May 14, 2011 Meeting Summary

Preparation

E-mail and phone reminders

Attendees

5 members

Meeting

Agenda Items:

• Neighborhood crime update
• New City Council member
• General Plan update survey
• CA Native Plant Garden at Hamilton Park
• Pasadena Marathon Sun May 15
• anything else attendees wish to discuss

The meeting began about 11:18 am

• Neighborhood crime update
  • Las Lunas burglary
    • There was a burglary near the west end of Las Lunas Street on April 12, in the middle of the day.
    • Two hispanic men estimated to be no older then 21 were spotted by a neighbor in his backyard about 10 am looking over the fence into the neighbor’s yard.  He chased them off, but did not call the police.  Their story that they were looking for their dog put him off guard, even though it made no sense they’d be looking for their dog in his fenced off backyard.  They were clean cut, no visible tattoos, wearing blue jeans and pullover sweatshirts (one gray, one blue).
    • A dog in the backyard of the victims is a sweetie who doesn’t bark and apparently caused no problems for the burglars.
    • Police stepped up patrols of the area in the following week or so.  Unaware of anybody being caught.
    • Lessons to be learned:
      • Lock all your doors and windows when away
      • If something seems fishy, call the police.  If it’s not obviously an emergency, use 626 744-4241.  Program that number into electronic phone directories and/or write it down next to phones so you can get it quickly.
  • Brigden Ranch burglary spree
    • Brigden Ranch is a neighborhood just west of Altadena Drive, south of Washington Blvd.
    • On May 9, two 15 year old female hispanics were arrested for multiple burglaries
    • They were caught after entering a house through a rear window about 12:45 pm.  They had probably knocked on the door, but the victim was asleep in a rear bedroom. He woke up when they came through the window.   He confronted them.  One got away through the window, but he grabbed the other one and held her until the police got there.  They found she had brought a bag with loot from burglaries of other residences with her.
    • Two other burglaries were reported at nearby residences later in the day as people got home.  Some of the reported stolen jewelry and electronics matched those that were found with the girl.
    • The captured suspect confessed to five burglaries, two from the previous week, and gave up the name of the other girl.
    • On the day of their capture, the suspects were seen knocking on doors by other residents, but nobody called police.  Don’t have any info on what story they were giving to residents who answered their door.
    • Lessons to be learned:
      • Don’t assume that females or youngsters are innocent.
      • If you are home during the day and see people going door to door, watch them for awhile.  If anything doesn’t seem right, call the police.
  • New reports in our neighborhood from website crimemapping.com
    • Assault, Friday April 29, 11:30 am, 300 block of Santa Paula Ave.
    • Assault, Sunday May 1, 8:45 pm, 3200 block of La Tierra St.
• New City Council member
  • Gene Masuda won the election on April 19 to become our new Council member for District 4.  He took office on May 2nd.
  • There has not been an announcement of who will serve as his field representative.
• General Plan update survey
  • The General Plan update process continues.  After over a year of workshops taking input and commission meetings sorting it out, four basic alternatives are proposed.
    • A – growth to be diverted from the Central District to East Pasadena and other major corridors
    • B – maximizing economic vitality and jobs
    • C – “smart growth” along transportation lines and major intersections
    • D – slowing growth citywide
  • Obviously these are pretty general statements and more detail is needed.  Item B sounds like a no brainer unless one asks what it means in this context.  Does it mean no limits on growth anywhere?
  • The General Plan sounds like a lot of hot air, but it really does have a huge influence in the way Pasadena development is directed.  The reason there was so much heavy development in downtown Pasadena during the last decade is because that is where the current General Plan directed that high density should go.  Specific plans, which contain specific limits and development standards, will be revised next.  They start with a direction from the General Plan.  So what gets put into this General Plan will make a big difference over the next couple decades.
  • It has been announced that a survey will be mailed to all city residences in June.  Watch for it and be sure to answer.  As you can see, option A would redirect future development from downtown to East Pasadena.  If you don’t want that to happen, you’ve got to weigh in with your opinion.
  • There also is going to be another series of community workshops to learn more about the options and give feedback. One of them is right in our neighborhood on Tuesday June 28 at 6:30 pm at PCC-CEC on Foothill at Santa Paula.  Here is the complete list:
    • Thursday, June 16, 6:30 p.m., John Muir High School Cafeteria, 1905 Lincoln Ave.
    • Thursday, June 23, 2:30 p.m., Pasadena City College Creveling Lounge, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd.
    • Saturday, June 25, 9:30 a.m., James Madison Elementary School Auditorium, 515 E. Ashtabula St.
    • Tuesday, June 28, 6:30 p.m., CEC-Community Educational Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd.
  • Will remind you again next month.
  • Eventually the City Council will make the final decision.
• CA Native Plant Garden at Hamilton Park
  • On Saturday May 21 from 9 am to noon, volunteers are requested to help with planting a Native Plant Garden in Hamilton Park, which is at 3680 Cartwright Street.  (That’s in Upper Hastings Ranch.)
  • You can just show up with planting tools and clothes, or you can help the planning process by RSVPing to Rhonda Stone at 626-744-4740 or [email protected]
  • This community project originated under Council member Haderlein and will be completed with the blessing of Councilman Gene Masuda.
  • Volunteers from the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants will be on site .
  • Design work and plant list were donated.  Funding donated by several organizations and matched by the City.
• Pasadena Marathon Sun May 15
  • Tomorrow is the marathon.  If you are traveling almost anywhere in Pasadena, especially between 5 am and 2 pm, be prepared for traffic disruption.  Maps were sent to all residences in early May.
  • On this side of town, the route includes
    • Paloma Street from west of Altadena Dr to Sierra Madre Blvd
    • Sierra Madre Blvd north of Paloma and west of Sierra Madre Villa (but east and northbound travel will be allowed)
    • Washington Blvd between Sierra Madre Blvd and about Woodlyn.
  • Go to http://www.pasadenamarathon.org for any desired details of races and/or closures
• anything else attendees wish to discuss

Next meeting is June 11, 2011, 11:15 am, at Hastings Branch Library

Adjourned about 12:05 pm