Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, December 5, 2020

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 5, 2020 

City of Sierra Madre

ORDINANCE 1432

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SIERRA MADRE, CALIFORNIA AMENDING SECTION 17.08.020 (WORDS, TERMS, 
PHRASES DEFINED), SECTION 17.20.015 (DEFINITIONS), AND CHAPTER 17.68 (PARKING), OF TITLE 17 (ZONING) 
OF THE SIERRA MADRE MUNICIPAL CODE

WHEREAS, Chapter 17.68, titled “Parking” was adopted in 1995; and

WHEREAS, the City Council adopted a General Plan Update in July 2015 and as part of the General Plan Implementation 
Program, the City is currently in the process of amending various ordinances in the Municipal Code, including the Parking 
Code; and

WHEREAS, the City desires to update the Sierra Madre Municipal Code’s residential and non-residential parking standards.

WHEREAS, the Planning Commission on February 1, 2018, September 1, 2019, February 6, 2020, and August 6, 2020 conducted 
duly noticed public meetings at which time it heard and considered public testimony being received and made part of 
the public record; and

WHEREAS, notice was duly given of the public hearing on the matter, which public hearing was held before the Planning Commission 
on September 3, 2020, with all testimony being received being made part of the public record.

WHEREAS, on October 27, 2020, the City Council remanded Ordinance 1432 back to the Planning Commission to allow staff 
to present new information that was not previously considered by the Commission; and

WHEREAS, on November 5, 2020, the Commission reviewed the staff analysis which included (1) parking case studies, (2) 
analysis of on-street and public parking facilities, and (3) comparative city parking matrix for sample use classifications; and

WHEREAS, at the November 5, 2020 meeting, the Planning Commission forwarded an amended report and recommendation 
to the City Council for consideration; and

NOW, THEREFORE, CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIERRA MADRE DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Recitals. The Recitals above are true and correct and incorporated herein by this reference.

SECTION 2. Amendment. The City Council recommends the adoption of the proposed ordinance, attached to the staff report 
as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference, amending Section 17.08.020 (Words, Terms, Phrases Defined), Section 
17.20.015 (Definitions), and Chapter 17.68 (Parking) of Title 17 (Zoning) of the Sierra Madre Municipal Code.

SECTION 3. The Municipal Code Text Amendment is consistent with the Goals and Objectives of the 2015 General Plan Update, 
specifically Implementation Measure 5 – “The City shall develop a plan that addresses parking, walkability, and pedestrian 
activity in the core area.” The amendments also update parking standards overall to ensure the use, activity, and operations 
of residential and non-residential uses provide adequate parking facilities for the intended use. The proposed amendments 
will also maintain an area in the City for commercial development through the review and update of appropriate parking 
standards and regulations for new construction; General Plan Policy 34.2 requires that new construction adjacent to a parking 
area be designed to have access from the parking are as well as the street; Policy L34.3 directs identification of opportunities 
to improve pedestrian access from public parking area to commercial uses, particularly the access from the lot on Mariposa 
Avenue to the commercial uses on the south side of sierra Madre Boulevard. Policy L35.3 encourages the accommodation of 
commercial uses intended to attract visitors such as restaurants and specialty retail services, and encouraging businesses that 
attract more people to the downtown area.

SECTION 4. CEQA. The Planning Commission finds the adoption of this amendment is exempt from the California Environmental 
Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15301, of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations and is also exempt from 
review because it does not meet the definition of a project under CEQA Guidelines sections 15061, subdivision (b)(3), and 
section 15378, subdivision (a) and subdivision (b)(5). The proposed changes to Chapter 17.68 have no potential for resulting 
in physical changes to the environment because the amendments are intended to establish standards to ensure the use, activity, 
and operations of residential and non-residential uses provide adequate parking facilities for the intended use. Any particular 
proposed project will be required to undergo the City’s entitlement process and appropriate review under CEQA.

SECTION 5. Severability. If any sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance or 
any part hereof or exhibit hereto is for any reason held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remaining 
portions of this Ordinance or any part thereof or exhibit thereto. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed 
each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that anyone or more 
sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraph, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid.

SECTION 6. Publication. The City Clerk shall cause this Ordinance to be published or posted in accordance with California 
Government Code Section 36933, shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and his/her certification, together with proof 
of the publication, to be entered in the book of Ordinances of the City Council.

SECTION 7. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty days after its adoption pursuant to California Government 
Code Section 36937.

PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED ON this 10th day of November, 2020.

WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis


“That First Noel’s come ‘round again,

Just like it does each year,

To tell us it’s Christmas, finally it’s Christmas, 

Joyfully it’s Christmas, 

The best time of the year, the best time of the 
year...”

This year Christmas decorations were all over 
town even before Thanksgiving! Everyone seems 
to agree with me that “We need a little Christmas, 
right this very minute!” and they’re making it 
happen.

This song up at the top goes on to tell us that 
the tree is in the window, the wreath is on the 
door (pre-lit from Costco with colored lights 
on a timer), and about a million ornaments are 
scattered on the floor! Most probably you’re way 
past that stage. Your tree is up and gorgeous. You 
finally untangled the lights and put the angel up 
on top. But here’s the question you’ll be facing in 
a few days when the presents are all unwrapped 
and everything you got everybody was exactly 
what they wanted: Why is it that putting up 
Christmas decorations is so much more fun than taking them down? Also, why is it that the 
Christmas decorations that seem so few and so light as you take them out of the plastic crates 
have doubled (like wire hangers) in size and tripled in weight and you can’t remember when 
on earth you carried all those to the living room.

Playing Christmas music and rediscovering each cute little Christmas item is such fun and 
then deciding where to put each one is high adventure. I’m especially partial to all my little 
lighted houses. My mother started collecting them many years ago and gave her collection to 
me. I have added to it over the years and now think I have about twenty of them. They look 
fantastic on top of the bookcases, and the tall cabinet. The most interesting part of putting 
these things up is, of course, not falling off the step ladder. The second most interesting part is 
figuring out how to get them all plugged in somewhere. The ones on top of the bookcase in my 
office even turn on and off with the wall switch, which is fabulous.

Every Christmas I am reminded of Santa’s Band, which was John’s favorite Christmas decoration. 
Many years ago he went to Costco and came home with his eyes alight and excitement spilling 
out of his every word as he described this wonderful band of little musicians attached to bells 
and electrically driven so every time you turned it on, it played a Christmas carol. They had 
quite a repertoire and the band leader, of course, was Santa. John went to Costco several 
times and came home each time with more stories of the glories of Santa’s Band. I finally took 
his hand, looked deep into his eyes and said, “You know, honey, you can buy Santa’s Band 
yourself, with your own money!” He had never thought of that. Back he went and Santa’s Band 
decorated the top of one of our bookcases every year from then on. Yes, it got up there after I 
spent an hour untangling all the wires, bells and little people, but he loved it. Apparently, all 
our children loved it, too, and there was lively discussion over who should have Santa’s Band 
after John started celebrating Christmas in heaven. Our daughter, Patti, ended up with it and 
I was happy to hand it over and let her untangle all those wires and bells.

We all have special nostalgic goodies that fill our hearts with memories and happy thoughts. 
Pictures of our children taken in Sunday School, our grandchildren’s little hands and feet 
on ceramic tiles, tiny felt Christmas stockings with everyone’s name on them, glued on with 
glitter. I even have some little glass ornaments which were my Aunt Helen’s, dating from the 
1930s.

When we were first married, we rented a lovely house with a high beamed ceiling up on Canon 
Drive, right behind where Christian author, Fay Angus, lived, and when our first Christmas 
together arrived, I was about hysterical with excitement. We went down to the railroad yards 
where trains were coming in from wherever they loaded on those trees, I have a feeling it 
was the Pacific Northwest. Railroad workers pitched them off the cars and anyone who was 
standing there could pick out whatever tied-up tree they wanted. I don’t remember it costing 
very much. We selected an enormous Noble fir and tied it to the top of our little blue Ford 
Falcon. Got it home and it had to have been ten feet tall or taller and was the most gorgeous 
thing we’d ever seen. We had just a few things to put on it, but it was our tree and our home 
and our children opened presents under it and I will remember always what a wonderful time 
that was. 

My Christmas tree now is an artificial one from Michael’s, pre-lit, which is another genius 
idea. Not having to put lights on the tree makes my Christmas way merrier. It looks great and, 
while I thought I’d put a picture of the tree with my column, I just couldn’t when I saw Eric 
Van Achtoven’s 24’ snowman and Snoopy on his motorcycle. Look for these guys…you can’t 
miss them!

The song up at the beginning goes on to say:

 “But that’s not the reason we celebrate the season...

Oh, it’s that baby in the manger,

Christ child in the manger,

Mary kneeling by his side,

Joseph beaming down with pride.

