SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2015


VOLUME 9 NO. 3

NO MEANS NO! Council Overturns Planning 
Commission Approval of Stonegate Application For 
Failure To Comply With Hillside Management Ordinance

By Susan Henderson

If anyone ever wondered whether or not 
residents of Sierra Madre could agree on 
anything unanimously, you only have to 
look at the video of Tuesday night�s city 
council meeting.

With a packed house, (some attendees had 
to go home because there was no room 
and no video feed in the foyer), speaker 
after speaker expressed their desire to have 
the development of Stonegate (formerly 
1 Carter), comply with Sierra Madre�s 
Hillside Management Ordinance (HMO).

CETT Madre (CETT Investments 
Corporation), submitted applications 
for a Hillside Development Permit 
and a Conditional Use Permit to begin 
construction of the first home in the 
Stonegate project. Those requests were 
approved by the Planning Commission in 
October and submitted to the Council for 
final approval. However, after Council 
members Denise Delmar and John 
Capoccia called for a review of the decision, 
the matter was put on hold.

When the review was requested, an ad hoc 
committee was formed to take on the task. 
Council members Delmar and Gene Goss 
volunteered and on December 10, 2014 
they met with the developer�s attorney, 
Richard McDonald, in an attempt to 
address the council and community�s 
concerns - primarily the project�s failure to 
comply with the HMO. Their attempt was 
unsuccessful as McDonald was unwilling 
to make any changes. 

Delmar and Goss had suggested a setback 
of the second story that currently is planned 
over the garage and the redistribution of 
that area to the basement. If accepted, the 
view of the hillsides would not be blocked 
by the new structure. By declining, the 
developer �failed to take advantage of a 
means to preserve the character and view 
of the hillside.� 

Prior to the public comment, Leticia 
Cordoso, Acting Director, Planning and 
Community Preservation gave, a detailed 
staff report on the project. The report 
noted the areas where the design was not 
in compliance with the city�s ordinances. 
It also included clarification of photos that 
had been submitted by the developers of 
existing hillside homes in Sierra Madre. 
Cordoso pointed out that none of those 
structures were in the Hillside Management 
Zone and had been built prior to the last 
revision of the HMO. The Stonegate 
project, in its� entirety (29 homes), is in the 
Hillside Management Zone.

The proposed 3,125 sq. ft. home will have 
to comply with the HMO. The denial of 
the applications will also be a signal for the 
other 8 pending applications for Stonegate 
that in order to get an approval, they too 
will have to be in compliance with the 
HMZ.

Residents in attendance were unanimous 
in their desire to protect �the soul of Sierra 
Madre�, a quote from resident Marguerite 
Shuster. Rene Cosutta called the design, 
�architectural arrogance� as she echoed 
what speaker after speaker noted - �the 
project does not blend in or embrace our 
hillsides.� Protecting the hillsides has 
always been the primary concern and the 
recent designation of 346,000 acres of forest 
above the city as a National Landmark 
reinforces the town�s commitment to 
protect this village.

After public comment, Councilman John 
Capoccia referenced a news article in which 
McDonald is alleged to have said that the 
town just didn�t want the project or only 
wants one story houses. Capoccia wanted 
the record to be set straight that neither 
statements were true, that the Council 
was not against the project, but rather that 
the Council just wants our ordinances 
followed. Mayor John Harabedian stated 
however, that single story homes wouldn�t 
be a bad idea.

When all was said and done, Councilwoman 
Delmar made a motion to overturn the 
Planning Commission�s approvals. The 
motion was seconded by Councilman Goss 
and passed unanimously.

It is unknown at press time what the 
developer�s next step will be, however it was 
very clear that neither the council nor the 
community had any concern about CETT�s 
next actions. 

Note: To learn more about this project and 
other pending development projects in 
Sierra Madre, visit the website of Preserve 
Sierra Madre Now, an organization 
dedicated to fighting to keep the city�s 
village atmosphere intact. Go to: http://
www.preservesierramadre.com/.


THE MEANING OF THE KING HOLIDAY

Excerpts from the writings of Coretta Scott King 

 The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday celebrates the life and 
legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. We 
commemorate as well the timeless values he taught us through his 
example � the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, 
humility and service that so radiantly defined Dr. King�s character 
and empowered his leadership. On this holiday, we commemorate 
the universal, unconditional love, forgiveness and nonviolence that 
empowered his revolutionary spirit.

