SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2015

VOLUME 9 NO. 38

City of Sierra Madre

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

From: The City of Sierra Madre

Subject: MUNICIPAL CODE TEXT AMENDMENT 15-03 (MCTA 15-03) 

Applicant: City of Sierra Madre

Project Location: Properties in the City of Sierra Madre, County of Los Angeles, State of California

The City of Sierra Madre gives notice, pursuant to State of California law, that the 
Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider recommending adoption 
of a text amendment to Chapter 17.22 of the Municipal Code to remove the minimum 
allowable floor area of second units, and reduce the maximum height of single-story 
detached second units. The amendment also adds a side yard setback requirement for 
the secondary frontage of reverse corner lots, removes the requirement that new second 
units are only allowed on those residential lots that conform with all existing R-1 Zoning 
standards, removes the limitation on minimum unit size, reduces the allowable height 
for one-story units, adds the requirement of a conditional use permit for a new second 
story unit, and adds a health and safety inspection requirement for the conversion of 
existing structures to second units. The purpose of the proposed revisions is 1) to 
further an objective of the City’s 2014-2021 Housing Element to encourage and facilitate 
the production of second units in order to meet the City’s Regional Housing Needs 
Assessment (RHNA) allocation, and 2) to protect the health and welfare of the City’s 
residents. Following a Planning Commission recommendation for approval, the proposed 
text amendment will be forwarded to the City Council for their consideration. 

DATE AND TIME OF HEARING PLACE OF HEARING

City of Sierra Madre City of Sierra Madre

Planning Commission meeting City Council Chambers

Thursday, October 1, 2015 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.

(Hearing begins at 7:00 p.m.) Sierra Madre, CA 

All interested persons may attend this meeting and the Planning Commission will hear them 
with respect thereto.

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: An Initial Study was prepared for the 2008-2014 
Housing Element in accordance with the City’s guidelines implementing the California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This Initial Study was undertaken for the purpose of 
deciding whether the measures identified in the Housing Element to fulfill the City’s RHNA 
allocation may have a significant effect on the environment. On the basis of the Initial 
Study, City staff concluded that they will not have a significant effect on the environment, 
and a Negative Declaration was adopted by City Council on June 11, 2013. The project also 
qualifies for a Statutory Exemption pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3), in that the City can say 
with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant 
effect on the environment because adding the regulatory requirement of a conditional use 
permit in order to build a second story unit is not likely to result in additional construction 
beyond that already permissible.

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.

OUT OF CONTROL TRUCK CRASHES INTO BANK OF AMERICA


Onlookers assess the damage. Photo and Story by Susan Henderson

 On Friday morning, before the much noticed guard who stands in front 
of Bank of America came to work, an unidentified man, not shown in 
this picture) lost control of his vehicle. With his truck facing BOA , the 
driver of the pickup attempted to exit the parking lot of Fiesta Taco on 
the north side of Sunnyside when the truck malfunctioned. 

 According to SMPD Detective Kam Kamchamnan, the man, in his 
50’ and not pictured above, got out of his stalled vehicle in an attempt 
to quickly check under the hood. However, when he did so, he was 
unaware that his brakes were not engaged and the car slowly drifted 
across Sierra Madre Blvd., jumped the curb and landed in the front 
window of BOA.

 Miraculously the vehicle crossed Sierra Madre Blvd., without running 
into oncoming traffic. The driver had a few minor scrapes and was not 
transported to the hospital.

GUESS WHO?

Yes, that is Will Farrell and Amy Poehler taking a break from filming at 
Yogurt and More in Sierra Madre. The celebs were in town to working 
on the film, The House, Photo by Dave Felt

 
Sierra Madre’s 4th annual 
Scarecrow Festival kicks off 
October 2nd with scarecrows 
appearing throughout town 
through the end of October. 

Awards will be given in several 
categories including Best 
Representation of a Business, 
Church, Service Organization 
or Government Office; 
Best Scarecrow Story, Most 
Humorous, Scariest, Most Clever 
etc. in child and adult categories. 

 Tour all of the scarecrows on 
display, and then vote for your 
favorite. 

Maps will be available at 
Creative Arts Group as well 
as at participating businesses 
throughout Sierra Madre Or 
you can register for a free 
shuttle tour of the residential 
scarecrows on October 10th at 
www.creativeartsgroup.org/
scarecrow-festival/ 

Awards ceremony 
will take place 
Friday, October 16th 
at 7 pm at Creative 
Arts, located at 108 
N. Baldwin Ave. 


Inside this week: 



CALENDAR Pg. 2

SIERRA MADRE NEWS

 Pg. 3

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Pg. 5


PASADENA/ALTADENA

Pg. 6

ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 7 
MONROVIA/DUARTE Pg. 8

EDUCATION & YOUTH

Pg. 9

FOOD & DRINK

Pg. 10

BEST FRIENDS

Pg. 11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pg. 12

THE GOOD LIFE

Pg. 13

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

 Pg. 14

THE WORLD

 Pg. 15

OPINIONPg. 16

 
LEGALS Pg. 17