Peace on earth, good will to men,

We celebrate that night again.

Hope was born that Christmas,

Joy was born that Christmas.

Angels filled the sky with light

That first silent night, holy night.

Silent night, holy night.”

(Deanne Davis/David Wheatley - “Star of Wonder – A Christmas Musical”)

I’m hoping all your Christmas memories are merry and bright! To quote Tiny Tim from 
Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, “God Bless us every one!”

“May the simple joys of Christmas warm your heart, fill your home and last a lifetime.”

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis

Christmas is just a few short weeks away and my books:

“A Tablespoon of Love, A Tablespoon of Laughter” and

“Sunrises and Sunflowers Speak Hope” 

Would be really nice gifts for everyone you know.

You can find them on Amazon.com

“Star of Wonder” a delightful Christmas Kindle story is there, too.

If you’d like a little preview, take a look at: https://youtu.be/Ka1KYrONrd0


December 5th Best Used Book Sale

 The Friends of the Sierra Madre Library are gathering books and 
DVDs for the December Drive-Thru Book Sale. It will be held on 
Saturday, December 5 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in the parking 
lot at the library, 440 West Sierra Madre Blvd. in Sierra Madre. Featured 
will be large grocery bags filled with books from the genres of 
History, Biography, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Home and Garden, Mystery/
Thrillers, Kids and Young Adults for only $5.00. In addition, there will be some DVD bags with 8 
films of Romance, Action, Drama, Comedy or Kids, also for $5.00 each.

 Enter the library parking lot from 440 West Sierra Madre Blvd. and give your order to the friendly Girl 
Scouts under the canopy. Drive on to the large container where masked and gloved volunteers will fill 
your order and load it. No need to leave your car! Exit the lot on Montecito Ave. It’s that easy.

 This sale is sponsored by the Friends of the Sierra Madre Public Library. All proceeds will be used to 
support programs, services and acquisitions for the library. For more information, please visit us at our 
web site www.sierramadrelibraryfriends.org., our Facebook page; or call 626-355-7186.

See you at the sale and thank you for helping the Friends support our wonderful library.

SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER

 

 November 22, to November 28, 2020

During this period the Sierra Madre Police Department responded 
to 241 Calls for service

Failure to Yield

On 11-23-20 at 12:15AM, officers on patrol attempted a traffic 
stop of a vehicle for violations. The vehicle fled and a vehicle 
pursuit was initiated. The driver of the vehicle drove at a high 
rated speed with disregard for the safety of the public through

Sierra Madre. The pursuit continued on the west bound 210 freeway, to the city of Glendale where 
the subject ultimately collided into a parked vehicle and fled on foot. A perimeter was set up and the 
driver was located and arrested with the assistance of Pasadena Police Air support, Glendale PD and 
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept., Crescenta Valley Deputies. The driver was arrested for several

moving violations and warrants. The driver was taken to Pasadena Jail and booked.

Case to DA’s office for filing.

D.U.I.

On 11-23-20 at 9:45PM, officers responded to a solo overturned vehicle collision in the area of Lima
St. and Orange Grove Ave. The driver was seen running away from the scene of the accident. Officers
later contacted the driver at the front of his residence. The driver appeared intoxicated and officers
conducted a Standard Field Sobriety Tests. The driver was arrested and cited for D.U.I. and hit and run
for property damage. Case to DA’S office for filing

Physical Altercation

On 11-25-20 at 9:30AM, officers observed a male subject laying on the sidewalk lighting an item on 
fire. Officers made contact with the subject and asked for his name. Subject provided officers with a 
false name. While conducting a search of the subject he began pulling away and a physical altercation 
occurred making it necessary to place the subject on the ground. While attempting to handcuff the 
subject on the ground, he became more combative and made attempts to take the officer’s taser away

from him. The officers were able to gain control and place the subject under arrest and take him

to the Pasadena Police Jail for booking. Case to DA’S office for filing

Fire Dept. Assist

On 11-26-20 at 3:45PM, officers responded to a structure fire in the 300 block of Sycamore Ln. Officers 
assisted with the evacuation of nearby residents and traffic control. There were no reported injuries.

Theft from a Vehicle

Officers were dispatched to the 00 block of E. Carter Avenue regarding a vehicle burglary that occurred 
at on 11-27-00 at 7:00PM. Further investigation revealed the vehicle was left unlocked and a radiator 
was taken from the backseat of the vehicle. Case to Detectives


PLEASE

STAY SAFE!

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