Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, April 10, 2021

3Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 10, 2021 3Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 10, 2021 
WHAT IS NETZERO WATER USAGE? 


To many of us, this is an unfamiliar, hard 
to imagine concept. For the 42 unit 
Monastery housing project proposed 
by New Urban West, it is an important 
component. For clarification, Preserve 
Sierra Madre contacted the City Manager, 
Gabe Engeland, and asked him to 
explain the NetZero water process. His 
response follows. 

With regards to NetZero, the MOU 
states "NetZero. To ensure the Project 
has a net zero water impact through the 

establishment of a fund that will pay for retrofitting of water efficient features in older homes 
in the City (e.g., low flush toilets and low flow showers)." 

The purpose of the inclusion of NetZero in the MOU was to ensure the project did not have 
any water impact on Sierra Madre. Since the signing of the MOU, and subsequent research, 
Staff has determined creating, operating and managing a retrofitting program would be less 
efficient than simply charging the developer the cost of water expected to be used in each of 
the homes if they are developed. This charge would then be used to purchase and import 
100% of the expected water use for each home and recharge our local aquifer. 

Below is an example of how a NetZero water charge would work. Please understand this is an 
example of how the charge is calculated and may not represent the final numbers proposed. 

Here is how we propose to calculate the NetZero charge: The cost to import one acre foot of 
water in Sierra Madre is $512. The average single family home uses approximately 0.25 acre 
feet per year. The life of home is 50 years. 

In order to calculate, we multiply: Cost of an acre foot by use: $512 * 0.25 = $128 

Then multiply this by the life expectancy of the home: $128 * 50 = $6,400 

Then multiply this by the number of homes: $6,400 * 42 = $268,800 

In this example, each home would be required to pay, up front, for all of the expected water 
use during the lifetime of the home. 

New homes are more water efficient than older homes. The water used in the calculation, 
however, is from the average Sierra Madre home. This means the new homes will likely offset 
more water than used over their lifetime. 

It is also important to note the NetZero charge is in addition to the actual water that the future 
property owner would use. Each home will also be charged the same rate as all other Sierra 
Madre residents. 

See our website at www.preservesierramadre.com for the City's response to additional questions 
regarding water usage at the Monastery's proposed development. Any questions? Ask 
at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 13th at 4 pm in the park or email City Council. 

SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE SETS ITS NIGHT OF 
THE STARS FOR APRIL 18th

 Sierra Madre Playhouse is ready to get festive as it plans to unveil its very own mini- Walk of 
Fame on the pavement in front of the historic building. Five individuals will be memorialized for their 
participation at the Playhouse during their lives to further the Playhouse’s artistic mission. They’re our 
heroes, and while they’ve departed, they’ll be remembered always for their kindness, generosity and 
hard work.

 Three of the stars are refurbished, and two of the stars are brand new. The indi-viduals being 
remembered are: Charles Andrese, a Founder and Artistic Director; Stan Zalas, a Founder and Artistic 
Director; George Enyedi, a Visionary responsible for the purchase, renovation and refurbishment of 
the physical Playhouse itself, making us one of the very few local theatre companies to actually own its 
venue; Verna Chilton, actor and board member; and Barry Schwam, actor, musician, sound designer 
and board member.

 There will be a live public ceremony unveiling the stars in front of the Playhouse on Sunday, April 
18, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. PDT. Following remarks remembering our Play-house heroes, cake and champagne 
will be served. Health and safety protocols (e.g., masks) will be observed. The event will also be 
livestreamed, for those preferring to at-tend the festivities at home.

 You’ll be able to livestream the event utilizing these links: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI8pNkmRkX4Facebook: https://fb.me/e/3njrETjCgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sierra.madre.playhouse/

 Sierra Madre Playhouse, a performing arts venue since 1923, is located at 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., 
Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Christian Lebano serves as the current Pro-ducing Artistic Director. 

ATTENTION SIERRA MADRE SENIORS: 

The City is updating the Housing Element of the Sierra Madre General Plan for the 
2021-2029 period. The Housing Element establishes policies and programs to address 
Sierra Madre’s existing and projected housing needs for all economic seg-ments 
of the community. As part of this effort, the City would like input from its senior 
citizen population on their housing needs and access to housing pro-grams. 

If you have any questions please call Associate Planner Clare Lin at 626-355-7135 x 
404 or via email at clin@cityofsierramadre.com. 

