Blight on our Community: The partially built lofts, located in the 1200 block of Colorado Boulevard, close to the 210 Freeway access / exit ramps, frustrate Eagle Rockers and generate many appeals to TERA to do something about it.
Many forces have converged, making the solution very difficult. The weak economy has minimized the prospect of a new developer completing the project. "Why doesn't the city take it over" is a frequent comment. Eminent domain is the tool the city could use to take control of the property. However, that would require the city to pay fair market value for the property; we all know there is not a discretionary dime in the city budget. Several, including me, can envision the half-built project turning into a unique artistic endeavor on an interim basis. However, allowing artists to create on the property would require the purchase of costly insurance. Protecting the property from the inevitable graffiti onslaught would be a long-term issue and another expense.
Until the economy improves, and developers have regained their inclination and funding for new residential projects, we may be stuck with this eyesore. I have asked the Council Office to explore any other potential approaches including the non-payment of property taxes, etc. My fear is that all solutions require funding that just is not there. If you have an out of the box approach that you think deserves consideration, please share it with me.
Water Main Colorado Blvd: A project begins today and will last for four to six months. Your water supply may be cutoff, parking will be limited or temporarily eliminated and traffic flow will be restricted. On July 14 that was the message contained in the notice sent by the Department of Water and Power to Colorado Boulevard based business and some residents.
In the best of times, this project would be disruptive to Eagle Rock commerce. This weak economy, that has made survival so difficult for our businesses, makes it absolutely essential for the City to consider business impact before scheduling any infrastructure projects. Jennifer Morgan (Colorado Wine Company) took a leadership role in contacting the Council Office and inviting members of the community get involved immediately. Thanks for Jennifer for taking this role.
When informed of the DWP Notice, Jose' Huizar's office, which was equally surprised, called a community meeting with the DWP in attendance. At the meeting, the DWP retracted the notice and apologized profusely for the ill-advised notification process. Initially many business representatives felt the project needed to be stopped. Ultimately, it was recognized that the project is not discretionary. The potential for the water main, which is over 80 years old, to fail increases daily. An unplanned replacement would have a considerably larger detrimental impact on our business community than a scheduled project. Later this week a second meeting will be convened. At this meeting, the city and the Eagle Rock business community will discuss alternative approaches to scheduling and parking, in order to minimize the business impact.
Lesson learned from this issue include the observation that the community was able to quickly mobilize and begin a productive dialogue with the Council Office and the DWP. The ability to deal with an issue that provides so much concern for our business community, and do it in a way that avoided adversarial overtones was commendable and cannot be found in every community. Kudos to all who participated in the productive dialogue. I am confident that a reasonable solution will be chosen in a collaborative way, that recognizes both the concerns of the business community and the DWP.
Colorado Blvd Median: When I travel Colorado Boulevard I am pretty focused on my next task, where I need to go, will I be there on time, etc. etc. Frankly, I don't pay much attention to what's around me other than the traffic. Complaints regarding the Colorado Blvd. median started showing up in the TERA in-box.
Sunday I drove the Boulevard with the express purpose of looking at this critical green-space in Eagle Rock and I was appalled. The condition was not poor; it was abysmal. It isn't just that the grass is not cut; it is transitioning to an untended field status. Tragically, several mature, valuable trees are now dead - probably a result of a total lack of irrigation. It will be very costly to replace them even with less mature junior trees. Immediately I sent a note to the council office expressing the community's concern and asking for promises of immediate action. Following is the Council Office's response on Monday, July 26.
"Councilmember Huizar would like to provide an update regarding the
Eagle Rock Medians.
Last week, The City Council voted to pass Councilmember Huizar's
motion to use Council District 14 discretionary funds to pay for
cleanup and upkeep of the median islands on Colorado Blvd./ Eagle Rock
Blvd. in Eagle Rock.
Recently, due to budget cuts and layoffs the medians were no longer
being serviced by the City. This was unacceptable to Councilmember
Huizar and he immediately worked on bringing in a contractor to
continue the service.
Starting on Friday, crews will restore maintenance to the medians, including mowing the grass and removing weeds and trash. Councilmember Huizar has worked to bring many improvements to Eagle Rock, including recent renovations at Eagle Rock Recreation Center and upcoming landscaping improvements around the iconic Eagle Rock "Rock" landmark. Councilmember Huizar will continue to be an advocate for our community and will fight to make sure Eagle Rock gets its fair share of services".
The timely response and promise of action by the end of this week is greatly appreciated. I cannot help but reflect on the observation that in the spirit of economy, expenses will now be incurred that could have been avoided if normal maintenance had been maintained. Just think about the cost of removing and replacing the four mature trees that died in the area of Hermosa and Colorado Boulevard.
Thanks to Marijuana Dispensaries Alerts: A hats off to those who have been reporting dispensaries that continue to operate in defiance of the new regulations. Keep it up!
Welcome TERA's New Board Members:
Congratulations to Arthur Nakata, Marina Rimer and Sara Jane Thies on their election to a 3-year term ending June 30, 2013. They join continuing board members Bob Gotham, Maura Duvall Griffin, Keith Louie, Joanne MacNeil, Maria Nazario and Mary Tokita.
Special thanks to retiring board members Renate Kofahl, Frank Parrello, Rich Puz and Mike Woodward. They have served TERA and the community with the utmost integrity and dedication. They will be missed.
Membership: If you are not a member, now is the time to think about joining. Please consider becoming a member now. You will know that you are supporting the quality of life in Eagle Rock. In addition, you will also get a reward by patronizing the many Eagle Rock merchants who support TERA by giving discounts to our members.
Join now at http://www.tera90041.org/join-paypal.htm
