WPRA
West Pasadena Residents' Association 
Neighborhood Update
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2015
Published weekly since 2000


H A P P Y   H O L I D A Y S ... FOR US, TOO!
Your hard-working and diligent WPRA Neighborhood Update co-editors are taking a break during the holiday season. We'll resume publication on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014.
  
On behalf of the WPRA board, 
we wish you and your family 
a happy holiday season. 
Welcome

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

   
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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).
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Important community meetings
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23

6:30 p.m.
City Hall
Council Chambers
100 N. Garfield Ave.
On the agenda: Approval of a staff recommendation to direct the City Attorney to prepare and return with an ordinance within 30 days adding new sections to the Pasadena Municipal Code that would prohibit the cultivation and delivery of medical marijuana in the City. The Pasadena Zoning Code operates under the principles of "permissive zoning," under which any land use that is not enumerated in the Municipal Code is presumptively prohibited. Under AB 243, any city with "permissive zoning" that does not also have an ordinance regulating or prohibiting cultivation of medical marijuana, effective by March 1, 2016, will lose the authority to regulate or ban cultivation with its city limits. The state will then become the sole licensing authority for the foreseeable future. The Staff reported: "In recent years, attitudes regarding the medical and even the recreational use of marijuana have evolved. Accordingly, either the current or a future City Council may wish to consider what level of regulation makes sense for Pasadena. However, to preserve this right to local control and avoid the State becoming the sole licensing authority, the City Council must take action prior to the March 1 deadline imposed by the State legislation AB243." Even though AB266 does not set a specific deadline, City staff recommends taking action at this same time.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24

6 p.m.
City Hall
Basement Training room S018
100 N. Garfield Ave.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25


"Quote" of the week

"As Michael Beck arrived at City Hall in 2008, the Great Recession was devastating the local economy. He worked hard over several years to keep the City's financial ship on course. His efforts in those troubled times were extremely effective, as they were on other challenges such as the Rose Bowl project, controversy about Rose Bowl use, police-community relations, energy efficiency and water conservation, the General Plan, and the misappropriation of public funds. 
He consistently offered the Council thoughtful options and approaches. He will be hard to replace. I am grateful for Michael's energetic and effective service and wish him the best of success. 
Administrative Vice Chancellor of UCLA is a logical next step in Michael's career. That institution will benefit greatly from his executive leadership." 
- Former Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, about City Manager Michael Beck, who has submitted his resignation. (see related articles below)
Neighborhoods 
in motion
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

CROWD & TRAFFIC ALERT: "WALK TO END EPILEPSY"
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2015
  • Est. Attendance: 4,500+
  • Event Location: Court of Champions, Rose Bowl Loop & Rose Bowl Brick Plaza
  • Event Hours:
    • 8 a.m.: Parking Lots F, K and I open; no charge; parking is open to event attendees and recreational users
    • 8 a.m.-10 a.m.: Event registration
    • 9 a.m.-Noon: Street closures and amplified sound
    • 10 a.m.: Event begins
    • Noon: Event ends
This event will involve street closures in the recreational loop including Arroyo Boulevard (east and west extension north of Seco Street), on West Drive between Seco Street and Washington Boulevard, and on Salvia Canyon at West Drive. Seco Street, however, will remain open at all times. If you have any questions or concerns, call the Event Day Resident Hotline at (626) 397-4141.
 
The Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade celebrates 38 years of irreverent frolicking on the streets of Pasadena on Sunday, November 22. The parade steps off at 11 a.m. in east Pasadena along Colorado Boulevard.
 
ArtCenter College of Design has made public its new master plan, charting a 10-year vision for the future of the College's physical campuses. At a November 12 reception, nearby residents and business leaders were treated to an early look at the proposal that will provide students with innovative learning-and-making spaces as well as much-needed housing. ArtCenter plans to break ground in 2017, following the City of Pasadena's review process.
 
The Pasadena Public Health Department is offering free flu vaccine inoculations through Tuesday, Nov. 24 at various Pasadena locations on a first-come, first-served basis. The service is available to all ages 6 months and older, while supplies last. For more details about the clinics, call (626) 744-6000 or click the headline above.

Pasadena residents and businesses are reminded that City Hall and most City services will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27, in observance of Thanksgiving Day.

Deck the Halls with holiday cheer by joining Mayor Terry Tornek as he lights the City's official holiday tree during the city's free, festive family celebration with local singers, art projects for kids and a special appearance by Santa Claus! The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, at Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Ave. The Mayor lights the tree at 6 p.m. 
Editor's top news picks
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION

"Pasadena City Manager Michael J. Beck announced that he will leave his position with the city next February to assume a new role at the UCLA." Pasadena Now
 
"Former Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, who was Mayor during the recruitment and hiring of City Manager Michael J. Beck, commented on the announcement that Beck will leave Pasadena City Hall to assume a new position at UCLA in February, 2016."
Pasadena Now

"The one-off Copa America Centenario will be played in 10 cities across the United States next summer. The winning bids [to host those games] came from Boston's Gillette Stadium, Chicago's Soldier Field, Houston's NRG Stadium, Pasadena's Rose Bowl, New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, Orlando's Citrus Bowl, Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, Phoenix's University of Phoenix Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area's Levi's Stadium and Seattle's CenturyLink Field." Yahoo Sports

"Suspected embezzler and former Pasadena public works employee Danny Wooten did not have any inside help, City Manager Michael Beck said Monday. Beck said a personnel investigation into four employees has determined no other city staff knew of, or helped, Wooten in his suspected scheme to siphon $6.5 million from the city." Pasadena Star-News
 
"The Pasadena City Council spent more than three hours during Monday night's meeting reviewing City Hall's progress in implementing sweeping new financial safeguards being put into place following last year's discovery of a $6.3 million embezzlement scheme, for which three were arrested. Mayor Terry Tomek said he and the Council would like "to reassure" the public that change was happening without delay. "The Council is saying there's an urgency (and) it won't be a 3-year timeline," the mayor said." Pasadena Now
 
"A tunnel from Glendale to Palmdale, an expressway/tunnel connecting Riverside and Orange counties, and an extensive network of toll lanes connecting all major freeways in Southern California are among the proposals included in a $700 billion congestion-reduction plan released today by a nonprofit think tank." Los Angeles Daily News

"This year's El Niņo will likely be one of the strongest ever - wreaking havoc on weather patterns across the globe." Vox
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 ... 

... to serve your community and do it with a group of your neighbors who are equally dedicated. 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.