SIERRA MADRE EDITION

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands 
in moments of comfort and convenience, but where 
he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” - Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr.


SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 2017

VOLUME 11 NO. 2

SIERRA MADRE NEWS BRIEFS

AFTER 44 YEARS, GIANNONE 
MAKES IT OFFICIAL

From The City Manager's Report

PLANNING COMMISSION

The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled 
for Thursday, January 19, 2017 at 7:00 pm. The Planning 
Commission will conduct a public hearing regarding 
Municipal Code Text Amendment 16-05 (MCTA-
16-05) to amend Chapter 17.60.056-Discretionary 
Demolition Permit for single family dwellings and 
duplexes 75-years of age or older. Concerns have 
been raised by the Commission and community 
regarding the practical application of the Discretionary 
Demolition Permit process specific to the requirement 
to obtain a historical resource evaluation report and 
the 25% construction exemption requirement. The 
Planning Commission is recommending elimination 
of the 25% construction exemption and expanding the 
application of the ordinance to all structures 75 years 
of age or older. The Commission also amended the 
definition of “demolition,” to include the destruction 
and removal, in 

part or in whole, of the foundation, exterior walls, 
roof structure, exterior framing, exterior siding, finish 
cladding material, porches, chimney and architectural 
details, thereby requiring all 

applications proposing one or more above to prepare a 
historical resource evaluation report.

The Commission will also continue a public hearing 
scheduled for January 19, 2017, for a certificate of 
appropriateness for 126 E. Mira Monte Avenue to 
February 16, 2017 at the request of the applicant.

STONEGATE

The Planning and Community Preservation 
Department is continuing to review the resubmitted 
applications for Hillside Development Permits and 
Conditional Use Permits for properties within the 
Stonegate development. The Department received 
resubmittals the week of May 9, 2016 consisting of 

Lots 7, 21, and 22, resubmittals the week of June 6, 2016 
for Lots 1 and 2, and resubmittals the week of August 
1, 2016 for lots 16, 17, 19, 25, and 26. A submittal for 
Lot 23 was received on September 15, 2016. The plans 
are in various stages of review by staff to determine if 
the applications are complete and to confirm if staff 
comments were addressed since the last submittal prior 
to being scheduled before the Planning Commission at 
a noticed public hearing.

PLANNING & BUILDING AND SAFETY ACTIVITY

The Planning and Community Preservation 
Department is currently processing 41 development 

applications.

PUBLIC WORKS RAIN/SPREADING OPERATIONS

The Water Department completed its annual 
maintenance of the spreading grounds just in time 
for the recent storm events. Between October 1, 2016 
and January 12, 2017 we have received 11.8” of rain 
and counting. In that same period we have spread 
approximately 147 AF of local runoff and 118 from 
the Santa Anita Dam (BSA). Official BSA spreading 
totals will be confirmed with LA County once they are 
available.

Not all water can be diverted to our spreading grounds. 
During heavy periods of rain the County is unable to 
divert water to our spreading basins. Once outflow 
volumes are stabilized and the County is able to control 
discharge flows spreading operations resume. We 
anticipate we will be spreading water the week of July 
16th, indefinitely until the dam reaches its minimum 
pool.

WELL DEPTH GAGE

The Water Department will be evaluating the condition 
of the Well Depth Gauge currently on display at Sierra 
Vista Park with plans of relocating it to Kersting Ct. 
The ground water level marker will be adjusted on a 
weekly basis to reflect the most current water levels in 
the aquifer.

FLUSHING

Most of the distribution system has transitioned 
back to well water with the exception of a couple of 
areas. These include the extreme far reaches of the 
distribution system and a few isolated pockets where 
we have long detention times as well as low flow. These 
mainlines are among the oldest water mains composed 
of unlined steel pipe with heavy tuberculation. In these 
areas we find that flushing into the tanker is ineffective. 
In order to maintain water quality, in terms of color 
and disinfectant residual it is necessary to flush directly 
onto the street with a diffuser. This method allows for a 
much larger volume of water and flushing at the desired 
rate of 3.5 feet per second. (310 gallons per minute on a 
6” pipe) The areas of concern include the North West 
portion of the distribution system, Valley Vista Drive 
/ Acacia Street and a small pocket of zone 2 including 
sections of Sturtevant, Old Ranch Rd and Pleasant Hill. 
Flushing the in the pocket of zone 2 is diverted into the 
spreading grounds for groundwater recharge.

The priority will always be to use the tanker first. If the 
desired effects are not obtained we will have to

flush with a diffuser onto the street. This is essential to 
maintain a healthy distribution system.


Pictured above with Sierra Madre Mayor Pro Tem Rachelle Arizmendi, Former 
SMPD Chief and Director of Public Safety Larry Giannoneofficially brought his 
44 years of service in law enforcement to an end. In a dinner held at Brookside 
at the Rose Bowl, more than 100 relatives, friends and well wishers honored 
Larry for his dedication,commitment and leadership not only in Sierra Madre, 
but also in Huntington Beach, Ontario and Monterey Park. The heartfelt praise 
and admiration was overwhelming. There was one thing that everyone in 
attendance will certainly remember - the public disclosure of the honoree's 
lifelong nickname. As a token of our appreciation (the Staff of the Mountain 
Views News), that name will not appear in print, at least not today! 

S. Henderson/MVNews


A WORD FROM THE SIERRA MADRE 
ROSE FLOAT ASSOCIATION:

Thanks and let's get ready for next year! 

 The Sierra Madre Rose Float Association would 
like to thank all the volunteers that helped build 
and decorate the award winning float “The Cat’s 
Away” that won the Mayor’s Award for the Most Outstanding City Entry - National 
or International.

 We are having our Annual Pot-Luck Dinner on Saturday January 14th at 6pm at the 
float building. Please come and bring a dish for 6 people. We look forward to seeing 
you there.

 Also please go to our WEB site SMRoseFloat.org and BE A FLOAT DESIGNER 
WINNER . . . CONTRIBUTE A DESIGN FOR THE 2018 SIERRA MADRE ROSE 
FLOAT. The Parade hint and contest rules are available at SMRoseFloat.org. Designs 
are due by February 3rd at 5pm.

David Colcher, President, SMRFA