4 PUBLIC NOTICES & LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Mountain View News Saturday, February 11, 2023
City of Sierra Madre
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
From: The City of Sierra Madre
Subject: TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP 22-02
Applicant: Eric Lin
Project Location: 182 South Baldwin Ave., in the City of Sierra Madre, County of Los Angeles, State of CaliforniaThe City of Sierra Madre gives notice, pursuant to State of California law, that the City Council will conduct a public hearing to
consider a request to file a tentative parcel map to subdivide the existing 13,448-square-foot parcel for a (4) four-unit condominium.
Pursuant to Sierra Madre Municipal Code Section 16.12.080, the city council shall hold a public hearing on the tentative map and
shall approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the tentative map. Any action taken by the city council shall be supported by the
required findings set forth in Section 16.12.070. Action of the city council is final.
DATE AND TIME OF HEARING PLACE OF HEARING
City of Sierra Madre City of Sierra Madre
City Council meeting City Council Chambers
Tuesday, February 28, 2023 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.
(Hearing begins at 5:30 p.m.) Sierra Madre, CA 91024
All interested persons may attend this meeting and the City Council will hear them with respect thereto.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The project qualifies for Class 15 Categorical Exemption (Minor Land Division), pursuant
to Section 15315 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
APPEAL: If in the future anyone wishes to challenge the decision of the City Council in court, one may be limited to raising the issues
that were raised or presented in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or before, the scheduled public hearing. For
further information on this subject, please contact the Planning and Community Preservation Department at 626-355-7138. (GOV.
CODE SEC. 65009)
LETTER TO THE EDITORS – VOLUNTEERS
Hello,
I’d like to commend all the Sierra Madre Library Book Sale volunteers for an amazingjob in rais-ing an impressive amount of funds at each Book Sale to benefit the Sierra
Madre Library.
I am new to volunteering at the Sierra Madre Library Book Sales. I have volunteered for
the past two sales. Both times I enjoyed doing my shift, seeing the books people chose
to buy and listen-ing to their comments on the insights they thought they would find in
their book selections.
I was especially impressed with the volunteers. Not only did they organize the books in
easy to locate categories they had a dedicated group of volunteers with positive attitudes
towards the people who came to buy the books and support the library. That alone
makes me want to contin-ue being a part of volunteering for the Sierra Madre LibraryBook Sales.
Sincerely,
Debbie Schweiner
I HAVE A SERIOUS QUESTION.
What is the true intent of the "Stop Development” activists? They have made
attempts to stop this project through the ballot box but failed to convince the
citizens. Now, “Stop” is attempting to use a referendum to try to halt the project.
In their hubris “Stop” claim that stopping the Meadows Project is imperative.
“Stop” may stop the Meadows Project but some housing project will happen.
The state with its “housing emergency” modus operandi will prevail because local
control and oversight have been preempted.
It appears that the “Stop” people are in kamikaze mode. If the Meadows project
is scuttled, the result would be counter to the best interests of the city. And, there
will be a development at that site no matter what.
The ”Stop” group has demanded concessions, yet these are in closed session and
not open and transparent to all, and counter to citizen participation. Not like the
many public forums that have preceded this. What are these concessions, and
why is this information being kept secret? This shroud of secrecy raises doubts
and rumors as to the real intent of “Stop”.
Furthermore, are the actions of the “Stop” activists well thought out and beneficial
for the city, or is this an attempt to undermine the current plans for a self-
interest agenda? If the concessions are good for the city, surely “Stop” would gain
support. It is important for careful thought before making a decision that could
have long-term ramifications. This is not what has happened with the “Stop”
group. –De Alcorn Sierra Madre
FIRST LETTER OF THE NEW YEAR!
Santa Monica developer New Urban West and our City Council remain determined to
inflict their 42-McMansion housing project (“The Meadows”) on Sierra Madre. And,
realizing there’s no credible ar-gument to be made for the project itself, they’re sticking to
the playbook of threatening a much-worse alternative we’d somehow be powerless to stop.
