March 10, 2012 Meeting Summary

Agenda Items:
Preparation
Attendees
Meeting

Preparation

E-mail and phone reminders

Attendees

9 members

Meeting

Agenda Items:

The meeting began about 11:20 am

  • Annual Election of Association Officers
    • Our annual election of officers took place at our meeting.
    • There were no new nominees for the officer positions, so the listed candidates were the same officers as before.
    • 9 ballots were submitted.  Results were:
      • President
        • Laura Ellersieck – 9
      • Vice-President
        • Kathy Vacio – 9
      • Secretary
        • Sue (write-in) – 1
      • Treasurer
        • Vinnie Torres – 7
        • Rosalie (write-in) – 2
  • Kaiser proposes parking structure and expansion
    • Kaiser Permanente is applying for a permit to allow them to build a parking structure on the south west corner of their parking lot for the building on the south west corner of Sierra Madre Villa and Foothill.
    • They are requesting this not only because they do not have enough parking on-site for their current needs, but because over the next seven years they intend to expand their usage to the entire building as current office tenant leases expire and those tenants move out.  The way Kaiser uses the building space requires more parking then the office users.
    • Parking Needs
      • A “parking demand study” was done a traffic consultant to the City.  That study reportedly says Kaiser needs 4.3 spaces per 1000 square feet of gross occupied building floor area.
      • Reportedly, the City’s Department of Transportation has determined that no significant traffic impacts will be generated by the proposed expanded usage because only a small increment of vehicle trips will be added.
      • As they go forward, Kaiser intends to obtain permission for better signage that will make it clear that Kaiser clients can access the parking lot from Foothill.  This is said to already be the case.
      • In order to increase the onsite parking, Kaiser needs to obtain a variance to exceed the maximum amount of parking currently allowed by City ordinance.  They are requesting the 4.3 spaces per 1000 square feet that the study said is needed.
      • For a new medical building, the requirement would be 4 spaces per 1000, except that because it is near the Gold Line station that would be reduced and capped at 10% less, therefore 3.6 spaces per 1000.
      • In 2008 Kaiser got a variance to allow them to reduce the required parking for an existing building by the 10% for medical use, and 25% for office use, for being near the Gold Line station.  Because the building was built in 1983, they could use the standard from then, which was 3 spaces per 1000 sq ft.  Along with the granting of this variance it was acknowledged that even under this standard they would have to obtain more parking before expanding the medical use to more then 87,200 square feet.  (There are an additional 63,341 sq ft to be used eventually).  At the same hearing in 2008 they also got permits to use tandem and valet parking, and indicated their intent to obtain some off-site parking for employees.
      • As residents of the southern half of our neighborhood are very aware, Kaiser does not have enough on-site parking for its employees and clients.  They have a shuttle van which takes employees to and from parking leased from the Church of the Foothills on Sierra Madre Villa and the Church of the Nazarene on Sierra Madre Blvd.  They also control a small lot on the north side of Foothill next to the auto repair place.  But apparently some employees do not find that arrangement meets their needs and increasingly have been parking on our streets. (It is possible that even after on-site parking is available, that costs or cheating on van pool or public transit incentives will still result in employees parking in the neighborhood.)
    • Proposed parking details
      • The parking structure would be four stories high.  The first story would be at ground level and the fourth story would be the top of the structure.  The highest point would be the top of the elevator shaft, at 52′ above grade.  The elevator would be located on the north east corner of the structure (closest to the building’s rear entry).
      • One vehicle entry/exit to the structure would be on the north side near the western edge.  This would be most convenient for entry/exit from/to Foothill Blvd.  It could also be accessed from/to Sierra Madre Villa by driving past the medical building’s entry.
      • The other vehicle entry/exit would be on the east side of the structure near the south end.  Using this entry/exit would require driving through one row of outdoor surface parking.
      • It appears that all existing landscaping in the current parking lot, including along the western and eastern edges will be removed.  The landscaping immediately surrounding the building, and the trees along the freeway, would be preserved.  A new area of trees and a “passive park area” would be planted along Sierra Madre Villa.  The new landscaping would also include areas called “bioswales” which are supposed to slow, clean, and to some extent capture, water runoff.
      • We don’t yet have an answer as to whether Kaiser intends to charge employees and/or clients to park in their proposed structure.
      • During construction, they plan to have employees and tenants park at the Church of the Nazarene.  Presumably they will lease additional parking for that purpose.  They say they would continue to have enough on-site parking during the construction for clients to park on-site.  (This could be done by retaining all the surface parking on the east side of the current lot until the structure is ready, and then redo the east side of the lot.)
