Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, April 29, 2023

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 CONVERSATIONS CONVERSATIONS

Mountain View News Saturday, April 29, 2023 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 

NEW URBAN WEST, ELIMINATOR OF THE NATURAL 

ENVIRONMENT AND HABITAT

 IN ORDER TO BUILD THE MEADOWS PROJECT.

If there was ever a developer and a group who were against maintaining the environment, 
and the preservation of wildlife and their habitat it is New Urban West, the 
developer for the Meadows Project. To hear a Dudek biologist who did the assessment 
for the developer of the land on May 29, 2020 during the pandemic say at our 
joint meeting of the Planning Commission and the City Council say..."Bats? What 
Bats? The bats can just fly away?" said it all. However, this scientist was overheard by 
several people in the crowd sitting near where they stood while they discussed the 
video and presentation of the endangered Townsend Bat. The biologist never came 
to assess the land at night or he would have known there are 11 species of pallid bats 
that live in the trees to be removed at the Meadows. That means a total destruction of 
their habitat.. The same biologist never assessed the nesting birds and or the predatory 
birds on both the Meadows land and in Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park. The 
city council and city staff ignored the reports and letters from the Department of the 
State of California Fish and Wildlife that discussed the five endangered species, one 
of which is almost extinct. Vote No on M

The California Mountain Lion is specially protected and endangered, and the mule-
eared deer, also endangered because it is the Mountain Lion’s favorite food,. These 
animals that live in the Meadows are at risk. CROTCH’S BUMBLEBEE IS ALSO 
ENDANGERED AND ALMOST EXTINCT and its nests will be totally eliminated. 
. The Bumblebee is the subject of the 2023 Earth Day Drive begun by Environment 
California and attempt to raise $100,000 to help the plight of the Bumblebee, an essential 
insect to the earth. . Shall we also discuss the pallid bats I mentioned above 
and how they help to eliminate moths and mosquitos? The Snowy Owl, a predatory 
bird who lives in bailey Canyon will lose its habitat when the Deodar Pine Trees 
are removed. Those birds work to eliminate the rat and mice population in Bailey 
Canyon, and help with the elimination of the rat population in Sierra Madre. All of 
these endangered species make their home on the Meadows property, or in Bailey 
Canyon, and have lived there prior to the Passionists who purchased the land in the 
early 1920's. The animals HAVE ALWAYS LIVED in the foothills, but New Urban 
West developers are not residents, nor do they have any idea of the value of the wildlife 
they are so eager to decimate. I can imagine the upheaval that will occur when 
the animals lose their homes and seek refuge in the area just below the Meadows in 
Sierra Madre. Vote No on M.

Sierra Madre is a Wildlife Sanctuary City. The city leadership has forgotten that we 
became a Wildlife Sanctuary City on September 12, 1972 under Ralph Rule mayor of 
Sierra Madre. Although the City Council and the City Planning Commission were 
told over and over about the loss of the habitat and environment for this wildlife, 
and were given copies of the document that proclaimed were are a wildlife sanctuary 
city, they simply ignored the residents, What did the animals due to have to total 
elimination of their environment occur? Just wait until the bats start to invade our 
trees and garage overhangs, or we have an overpopulation of rat and mice and no 
Snowy Owls or other predatory birds to keep that population in check. An outbreak 
of mosquitos might occur this summer because we will no longer have the bats who 
eat those insects on our behalf. The environment is a fragile balance of species living 
and working together. Do not let this happen to Sierra Madre. Vote No on M.

I am fully aware that something will be built at the monastery, I am not anti-development, 
but this scourged earth approach does not help any part of the environment. 
The total removal of those 104 trees does not have to take place. Some of those 
trees could be boxed and saved to be planted elsewhere at the monastery or be sold 
to others who might like to purchase a mature tree. That iconic fig tree should have 
benches put under it and a light put on it so it could be enjoyed at night. What did it 
do to be treated in this manner? It should not be bulldozed just because New Urban 
West wants this to occur. Vote N0 on M. 

Nancy Beckham

Vote No on Measure M 

MADRE LITTLE LEAGUE FAMILIES:

For 65 years, Sierra Madre Little League has been dedicated to supporting Madre families. However, 
we don’t serve our little leaguers alone. We are part of a larger Sierra Madre community, 
which includes collaboration with the City of Sierra Madre, our sponsors, and many volunteers. 
Together we work to advance our mission.

Occasionally, local issues come up that impact our partners, and in turn, our ability to execute 
that mission. Measure M is one of those issues.

