Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 7, 2012

7

 
Mountain Views News Saturday, April 7, 2012 

Mountain Views News Saturday, April 7, 2012

This Week In Monrovia

GOOD NEWS FROM MONROVIA

By Joan Schmidt

 The Monrovia City Council Meeting on April brought a lot of good news. In fact 
the Mayor, Mary Ann Lutz, was so excited to proceed she almost began before roll was 
taken! After roll was taken and all were noted as present, Monrovia Police Chief Jim Hunt 
came to the podium with four officers who had recently been recognized by the MADD 
(Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) for their great effort to make community roadways safe. 
Chief Hunt mentioned that throughout the county, including the City of Monrovia, there 
have been fewer traffic accidents and fatalities, which was great news. Being recognized 
were Sgt. Patty Newton, Sgt. Nick Manfredi, Officer Gerald De Hart and Officer Thomas 
Montes.

 There were two Public Hearing Meetings: PH-1: Tentative Tract Map # 71883 and 
Conditional Use Permit CUP2012-01 for Property Located at 547 West El Norte Ave.; 
Dexter El Norte LLC, Applicant. It was recommended for approval and it was approved.

 Also PH-2: Tentative Tract Map # 71889. Conditional Use Permit CUP2012-02/Variance 
V2012-02 for Property Located at 212-216 West Olive Ave., Bowden Development Inc., 
Applicant. It was recommended for approval and it was approved.

 However, before both approvals, the plans were presented to the City Council. Then the 
contractors came to the podium and asked if there were any questions. Since there weren’t 
any, it was open to the public.

 Pam, one of the proprietors of Dollmakers, came up and had all positive comments. 
The Mayor was thrilled that Bowden was keeping the historic look of the neighborhood, 
even though with the proposed modifications to the 2 structures under consideration. 
The Monrovia Preservation Society determined that house #212 had had improper 
modifications over the years and did not qualify for historic status. It was given a 6-Z 
rating, so it will be removed. However, structure #216 was given special 6-1 consideration. 
While it didn’t meet historic guidelines, it has many good features. Bowden is leaving 
that structure up and adding proposed new structures with some period features. The 
presentations were just beautiful and fit in with the area! Of course I am not surprised; 
Bowden does great work! At the intersection of Duarte Road and Magnolia in south 
Monrovia are their beautiful condos. Area residents were anxious when building began, 
but loved the results which greatly improved the area!

 A representative from Metro (LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) 
reported on the SR 710 Environmental Study, which looks at the entire area between the 
210 and 10 freeways. .Currently residents from ALL CITIES involved are being invited 
to be on a Community Liaison Council to provide important input. Pease call City Hall 
(626) 932-5550 for more info. There are flyers/applications available with notice of an 
important upcoming kickoff meeting.

 Sabin Gray from Friends of Dorothy, now located on 139 East Lemon, addressed the City 
Council with his complaints over lighting. He felt there wasn’t enough on Myrtle Avenue 
in the evening hours. The lack of light makes it appear that most businesses aren’t open, 
which discourages business. There needs to be more lighting such as San Diego where 
there is mixed use lighting. When I have driven down Myrtle in the evenings, it was so 
dark, I too assumed everything was closed except the theater.

 Mr. Gray brought his business to Monrovia when there was a special of “three months 
free rent!” However because of the rent escalating and the economy, he and Wang’s Palace 
both had to relocate to Lemon Ave. Mr. Gray attended the City Council Meeting because 
he and other business owners had received notices of violations on Saturday and were 
going to be fined. Part of the ordinance was “no neon signs, no exterior sandwich board 
signs, no chalkboard signs” unless you have a permit. 

 Mr. Gray said, “How can Monrovia be called a business friendly city?” He feels the lack of 
lighting and the expense of assessment and permits does not help businesses. There’s a fee 
of $107 to be assessed and then there’s the permit fee on top on that! In West Hollywood 
there are these laws. But because of the low economy they have not be enforced. However 
I don’t feel we should ignore codes. Perhaps codes need to be changed and allow more 
lighting.

LAURIE K. LILE CHOSEN AS MONROVIA CITY 
MANAGER

As you may have already heard, at Tuesday's Council 
Meeting the City Council announced the appointment 
of Laurie K. Lile as our new City Manager. Ms. Lile 
was selected after a highly competitive selection process. 
Laurie is the current Assistant City Manager for 
the City of Palmdale where she has been employed for 
the past 24 years. Laurie was first hired in Palmdale in 
1988 as a Principal Planner, and over the next ten years 
progressed through the ranks and was appointed to Director 
of Planning. She served in this role until she was 
appointed Assistant City Manager in 2006.

Laurie obtained her Bachelors of Science degree from 
UC Davis and an MBA from Pepperdine University. 
Prior to working in Palmdale, she worked for the U.S. 
Bureau of Land Management’s Indio Resource Area as 
an outdoor recreation planner. As you can see, Laurie 
has a wealth of experience that she will bring with her 
to the City of Monrovia, and we are excited that she will 
be joining the Monrovia team. She is tentatively scheduled to start her new position at the 
end of the month.


Monrovia Police Blotter

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 473 service events, resulting 
in 76 investigations. To see a complete listing of crimes reported, go to http://www.crimemapping.
com/map/ca/monrovia for crime mapping.

 

Shots Fired

On April 2 at 8:40 p.m., dispatch received numerous 9-1-1 calls of shots fired in the area of 
Sherman and Los Angeles. Officers responded to the area and found six cartridge casings in 
the street and two bullet holes in a front facing wall in the 1200 block of Sherman. No one 
was injured. A compact car was seen right after the shooting, driving westbound on Cherry 
at a high rate of speed. No suspect description. Investigation continuing.