      • We don’t know yet how long they expect construction to take.
      • Plan drawings provided by Kaiser are posted on our web site here:
    • Hearing details
      • It is expected that the Public Hearing for the requested variance(s)/permit(s) will occur
        Wednesday April 4, 2012, 6:30 pm
        Permit Center hearing room, 175 North Garfield
      • The public hearing notice should be posted this coming week, with the Staff Report posted by March 30.
    • Questions / Comments?
      • If you have questions or comments that you’d like passed along to Kaiser’s Director of Government and Community Relations prior to the hearing, please e-mail them to [email protected]
  • Local crime summary
    • Saturday Feb 11, afternoon, Burglary, Vineyard Pl.
      • A man with a clipboard claimed to be building a wall for the neighbor behind (on Santa Paula).  While in the backyard with the resident, he stepped away to make a phone call.  It is believed he actually was calling friends to say he had the resident occupied in back.  After the man left, the resident had a feeling something wasn’t right.  She found jewelry was missing and called police.  She learned the house behind hers was vacant. Neighbors had seen a car with people in it in front of the house, but had not seen the people go inside.
    • Wednesday Feb 22, about 11:30 pm., Culver Alley (behind Mataro).  Two car windows were shattered.  crimemapping.com says vehicle break-in, but although the windows were broken there was no evidence they actually tried to get into the car.
    • From crimemapping.com:
      • Sunday Feb 19, 1:33 am, Drugs/Alcohol violations, intersection of Avocado and Las Lunas
      • Friday Feb 24, 8:18 pm, residential burglary, 3200 block of Rida Street (street immediately north of library)
      • While Daisy Villa neighborhood has been quiet the past month, Hastings Ranch shows a rash of burglaries.
    • Las Lunas Street is having another Neighborhood Watch meeting in April.
  • Disaster training feedback?
    • Did anyone attend the fire department’s PERT (Pasadena Emergency Response Team) class on March 3rd? How was it?
    • Two attendees at our meeting went to the class.  They reported favorably on it as an introduction to emergency response.  After introductory remarks the attendees were split among groups learning about emergency kits, first aid, basic rescue techniques and tools.  Those wanting to try things hands-on were given the opportunity, for example using a fire extinguisher or using a pry bar with a pivot point to lift heavy objects.
    • One of our attendees already has taken much more comprehensive training from, and volunteers with, the County’s program called CERT.  He reports that an effort is underway to establish CERT in Pasadena too.  I believe he said the class is 21 hours.
    • We had some miscellaneous discussion about emergency preparedness, such as how to store water and where.
  • Pasadena Community Needs Assessment Survey
    • The City is actively pushing a survey with the full name “City of Pasadena: 2012 Human Services, Recreation & Housing Needs Assessment”.
    • The survey is for residents, and runs until Friday March 23.
    • It is gathering information about usage of and opinions about the city’s various recreation and service programs and facilities.  Presumably it will be used in determining what to continue and what to change going forward.  This could be especially important with the ongoing budget cutting.  So if you use any of these programs and/or wish to express an opinion about them, take advantage of this opportunity.
    • They are distributing the survey in printed format at various city events and venues, but anyone can also fill it out online at
      http://www.cityofpasadena.net (look for a link in the middle of the page under FYI Pasadena), or go directly to
      https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2012PasadenaNeedsAssessmentSurvey
    • If you are willing to provide contact information, you can be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to pay toward one of the City’s classes or activities.
  • Conference on Aging on Friday April 13
    • The free 2012 Conference on Aging takes place
      • Friday April 13, 2012
      • 8 am – 1:30 pm
      • First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena
      • 3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd
    • Includes free breakfast and lunch.
    • Workshops and health screenings for anybody 50 or older.
    • RSVP by calling 877-926-8300
    • “Receive practical information and resources that will help you plan ahead and get the most out of life.”
    • Keynote speech by Stephanie Edwards.
  • anything else attendees wish to discuss
    • Edison work at Goodrich substation
      • February 27 City Council Agenda item 1 was to authorize Pasadena Water and Power to pay Edison for some work at the Goodrich substation located just north of Foothill to the west of the PCC-CEC parking lot.
      • The Goodrich substation provides the interconnection between the City’s electric grid and the Edison high tension wires.  Pasadena mostly imports, and sometimes exports, electricity through it.
      • Pasadena has an agreement with Edison to maintain the interconnection equipment in the substation.
      • Edison is to replace some manually operated 220 kV disconnection switches that are about 30 years old and have become difficult to operate.
      • Edison ” will also be providing new foundations and seismically qualified support structures that will protect the vital equipment and increase the system reliability during future earthquakes.”
      • Edison will start the work after March 20 and intends to finish before June 30.

Next meeting is April 14, 2012, 11:15 am, at Hastings Branch Library

Adjourned about 1 pm