertaken by volunteers with support
from the city. Our Councilmember's field rep has asked public
works whether they would extend a drip line down on the city side of
the fence. If this could be done it would make getting any new
planting established much much easier. The possibility of asking
Pasadena Beautiful to
assist us has also been raised. What would we like to do?
- Only comment at meeting was willingness to volunteer if there is water, too difficult to manage if not.
- Code compliance
- Code
compliance had agreed to send an officer to our meeting, but then they
apparently changed their minds. So, no officer.
- At
the City Council meeting on October 5 there was a presentation about
how the budget will need to be cut further because revenues are less
then expected and the state is likely to take even more funds.
Among the suggested cuts were eliminating "proactive code
enforcement". It was also
mentioned that a management audit is underway of the planning and
permitting office. That Pasadena used to be renowned for the efficiency
of its permit office and they were going to try to regain that perception.
- A code compliance officer recently told a neighbor in response
to questions that the office had new management and there was a shakeup
underway.
- St Lukes hospital property
- The developer who bought the St Lukes hospital property at the peak
of the real estate market has reportedly now filed for
bankruptcy. This could potentially result in it being acquired by
somebody at much reduced cost and therefore less need to overbuild to
recoup their investment.
- Hastings Branch Library planting beds project
- On
November 21 there will be a community service project to redo the
flower beds in front of Hastings Branch library.
- 8 - 11 am or any portion thereof.
- Bring gloves, and tools (if you have them).
- If you expect to go, it is requested that you let Rhonda Stone
know 626 744-4740 or rstone@cityofpasadena.net . But you are
invited even if you only decide to go at the last minute.
- anything else attendees wish to discuss
- PERT Training October 17 still open
- There are still some slots available for the free Pasadena
Emergency Response Training presented by the Pasadena Fire Department.
- The goal of the training is to increase neighborhood self
sufficiency in the event of a disaster because the fire department will
be spread too thin to help everyone.
- Saturday October 17
8 am to 12:30 pm
La Salle High School
3880 East Sierra Madre Blvd (SW corner with Michillinda)
- Continental breakfast and snacks provided. Raffle for free emergency kit.
- Registration required. Go to http://www.cityofpasadena.net/district4 or call 626 744-4740.
- 3175 Alameda St
- On Thursday October 8, the city took possession of this
nuisance property. Putrid and vermin infested, the owner has
ignored code compliance for years. The city has now boarded it up and will be
cleaning up the health threats. Presumably the City Prosecutor's
office is taking some legal actions; have no details. Have asked what the process will be going forward.
- Stonefire Grill is to open in November
- We have been told that the fast-casual style restaurant that
has been under construction on Rosemead where Baker's Square used to be
is expected to open in November.
- One
of our members saw an article recently that there will be some kind of
charity benefit held there in October which must be signed up for in
advance. Have been unable to find a reference to that.
- Street trees on Sierra Madre Villa, Rosemead, Halstead
- If you were walking on Sierra Madre Villa, Rosemead, or Halstead in
just the right place and time and looking just the right way, you might
have noticed a sign about a meeting about the designated street trees.
- After
the big blowup over the removal of the big ficus trees on Colorado Blvd
last winter to be replaced with alternating palm trees and little not
very shady trees because that was the "plan" for the street, the City
Council asked the Urban Forestry Commission to relook at the master
street tree plans for all the business districts in the city.
City staff was also directed to adhere in the future to the already
existing policy of not removing healthy trees. The idea being to
avoid a similar controversy in the future.
- The
Southern Magnolia (designated tree on lower Sierra Madre Villa and
Halstead) and Liquid Amber tree (Rosemead and upper Sierra Madre Villa)
varieties have both been downgraded as less desirable
trees. So the commission was to consider at this meeting whether those tree
designations should be changed.
- If
the tree were to be changed, existing healthy trees would not be
removed. The new tree type would just be put in place as old
trees died or due to development caused openings.
- Unfortunately the meeting was to be held on the far side of town at an awful traffic hour. We complained.
- Since our meeting we have been notified that the Urban
Forestry Commission is holding a special meeting on just this
topic. It will be held
Monday October 19, 2009
5:30 pm
Victory Park Center
2575 Paloma Street
Next meeting is November 14, 2009, 11:15 am, at Hastings Branch Library
Adjourned about 1 pm