Mayor

Maryann MacGillivray

City E-mail

Mayor Pro Tem

Don Watts

City E-mail or Alternate E-mail

Council Member

John Buchanan

City E-Mail

Council Member

Joe Mosca

City E-mail or Alternate E-mail

www.JoeMosca.com

Council Member

Kurt Zimmerman

City E-mail

(1/11/10) Candidate Update - Six Have Now Pulled Papers, Mosca, Watts and Zimmerman Must File by Today  City Clerk Nancy Shollenberger tells me that Resident Pat Alcorn has now pulled papers, joining the five folks listed below.  Also, according to Shollenberger, today is the deadline for incumbents, so if Council Members Mosca, Watts and Zimmerman are going to file, it must be done by today.

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(1/11/10) Five Residents Pull Papers for City Council Election  There are three City Council seats being contested in April's election, those currently occupied by Joe Mosca, Don Watts and Kurt Zimmerman.  According to City Clerk Nancy Shollenberger, five residents had pulled papers as of 1/3/10, incumbents Joe Mosca and Don Watts, and John Crawford, Nancy Walsh, and Bill Tice.  Incumbent Kurt Zimmerman has not pulled papers.  According to Shollenberger, "The Nomination Period opened on December 21st and closes on January 11th.  If an incumbent does not run, the days are extended to January 19th, unless City Hall is closed on Friday, then it is January 20th." 

Planning Commission - Four year term of office, meets the 1st & 3rd Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers

The City does not yet have e-mails set up for the Planning Commissioners, however, if you send an e-mail to Jen Peterson, with the Planning Dept., and include a request to have your e-mail distributed to the Planning Commission, it will be done.

County Supervisor, 5th District

Supervisor Michael Antonovich

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LA Phone: (213) 974-5555

Pasadena Phone: (626) 356-5407

LA Fax: (213) 974-1010

Pasadena Fax:

LA Office:

500 West Temple Street
Room 869, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Pasadena Office: 

215 N. Marengo Ave.
Suite 120, Pasadena, CA 91101
E-mail: FifthDistrict@lacbos.org

Web: www.antonovich.com/

Facebook: Michael Antonovich Facebook

Twitter: Michael Antonovich Twitter

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58th Assembly District

Assemblyman Anthony Adams

Photo courtesy of Bill Coburn

Sacto Phone: (916) 319-2059

Local Phone: (909) 625-1038,

Sacto Fax: (916) 319-2159

Local Fax: (909) 625-1063

Sacto Address: State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Local Address: 540 W. Baseline Rd. Suite 16, Claremont, CA 91711
E-mail: E-mail Form

Web:  http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/59/

Facebook:  Anthony Adams Facebook

Twitter: Anthony Adams Twitter

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29th Senate District

Senator Bob Huff

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Sacto Phone: (916) 651-4029

Local Phone: (626) 914-5046

Sacto Fax: (916) 324-0922

Local Fax: (626) 914-8976

Sacto Address:

State Capitol, Room 3048
Sacramento, CA 95814
Local Address:

2605 E. Foothill Blvd., #A
Glendora, CA 91740
Phone: (626) 914-5046
Fax: (626) 914-8976

E-mail: E-mail Form

Web:  http://cssrc.us/web/29/

Facebook:  Bob Huff Facebook

Twitter: Bob Huff Twitter

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State Governor

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Sacto Phone: (916) 445-2841

Local Phone: (213) 897-0322

Sacto Fax: (916) 558-3160

Local Fax: (213) 897-0319

Sacto Address: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Local Address: 300 South Spring Street, Suite 16701, Los Angeles, CA 90013
E-mail: E-mail the Gov. page

Web: http://gov.ca.gov/

Facebook: Arnold Schwarzenegger Facebook

Twitter: Arnold Schwarzenegger Twitter

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House of Representatives, 26th District

