WPRA
West Pasadena Residents' Association 
Neighborhood Update
SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2015
Published weekly since 2000
 
Welcome

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

   
Subscribe, unsubscribe or update your email address at the bottom of this page.

Send comments to update@wpra.net 

Chuck Hudson
Co-Editor 

 

View the latest and past issues of the WPRA's quarterly magazine, The News, which is mailed to nearly 8,000 homes in west Pasadena.
Neighborhood Update
View past issues of this weekly WPRA eNewsletter, which is emailed each Saturday morning to more than 1,500 residents of Pasadena (and beyond).
Visit our website
Important community meetings
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

MONDAY, JUNE 15

City Council  

6:30 p.m.

City Hall, Council Chambers

100 N. Garfield Ave., Room S249

On the agenda: Public hearing and staff recommendation to approve proposed Pasadena Water and Power water-rate adjustments, which the City staff anticipates will generate additional revenue of about $442,000 in fiscal year 2016 (from a 5 cents per billing unit increase, effective in 2015), and an additional $176,000 in fiscal year 2017 (from an additional 2 cents per billing unit increase, effective in 2016). By fiscal year 2018, by which time both rate hikes will be in place, the incremental rate hikes will generate approximately $906,000 in new revenue, which will cover the higher cost of water the City must purchase from the Metropolitan Water District.

 

TUESDAY, JUNE 16

 

Special PUSD community briefing meeting on the status of San Rafael Elementary School 

6 p.m.

San Rafael Elementary School

1090 Nithsdale Rd.

On the agenda: This meeting will be convened to answer residents' questions about the recently contemplated limited trenching (to prove whether the fault said to be running under the school is active) on the San Rafael Elementary School site and discuss ideas to mitigate traffic problems. 

 

BACKGROUND: The District is currently planning to close San Rafael Elementary School and transfer its staff and operations to the former Allendale Elementary School campus in the 2017-2018 school year due to a yet-to-be-proven seismic risk. The WPRA, which requested the meeting, is collaborating with PUSD to help minimize the impact of the trenching on the surrounding streets. Also, since traffic is a concern for many residents who live near the school, the WPRA is helping the District and City develop a new plan to mitigate traffic issues, which have been exacerbated due to the dramatic increase in school enrollment. The goal is to have a new, comprehensive traffic plan in place by the beginning of next school year. The District seeks resident input and wants to know, for example, if it would be helpful to restrict parking on San Miguel (which has no sidewalks above Nithsdale) during drop-off hours or install speed bumps on Laguna Road or have greater police enforcement of current parking restrictions. The WPRA urges you to attend this important meeting.

 

Historic Preservation Commission 

6 p.m.

Hale Building

175 N. Garfield Ave., 2nd floor

On the agenda: Review of applications for a landmark designation for 999 S. San Rafael Ave.

  
 
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17
 

Public Art Subcommittee of Arts & culture Commission 

4:30 p.m.

175 N. Garfield Ave., Conference Room 1A


6 p.m.
George Ellery Hale Building
175 N. Garfield Ave.

"Quote" of the week
 

"The employee morale and the culture of the way people do their jobs is a long-haul issue for me -- restoring the pride that people have in working for the city and the pride in what they do. These [Public Works] guys do not have the glamour jobs. They fix the sidewalks, they fix the streets, and, as far as the average citizen is concerned, they are the city. Most people won't submit a CPU [conditional use permit] or attend Make Music Pasadena, but everybody gets trash picked up. We have to do these mundane, unglamorous, critical jobs and let the people who do them know that we recognize what they do has real value, and that is easier said than done."

- Mayor Terry Tornek, as cited in "Tornek's Time,"
by Andre Coleman, Pasadena Weekly, 6/11/2015,
in response to a question about morale among City employees

WPRA in motion
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

The SR-710 Draft EIR/EIS is still available for review. Caltrans and Metro will receive comments until July 6. Once the comment period ends, it may be up to two years before the final DEIR is released and the "preferred alternative" identified.
  • Hard copies are available for review at:
    • All Pasadena public libraries
    • Shatford Library, Pasadena City College
  • Submit comments:
    • Online: through the Caltrans public comment website
    • By mail: Send to Garrett Damrath, Caltrans District 7, Division of Environmental Planning, 100 S. Main St., MS-16, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Report water waste to the City in three ways

Since June 1, the City has been under its Level 2 water-supply-shortage plan to reduce water use by 28% in response to the serious drought condition. Report water waste to the City by:

Rep. Schiff, LA delegation urge Park Service to embrace broadest alternative in final Rim of the Valley report

U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) along with six members of the Los Angeles Congressional Delegation sent a letter to the National Park Service regarding its recently released draft report on the Rim of the Valley Special Resources Study. The study examined the possibility of expanding the boundary of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor.