City of Sierra Madre
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
From: The City of Sierra Madre
Subject: 1. MUNICIPAL CODE TEXT AMENDMENT 22-06 – ADU ORDINANCE UPDATE
2. MUNICIPAL CODE TEXT AMENDMENT 23-01 – GENERAL ORDINANCE CLEAN-UP
Applicant: City of Sierra Madre
Project Location: Properties in the City of Sierra Madre, County of Los Angeles, State of California
1. The City of Sierra Madre gives notice, pursuant to State of California law, that the Planning Commission will conduct a public
hearing to consider Municipal Code Text Amendment (MCTA 22-06), recommending for adoption by the City Council an Ordinance
amending Chapter 17.22 (Accessory Dwelling Units) of Title 17 (Zoning) of the Sierra Madre Municipal Code.
The purpose of this ordinance to update development standards for accessory dwelling units related to California state laws imposed byAssembly Bill 2221 and Senate Bills 897. The ordinance additionally provides information, clarification, and supplemental application
review procedure with intent to enhance information available for the general public.
2. The City of Sierra Madre gives notice, pursuant to State of California law, that the Planning Commission will conduct a public
hearing to consider Municipal Code Text Amendment (MCTA 23-01), recommending for adoption by the City Council an Ordinance
amending Chapter 5.56 (Massage Therapy, Massage Business or Establishments) of Title 5 (Business Licenses and Regulations) of the
Sierra Madre Municipal Code; Chapter 7.08 (Pollutant Source Reduction) of Title 7 (Stormwater Pollutant Elimination) of the Sierra
Madre Municipal Code; Chapter 12.12 (Obstruction of Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places) of Title 12 (Streets, Sidewalks and Public
Places) of the Sierra Madre Municipal Code; Chapter 15.04 (Building Code and Permits), Chapter 15.30 (Green Building Standards
Code), Chapter 15.58 (Low Impact Development Plan) of Title 15 (Buildings and Construction) of the Sierra Madre Municipal Code;
Chapter 16.04 (General Provisions), Chapter 16.08 (Required Maps), Chapter 16.12 (Preliminary and Tentative Maps Filing and Review
Procedures), Chapter 16.20 (Lot Line Adjustments), Chapter 16.24 (Merger of Parcels), Chapter 16.28 (Lot Combinations), Chapter
16.32 (Dedications, Improvements and Requirements), Chapter 16.36 (Condominium Conversions), Chapter 16.40 (Condominium
Projects), Chapter 16.44 (Regulations for Dedication of Land for Park and Recreation Land), Chapter 16.52 (Vesting Tentative Maps)
and Chapter 16.56 (Enforcement) of Title 16 (Subdivisions) of the Sierra Madre Municipal Code; Chapter 17.08 (Definitions), Chapter
17.20 (R-1 One-Family Residential), Chapter 17.28 (R-3-13 Medium/High Density Residential Zone), Chapter 17.29 (R-3-20 and R-3-30
High Density Residential Zones), Chapter 17.30 (R-C Residential Canyon Zone), Chapter 17.36 (C Commercial Zone), Chapter 17.40 (M
Manufacturing Zone), Chapter 17.42 (The British Home Specific Plan Overlay Zone), Chapter 17.48 (Development Standards), Chapter
17.52 (H Hillside Management Zone), Chapter 17.58 (Small Home Lot Development), Chapter 17.59 (Ministerial Design Review Permits),
Chapter 17.60 (Variances and Discretionary Permits), Chapter 17.68 (Parking), Chapter 17.72 (Signs), Chapter 17.85 (Home Occupations),
Chapter 17.88 (Temporary Use Permits) and Chapter 17.90 (Art in Public Places Program) of Title 17 (Zoning) of the Sierra
Madre Municipal Code.
The purpose of this Ordinance is to relieve inconsistency, ambiguity, inadvertent misrepresentation, and illegibility of the Sierra Madre
Municipal Code as discovered from time to time by city staff, appointed officials, elected officials and members of the general public.
DATE AND TIME OF HEARING PLACE OF HEARING
Thursday, March 2, 2023 City of Sierra Madre Planning Commission meeting(Hearing begins at 7:00 p.m.) City of Sierra MadreCity Council Chambers232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
All interested persons may attend this meeting and the Planning Commission will hear them with respect thereto.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 15061, subdivision (b)(3), this proposed ordinance
is exempt because it is not a “project” for purposes of Public Resources Code section 21065 and section 15378 of title 14 of the
California Code of Regulations. This ordinance is a ministerial action to establish conformance with State law and has no direct or
indirect physical impact on the environment.