Congressman David Dreier

Photo courtesy of Bill Coburn

D.C. Phone: (202) 225-2305
Local Phone: (909) 575-6226

DC Fax: (202) 225-7018

Local Fax: (909) 575-6266

D.C. Office: 233 Cannon
Washington, D.C. 20515

Local Office:  510 East Foothill Blvd.,
Suite 201, San Dimas, CA 91773
E-mail: E-mail Form

Web:  www.dreier.house.gov

Facebook: David Dreier Facebook

Twitter: Not available as of 6/8/09

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U.S. Senate

Senator Barbara Boxer

Photo from boxer.senate.gov

D.C. Phone: (202) 224-3553

Local Phone: (213) 894-5000

DC Fax: (202) 224-0454

Local Fax: (202) 224-0357

D.C. Office: 112 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
Local Office: 312 N. Spring St. Suite 1748, Los Angeles, CA 90012
E-mail: E-mail Form

Web: www.Boxer.Senate.gov

Facebook: Barbara Boxer Facebook

Twitter: Barbara Boxer Twitter

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U.S. Senate

Senator Dianne Feinstein

Photo from feinstein.senate.gov

D.C. Phone: (202) 224-3841

Local Phone: (310) 914-7300

DC Fax: (202) 228-3954

Local Fax: (310) 914-7318

D.C. Office: Senator Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Local Office: 11111 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 915, Los Angeles, CA 90025
E-mail: E-mail/Newsletter Form

Web:  www.Feinstein.Senate.gov

Facebook: Dianne Feinstein Facebook

Twitter: Not available as of 6/8/09

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U.S. Executive Branch

President Barack Obama

Photo from WhiteHouse.gov

D.C. Phone: (202) 456-1111

D.C. Fax: (202) 456-2461

D.C. Office:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

E-mail: E-mail Form

Web:  www.whitehouse.gov

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse

Twitter: http://twitter.com/whitehouse

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(9/22/09) SCAG Membership Discussion

The Chamber will be submitting a statement recommending that the Council remain in SCAG.  You can find the staff report on this Agenda item by clicking here. 

Statement from Chamber of Commerce re: SCAG Membership

My name is Bill Coburn, and I’m the Executive Director of the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce.  I’m here tonight representing the Chamber in encouraging the Council to retain its membership in the Southern California Association of Governments, aka SCAG.

As the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for Southern California, SCAG is mandated by the federal government to research and draw up plans for transportation, growth management, hazardous waste management, and air quality.  

In 1966, then Ventura County Supervisor John Montgomery stated that “Regional planning is not a matter of if, but rather when and who. Regional planning must come via cooperation and mutual assistance. Regional planning will (either) be accomplished through local governments working together or by big brother mandates from state and national governments."  The Chamber believes that Sierra Madre should be one of the local governments working together in cooperation with our neighbors, rather than being subjected, without any input, to big brother mandates from state and national governments.

Our neighbor communities, both small and large, are all members: Bradbury, Arcadia, Duarte, Monrovia, Pasadena, Azusa, El Monte, La Canada/Flintridge, Rosemead, San Marino, South Pasadena, all have joined the nearly 150 city members of SCAG. The only area city that is not a member of SCAG is Temple City.

Some have mentioned SCAG’s role in the Regional Housing Needs Assessment as a reason to withdraw from SCAG, but whether we are a member of SCAG or not, we will still have to incorporate the RHNA allocations into our Housing Element, so compliance with RHNA would not seem to be a good reason to withdraw.  And since SCAG is involved with far more than just housing, such as transportation, growth management, hazardous waste management, and air quality, withdrawing from SCAG eliminates our ability to be part of the discussion on all these issues. The discussions about these issues, any of which could have major impacts on Sierra Madre, will still go on, they’ll just go on without input from Sierra Madre.

