WPRA
West Pasadena Residents' Association 
Neighborhood Update
Saturday, March 21, 2015

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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Ann Erdman
Co-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.
Neighborhood Update
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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City Council and commission meetings
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

MONDAY, March 23

6:30 p.m.

City Hall

Council Conference Room

100 N. Garfield Ave  

On the agenda: Final canvass of March 10 election results; revised Child Care Policy; designation of 21 E. Howard St. as a landmark.

    
TUESDAY, March 24 
 
Design Commission
6 p.m.
Hale Building
First Floor Hearing Room
175 N. Garfield Ave. (enter through the Ramona Street door)
On the agenda: Concept design review of former Macy's site at 260-400 E. Colorado Blvd.; concept design review of a two- to three-story, 16-unit residential project at 388 S. Los Robles Ave.

WEDNESDAY, March 25

Planning Commission
6:30 p.m.
City Hall
Council Chambers
100 N. Garfield Ave.
On the agenda: EIR scoping meeting for YWCA/Kimpton Hotel project at 78 N. Marengo Ave.; review of 17 capital improvement projects for consistency with the General Plan.
WPRA in motion
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<
 
The WPRA will provide some of the questions for a debate scheduled Thursday, April 7, at 7 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention Center between mayoral runoff candidates Terry Tornek and Jacque Robinson. The debate, moderated by KPCC Radio's Larry Mantle, will be televised on KPAS (channel 3 on Charter and 99 on U-Verse) and streamed via
cityofpasadena.net/media and pasadenamedia.tv. The runoff election is scheduled Tuesday, April 21. 
 

710 Freeway Draft EIR/EIS is available for review and comment  

Caltrans released the Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement March 6 for the proposed extension of the 710 Freeway. The review and comment period has been extended to 120 days for the project, which floats five potential alternatives:  expanding bus rapid transit between East Los Angeles and Pasadena, expanding light rail between East Los Angeles and Pasadena, building a tunnel connecting the cities of Alhambra and Pasadena, establishing a traffic management system to upgrade and synchronize signals and make improvements to surface street intersections, and a no-build option that would leave conditions as they are.

 

Once the DEIR/DEIS review and comment period ends in early July, Caltrans and Metro are expected to take up to two years before releasing the Final DEIR, which will identify the preferred alternative.

  

The WPRA area would be significantly and negatively impacted by the tunnel option. The WPRA team has begun its exhaustive analysis of the DEIR/DEIS documents and will respond on behalf of area residents.

  

To raise necessary funding, the Neighborhood Protection Fund has been activated. Please consider donating.

  • Comment period:
    120 days, through July 6.

  • Public hearings:

    • Sunday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
      • Map viewing: 10 to 11 a.m.
      • Public hearing: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
      • East Los Angeles College, Rosco Ingalls Auditorium, 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Montery Park
    • Tuesday, April 14, from 5 to 9 p.m.
      • Map viewing: 5 to 6 p.m.
      • Public hearing: 6 to9 p.m.
      • Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St.
    • A third meeting date and location will be announced
  • Click here to view all of the study documents online
  • Hard copies are available for review at the following Pasadena locations:
    • Central Library and all branch libraries
    • Shatford Library at Pasadena City College
  • Submit written or electronic comments:
    • Online: through the Caltrans public comment website
    • By mail to Garrett Damrath, Caltrans District 7, Division of Environmental Planning, 100 S. Main St., MS-16, Los Angeles, CA 90012

 

Mills Act applications now being accepted 

The Application Submittal Period for the Mills Act program in Pasadena closes on Monday, May 4. The program offers a financial incentive to encourage rehabilitation of historic properties. As a result, owners may receive a substantial reduction in their property taxes. Applications are processed through the Office of the City Manager and administered by the Planning & Community Development Department. Typically 15 residential properties and five commercial properties are selected per year. (Source: Pasadena Heritage)

Neighborhoods in motion
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

 

One City, One Story

A community book discussion of this year's One City, One Story selection, The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez, is scheduled Thursday, March 26, at 4:30 p.m. at San Rafael Branch Library. One City, One Story is Pasadena's annual community reading celebration.  

 

Mansionization meetings

The City of Pasadena will host meetings to understand concerns the community may have about newly constructed homes and/or recently remodeled single-family homes in their neighborhoods.  

- Thursday, March 26, 6 to 8 p.m. at Pasadena Christian Church, 789 N. Altadena Dr.
- Thursday, April 9, 4 to 6 p.m. at La Pintoresca Branch Library, 1355 N. Raymond Ave.
- Thursday, April 16, 6 to 8 p.m., Lamanda Park Branch Library, 140 S. Altadena Dr.
- Thursday, April 30, 6 to 8 p.m., Allendale Branch Library, 1130 S. Marengo Ave.