A few months ago, it was the specter of “6,500 sq ft Arcadia-style mansions”. No one had
ever pro-posed them, no such project was on the horizon, but after hundreds of thousands
spent on the cam-paign the threat became so real many voters that I spoke with
thought their vote against Measure HR was to stop the housing project – when in fact it
meant the opposite.
This time the much-worse alternative is a 50-house development they claim we’d be powerless
to stop under SB330 – an important measure meant to address the serious issue
of affordable housing in our state. The measure was intended to prevent localities from
imposing restrictions on new housing that would otherwise conform to existing general
plans and zoning rules – with additional incentives offered to housing affordable to those
APPEAL: A decision by the Planning Commission is subject to a 10-day appeal period to the City Council. If in the future anyone wishes
to challenge the decision of the Planning Commission in court, one may be limited to raising the issues that were raised or presented
in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at, or before, the scheduled public hearing. For further information
on this subject, please contact the Planning and Community Preservation Department at (626) 355-7138. (GOV. CODE SEC. 65009)
of “moderate”, “low” and “very low” incomes. That it be used instead as a cudgel to force
communities to accept new multi-million-dollar homes that would other-wise be in noncompliance
with local ordinances is a shameful abuse of that law – and won’t fly.
In submitting this new, threatened proposal as qualifying under SB330, the developer
includes three houses (2,000 sq ft each) it claims would be affordable to those of “verylow” incomes, entitling them to the numerous concessions they demand under that law.
According to formulas established to de-termine income levels, however, this would suggest
the proposal is based on the pretext that for a new 2,000 sq ft home in Sierra Madre,
total “housing costs” – mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities, etc. – could be covered at no
more than $968 a month. (Have you checked your gas bill recently?)
The notion is absurd, but the City Council maintains the project would qualify under
SB330 – because the developer tells them it would.
They maintain the developer is entitled to all waivers/concessions/bonuses under SB330
– because the developer tells them they are.
The City Council says there will be no further negotiations attempting a compromise –
because the developer told them they won’t participate.
Rather than scheduling a vote on the referendum to block the Meadows project for the
SENIOR COMMUNITY COMMISSION SEEKING
“OLDER ‘SIERRA MADRE’ AMERICAN OF THE YEAR” NOMINATIONS
The City of Sierra Madre Senior Community Commission is seeking nominations for Older ‘Sierra Madre’ American of
the Year. The honor is a long-standing tradition in Sierra Madre and bestowed upon an exceptional Sierra Madrean, age
60 or older, for their outstanding commitment to community service.
Recommendations are now being accepted for new honorees. Please send nominations to Sierra Madre City Hall, c/o
Older American Nomination, Community Services Department, 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024
by Thursday, March 16, 2023. Forms may be picked up and returned to the Hart Park House Senior Center: Hart Park
House 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, CA 91024
The Senior Community Commission will discuss the selection of the Older ‘Sierra Madre’ American of the Year at their
regularly scheduled meeting, open to the public, in City Hall Council Chambers on Thursday, April 6th at 3:00 p.m. A
reception to honor the 2023 Older ‘Sierra Madre’ American of the Year will held on Wednesday, May 10th, 2023.
For more information, please contact the Hart Park House Senior Center (626) 355-5278 x704; or the Community
Services Department at (626) 355-5278.
next general election at minimal expense, the City Council instead agreed to rush it ahead
to special election on May 9 at significant cost – because the developer told them to.
The City Council maintains the developer will do as it wants and we’re powerless to do
anything about it – because the developer tells them we are.
The City Council suggests we should be grateful the developer has agreed not to force this
new 50-house SB330 proposal on us should we simply acquiesce to the 42-McMansion
Meadows project they’ve wanted all along – because, well, shouldn’t we be?
I’m sure others are watching and awaiting the outcome; scoping out exploitable areas and
opportuni-ties afforded by this City Council. But as those over 1,200 residents who signed
our referendum made clear: Sierra Madre is not for sale – and nobody will tell us otherwise.
Howard HaysSierra Madre
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
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