Some have mentioned their concern that even though we are members of SCAG, we are not receiving proper representation within the organization.  Recently, Sierra Madre’s representative in SCAG, Arcadia Council member Bob Harbicht, resigned as our representative.  As the new representative is chosen in the near future, Sierra Madre should take advantage of the opportunity to influence that decision to ensure that the selected representative is one that will be pro-active in representing Sierra Madre’s interests.  By withdrawing from SCAG, we will instead ensure that our only representation in the organization is through the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, whose charge is to represent the best interests of the entire San Gabriel Valley, which may or may not be in line with Sierra Madre’s best interests.  If we are unhappy with our representation, it would seem to be more effective to improve the representation, rather than to eliminate it by withdrawing.

SCAG is going to be making decisions that affect our City, and we have an opportunity to have representation in the organization so that our voice is a part of the decision making process.  The Chamber of Commerce believes that the City of Sierra Madre should remain in SCAG, rather than bowing out, remaining silent during the decision making, and then just having to accept what is decided by others about our City.  We encourage the Council to retain the City’s membership in the Southern California Association of Governments.

(9/22/09) Alverno Villa TUP Request

The Chamber will be submitting a statement recommending that the Council approve Alverno's request for a TUP.  You can find the staff report on this Agenda item by clicking here. 

Statement from Chamber of Commerce re: Alverno Villa TUP Request.

My name is Bill Coburn, and I’m the Executive Director of the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce.  I’m here tonight representing the Chamber in encouraging the Council to vote to approve the Temporary Use Application of Alverno High School. 

Next year, Chamber member Alverno High School will celebrate its 50^th year as a valued member of the Sierra Madre Community.  For twenty of those years, the school has rented out its facilities to supplement tuition income in order to fulfill its budget requirements, including maintenance and upkeep of the historic Villa structure and the school property.  We recognize that this TUP request is for rental use of the property only, and that school and City use of the property will not be governed by the TUP.

The main obstacle we understand to be in the way of the approval of the TUP is concern about potential negative impacts on the residents in the neighborhood around the school, particularly noise.  According to the staff report on this issue, there have been only two noise complaints received by SMPD related to rental events in the last four years.  A recent call to the school provided the information that there have been an estimated 96 rental events during that time period.  In one of those instances, the complaint was received after nine-fifteen pm, despite the fact that the school has an agreement in place with the neighbors that music must end at 9:30pm.  In both instances, the police report shows that the noise level was lowered for the short remainder of the event. 

The TUP as submitted has numerous conditions designed to mitigate potential negative impact on its neighbors, and we believe that Alverno, in agreeing to these conditions, is doing everything it can to ensure that it does its part to be a good neighbor, while still allowing a venue that will be desirable for certain events.

We support our member Alverno High School in its request for a TUP, and recognize that this decision has the potential to impact not only Alverno, but several others of our members, such as food and beverage suppliers, restaurants, caterers, and performers who stand to benefit if they are hired at these rental events.  In addition, any additional business brought to town by the TUP (sales tax generated at events, last minute wedding presents, post event snacks at local eateries, etc.) will also benefit the City.  Therefore, we ask the members of the Council to vote to approve Resolution NO. 09-62, the Temporary Use Permit to allow private rental events to occur in the Alverno Villa.