Measure M asks Sierra Madre residents whether to uphold the approval by the Sierra Madre 
Planning Commission, The City of Sierra Madre (our partners in access to Sierra Madre facilities) 
and the City Council of a development project at the Mater Dolorosa retreat center. The 
project was carefully negotiated by our elected officials for over two years.

As a result of the hard work by our City officials, Measure M will provide substantial community 
benefits for all of Sierra Madre and specifically our Little League, including nearly $1,000,000 
in public park funding - a portion of which may be used for little league facility improvements, 
the construction of a new 3-acre public park, along with other city enhancements.

Given this info, it’s pretty clear: Yes on M is in the best interest of Little League.

It’s also why so many local leaders — many of whom have been highly engaged members of our 
SMLL board and volunteer community — are in support of Yes on M. Our Mayor (and LL volunteer 
for years including this season), city council, police association, firefighters’ association, 
chamber of commerce, and the Mountain View News, all support Yes on M. Join us in doing 
the same.

Now for that brief interruption, let’s get back to baseball!

Sincerely,

Sierra Madre Little League Board of Directors


This referendum seeks to overturn Ordinance No. 1461, which

approved (1) a Zoning Map Amendment; (2) a Specific Plan;

and (3) a Development Agreement for "The Meadows Project"

Background

The Congregation of the Passion, Mater Dolorosa Community, ("Congregation") is the owner 
of property located at 700 North

Sunnyside Avenue, Sierra Madre, CA 91204 ("Property"). 

In partnership with NUWI-Sierra Madre LLC ("Developer"), Congregation seeks to develop 
approximately 17.3 acres of the Property. The proposed development, referred to as "The 
Meadows at Bailey Canyon" or "The Meadows Project",

includes up to 42 single-family homes (9.19 acres), roadways (3.68 acres), a public park (3.01 
acres), HOA open space (0.35), and a landscape buffer (1.07 acre).

Procedural History

On August 18, 2022, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of 
The Meadows Project to the City Council. On September 20, 2022, the City Council adopted 
Resolution No. 22-58:

• certifying an Environmental Impact Report;

• adopting findings of fact and a mitigation and monitoring

program under the California Environmental Quality Act;

• approving a General Plan land use map amendment; and

• approving a lot line adjustment.

On September 27, 2022, the City Council adopted Ordinance

No. 1461 approving:

• a zoning map amendment;

• a specific plan; and

• a development agreement.

On January 10, 2023, the City Council certified the sufficiency

of a petition to referend Ordinance No. 1461 signed by 1,222

qualified residents.

Referendum

This referendum does not protest the City Council's decision to

adopt Resolution No. 22-58, which has now taken effect. This

referendum only protests the City Council's decision to adopt

Ordinance No. 1461. The individual components of Ordinance

No. 1461 are summarized below.

• The zoning map amendment proposes changing the zoning

designation of the Property from Institutional to Single Family

Residential R-1 with a Specific Plan Overlay.

• The Specific Plan outlines the development standards and guidelines governing the construction 
of homes in The Meadows Project. Where the Specific Plan is silent as to a development 
standard, the Sierra Madre Municipal Code controls.

• The development agreement is a contract between the City,

Congregation, and Developer. The development agreement

secures additional concessions from the Congregation and Developer as part of The Meadows 
Project that cannot be obtained through either the Sierra Madre Municipal Code or 
as an ordinary condition of a development approval. Those additional concessions include 
the following:

• Recordation of conservation easements on the northern most

portion of the Property above the Retreat Center and on two additional hillside parcels;

• Development of a public park of approximately 3.01 acres to be dedicated to the City;

• Payment of $983,500 to increase the City's supplemental water supply and offset the development's 
impact on the City's

water system; and • Payment of $250,000 to the City for public safety purposes. Vote

A YES vote would uphold Ordinance No. 1461, allowing the zoning map amendment, specific 
plan, and development agreement to take effect.

A NO vote would repeal Ordinance No. 1461.

ALEKS R. GIRAGOSIAN

February 15, 2023

Sierra Madre City Attorney

The above statement is an impartial analysis of City Council Ordinance No. 1461. If you 
desire a copy of the

ordinance or measure, please call the City Clerk at (626) 355-7135 and a copy will be mailed 
at no cost to you.

Alternatively, you can download a copy of City Council

Ordinance No. 1461 at

SIERRA MADRE CITY ATTORNEY'S IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF MEASURE M

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