May 12, 2012 Meeting Summary

Agenda Items:
Preparation
Attendees
Meeting

Preparation

E-mail reminders

Attendees

4 members

Meeting

Agenda Items:

The meeting began about 11:26 a.m.

  • McDonald’s to be completely rebuilt
    • Existing building (opened July 1967) to be completely torn down and replaced with a new building just slightly smaller.
    • There are to be two drive-thru lanes, totaling 12 car capacity.
    • Dine in hours to start 1/2 hour later then current closing (making it 5 am to 2 am), but drive-thru to be open 24-hours.
    • Block wall to be built on north side along alley to help shield it from residences on other side.
    • Landscaping along Foothill and Sunnyslope to be expanded (because East Pasadena Specific Plan requires it).
    • Here is the city planning staff report recommending approval of Conditional Use Permits.
  • General Plan Update
    • On the City Council Agenda for Monday May 14, is a presentation for review and comment to the Council of the current draft for update of the General Plan Land Use and Mobility Elements.  The General Plan establishes the long term plan / vision for development in the coming decades.
    • This is supposedly the result of staff using all the input gathered thus far, including the survey results.
    • For East Pasadena, the draft plan shows a decrease in the current massive unused limit for new commercial space, but a huge increase for new housing units.
    • Here is the text from the staff report:
      • “East Pasadena Community comments for this area included the need to better utilize the Sierra Madre Villa Gold Line Station, create a walkable area, provide new jobs and protect nearby residential neighborhoods. The current plan follows an automobile-oriented pattern and focuses on office uses and does not allow any additional housing. The draft concept map envisions transitioning the area into a walkable transit-oriented village with job generating offices and local and regional serving retail. Housing would also be added to the area to create a walkable place to work and live. The highest densities would be concentrated around the Gold Line Station and decrease as they abut residential neighborhoods. The Lamanda Park area would focus on research and development (R&D) uses to assist in fostering new and emerging businesses.
        For the East Pasadena Specific Plan area, staff forecasts the draft map will result in 1.5 million square feet in commercial space, which is less than the existing plan’s remaining cap of 2.0 million square feet. This reduction will be partly offset by 1,250 housing units, which is higher than the 400 units constructed or approved for construction since 1994. As previously noted, the existing plan’s housing cap has already been reached.”
    • Note that the current cap is only reached if one includes the 200+ condos that were to be built on the southeast corner of Foothill and Sierra Madre Villa.  That development plan is now defunct.  The draft plan is recommending allowing 1000 more housing units then were constructed in the past 18 years.  We could see the replacement of commercial areas along Foothill and Colorado with “mixed-use” developments combining a lot of residential units with a little ground floor retail or office use.
    • Although the text talks about preserving current residential areas, the map that is included paints the lower quarter of our neighborhood as an “opportunity area” as part of a circle drawn around the Gold Line station. This differs from the area surrounding the Allen station, where the “opportunity area” is cut off and a separate color indicates “Residential areas to preserve.”  It is as if our neighborhood is not recognized as existing.
    • The areas designated as “job centers” (as opposed to being targeted for mixed-use), are
      • “The triangle” – the block just to our east from Electronic Drive north to Orange Grove/Rosemead.  Most of this area was proposed for a massive redevelopment in 2007 (that plan was withdrawn just after it became public).
      • “Lamanda Park” – between Foothill on the north, Walnut on the south, the freeway overpass on the east, Altadena Dr. on the west
    • Following this presentation to the City Council, and other presentations to various Commissions and Committees, the plan is to hold two “community open houses to present the draft land use map and forecasts to the community for feedback.”  These would be in June (no specific dates or places yet).  Then over the summer the city staff would finalize everything and bring that before the Commissions and Council in the fall.  Then next year they would work on the Environmental Impact Report for 6 to 8 months.  Then bring it all to the Council for final adoption.
    • Once that is done, work will start on updating the various Specific Plans.  Using the General Plan as the base, the Specific Plans get down to details like what kind of businesses/buildings are allowed or not allowed, maximum density (floor area ratios), maximum heights, minimum setbacks, for each part of a street/block.
  • Local crime summary
    • From crimemapping.com:
      • Monday April 16, 8:49 pm, Vehicle Break-in/Theft, 400 block of Avocado Ave.
      • Wednesday and Thursday April 25 & 26, residential burglaries just north of us on Canyon Wash and Rida Streets.
      • Upper Hastings had 8 more residential burglaries in the past month
    • Friday May 11, around 9:30 pm.,  Hit and run of parked car, 3100 block Del Vina
  • Hastings Summer Reading Programs
    • If you aren’t a regular public library user, you might not realize there is a lot more going on then just borrowing books.
    • Did you know there is now a kiosk full of DVDs you can check out for free?  You can browse the selection and make reservations on the library’s website.
    • There are lots of free activities coming this summer right here at our Hastings Branch Library.  Most are geared to children, but some are for adults.   If you see something of interest, put it on your calendar before you forget.  (Information provided by Hastings Branch.)
      • Free Health Screening
        • Tuesdays, June 19 & July 17, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
        • Free blood pressure and blood sugar screenings, referrals and health education by a registered nurse from Huntington Hospital
      • Spring into Health Fair
        • Saturday June 9, 12 – 2 p.m.
        • Free Health Fair offering blood pressure screenings for adults and hands-on health education activities for youth. Information on HELP (Healthy Eating Lifestyle Program) pediatric obesity, diabetes management classes, and Huntington Hospital Community Asthma Program will also be available. Conducted by registered nurses from Huntington Hospital.