 On this day we commemorate Dr. King�s great dream of a vibrant, 
multiracial nation united in justice, peace and reconciliation; a 
nation that has a place at the table for children of every race and 
room at the inn for every needy child. We are called on this holiday, 
not merely to honor, but to celebrate the values of equality, tolerance 
and interracial sister and brotherhood he so compellingly expressed 
in his great dream for America.

 The Holiday commemorates America�s pre-eminent advocate of 
nonviolence � the man who taught by his example that nonviolent 
action is the most powerful, revolutionary force for social change 
available to oppressed people in their struggles for liberation.

Every King Holiday has been a national �teach-in� on the values of 
nonviolence, including unconditional love, tolerance, forgiveness 
and reconciliation, which are so desperately-needed to unify 
America. It is a day of intensive education and training in Martin�s 
philosophy and methods of nonviolent social change and conflict-
reconciliation. The Holiday provides a unique opportunity to teach 
young people to fight evil, not people, to get in the habit of asking 
themselves, �what is the most loving way I can resolve this conflict?�

Dr. King once said that we all have to decide whether we �will 
walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive 
selfishness. Life�s most persistent and nagging question, he said, is 
`what are you doing for others?�?

 We call you to commemorate this Holiday by making your 
personal commitment to serve humanity with the vibrant spirit 
of unconditional love that was his greatest strength, and which 
empowered all of the great victories of his leadership. And with 
our hearts open to this spirit of unconditional love, we can indeed 
achieve the Beloved Community of Martin Luther King, Jr.�s dream.

The Stonegate Property where 29 houses are to be built. MVN Archives

Inside this week: 

ORCHID BLACK TO GIVE NATIVE 
LANDSCAPING AND SUSTAINABLE WATER USE 
PRESENTATION

The public is invited to the January 21, 2015 regular meeting of Sierra Madre�s 
Natural Resources Commission to attend a presentation by renowned local 
expert Orchid Black on �Native Landscaping and Sustainable Water Use�. The 
meeting begins at 7:00pm and is held in the City Council Chambers at Sierra 
Madre City Hall, 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 

The presentation will begin at the beginning of the regular meeting, after 
brief Commission business. Orchid is a garden designer whose practice 
focuses on California native plants. Her gardens have been featured on the 
Theodore Payne Foundation (TPF) Garden Tour for over 8 years. She teaches 
design and other classes at TPF, teaches Sustainable Garden Practice for 
UCLA Extension, and gives lectures and workshops on native horticulture 
and oak culture throughout Southern California. 

The Sierra Madre Natural Resources Commission is honoured and pleased 
to provide Orchid�s expertise to assist the community in their conservation 
efforts and everyone is encouraged to attend this free event.

CALENDAR Pg. 2

SIERRA MADRE NEWS 
Pg. 3

 PASADENA/ALTADENA

 Pg. 4

AROUND SGV 

 Pg. 5

WHITE SUITERS WANTED

ARCADIA NEWS 

MONROVIA/DUARTE 
Pg. 6


EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 7

FOOD & DRINK

Peter Dills 

 Pg. 8


The Pasadena Tournament of Roses� will host an informational reception, open to the 
public, for those interested in joining the Association�s volunteer membership at 6 p.m. 
on January 28, 2015 at Tournament House, located at 391 South Orange Grove Boulevard, 
Pasadena, Calif. 91184. 

 The Tournament of Roses welcomes applications from all eligible candidates who are 
willing and able to give their time in order to promote and produce the Rose Parade� and 
the Rose Bowl Game�, as well as participate in other Tournament activities and events 
throughout the year. For more information, please visit the Tournament of Roses website. 

HEALTHY LIVING

 Pg. 9

BEST FRIENDS

 Pg. 10

 ARTS & 

 ENTERTAINMENT

 Pg. 11

GOOD LIFE

 Pg. 12

Tournament members nicknamed �white suiters� ride Honda scooters down 
the parade route alongside floats during the Rose Parade � one of the many 
roles they play in bringing America�s New Year Celebration� to life.

 

 Photo credit: Courtesy of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses�

BUSINESS NEWS 

 Pg. 13

THE WORLD AROUND 
US Pg. 14

OPINION Pg. 15

LEGAL NOTICES 

 Pg. 17