WPRA
West Pasadena Residents' Association 
Neighborhood Update
Saturday, June 7, 2014

Welcome

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

   
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Chuck Hudson
Editor 

 

View the latest and past issues of the WPRA's quarterly magazine, The News, which is mailed to more than 7,000 homes in West Pasadena.
View past issues of this weekly WPRA eNewsletter, which is emailed each Saturday morning to more than 1,100 residents of Pasadena (and beyond).
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Pasadena City Council and commission meetings
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Monday, June 9

6:30 p.m.

City Hall

Council Chambers

100 N. Garfield Ave.

On the agenda: Continued public hearings on recommended fiscal year 2015 operating budget, general fee schedule and schedule of taxes, fees and charges

 

Tuesday, June 10

Design commission

6 p.m.

Hale Building

175 N. Garfield Ave.

Hearing Room #120

On the agenda: Recommendations by the Department of Public Works and the Urban Forestry Advisory Committee to amend the Master Street Tree Plan on State Street (between Pasadena Avenue and S. Orange Grove Boulevard) by designating camphor and strawberry trees as street trees in place of purple-leaf plum trees

 

Wednesday, June 11

Arts & Culture Commission

5:30 pm

Hale Building

Hearing Room

175 N. Garfield Ave.

6:30 p.m.

Council Chambers

Hale Building

175 N. Garfield Avenue

On the agenda: Adoption of new performance measures for transportation impact analysis

WPRA in motion
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IMPORTANT MEETINGS! 

Public meetings set for proposed annual Rose Bowl music festival

The public is invited to attend scoping meetings and provide input on Thursday, June 12, at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday, June 14, at 10 a.m., regarding a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that is being prepared for a proposed annual Rose Bowl music festival. The meetings will be held at the Rose Bowl Stadium, Loge Lounge, Level D, Terry Donahue Pavilion. Parking will be on the concourse by Gate F, enter at Gate C. The Rose Bowl Operating Company is exploring an idea to host an annual musical festival, which could begin as early as June 2015. If approved, the event would require an amendment to the Arroyo Seco Public Lands Ordinance to permit additional major (displacement events). If you cannot attend either meeting, but would like to provide comments, please contact Ms. Betty Donavanik, Senior Planner, Planning and Community Development Department, (626) 744-6756, or by email to bdonavanik@cityofpasadena.net. 

 

 WEEKLY SR-710 FREEWAY PROJECT DIGEST 

  • Found in this week's No 710 Committee communications: Alhambra on June 3 held an SR-710 celebration to promote the 710 tunnel project. The event was held in the morning and required closing of Fremont Street between Valley and Mission during the morning commute. In other words, Alhambra created traffic congestion to promote a project that it mistakenly believes will relieve regional traffic congestion.
  • A bill sponsored by Assemblyman Gil Cedilo, D-Los Angeles, and recently signed into law repeals a 1981 provision of a 1939 law that permitted Caltrans to "build a freeway without first securing a street closure agreement with the affected local jurisdictions." The repeal is said to return to municipalities along the proposed SR-710 corridor some control over Metro's SR-710 freeway plans.
  • The Pasadena City Council has agreed to discuss at a future meeting strategies to ensure that the extension of the SR-710 freeway project does not negatively impact the city. The topic was raised by District 7 Pasadena Councilmember Terry Tornek. Tornek suggested that the city create a special task force to look into the various suggested transportation alternatives. He also noted that the success of the citizen group the City created to do an outside study of the Devil's Gate Dam sediment removal project could serve as a model to employ for the freeway project. (See news article below for more details.) District 5 Councilman Victor Gordo agreed the Council discussion could be valuable, but suggested the City also work with the already established five-city coalition.
  • Later in the week, Councilmember Tornek distributed a position paper in which he noted that "It has been clear for some time that the (Metro EIR) report is rigged in a way that will identify the $6+ billion freeway tunnel alternative as the only solution that will meet Metro's skewed scoring system." He believes that Pasadena should stop allowing "itself to be manipulated" by LA Metro and Caltrans" and, instead of being "against" something, start being "for" something, such as two of the five study elements that could benefit Pasadena without building a tunnel.

Pasadena Heritage urges you to support historic tax credit bill

If AB 1999 is enacted, historic building owners and homeowners could benefit from a tax credit for the restoration or rehabilitation of historic California buildings. The Economic Development and State Historic Tax Credit Act has just passed the Assembly by a 75-0 vote. It now heads to the State Senate. Pasadena Heritage enthusiastically supports this legislation and hopes citizens will take a few minutes to write a note of support TODAY! For more information and help composing and sending the message, click on the headline above. 

