Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 5, 2021

3Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 5, 2021 3Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 5, 2021 
EIR REVIEW 
PROCESS 

In last month’s article, Waiting For The 
EIR, we noted that the EIR was originally 
expected on October 1, 2020. 
Several subsequent release dates have 
been given in the interim. To find out 
more about its release date and the review 
process, we posed two questions 
to the City Manager. His responses 
follow: 
1) Has the City seen the draft EIR and if so, when can we expect its release in order to 
prepare our questions and comments? The City has not reviewed the draft EIR. It is 
anticipated that staff will receive a copy of the EIR for review in mid May 2021, with a public 
release date in June 2021. 


After the staff publishes the ‘Notice of Availability of the Draft EIR,’ public comment is accepted 
for 60 days. To facilitate this, Staff organizes a public hearing to receive comments 
on the Draft EIR. At the end of the 60 day period, staff ensures that the Final EIR includes 
responses to all public comments and makes revisions as needed. They then prepare the 
Staff Report, Resolution and Ordinance for Planning Commission Review. The Planning 
Commission then holds public hearing(s) to recommend whether to certify the Final EIR, 
amend the General Plan, amend the Zoning Code, adopt the Specific Plan and approve the 
Development Agreement. Their recommendations then go the City Council which will 
then hold Public hearing(s) on the Planning Commission’s recommendations. 

There is no doubt that the Planning Commission plays an important role in the review of 
this 42 unit housing development at the Monastery. It is unfortunate that under the guise 
of bureaucratic efficiency, City Council has reduced the number of planning Commission 
members from 7 to 5. The residents of Sierra Madre hold their Planning Commission in 
high regard and feel that the larger representation of seven Planning Commissioners better 
serves the planning needs of Sierra Madre. The Planning Commission is the resident’s voice 
and seven members bring a more diverse level of expertise and experience, while sharing 
the demanding workload that the Monastery project will require in the coming months. 

2) As we have read in the Los Angeles Times, Star News and various websites, there have 
been recent studies showing that there is the beginning of another severe drought in the 
Western States, particularly Arizona, Nevada and Northern California. Because Sierra 
Madre relies on ground water as well as the water from the MWD, and the fact that the 
subject of water conservation has increased in the past few months, will consideration and/
or revision be made to the EIR that will address this situation? The project, if approved, 
would be required to be constructed with no new water demand for Sierra Madre. The 
NetZero requirement of constructions means the project would have to offset all of its anticipated 
water use by pre-purchasing all of the expected water demand on the property and 
providing it to the City. 
Preserve Sierra Madre is a voice on behalf of our residents and continues to reach out to 
the City regarding the Monastery project as well as other planning projects that are being 
considered. 


WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis 

“Once in a while, right in the middle of an 
ordinary life,
Love gives us a fairy tale.” 

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here 
today in the presence of their families and 
friends to join Nicole and Christopher in 
matrimony…” 

Last Sunday I got to be escorted in, as 
one of the two grandmas, on the arm of 
my red-headed grandson, David, who 
had flown in from his home in Germany 
with his 13-year-old daughter, Erin, to 
attend the most beautiful wedding ever. 
Friends and neighbors, seeing one of 
your grandchildren marry the absolute 
right person is thrilling. The setting was 
exquisite, outdoors surrounded by trees at 
Bates Nut Farm in Escondido. 

Our granddaughter, Nicole, is a sea lion, 
Orca whale trainer at Sea World. The job 
she has yearned for most of her life. Christopher, her husband, is an engineer, a musician 
and a whole bunch of other things and they are so right for each other. My own engineer, 
John, now residing in heaven, was mentioned a number of times during the celebration. 
Mainly that he would have just loved Christopher. He would have, too! 


The ceremony was God-centered, the bride and groom are God-centered and I foresee 
happiness ahead. Yes, there will be difficult days but they will get through them together. 
The bridesmaids and matron-of-honor have been Nicole’s friends since high school and 
college and Christopher’s groom’s men were pretty much the same. Speaks well of people 
that they can hang on to friends. 

I figure our family alone was about a hundred people with lots of little kids racing about 
tossing shoes in the bushes and barefooting it. Both sets of parents got through their toast 
speeches without too much breaking down…did better than I would have! There was 
dancing, laughter and I guess JOY pretty much described the day. How blessed they are to 
start this new life together. 

I remember my own wedding day, April 1, 1967. It poured. I don’t mean it sprinkled, folks, 
it poured. However, I have always maintained that the bride who has rain on her wedding 
day won’t cry a lot during her marriage…and I didn’t. We laughed together more than we 
cried. It was a very small wedding, John, me and his wonderful parents. We drove up the 
coast to Santa Barbara, and spent several days in Big Sur for our honeymoon. 

Nicole and Christopher are in Jamaica for theirs. Jamaica was one of the places we visited 
a number of times and always just loved it. One of my favorite memories was of walking 
along the beach early in the morning and being approached numerous times by Jamaicans 
offering to sell us Ganja. “Ganja definition, marijuana, especially in the form of a potent 
preparation used chiefly for smoking,” according to Webster. 

As we weren’t interested in buying any of that, John asked one of them his name. “Moses, 
mon!” John told Moses that he’d really appreciate it if he’d pass the word along that we 
weren’t buyers and gave Mr. Moses $20.00 to seal the deal. Worked like a charm. 
Jamaica is beautiful, the ocean is warm and fresh fish abounds, along with glorious fruit, 
and rum punch is available at all times. 

“Love doesn’t mean you will always agree, see eye to eye, or never have an argument. It 
means despite the bad days you still can’t see yourself without that person.” 

“A strong marriage requires two people who choose to LOVE each other, even on those 
days when they struggle to like each other.” Dave Willis 

“Love is an unconditional commitment to an imperfect person. To love somebody isn’t just 
a strong feeling. It’s a decision, a judgement and a promise.” 

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud. It doesn’t 
dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always hopes, 
always trusts, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Cor. 13:4-8 

Christopher’s dad, in his words to the bride and groom said, “Pray for each other. Pray 
together. Never go to sleep angry. Trust God.” Pretty good advice I have to say. 

The picture is me with Nicole. She is 5’11”. I am somewhat shorter. The groom is 6’2”. They 
are gorgeous together. Bless you all this week and I hope there’s a wonderful wedding or 
other celebration coming up for you soon. Stay safe and wear that mask just a little longer. 

One last word…don’t miss the Used Book Sale behind the Sierra Madre Library today 
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be bargains and goodies galore. Some of the best times 
daughter, Leah, and I had together were at the Used Book Sale. Readers are always looking 
for another book or twelve! 

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis 
Where you’ll find “Sunrises and Sunflowers Speak Hope”
And “A Tablespoon of Love, A Tablespoon of Laughter”
Take a look at both of these books, stuffed with hope and theoccasional good recipe. 

PLEASE STAY SAFE! 
GET VACCINATED! 

SOCIALLY DISTANCE! 

WEAR A MASK! 


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