Regulations are being prepared to address neighborhood compatibility in targeted single-family zones. The meetings will not cover designated historic homes or hillside overlay areas, which will be addressed at a later date.  

 

Open Day at Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden

Storrier Stearns Japanese Gardens is open to the public the last Sunday of every month. On Sunday, March 29, the garden will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Take a tour at 1 p.m. with Jesus Rodriguez, the garden manager, as he explains techniques for making your own garden more sustainable. $7.50 reservations for the day can be made by clicking into the headline above.

   

La Loma Bridge project begins with undergrounding 

The first step in the long-awaited La Loma Bridge project has begun: installation of underground electrical conduit. About two weeks ago Pasadena Water and Power completed undergrounding on San Rafael Avenue between La Loma Road and Lagunita Road; it is now underway on La Loma Road between Hillside Terrace and Rockwood Road west of the bridge and will be completed next week. Retrofit and renovation of the bridge will begin next month and the bridge will be closed to all traffic, which will be detoured to the Colorado Street Bridge to the north or the San Rafael Bridge to the south. The Pasadena Public Works Department is creating a traffic management plan to assist the flow of traffic during the project. The bridge is scheduled to reopen in winter 2016. 

 

The General Plan is the blueprint for Pasadena's future. The Draft EIR for the Land Use and Mobility Elements (chapters) of the General Plan update is available for review. The public comment period is open through Tuesday, March 24. Click into the link above or, if you prefer leafing through a hard copy, go to Window #3 at the Permit Center, the City Clerk's Office at City Hall, Central Library or any branch library.   

 

The Pasadena Heritage Spring Home Tour Sunday, March 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. will feature several Pasadena-area homes in the Spanish Colonial Revival style built in the 1920s and early 1930s. Drive yourself to each location where docent-led tours will give you a peek inside and out. The cost is $35 for members and $40 for non-members in advance; $40/$45 same day. Architect Michael Burch will lead a discussion about Spanish Colonial Revival architecture Monday, March 23, at 7 p.m. at the Pasadena Playhouse. $12 for members, $15 for non-members. 

 

Spring Festival and Egg Bowl

You and your family will have an egg-cellent time at the Rose Bowl Stadium Saturday, April 4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Pasadena's largest Easter egg hunt, scavenger hunts for all ages, face painting, live entertainment, food and much more. Admission is free. 

 

Form-based zoning is a relatively new and innovative method for managing growth and shaping development to achieve a preferred mix of land uses. It also addresses the relationship between public and private spaces. Pasadena Heritage invites the community to a special presentation Wednesday, April 8, at 7 p.m. in the Lecture Space at Ganahl Lumber, 3003 E. Colorado Blvd. Learn about the potential for establishing form-based zoning in Pasadena, how it could work with the existing Pasadena Zoning Code and more. The cost is $20 for members, $25 for non-members, $12 for students with valid ID. 

 

Celebrate Mayor Bill Bogaard 

Pasadena's first citywide elected mayor will end his 16-year tenure in May. Join Bill and Claire Bogaard Saturday, April 25, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Centennial Square in front of City Hall for an afternoon of live music, children's activities, art exhibitions, gourmet food trucks and more. Share your memories and thanks by writing a note and dropping it off at Central Library or any branch library, writing in a special memory book during the celebration or sharing your reflections online.   

Editor's top news picks
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

"A group of local residents opposed to the archery range in the Lower Arroyo has filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming that the Pasadena City Council violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by allowing the range to continue operations." -- Pasadena Weekly

The right moves
"According to recommendations forwarded to Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard and City Manager Michael Beck, local residents favor people-moving options over a tunnel extending the Long Beach (710) Freeway." -- Pasadena Weekly

Obit: Mike Ward of Pasadena was committed to serving the community he loved
"It was evident during his time with the Tournament of Roses, where he served many roles including president twice, and the numerous organizations in and around his Pasadena hometown, to which he gave his time and energy." -- Pasadena Star-News

Bringing art to the streets...at the crosswalk
"Hataya Tubtim, a faculty member at Art Center College of Design, was commissioned to participate in the Playhouse District's crosswalk art program." -- Hometown Pasadena

China's investment rising in San Gabriel Valley real estate
"...In 2013 China surpassed the U.S. as the world's largest trading nation with a record trade volume of $4.2 trillion." -- Pasadena Star-News
Leisure
- CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION -

 

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.