WPRA
West Pasadena Residents' Association 
Neighborhood Update
Saturday, September 14, 2013

Welcome

Founded in 1962, the WPRA is dedicated to maintaining the character of our communities and enhancing the quality of life in West Pasadena. 

   
Send comments to update@wpra.net 

Editor  

Chuck Hudson

 
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City Council and commission meetings
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 
  

Historic Preservation Commission - cancelled

 

City Council

6:30 pm

City Hall

Council Chambers

100 N. Garfield Ave.

On the agenda: A recommendation to approve a proposal to authorize the City Manager to determine where archery in the Lower Arroyo is permitted and promulgate rules, to develop a new license and operating agreement between the City and the Pasadena Roving Archers, and to correct language in the Lower Arroyo Master Plan (LAMP) to remove references to the number of permissible archery targets in the southern archery range

 

Tuesday, September 17

 

Environmental Advisory Commission

6 p.m.

Permit Center, Hearing Room

175 N. Garfield Ave.

On the agenda: Reports from Hahamongna Watershed Park Advisory Committee and General Plan Update Commission 

 
Wednesday, September 18 

 

6 pm

Hale Building

175 N. Garfield Ave.

On the agenda: Request by homeowner for fence height variances at 1200 S. Arroyo Blvd (7-9 foot fence, instead of code maximum of 4 feet) and 1201 S. Grand Ave. (6-9 foot fence, instead of code maximum of 4 feet) with a staff recommendation to approve with conditions.

WPRA in motion
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CORRECTION: McAustin has NOT "reversed" her personal position on 710

In last weekend's issue, we incorrectly reported that an email District 2 Councilmember Margaret McAustin had sent to her constituents indicated she had "reversed" her position and was now opposed the LA Metro's SR-710 tunnel options. Councilmember McAustin responded by noting that "I have never supported completion of the freeway, from the 2001 [Measure A] vote through now. Personally, I have always been opposed to the freeway, whether above or below ground." We regret the error.

 

McAustin also noted that she had voted against the recent City Council motion to formally oppose the 710 project only because "I take my role of a citizen representative very seriously and was trying to respect the will of the people, as expressed in the 2001 vote. I wanted to communicate my position to my constituents before taking a public position against Measure A."

 

WPRA weighs in on archery in the Lower Arroyo Seco

The WPRA wrote to the Mayor and City Council on September 10 noting that archery is is an integral part of the Lower Arroyo Master Plan (LAMP) and, as a result, the WPRA supports its continued practice in the Arroyo. However, the WPRA noted that safety concerns are an issue for everyone and must be addressed by the City.

 

The News, WPRA style
View the latest issue of The News, the WPRA quarterly magazine.     

Neighborhood update
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Residents and businesses can safely dispose of electronic waste and have personal documents shredded at the City's electronic waste collection event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, September 14. The event, which is sponsored by the City's Department of Public Works, takes place at Parking Lot I, near Brookside Park, 360 N. Arroyo Blvd., south of the Rose Bowl Stadium. E-waste includes computers, keyboards, printers, monitors, laptops, docking stations, scanners, shredders, fax machines, computer mice, telephones, televisions, flat screens, VCRs, DVD players, PDAs, cassette players, tape drives, stereos and household batteries. Residents and businesses can also request shredding of up to five small boxes of sensitive documents and files during the event. [Note: Only City of Pasadena e-waste collection events offer the paper-shredding service. The Los Angeles County and CLEANLA events do not include paper shredding.]

 TODAY: Scoping sessions set for General Plan update EIR

The environmental initial study for the General Plan is now available for review and comment. The City will hold four meetings to receive comments on the scope and content of the proposed environmental impact report (EIR).  

  • Saturday, September 14, 9 a.m., Pasadena City College, Circadian Room (Bldg. CC), 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Park in Lot 3 off of S. Hill Ave. ($2 parking charge)
  • Wednesday, September 18, 4:30 p.m., Transportation Advisory Commission meeting, 221 E. Walnut St., Suite 210
  • Wednesday, September 25, 6:30 p.m., Planning Commission meeting, City Hall Council Chambers, 100 N. Garfield Ave. 

Sunday, September 15, 8-Noon, Rose Bowl Stadium Apron, Parking Lot F, Rose Bowl Loop. Attendance is estimated to reach 1,500. The east and west extension will be closed from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 

Complete Streets survey starts in San Rafael

The City of Pasadena is kicking off a Complete Streets Program in the San Rafael area. A neighborhood traffic survey will be mailed to each resident in the San Rafael area by September 27. The survey is also currently available online.  

 

Free September events at Pasadena Senior Center

There's something for everyone at the Pasadena Senior Center in September.

 

City hosts panel discussion on health care act

The public is invited to a panel discussion - "Affordable Care Act: Triumphs, Challenges, and the Local Response" - on Friday, September 19, 2-3:30 p.m. The discussion focuses on the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and how healthcare will be delivered beginning next year. The event will be held in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at the Pasadena Central Library, 285 E. Walnut St.

 

Humane Society going door-to-door for dog licensing

Representatives of the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA (PHS) has began door-to-door canvassing to ensure city residents' dogs are properly licensed. The initiative is part of the joint effort between PHS and the City to improve animal services. PHS canvassers will be knocking on doors Tuesdays through Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. All canvassers will display a photo ID badge and wear a white or tan "polo" shirt (with a PHS patch on the shoulder) and blue slacks or jeans. For more information, call (626) 792-7151, ext. 115, during normal business hours (except on Mondays) to verify that the person is with PHS. 

