Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, October 8, 2022

3 Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 8, 2022 
CONVERSATIONS....THE MEADOWS 3 Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 8, 2022 
CONVERSATIONS....THE MEADOWS 
MEASURE HR – THE BETTER 
ALTERNATIVE 

Measure HR rezones the Monastery 
property from Institutional to Hillside 
Residential. Hillside zoning’s biggest 
benefit is that it is designed to prevent 
overdevelopment such as “The Meadows 
at Bailey Canyon” tract housing plan, 
which calls for building 42 mostly two-
story, multimillion dollar houses side by 
side, ten feet apart on small lots. That 
subdivision may squeak through because 
city officials have rushed to approve it. 
But if Measure HR passes, it will at least 
prevent the Monastery’s owners from 
selling the remaining parcel and allowing 
a developer to pack another 82 tract 
houses onto that property. 

Measure HR’s Hillside zoning requires 
new houses to be built on a minimum of 
two acres, so, at most, a developer could 
build 7 houses on the land where the developer 
proposes to build 42 houses. 

 Why is voting YES on Measure HR so 
important? In addition to stopping both 
residential and institutional overdevelopment, 
it does a lot of important things 
for our community and, contrary to what 
you may have heard, for the Retreat Center. 
Most importantly, it stops high-density 
development in a very high-severity 
fire zone, which might prevent a wildfire 
from taking out whole neighborhoods 
on the south and west sides. Also, Measure 
HR: 

• Protects more than 100 mature 
trees 
• Allows Mater Dolorosa to continue 
their mission and expand beyond 
their current size 
• Allows the Passionists to sell all 
of their land to a developer to build houses 
on 2-acre lots or to a land conservancy 
• Follows the General Plan and 
municipal code unlike the Specific Plan 
created by “The Meadows” housing project 
developer
• Stops the possibility of a development 
of a 270,000 square foot institution 
on the upper 18 acres of the property 
• Stops the possibility of development 
of an additional 82 houses on the 
upper 18 acres of property
• Reduces environmental footprint 
to substantially reduce water use 
and to stop doubling of traffic in the 
neighborhood. 
If you’ve seen or heard the disinformation 
that’s been spread around about 
Measure HR by the “Meadows at Bailey 
Canyon” developer, you might think that 
the initiative goes against everything 
good and fair and decent in our community. 
Nothing could be further from the 
truth. 
For starters, proponents of Measure HR 
support the rights of property owners. 
Hundreds of property owners—families 
with houses surrounding the Monastery 
property—deserve a fair shake. They’re 
the ones who are going to be most affected 
by any development on that property-- 
during construction and long after 

SAVE SIERRA 
MADRE FROM 
OVERDEVELOPMENT 

We have reached another 
critical point in our fight to 
stop the proposed ‘Destroyed 
Meadows at Bailey Canyon’ 
housing project at the monastery 
property. 

Signatures of 1300 registered voters put 
MEASURE HR on the November ballot, 
to restrict development on the Monastery 
property by rezoning it to Hillside 
Management. It is still critical that you 
Vote Yes on that measure 

But the City Council, in an attempt to 
invalidate the PEOPLE'S decision at 
the ballot box, rushed through their approval 
of this project before giving Sierra 
Madre residents the right to vote in 
November on Measure HR. In essence 
what they’ve done is: 

Deny your right to be heard! 

To protect that right we have 
filed a petition for a referendum. 
With 
enough signatures on this 
NEW PETITION within 30 
days, the City's approval will 
not go into effect until the 
citizens decide whether it 
should or not, at a later election. 
It will give us time to 
make sure that your vote on 
Measure HR will count. 

We need your signature to 
allow the Citizens of Sierra 
Madre their constitutional 
right to vote on Measure HR 
and to stop overdevelopment 
in our Village of the 
Foothills. 


the developer has finished up and left 
town. 
Also, the intent of Measure HR is to 
make sure any developer of the Monastery 
property doesn’t get special privileges 
and abides by the law. 