      • Book Chit Chat
        • Wednesday June 6, Tuesday July 3, Tuesday August 7; 6:30 p.m.
      • Celtic Knot Drawing
        • Wednesday July 11, 4 – 6 p.m.
        • Explore this traditional art form as you draw your very own stylized graphic representations of Celtic knots. Create fun interlaced patterns or “endless” knot drawings with the use of basic tools: rulers, grids, pencils, and erasers. Led by Janell Mithani
        • Age 12 and up. Class size limited to 10. Registration required – call 744-7262
      • Australian Dot Painting
        • Wednesday July 25, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
        • Discover the unique dot painting art of the Australian Aboriginal desert people. Create your own original dot painting while exploring this fun art style. Led by Janell Mithani.
        • Age 12 and up. Class size limited to 10. Registration required – call 744-7262
      • Music + You!
        • Tuesdays June 5, 12, 19, 26 and July 3 and 10, all at 11 a.m.
        • Dream Big! Let your imagination run rampant; stimulate your mind with classical music while imaginatively interacting with it. Instructor Nina Guo has developed a mind expanding program where participants will cultivate their musical instincts by actively listening to classical music as they: act out the piece, create music inspired arts & crafts, create a group collage, as well as explore themes and emotions invoked by the music. For more information please call 626-744-7262
      • Jumping Flea Circus Ukulele Club
        • Saturday June 9, 11 a.m.
        • Kick off the Summer Reading Club with us, learn fascinating facts about the music and the ukulele and enjoy fun, awe-inspiring mainland songs.
      • Luce Puppet Company’s imaginative “Wizard of Oz” Show!
        • Monday June 11, 7 p.m.
        • Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Oz with Dorothy and her friends in this creatively staged production filled with courage, brains, and heart. Enjoy this timeless tale told with traditional rod puppets.
      • Father’s Day Craft
        • Thursday June 14, 4 p.m.
        • Stop by and get a head start on that special gift for Dad.
      • Tim Griffin’s Songs of Science
        • Saturday June 16, 1:30 p.m.
        • Can you sing a “parasite fight song?” Do you know the names of your “nine favorite planets?” Teacher and performer Tim Griffin can do that and more as he shares his hilarious “songs of science.” Fun music and songs for children 7 and up
      • Hastings Youth Book Group
        • Thursdays June 21, July 5 & 19, August 2, all at 3 p.m.
        • Enjoy reading, discussing ideas and making new friends? Then join us as we embark upon our summer reading adventures.
        • Call 744-7262 for a list of titles. For ages 9 – 12.
      • Board Game Mania
        • Fridays June 22 to July 27, 1 – 3 p.m.
        • Enjoy playing classic board games.
      • Flights of Fantasy
        • Tuesday June 26, 3 p.m.
        • Join Flights of Fantasy Story Theatre in their rollicking storytelling extravaganza, “Dreaming Your Way to the Stars,” with stories that encourage trying new avenues of expression. Come, join the fun, share the laughter and enjoy theatre at the library. For school-age children.
      • Juggler David Cousin
        • Thursday July 12, 1 p.m.
        • Comedy and juggling together what could be better! Juggler David Cousin has delighted audiences throughout the world and now brings his show to Pasadena.
      • Back to the Future – Dream BIG!
        • Wednesday July 18, 4 p.m.
        • Imagine traveling in time and being able to see the future. Join us and let your imagination do the rest as we travel 25 years in the future in our dream time capsule.
      • Pacific Animal Productions
        • Tuesday July 24, 1:30 p.m.
        • Our special animal friends will ask us to “dream big…look what I can do.” Always fun, always interesting, Pacific Animal Productions is loved by all!
  • anything else attendees wish to discuss
    • Teenagers with “BB guns” in Edison area
      • A week or two ago (a Saturday), teenagers were spotted trespassing in the Edison area (under the high tension wires) carrying “BB guns”. (Whether they were technically BB guns is unknown.)
      • The resident who observed it was in a hurry and didn’t call police.
      • This kind of activity may have been generally accepted decades ago, but it’s a really bad idea now.
      • If you know, or might know, who was out there, warn them not to do it. If you’re in the area, be alert to the possibility.
    • Pasadena City Birthday Celebration Event
      • On June 23 from noon to 4 p.m. there will be a big free event at the Pasadena Museum of History to celebrate the City of Pasadena’s 126th birthday.
      • Here is a link to their information page.
      • A request has gone out for representatives of different communities and neighborhoods to staff a booth where they will talk with visitors about the history of their community.  They are hoping these people can do that for at least an hour. If you are interested in possibly doing that, contact Emilie Broughton at (626) 500-5504 or [email protected]  Council member Gene Masuda requests that he be copied as well([email protected])
    • House fire on Del Vina
      • There was a house fire on Del Vina the afternoon of Friday May 4.
      • There was substantial damage. No one was home when it started and no one was injured.
      • Last word was that firefighters thought it may have been started from an extension cord.
      • A bunch of contractors showed up and were standing around with tablet computers in hand while firefighters were still there. When one of them was questioned, he first claimed to be an insurance agent. Then he admitted he was a contractor, and showed a State Contractor’s Board license. He claimed that they help the victim to get everything they deserve from their insurance company. (In other words, they get in the middle and game the system to get as much work as they possibly can.) When asked, he said they learn about events like the fire by subscribing to a service that the news media uses, and “they all do that”.
      • The next day the neighbor who called the fire in to authorities was approached by at least 8 different contractors, many also calling themselves “insurance agents”.  It is unknown why they were going to the reporting address rather then the fire address.  Probably all of those and more descended on the house that had the fire.

Next meeting is June 9, 2012, 11:15 am, at Hastings Branch Library

Adjourned about 12:30 p.m.