 

Learn watercolor painting with Joseph Stoddard
Local artist Joseph Stoddard, who graciously permits the WPRA to use many of his stunning watercolor paintings in our various publications (including this one), will be teaching beginner and intermediate watercolor painting for 10 weeks on each Wednesday evening, 7-9:30 p.m., starting July 2. The classes will be held at the Creative Arts Group, 108 N. Baldwin Ave., Sierra Madre. The fee for the series is $143 for members and $158 for non-members.
Neighborhoods in motion
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TRAFFIC AND CROWD ALERT:

Make Music Pasadena road closures today, 10 a.m - 11 p.m.
Up to 25,000 are expected to attend this seventh annual free music festival held throughout Old Pasadena and the Pasadena Playhouse District with more than 500 musicians performing 140 free concerts on 35 stages in one day. The city's ARTS buses will offer extended, additional and free service on Route 10 serving Make Music Pasadena venues. The Old Pasadena stage will feature entertainment from Noon to 7 p.m. To accommodate the event, Colorado Boulevard, between Fair Oaks Avenue and Arroyo Parkway, and Raymond Avenue, between Union Street and Green Street, will be closed from 5 a.m. - 10 p.m. The Playhouse District stage will feature entertainment from Noon to 8 p.m. Madison Avenue between Colorado Boulevard and Green Street will be closed from 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Consider using Del Mar Boulevard and Walnut Street for east-west travel, and Orange Grove Boulevard and Lake Avenue for north-south travel.

Join the fun at the Colorado Street Bridge Party

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 6th

Everyone is invited to join Pasadena Heritage for the bi-annual Colorado Street Bridge Party on Saturday, July 12, 6-11:30 p.m. This night of music, dancing, vintage Mustangs, free activities for kids and festive foods and beverages will be held on the bridge. Advance ticket purchase prices are $14 for adult Pasadena Heritage members and $16 for adult non-members. On the day of the event, tickets are $16 for adult PH members and $18 for adult non-members. Discounted tickets are available for children ages 7-12, and children age 7 or younger are admitted without charge.

 

Kenton Nelson mural discovered

A Kenton Nelson mural, according to Pasadena Heritage, is currently undergoing restoration at the historic Bear Building (former home of the now-shuttered Louise's Tratoria) at the southeast corner of Colorado Boulevard and Fair Oaks Avenue. The mural was commissioned by the building's former owner and was covered over during Louise's occupancy.  

 

Digital history adds "named houses of Pasadena" 

The Pasadena Digital History Collaboration (PDHC) has launched a new online exhibition: Named houses of Pasadena. Using a subtle alchemy known only to a select few, some houses in Pasadena have been given names. Some names are familiar, like the David B. Gamble House. Others, like the Edith Brooks House or the William Taylor Clapp House, are less so.  

Editor's top news picks
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"The City Council Monday agreed to discuss at a future meeting strategies to ensure that the 710 freeway north extension project does not negatively impact the city. City Manager Michael Beck said he plans to bring the item back for discussion in about a month." Pasadena Star-News

 

Gold Line extension to Claremont left off funding list by MTA

"Members of the agency in charge of extending the Gold Line to Claremont were shocked this week to learn the project is not included on LA Metro's Short Range Transportation Plan. The omission has rekindled the bad blood between the independent Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority and Metro that began when the last 12-mile extension of the northerly portion of the rail line was left out of Metro's long-range planning in 2012." Pasadena Star-News

 

Electricity in Pasadena more expensive after Council approves rate increase

"Pasadena residents and businesses will pay more for electricity beginning in July after the City Council unanimously approved rate increases for the next three years. Rates for average users will rise by about 8.3% on July 1, comprised of a 2.7% Council-approved jump and 5.6% "pass through" increase that doesn't require council approval. Users will be hit with a 2.4% increase in 2015 and 2.2% hike in 2016." Pasadena Star-News

 

Mermell named interim director of Public Health

"Assistant City Manager Steve Mermell has been appointed as interim director of the Pasadena Public Health Department ... while the city undertakes a national search for the position." Pasadena Now

 

City Council approves $55M contract for Glenarm Repowering Project

"The City Council approved a $55-million contract for the Glenarm Power Plant Repowering Project. The bid winner, ARB, Inc., will provide the design and construction of the project covering the replacement of a conventional boiler/steam turbine-generating Broadway unit used by the City since 1965. The new unit is expected to be operational by June 2016." Pasadena Now

 

PUSD's efforts to fight truancy paying off

"A school district-wide push to combat truancy appears to be paying off. Average daily attendance in the Pasadena Unified School District during fall semester of 2013 was higher than during the same period in 2012. The increase will result in $222,000 in additional funds coming into the district." Pasadena Star-News

 

New and expanded urgent care center will be area's largest

"To improve access to 24-hour basic medical care in the Pasadena area, HealthCare Partners Medical Group, now open, is the largest urgent care center in Pasadena at 797 S. Fair Oaks Ave. The new facility can treat more than 75,000 patients each year, about 30% more than the Pasadena Urgent Care Center." Pasadena Now

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 (alphabetical order).

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 and "like" our Facebook page  

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

 

Joseph Stoddard's watercolors: The WPRA is grateful to local artist Joseph Stoddard, who has generously allowed us to display his watercolors in our quarterly newsletter, The (WPRA) News; on the WPRA website; and in this publication. To explore Mr. Stoddard's work, visit josephstoddard.com.