 Under the current “Specific Plan” that 
the City Council just approved, the developer 
can operate virtually unrestrained. 
In fact, their plans for “The Meadows 
at Bailey Canyon” subdivision call for 
building houses that are up to 80% larger 
for a given lot size than Sierra Madre’s 
General Plan and Municipal Code allow. 
The bottom line is, other property owners 
(you and me,) can’t do anything of 
the sort on our property, and there’s no 
reason why anyone should be entitled to 
special privileges-- least of all an out-oftown 
developer. 
Second, ads and flyers paid for by the 
developer suggest that if Measure HR 
passes, the Passionists will be prevented 
from continuing their mission. This is 
patently false. The Passionists are protected 
by federal law that protects all 
religious institutions from discrimination. 
Under Measure HR, there will be 
no restrictions on the Passionists’ mission. 
In addition, Section 17.60.030 (A) 
of our municipal code clearly states, that 
“Churches, temples and other places of 
worship” are uses that are permitted in 
basically all zoning classifications, including 
the Hillside Management Zone. 
The purpose of this is to ensure that 
there is no discrimination against the 
free practice of religion in Sierra Madre. 
The Sierra Madre Municipal Codes have 
clearly been drafted not to run afoul of 
existing federal and state laws, including 
the Religious Land Use and Institutional 
Persons Act (“RLUIPA”). Any conclusion 
that the Initiative prohibits the right 
of a religious organization to exercise its 
religious freedoms is blatantly incorrect. 
Just like everybody else in town, they will 
need a building permit if they want to 
make additions or build new buildings—
that’s all. There is no reason on Earth that 
the city of Sierra Madre would not grant 
them that permit. 

Due to the City Council’s failure to assert 
leadership and protect Sierra Madre’s 
long-term interests and quality of life, 
Measure HR is the best option. Otherwise, 
a slew of cookie-cutter houses will 
be built on that property—big houses ten 
feet apart and fifteen feet from the street, 
all crammed together in a Very-High-Severity 
Fire Zone. IT DOESN’T MAKE 
SENSE! 

Sierra Madre can do better than this! 
Vote YES on Measure HR. 


Contact sierramadrepetition@gmail. 
com for any questions and/or to have 
someone bring you a petition to sign. 

We will be in Kersting Court on Saturday 
October 15 from 9 - 11 with petitions 
for you to sign and from 3 - 4 on 
Saturday, October 15 at City Hall before 
the Forum to discuss the 
City Council Candidates and Measure 
HR. That information Forum will begin 
at 4. 

We need your help for the protection of 
Sierra Madre 

Please SIGN THE PETITION FOR THE 
REFERENDUM! 


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 

As a resident of the West Carter neighborhood in Sierra Madre, I am writing to the citizens of our city asking you 
to please get involved and learn about the truth and the factual information that is available about the Monastery 
project. The tragic impact it will have on the north west section of our city will be significant. As usual with 
unscrupulous developers they are threatening lawsuit, don’t be dismayed. We are only trying to ensure that the 
development, whatever development, is done under the same laws and ordinances that we all had to comply with 
(when we built or re-modeled our own properties). That is not to their advantage or purpose, so they threaten 
the lawsuit. Don’t believe it is a done deal, it is not. We as a community can easily vote by signing the referendum 
to overturn the city Council approval of the specific plan. In November we can vote to place the rezoning of the 
monastery under the hillsides ordinance which was the intention of our city government some 30 years ago. The 
development of the property is inevitable. But the pain , suffering and inconvenience should be born by those who 
will benefit from that development, not the community that surrounds it. 

Scott Oliver, Sierra Madre 

WHO SHOULD DECIDE 

Measure HR and all of the surrounding issues are overwhelming to me. The two citizen groups and their weekly 
arguing doesn’t help. Likely there are some valid points but like most voters, I don’t have the time and in some 
cases ability to fully research and comprehend all the underlying facts these points are based on. 
The petition and general voting process through propositions gave us the $100 billion slow speed rail from Bakersfield 
to Merced, increased retailer profits due to now charging us for plastic bags we thought we were banning, 
and theoretically happier pigs until they are turned into now $7 per pound bacon. The citizens signed, voted and 
approved these issues without fully understanding what the ramifications would be. 

We are a government of representative democracy. Our elected Sierra Madre officials have rigorously studied this 
issue. I trust them to have the best interests of the city in mind. They voted to allow the monastery by development, 
and we should honor that knowledge-based decision by voting against measure HR. The people should not 
overturn the judgment of their representatives when the issue is this complex and the council has worked hard to 
make its non-partisan recommendation in the best interests of our city. This is the best way to allow democracy 
to function properly. Let elected officials do their jobs and vote them out if you don’t like the way they do them.

 Tim Blackman Sierra Madre 

HEY MEASURE HR, YOU’RE DOING 
IT WRONG! 

“Allows Mater Dolorosa to continue their mission and expand 
beyond their current size” – Stop Housing Project 
website. 

If you are trying to allow the Passionists to continue their 
operations “without expansion,” as Measure HR actually 
says, you’re doing it wrong. 

“We have worked hard to prevent over-development and 
mansionization” – Preserve Sierra Madre website. 
If you are trying to stop mansionization by allowing a 
bunch of 7,300 sq. ft. mansions, you’re doing it wrong. 

“Allows the Passionists to sell all the land and build houses” 
– Stop Housing Project email.
If you are trying to stop a housing project by rezoning 
even more property to residential, you’re doing it wrong. 

“We have all seen firsthand, in Arcadia, what can happen 
to neighborhoods under a development free-for-all.” 