 
Pasadena Heritage and central library to co-host design lecture
Pasadena Heritage and the City's central library will co-host an illustrated lecture - "Old + New: Designing New Buildings in Historic Settings" - on Thursday, September 19, 7-8:30 p.m. The lecture will be held in the Wright Auditorium, Pasadena Central Library, 285 E. Walnut St. Associate professor and author Steven W. Semes, of the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture, will provide his perspective and a comprehensive look at the critical question of how to design new buildings in historic places. Admission is free. Although reservations are not required, seating is limited to the first 190 attendees. Call (626) 441-6333. 

LA River rally announced in mobilize support for Army Corps restoration study
A network of community organizations and public officials has scheduled a Los Angeles River rally to be held at the LA State Historic Park on Saturday, September 28 at Noon. The announcement comes in response to the posting of the Draft Integrated Feasibility Report for the Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District. View the report. The purpose of the River Rally is to mobilize support for the selection of Alternative 20, an LA River ecosystem restoration plan, which includes Arroyo Seco Confluence.

Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden has Open Day on September 29
Once again, on the last Sunday of the month, the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden, 270 Arlington Dr., will open its gates to the public, this month on Sunday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, send an email to info@japanesegardenpasadena.com. 

 

Rose Bowl Roundup Newsletter
Find out what's going on with the Rose Bowl Stadium: renovation, updates, the tours program, Legacy Campaign and more. 

Editor's top news picks
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"Pasadena City Council is scheduled to vote Monday on a set of safety precautions and other proposals that would keep the activities of the Pasadena Roving Archers in the Lower Arroyo Seco Archery Range." Pasadena Now

 

City kicks off newest park, the $3 million Desiderio project

"City and Habitat for Humanity officials reviewed detailed plans of the proposed Desiderio Park in the Arroyo near the Colorado Street Bridge for community members who voiced concerns about the changes to their neighborhood the project could bring." Pasadena Now

 

Long-delayed housing project in Pasadena will be ready in the fall

"It's taken 15 years, four developers, one receivership and countless contentious neighborhood meetings, but the first 10 townhouses in one of the city's largest, most prestigious housing developments will go on the market this fall." Pasadena Star-News

 

Bells will ring across Pasadena to remember the U.S. Constitution

"From September 17 through 23, the Daughters of the American Revolution will be celebrating the 226th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution with numerous activities and projects at the Pasadena Public Library Central and the Hastings Branch Libraries." Pasadena Now

 

Pasadena Unified's "State of the Schools" address set for September 24

"President Renatta Cooper of the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education is scheduled to deliver the 2013 PUSD State of the Schools Address on Tuesday, September 24. The Pasadena Educational Foundation and PUSD College and Career Pathways will host a reception at 5 p.m. The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Jackson Elementary School located at 593 W. Woodbury Road, Altadena." Pasadena Now

 

Tournament of Roses Royal Court tryouts start this weekend

"As many as 1,000 Pasadena-area young women will compete for the opportunity to be part of the 2013-2014 Royal Court starting this Saturday." Pasadena Now

 

Senator Liu's 710 Freeway properties bill sent to Governor

"The state Senate approved a bill this past week expediting the sale of state-owned houses no longer needed for a proposed State Highway Route 710 extension in Los Angeles, Alhambra, South Pasadena, and Pasadena, Sen. Carol Liu (D-La Caņada Flintridge) announced Tuesday." South Pasadena Patch

 

Flu season may start early, officials say

"Los Angeles County's top health official Monday reported this season's first cases of flu, including one severe enough for the person to be hospitalized, and urged residents to get immunized." Pasadena Patch

 

Which farmers markets are still open?

"As the weather gets colder, outdoor green markets inevitably close up shop. Check out our interactive map of the closest farmers markets and when they're open. By clicking on the check marks on the right side of the map, you can see which markets are open on which days of the week." Pasadena Patch

Leisure
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Looking for other ways to entertain or educate yourself and your family? 

For current events around the area, we encourage you to visit our local news outlets. Click on the publication title to visit that publication's events section.

Attend WPRA board meetings each month 

Monthly WPRA board meeting dates and locations are on the WPRA website. Click on the headline above or visit our website and look under "Meetings and Events."


The WPRA needs you ... 

If you'd like to serve your community and do it with a group of your neighbors who are equally dedicated, the WPRA encourages you to join your neighborhood residents' association. If you live within our service area, we'd welcome your help. 

  • Got the local news bug? Just curious about your city (and would like to share news with 1,000 or so of your closest friends), consider serving as a co-editor of Neighborhood Update. It will only take a few hours a week (on your own schedule) in the month or two a year in which you'd serve. We'll train you.  
  • We have lots of opportunities to serve on one of our many committees:
    • Land use and planning
      If you care about how we use our land  
    • Education
      If you want to help save public education for West Pasadena  
    • Open space & conservation
      If you care about preserving open space and conservation of land and resources 
    • Membership
      If you'd like to help us continue to build our membership so we can do more  
If you'd like to chat about ways we could help you become more involved or, more likely, more effective (by helping us), send an email to WPRA President. Tell him about your interests.   
To learn more

Visit wpra.net or click on one of the following links

 

To submit information for the Neighborhood Update, send it to update@wpra.net. 

 

Joseph Stoddard's watercolors: The WPRA wishes to express its appreciation to local artist Joseph Stoddard, who has generously allowed us to display his watercolors in our quarterly magazine, WPRA News, on the WPRA website and in this publication. To explore Mr. Stoddard's work, visit josephstoddard.com.