Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, July 24, 2021

Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 24, 2021 

ZONING OUT? CHANGES NOT IN THE PLAN—FOR NOW 

By Kevin McGuire 

City Council has decided to continue consideration of a General Plan Amendment 21-01 
and Zone Change 21-01 to allow for more time for public awareness and to gather further 
information on the subject matter before proceeding with a vote. 

The discussion, which is causing concern among residents and confusion among Council 
Members, revolves around an update to the General Plan that took place in 2015. This update 
included amendments to the Land Use Map, which would change land use designations of 
a number of parcels across the city. The update included revisions to the zoning map for 
consistency with the amended land use map, as required by law. 

When the General Plan and Zoning maps were later reviewed, city staff found inconsistencies 
between designations of some parcels in the General Plan Land Use and Zoning Maps. This 
meeting, on July 13, gave the Council an opportunity to approve modifications and correct 
these inconsistencies. 

Back in May 2021, The Planning Commission had a chance to review the changes recommended 
by city staff. They bounced some changes back to staff and were presented with an updated 
version on June 3, 2021. It was then the Planning Commission approved a number of changes 
to correct the inconsistencies. It then came before the City Council during a public hearing on 
June 17, 2021, where the changes were approved. 

The map of the city in the General Plan is basically broken down to four quadrants: R1, 
R2, R3 and R4 (R = Residential). The suggested corrections would change designations of 
approximately 57 properties, most falling in the R3 and R4 quadrants. 

These changes in Land Use and Zoning have some affected residents who now worry that 
their property values will be lowered, as other fear their development plans will be halted. “We 
weren’t properly notified that this was going on in the city,” said resident Jim Watson, whose 
property would be changed from an R3 to an R1, which Watson considers a downgrade in 
value. “I would ask that you do not approve this tonight,” Watson said. Watson noted that he 
did receive a postcard in the mail, but his property was not specifically mentioned. Postcards 
were sent out by City staff. 

Eric Lin recently bought property in Sierra Madre with big plans to have four houses built 
for his family in the future. He was in escrow in May when through his neighbors he found 
out about the zoning and land use changes. “I never got a notice of any of these changes,” Lin 
said. “We never were given any feedback that we couldn’t develop down the line.” Now, Lin’s 
property is set to move from R3 to R1. 

So, what happens now? Well, the zoning needs to be consistent with the General Plan. That’s 
the law. And any changes made has to go through a process. For instance, if the City Council 
wants to consider keeping Mr. Watson’s, Mr. Lin’s, and other properties as R3 instead of R1, 
then it has to be kicked back to the Planning Commission and changes to the General Plan 
would have to take place to keep everything consistent and lawful. Got it? 

There is also the Housing Element to consider. If an R1 was changed to an R3, for example, 
those changes would have to be made to the Housing Element, which provides an analysis of 
housing needs for all income levels in the community. Sierra Madre completed their Housing 
Element a few months ago with the challenge of adding more density than most folks are 
comfortable with. 

Is your head spinning yet? On top of all the complexities of this situation, are the dreaded 
deadlines. October 15, 2021 is the day this has to be filed to meet legal obligations in this 
Housing Element cycle, so slowing down the process with more steps and roadblocks is 
certainly not desired by anyone. But, the comfort-level in the room seemed mighty low for 
Council Members to move forward now. 

“I don’t represent the government. I don’t represent the Planning Department. I represent 
people. I represent property owners,” Mayor Pro Tem Gene Goss said. “I feel they’ve been 
wronged and we need to find some way to make the whole here. Especially the ones that didn’t 
know this was coming, feel blindsided and face the potential loss of income.” 

Council Members Kelly Kriebs, Robert Parkhurst, and Edward Garcia have all been in office 
less than a year and are trying to familiarize themselves with six years of timeline on this 
General Plan. None seemed at ease moving forward on these changes at this point. 

So, Mayor Rachelle Arizmendi agreed to continue the discussion, despite the deadlines 
looming for more public hearings, environmental impact reports, and further meetings with 
the Planning Commission and City Council. They will have to get all this settled by the October 
12, 2021 Council Meeting in order to meet the deadline. 

SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER 

July 11, 2021 to July 17, 2021 
During this period the Sierra Madre Police Department responded to 276 calls for service. 

