May 8, 2010 Meeting Summary

Agenda Items:
Preparation
Acknowledgments
Attendees
Meeting

Preparation

E-mail and phone reminders made.

Acknowledgments

Susan brought cookies.

Attendees

7 members

Meeting

Agenda Items:

The meeting began around 11:22 am

  • Proposed U-Verse box installation on Santa Paula at Del Vina
    • City of Pasadena’s Public Works has sent letters to nearby property owners stating that it is planning to permit AT&T to place a Project U-Verse cabinet at 3214 Del Vina.  The actual location is on the east side of Santa Paula, just south of Del Vina, in front of that resident’s wood slat fence.  There is no sidewalk here.  This location is directly across Santa Paula from the existing AT&T phone line cabinet for our area.
    • The public has 30-days from April 26 to ask questions or raise concerns about the proposed location.  The contact information given in the letter is
      • Danny Wooten, Project Manager, Public Works Engineering, 626 744-7401
      • Dan Rix, City Engineer, 626 744-4267
    • In June of 2008, city staff informed the City Council that:
      • AT&T’s Project U-Verse upgrades “its existing network by providing Pasadena residents with cutting-edge
        digital television, internet and telephone service”
      • “This upgrade requires the placement of new above-ground cabinets in the public right-of-way”
      • U-Verse cabinets must be placed within 350 feet of existing Serving Area Interface (SAI) cabinets.  SAI cabinets are the traditional phone line cabinets.
      • Under a state law passed in 2006, the city has very little ability to regulate whether or where boxes are placed.  But AT&T reportedly agreed to some conditions with staff for agreeing on specific locations rather then fighting in court.
        • “The priority of cabinet location will be to the adjacent side of a residential property.”
        • “There shall be no more than one cabinet Placement in front of any one residence.” (Presumably why the new cabinet is to be across the street instead of next to the existing cabinet.)
        • A public outreach program for affected property owners including:
          • “After staff has approved site location, AT&T must notify the abutting property owner of the site location by written correspondence approved by the Department of Public Works.”
          • “The letter shall include a “frequently asked questions and answers” sheet and must mail via USPS with Delivery Confirmation.”
          • “If the abutting property owner has additional questions and concerns regarding site location, Public Works and AT&T staff will meet with the abutting property owner to discuss concerns and answer questions.”
          • “Prior to issuance of any encroachment permit, AT&T shall distribute door tags approved by the Department of Public Works no later than 48 hours prior to cabinet installation to properties adjacent and within a sight line of the installation location. Door tags must inform residents of start date, hours of construction and a projected completion date of cabinet installation.”
          • There was also supposed to be a communications plan including community meetings in each Council District, a television program, and information on the website.  There is no sign of any of that taking place.  (Maybe dropped because it became obvious AT&T just took it as an opportunity to advertise it’s new product.)
        • “AT&T shall restore the parkway to its original condition prior to cabinet installation. At the discretion and approval of the Department of Public Works, AT&T shall landscape the area surrounding the cabinet. Landscape shall be of a sufficient height and density to soften the visibility of the cabinets from the public right-of-way. AT&T is not required to maintain the landscaping.”
  • Kinneloa/Walnut extension status
    • It appears to be nearly ready to open.
    • An item on Monday’s City Council agenda mentions completion is expected this month.
  • Library branch open hours cutbacks
    • Starting this week, all branch libraries are closed on Sundays.
    • Six branch libraries are also closed on Fridays.  Hastings Branch continues to be open on Friday, along with La Pintoresca and Villa-Parke.
    • The Central Library will continue to be open every day.
  • Water rates and hearing
    • Everybody that gets a Pasadena Water and Power bill for water should have received a notice last week about a public hearing for “proposed water rate adjustments”.
    • Basically two parts to hearing.
      • One is getting rid of the highest rate block approved last year and lowering the price of the highest remaining block.  This is made possible because the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) subsequentally adjusted the criteria it had proposed to be less onerous to the city, and the city reduced its usageenough to avoid the penalty rates.
      • The other part is passing through rate increases from the MWD effective October 1 this year and an even higher increase on October 1, 2011.  Although it has previously been stated that the size and cost of block 1 water was based on the lower cost local water used by PWP, the proposal appears to distribute these MWD increases evenly across the rates of all the blocks.
    • Note that this hearing does not have anything to do with the water service rate increases approved last June that take effect this July 1 and next July 1. Effective this July 1, the fixed charge on each two month bill will increase from $22.14 to $28.10.  In July 2011 it increases to $35.
  • Rose Bowl Stadium games
    • The city is publicizing and trying to get support for renovations to the Rose Bowl by holding this event.
    • Admission is free.
    • “learn first hand about the proposed Rose Bowl Renovation and have fun on the field!”
    • “Games and activities for all ages on the Rose Bowl field “
    • Sunday, May 16, Noon to 3:00 pm.  Gates open at 11:30 am.
  • anything else attendees wish to discuss
    • Vehicle burglaries on Hermanos Street
      • A couple of weeks ago, late at night on a weekday, someone went to all the vehicles parked on driveways on Hermanos and went through the contents of every one that was not locked.
        They apparently took their time, including sorting through the contents of glove boxes. And apparently were not concerned about being visible in security lights.
      • The Pasadena Police crime mapping program does not show that any of these crimes were reported.  (There are a large number of recent reports from the Best Buy shopping center area).
      • Even if a theft is minor, it is very important to report it.  The Police Department depends on reports to figure out patterns and where extra patrolling or detective work might be useful.
      • For small crimes that are not in progress you don’t even need to call the police, you can now just fill out a report online.  See
        http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/police/online-reports/start-report.asp
      • A reminder to everybody to lock your car, even in your driveway.  Lock your garage too.
      • Don’t leave anything visible in your car that looks like it might have value, or anything that looks like it could be hiding something valuable.
      • Consider having each driver of a car carry a copy of the registration in their wallet rather then leaving it in the glove box.  There is no requirement it be kept in the car; only that the driver be able to produce it.  Consider doing the same thing with the insurance card.
      • Be careful about leaving anything in the car that would be useful to an identity thief or such things as keys to your house.
    • Resident garden awarded a Golden Arrow award
      • Linda on Estado has won a Golden Arrow award from the Pasadena Beautiful Foundation for her front yard drought resistant garden
    • Trash trucks and Vineyard Ln
      • A resident noted that recently the trash collection trucks are having a lot of difficulty due to the way people are parking on Vineyard Lane.
      • The trucks are sometimes unable to get around the corner with Estado and have to back up all the way to the previous corner, or else they squeeze through dangerously.

Next meeting is June 12, 2010, 11:15 am, at Hastings Branch Library

Adjourned about 12 pm