Catch breaking news at:
mtnviewsnews.com
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 


WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis 

“Do not abandon yourself to despair. 
We are the Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.” 
Pope John Paul II 

“The great gift of Easter is Hope – Hope that makes us 
have that confidence in God, in his ultimate triumph, and 
in his goodness and love, which nothing can shake.” 
Basil Hume 

I hope your Easter was as good as mine. I was part of an 
amazing online church service where not only the fact 
that Jesus is alive was celebrated, but that He is on the 
loose! Changing lives, moving through the world. “He’s 
Alive! He's alive, He's alive! He’s alive and I’m forgiven, 
Heaven’s gates are open wide!” AND there was a choir! 
Yes! First choir I’ve seen or heard in well over a year and 
it was fabulous. 

The local church where daughter, Crissy, attends was back 
inside the building for the first time in a year and she was 
able to see friends and talk to people. She’d been out delivering 
signs from the church the day before, inviting 
people to come. The weather was spectacular and my dear next-door neighbors, Sarah and Jay, 
gave me birthday flowers. That’s today’s picture. 


And now it’s on to a glorious spring where flowers are blooming and showing us their best blossoms. 
The first roses of the season are spectacular. Folks are looking at tomato plants at Home 
Depot and it’s warm enough to put away the heavy socks and the sweater you keep out in the front 
room all winter long. 

“Spring will come and so will happiness. Hold on! Life will get warmer.” 
Anita Krizzan 

They’ve been showing Gone With The Wind on Turner Classic Movies and as that’s one of the 
greatest movies ever made I just love it. It’s also the first one ever to use a cuss word (damn!). What 
is even more wonderful, the film is totally faithful to Margaret Mitchell’s book instead of the usual 
Hollywood custom of buying the rights, using the name and creating a whole different story. 

“As God is my witness, as God is my witness, they're not going to lick me. I'm going to live through 
this and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, 
cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!”
Scarlett O’Hara 

A while ago I started a story involving GWTW which, now that I take another look at it, I might 
start working on again. Here are the first few paragraphs, friends and neighbors: 

The Seven Second Kiss 

“Julie Morrow woke with a jolt, yanked herself up off her sweaty pillow and pulled the hair up off 
her neck with shaking hands. The dream, what was the dream? It flooded back into her mind and, 
groaning, she collapsed back on the pillow. 
That’s what I get for watching Gone With The Wind till midnight. 

Closing her eyes, Julie let the movie run through her mind. It’s her favorite scene, the one where 
Rhett is embracing Scarlett in the middle of the road while Melanie, holding her new baby boy, 
moans in the back of the wagon. Rhett tells Scarlett that, yes, he is leaving her there, as Atlanta 
burns in the background, to go enlist with the Confederate Army, even though the war is lost and 
it’s about as futile a gesture as a futile gesture can get. “You’re a woman sending a soldier to his 
death with a beautiful memory. Kiss me, Scarlett, kiss me!” Julie has watched that kiss a hundred 
times; the kiss that ends with Scarlett giving Rhett a resounding slap. The kind of kiss Carolyn has 
never once in her life experienced. Only this time, the face leaning over Scarlett isn’t Clark Gable’s, 
it’s Tom Walters. And it isn’t Vivienne Leigh, it’s her, Julie Morrow. And there’s no slap. 

The cell phone buzz from somewhere on the floor pulls her out of her ‘leaving Atlanta’ daze and 
checking the clock, she sees she’s probably going to be late for work. 
I can’t believe I slept this late? I should have gone for a run and a latte! 
Letting the call go to voicemail, Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn! runs through her mind and 
she heads for the shower. Twenty minutes later, wet hair coiled in a tight knot on top of her head, 
sweating already in a white blouse, navy skirt and navy flats, she checks her voicemail and sends 
her best friend a quick text, Overslept! No time for Starbucks, see you at work. Julie scoops up her 
keys and purse, races out the door and heads for her Honda Civic, not even noticing what a beautiful 
April day it is in Lakeside, Vermont. Julie can only think of her boss’s frown.” 

Maybe I’ll take another serious look at The Seven Second Kiss! 

If you didn’t read Stuart Tolchin’s column on Page 12 of last week’s Mountain Views News, you 
should go online and take a few minutes to read it. I totally understand what he’s saying. I’ve kept 
as many of my columns as I possibly could since I started writing Walking Sierra Madre in 2012 
and I, too, hope one day to put them all in a book my grandchildren might read. I am so privileged 
each week, my friends, to pass my thoughts and observations along to you. Thank you! 

Hope you’re having a beautiful April day and you’re healthy and planning to stay that way. 

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis 
Easter was last Sunday, but “The Crown,” 
My story about what happened to that crown of thornsCan keep your Easter experience alive just a little longer.
It is now a real book in addition to a Kindle! Also available on Amazon.com 
If you want to check it out, here’s the link where you can see a short video:
https://youtu.be/Y_pC0X286T8 

PLEASE STAY SAFE! 

SOCIALLY DISTANCE! 

WEAR A MASK!