D.U.I. 
On 7-11-21 at 2:09AM a vehicle was stopped for a vehicle code violation in the 200 block of S. 
Hermosa Ave. The driver appeared to be intoxicated and accidentally backed his vehicle into the 
patrol unit conducting the traffic stop. A traffic collision investigation was completed. Following 
field sobriety tests, the driver was arrested for driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage 
and for being unlicensed. The passenger was arrested for being drunk in public. Both the driver 
and passenger were taken to the Pasadena Jail for booking. The vehicle was stored. 
Case to the DA’s office 

On 7-11-21 at 11:10PM, a vehicle was in violation of vehicle code infractions was stopped in the 
area of Highland Ave. and Lima St. Following field sobriety tests, the driver was found to be driving 
a motor vehicle while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. The driver was arrested 
and later taken to the Pasadena jail where he was booked.Case to the DA’s office 

Officers conducted a traffic stop in the 800 block of E. Grandview Ave. on 7-15-21 at 8:25PM, for 
vehicle code violations. Following field sobriety tests, the driver was taken to the Pasadena Jail for 
driving under the influence. Case to DA’s office 

Theft 
On 7-13-21 at 2:40PM, a resident in the 00 block of W. Grandview Ave. reported that sometime 
between 7-8-21 at 11:00PM and 7-9-21 at 8:40AM, unknown person(s) removed the catalytic 
converter from her vehicle using an unknown cutting tool. Case to Detectives 

Accident 
A single vehicle traffic accident occurred in the 100 block of W. Sierra Madre Blvd. on 7-16-21 at 
10:52AM. The vehicle involved was traveling east, veered to the right, collided into several traffic 
poles and the metal fence in front of a restaurant. No injuries were reported. 

WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis 

JULY IS NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH! 

“Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy ice cream, which is pretty much the samething.” Janet Lee Logan“An ice cream a day keeps all the tensions away.”
“Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos!”

“Life is like an ice cream cone, youhave to lick it one day at a time.”
Charles Shulz (Peanuts Creator) 

Karen Klemens, owner of Mother 
Moo’s Creamery is famous forher small-batch, handcrafted ice 
cream and sorbet, using organicand locally sourced ingredients,
including Strauss organic milk.
Mother Moo’s is our own personalice cream mecca. Newly remodeledKersting Court is more beautifuland inviting than ever before, isthe perfect place to sit and enjoya scoop or two or three of thebest ice cream ever. You’ve gottatry her Organic Strawberry madewith Harry’s Berries OrganicStrawberries. Or maybe the SaltyChocolate. AND, she has fresh 
peach right now! 

I chatted with Karen a few yearsago and asked her what her favoriteflavor is. She said she doesn’t make 
anything she doesn’t like, but issomewhat partial to chocolate chip. I 
said I could get into real trouble withher Rum Raisin and she confided 
that the secret is Myers Rum and 
Monukka raisins, which are very different from Thompson raisins, having much moreopen fiber so the flavors can saturate the raisins. Now there’s something you didn’t know!
Here’s another Mother Moo fact you probably don’t know: Thanksgiving is their busiest 
time, much busier than 4th of July! 


The International Dairy Foods Association tells us… “Americans consume about 22pounds of ice cream and related frozen desserts each year, on average. As the summer 
reaches peak temperatures in July, Americans celebrate National Ice Cream Month as away to cool off and enjoy the nation’s favorite frozen treat with friends and family. Icecream has historically been a key feature of American communities. According to an 
International Dairy Foods Association survey, most ice cream companies are family ownedand have been in operation for more than 50 years! Here’s more sweet news: Ice creamcompanies help support the U.S. economy, contributing more than $13 billion directly to 
the national economy and supporting nearly 29,000 direct jobs that generate $1.8 billion 
in direct wages! In 2019, about 6.4 billion pounds of ice cream and frozen yogurt wereproduced in the U.S. That’s something to celebrate!” 

I suspect that during the 2020 pandemic more ice cream than ever became an absolute 
necessity. And I’m right: In 2020, ice cream makers in the U.S. churned out just over 1 
billion gallons of ice cream, up 6% from 2019. 

America’s top 10 favorite ice cream flavors are, supposedly:

• 
Vanilla 
• 
Chocolate 
• 
Cookies N’ Cream 
• 
Mint Chocolate Chip
• 
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
• 
Buttered Pecan 
• 
Cookie Dough
• 
Strawberry
• 
Moose Tracks 
• 
Neapolitan 
But I’m not sure I agree with that. When Fall rolls around and Pumpkin Ice Cream startsappearing in the ice cream freezer at the market, all self-discipline disappears and I’vebeen known to stockpile several gallons of it in my freezer at home. Then, even worse,
just a little later in the year, Egg Nog Ice Cream shows up and I’m doomed. It’s not theChristmas cookies that put extra weight on me, it’s the seasonal ice cream. I really lovePumpkin and Egg Nog Ice Cream. 

I guess I’m becoming so rhapsodic about these delicacies that are still months away becauseit’s hot and humid and August isn’t even here yet. 

“It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine…it’s summertime.” Kenny Chesney 

May your have a perfect summer day every day this week. Take time to drop in at MotherMoo’s for some peach ice cream. Take a friend along, sit outside and enjoy the beautifulplace where we live. The picture is an astonishing strawberry ice cream cookie sandwich. 
The stuff of dreams and fantasies! 

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis 
Where you’ll find“A Treasure Map, A Drunken Owl & 47 Rattlers in A BagTrue Tales of Early California.”
Hot summer is the perfect time to read this exciting adventure.
For you Emma Gainsworth fans, all her escapades are there AND, there’s a new Emmastory in the works! 


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