 

Parolee-at-Large / Possession of Burglary Tools / Possession of a Deadly Weapon 

On April 4 at 2:39 a.m., an officer stopped and contacted a male and female walking in the 
500 block of Parkrose. Upon talking with them, their statements conflicted as to why they 
were in the area and where they were going. Further investigation revealed the male subject 
was a parolee-at-large with an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken 
into custody. The officer located a large knife and a burglary tool near the area where he arrested 
the suspect. The suspect later admitted possession of the knife and the burglary tool. 
He was charged with the additional crimes. 

Prowling

On April 4 at 5:35 a.m., officers were dispatched to 600 block of West Olive, where a suspect 
was seen prowling at a residence. When the resident went outside, the suspect fled, running 
eastbound through a neighbor's yard. An area search was conducted for the suspect, but he 
was not located. Investigation continuing.

 

Tip of the Week

 

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month - One Text or Call Could Wreck it All

During the month of April in California, where texting and talking on a hand-held cell 
phone while driving are against the law, the California Highway Patrol and more than 200 
local law enforcement agencies will crack down on drivers text messaging and talking on 
their cell phones behind the wheel. Is the California law working? Just two years after the 
state's ban went into effect, road fatalities had fallen 22 percent.

 

With many cars today equipped with GPS, CD players and cell phones, it can be easy for 
drivers to get distracted. Mix in poor weather, kids in the back seat, and other vehicles and 
one can see how drivers face many obstacles on the road that could lead to an accident. To 
help avoid becoming distracted, motorists should try to limit the number of things that 
could draw their mind off the task at hand - driving. Remember - one text or call could 
wreck it all.

DUARTE CONTRACTS FOR MAJOR STREET 
MAINTENANCE PROJECT

GAS TAX AND CAL RECYCLE GRANT FUNDS 
UTILIZED

A major street maintenance project is on the calendar for later this year to slurry seal and 
cape seal all residential streets west of Highland Ave., from north to the south City limits.

The Duarte City Council awarded All American Asphalt of Corona a $1.15 million contract 
funded with a combination of State Gas Tax and a CalRecycle Grant. The CalRecycle 
Grant reimburses the City one dollar for every square yard of asphalt rubber aggregate 
membrane (ARAM) constructed. It is estimated that 132,500 square yards of ARAM 
will be placed during the course of the project and $132,500 returned to the City via the 
CalRecycle Rubberized Pavement Grant for the recycling of approximately 11,000 used 
rubber tires.

For the project, streets in fair condition will receive a surface treatment of an asphalt rubber 
aggregate membrane, chip seal, followed by an application of a Type II slurry seal. This 
combination of materials is known as a cape seal. The remaining streets, which are good 
condition, will receive just the Type II slurry seal. All of the streets have had any failed 
pavement areas removed and replaced; and all pavement cracks one-quarter inch or greater 
have been sealed with asphalt rubber under separate contracts.

The City has not yet determined when the project will begin, but it will be sometime 
between mid-May and late summer since road work utilizing the ARAM product requires 
placement during warm weather.

For more information, call the City of Duarte Community Development Dept. at (626) 
357-7931, ext. 230.

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR 2012 OLDER 
AMERICAN OF THE YEAR AWARD 


 The City of Monrovia Department of Community Services is accepting nominations for 
the 2012 Older American of the Year Award. This award is presented to a Monrovian 60 
years of age or older, working or retired, who is still actively involved in volunteer service in 
Monrovia. 

The purpose of this award is to seek out, honor and encourage older persons to remain active 
volunteers in the community. Click here to download a nomination form of pick on up at 
the Monrovia Community Center or by email request to rromero@ci.monrovia.ca.us . The 
award winner will be recognized at the Thursday, April 19 Senior Spring Recognition Luncheon 
and at the Los Angeles County Commission on Aging Celebration in May. 

For additional information, please contact the Department of Community Services at (626) 
256-8246. 

DUARTE AND BRADBURY TO HONOR THE EARTH 
WITH JOINT COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER PROJECT

Duarte and Bradbury will honor Earth Day 2012 
with a joint community volunteer project starting 
at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 21, planting trees, 
drought tolerant plants, gardens, and cleaning up 
the Royal Oaks, Bradbury North and Lemon trails.

 California America Water Company has 
donated the drought tolerant plants that will be 
installed along Duarte’s Encanto Park Bioswale and Nature Trail. Two trees donated by the 
Los Angeles County Sanitation District will be planted at Duarte Park, which lost a beloved 
old oak tree and several others during last November’s major windstorm. The Duarte Teen 
Center will also unveil a fruit and vegetable garden planted by members of the Teen Nutrition 
Council. 

 Some 70 volunteers including 50 teens from the Duarte Area Resource Team 
(D.A.R.T), Cardinals Helping Youth Live Life (CHYLL), Teen Nutrition Council, and Share 
Mentoring Program will participate in the Earth Day activities along with staff volunteers 
from Duarte and Bradbury. 

 Mayors from both cities will welcome volunteers at a continental breakfast at the 
Teen Center that will kick off Earth Day activities. Benet Sanchez, of the Los Angeles 
Regional Agency (LARA) will be the special guest speaker. LARA is a consortium of 
16 environmentally conscious large and small member cities in the Los Angeles County 
committed to the state mandated reduce, reuse, and recycling philosophy of Assembly Bill 
939. 

 The community Earth Day project was made possible through the support of 
sponsors, the City of Bradbury, City of Duarte, Burrtec Waste Industries, Frontier Hardware, 
California American Water, Sophia’s Garden, and Duarte’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth.

 For more information, or to volunteer, call Duarte City Hall, (626) 357-7931, ext. 
267.