Neighborhoods 
in motion
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

 

NOTE: Phos-Chek to be applied around Rose Bowl Stadium for July Fourth

The Pasadena Fire Department will treat brush areas surrounding the Rose Bowl Stadium with Phos-Chek, a clear, wild-land fire retardant, on Tuesday, June 16, starting at 9 a.m. and continuing until early afternoon. This year the fire-retardant will be applied earlier due to the extreme drought conditions. The treatment should continue to be effective until we have a significant rainfall. Phos-Chek is not harmful to pets. For more information call (626) 744-4655.

 

Friends monthly book sale scheduled for today

The Friends of the Pasadena Public Library's June book sale will be held on Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m. to Noon, on the east patio at the Central Library, 285 E. Walnut St. Prices range from 25-cents to $5 per book, but most are priced at 50-cents for paperbacks and $2 for hardbacks.

 

Help Habitat celebrate, fund the new Desiderio community

The San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity and the City of Pasadena invite west Pasadena residents to attend the upcoming "Building Dreams Under the Stars" gala from 5 to 9:30 p.m. on June 20 at the iconic Pasadena City Hall. This event is a celebration of the new Desiderio community. Tickets are $150 per person or $1,200 per table (seating for 10). Cocktails, dinner and dessert are included in the ticket price. All proceeds go directly to help build the nine affordable homes for low-income families including families of veterans. This gala event will be a great opportunity for the west Pasadena community to show support for the transformation of the former Desiderio Army Reserve Center. To pay by credit card, please call 626-387-6899 (x18). To pay by mail, please send a check made payable to the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity and a list of guest names to: 400 S. Irwindale Ave., Azusa, CA 91702

 

Assemblyman Chris Holden to host drought community meeting 

From 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, Assemblyman Chris Holden will host a community meeting at Kidspace Children's Museum to discuss California's historic drought. Attendees will learn about available rebates, see live demonstrations, and hear practical advice. Each guest will receive a family of four pass to visit Kidspace, located at 480 N. Arroyo Blvd. RSVP by June 19 by calling (626) 351-1917 or emailing assemblymember.holden@assembly.ca.gov.

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

"Pasadena residents who regularly traverse the iconic La Loma Bridge over the Arroyo Seco will have to start planning new routes soon to avoid any disruption of their schedules once the bridge is closed in July for major repair work." Pasadena Now


Enforcement of city water restrictions depends largely on citizens reporting wasters 

"Pasadena officials plan to step up monitoring of the new, stricter watering rules authorized June 1 by the City Council and say enforcement actions include fines of up to $500 per violation for residential customers and $1,000 per violation for commercial accounts." Pasadena Now

 

Caltech: water conservation and the "new normal" 

"At Caltech, as is true elsewhere in Pasadena and throughout California, water-and how to use it conservatively, conscientiously, and effectively-is a top priority." Pasadena Now


710 Day in Alhambra stops traffic, draws crowd 

"More than 100 people rallied Wednesday evening on Fremont Avenue to say over half a century of wishy-washy inaction needs to stop and a 710 Freeway tunnel must be built posthaste." Pasadena Star-News (May require subscription)

  • OPINION/RESPONSE TO ABOVE ARTICLE: Proposed 710 extension a toll road, not a freeway: "Your story on the Alhambra pro-freeway rally stated that 100 people came to support "Close the Gap." The people wearing 710 blue shirts were paid city employees. Even if they were genuine supporters, does that justify spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to have a party on Fremont? There were also many police and firefighters there as well, all adding to the costs of the event. Alhambra residents are clearly not getting their money's worth. It is dangerous to clog streets. At last year's 'Gridlock Day,' at least one resident was unable to rouse anyone at the neighborhood fire station. The City Council is putting Alhambrans' lives at risk with their intolerable, frivolous parties."

Tornek's Time

"On May 4, former District 7 City Councilman Terry Tornek was sworn in as Pasadena's second elected mayor in modern times, replacing Bill Bogaard, who served in that position for the past 16 years." Pasadena Weekly

 

Katherine Martinez Kleine named new Tournament of Roses Foundation president

"The Tournament of Roses Foundation elected Katherine Martinez Kleine as its new president and Tournament of Roses Association members Ken Burrows, Mitchell S. Ing and Dr. Robert B. Miller to the Foundation board." Pasadena Now

 

Maranatha Welcomes Dr. Richard Riesen as Interim Head of school 

"After a national search ... the Board of Trustees has elected Dr. Richard Riesen as the Interim Head of School for Maranatha High School. He will begin his duties June 15, 2015 and will serve until a permanent Head of School is appointed." Pasadena Now

 

Pasadena commercial real estate action continues to stay hot 

"Prime commercial properties in Pasadena continue to attract investors willing to pay serious money as the buy/sell cycle trend heats up." Pasadena Now

 

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.