– Preserve Sierra Madre website. 
If you are trying to prevent overdevelopment and mansionization 
by rezoning an entire property to a residential 
zone with little city oversight, you’re doing it wrong. 
“Promotes Consistent and Fair Zoning” – Stop Housing 
Project website.
If you are trying to promote consistent and fair zoning 
by shoehorning an Institutional development into a nonconforming 
residential zone, you’re doing it wrong. 

“We seek to have a constructive relationship with members 
of the City Council and with the City Manager and 
his staff ” – Preserve Sierra Madre website. 
If you are trying to have a constructive relationship with 

HERE ARE 12 REASONS YOU SHOULD 
VOTE NO ON MEASURE HR 

1) Protect religious rights. HR creates a religious rights 
violation that discriminates against a religious organization. 
It takes away Mater Dolorosa’s right to “expansion, 
significant physical alteration, or use change.” 
2) Preserve Property Rights. HR takes away the right of 
an individual property owner to apply to the City for a 
change in property use. 
3) Stop the building of mansions. HR won’t stop housing 
from being built. It creates the possibility of 6500 
square foot houses or larger if an ADU is added, on 34 
acres of property, not only the 17 acres claimed by the 
framers of the initiative. 
4) HR won’t save water. The proponents of the initiative 
have ignored the fact that the larger homes and more 
landscaping will use as much or more water as the proposed 
homes. They also will have no obligation to offset 
water usage like the Meadows project.
5) HR gives the City less control over what can be built. 
After Mater Dolorosa applied to the City for a zone 
change, the City negotiated to assure the project would 
be the best it could be for the City. This resulted in the 
Specific Plan. Under State law, the City is mostly limited 
to objective building standards for a new subdivision in 
the HR zone. 
6) HR won’t save 100 trees. Large mansions will need 
the land to be cleared to accommodate the building pad, 
and to build roads for access. The Hillside Residential 
ordinance prohibits invasive trees such as the Chinese 
Elms currently on the property. Some trees might be 
saved, but not all 100, and there is no provision to replace 
trees except for the protected oaks. 
7) HR won’t preserve the “Meadow”. There will be 
homes built on the property in the “Meadow”. The 
City Hall while unfairly attacking and undermining 
those people, you’re doing it wrong. 

“Stops the possibility of a development of a 270,000 
square foot institution on the upper 18 acres of the property” 
– Protect Sierra Madre email.
If you are trying to protect the Institutional religious 
property rights of the Passionists by taking away their Institutional 
property rights, you’re doing it wrong. 

“We have worked hard … to protect our open spaces” – 
Preserve Sierra Madre website 
If you are trying to protect open spaces by opposing 40 
acres placed in conservancy, you’re doing it wrong. 

“Stops over-development of tract housing” – Stop Housing 
Project email.
If you are trying to stop tract housing by taking away 
control from the City Council and giving it to the state, 
you’re doing it wrong. 

“They are free to use their property for any religious purpose 
they chose” – Stop Housing Project website.
If you are trying to protect the Passionists’ religious rights 
by prohibiting “significant physical alteration or change 
in use,” as Measure HR says, you’re doing it wrong 

“Open Space Protected” – Stop Housing Project website.
If you are trying to protect open space by opposing a 
three acre public park, you’re doing it wrong. 

It is up to the voters to do things the right way and protect 
Sierra Madre and the Passionists by Voting NO on 
HR. 

News | Sierra Madre Neighbors for Fairnessnews@sierramadreneighborsforfairness.orgSierraMadreNeighborsforFairness.org 

meadow (formerly 
known as 
the Fiesta Parking 
Lot) will be 
gone either way. 

8) HR does not 
“ protect” wildlife 
habitats. 
Wildlife won’t be 
displaced with 
any development. 
Wildlife 
adapt to the surroundings. 

9) HR creates legal risk for the City in terms of Religious 
Rights Violations which could cost the city millions. 
10) HR will not stop an increase in traffic. Building 
homes will still increase traffic on local streets and likely 
mean widening Carter Ave. 
11) HR means the city loses negotiated concessions. 
The City makes more money off of the 68 homes under 
HR. That is a counter-argument when the proponents 
say the City only supports the Meadows project because 
of the property taxes. Of course, the Meadows project 
brings in millions of dollars of value in other areas. The 
City won many concessions from the developer which 
will be lost including a 3-acre park worth millions, 40 
hillside acres placed in a conservancy, almost $1 million 
for net-zero water offsets, and $250,000 for public safety 
infrastructure 
12) A NO VOTE on HR will Preserve, Protect and Save 
the Passionists’ right to legally use their property as decided 
by the laws and ordinances of the city, it will stop 
the building of mansions, and preserve the rights of all 
homeowners. 
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 
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