(7/11/09) Downtown Overlay Zone Comes Before City Council

At the July 14th City Council meeting, Council will be considering Ordinance 1296, based on Planning Commission's Resolution 09-10, recommending amendments to Chapter 17.36 in its entirety and repeal of Chapter 17.37 and section 17.60.030(B) of the Sierra Madre Municipal Code. The amendments include updating the list of permitted and conditionally permitted uses in the commercial zone, and updating the corresponding design and development standards.  Repeal of Chapter 17.37 and section 17.60.030(B) of the Sierra Madre Municipal Code removes downtown overlay standards which limits the uses allowed in the commercial zone and the requirement that all such uses requires a conditional use permit.  Due to the consolidation of permitted and conditionally permitted uses as provided in Chapter 17.36, repeal of 17.60.030(B) removes the cross reference of these same uses.  Here is the 78-page staff report regarding this item...The first 10 pages are the staff report and the proposed language of the ordinance, and the next ten pages are the amendments to Chapter 17.36.  Pages 21 - 40 are the red-line version of the amendments, showing what has been deleted and added.  The map of the affected area can be found on page 41.  Pages 42 - 59 are the current (extant) versions of 17.36 and 17.37.  Page 60 is where you'll find PC's Resolution 09-10.  The Initial Study and Notice of Intent (Environmental) reporting on Environmental Factors that may potentially be effected begins on page 64, with the findings being that the proposed project could not have a significant effect on the environment, and that a negative declaration will be declared.  Pages 77 and 78 are the negative declaration.

The Planning Commission considered this issue at its May 21st, June 4th and June 18th meetings.  The Chamber took an active role in the discussions, and believes that the Planning Commission's recommendations are a significant improvement over the current status, and much more business friendly.  The Chamber encourages its members and others from the downtown business community to attend Tuesday night's meeting when the Council will be considering the issue.  Staff has recommended that the Council introduce and approve for first reading by title only. 

(6/8/09) City Council Agenda Items Related to Sierra Madre Business at the 6/9/09 Regular Meeting

Proposal for Barriers at Dining Areas on North Baldwin Ave.

In response to a request from a member of the Community, staff looked into the idea of putting barriers curbside by dining establishments on N. Baldwin Ave.  Staff is recommending that the Council receive and file this report.  Here's the staff report on this item, number 5 on the agenda.

Consideration of AB811Program of Low Interest Loans For Energy Efficiency Projects and Solar Panels to Homeowners and Small Businesses

Gov. Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 811 giving cities and counties the ability to offer low interest loans for energy efficiency projects and solar panels to homeowners and small businesses.  The loans are to be repaid through assessments on property tax bills.  Staff is seeking Council direction on whether to proceed with establishing an AB811 program.  Here's the staff report on this item, number 7 on the agenda.

In addition to the above two items, Council is also considering a water crisis/information committee.  It might be beneficial to have a member of the business community on such a committee if one is formed.

Downtown Overlay Zone Update (6/7/09)

Thank you to Chamber members David Felt, Ellen Burry, Matt Krantz, Alison Kalmus and George Maurer for attending and participating in the Planning Commission meetings on May 21st and June 4th.  The Commission has now completed their review, and the revised recommended ordinance will come before them at the June 18th meeting.  At that time, they are expected to recommend to the City Council the repeal of Chapter 17.37 (Downtown Overlay Zone), and recommend the reinstatement of a modified Chapter 17.36.  I do not expect it to be on the agenda for the June 23rd meeting, but it may be.  When I learn the date it goes before the Council, I'll post it. 

Mayor Maryann MacGillivray and Mayor Pro Tem Don Watts were at the June 4th meeting.

Some pertinent points addressed by the Chamber (and others) at the last two meetings:

• Antique and second hand stores should be allowed use, not removed from list, Commission agreed and reinstated these uses to the list.

• One acre minimum lot seemed too large, Planning Commission agreed and reduced the minimum lot size to 3,750sq. ft.

• Recommended that some new construction, alterations or additions could be approved without CUP, including minor additions in square footage.  Commission decided too many variables were involved to allow additional sq. footage, also decided to separate new construction from alterations or additions under different headings.

• Walls vs. landscaping, recommended Commission take note of former Commissioner John Hutt's suggestion to use  landscaping instead of walls when possible, Commission re-worded to place more emphasis on landscaping, removed berm requirement.

Bill Coburn, Exec. Director

Downtown Overlay Zone/Planning Commission (6/1/09)
Thursday, June 4th, the Planning Commission will continue its discussion about the Downtown Overlay Zone, and assuming they finish the discussion, the June 18th meeting will see the completed recommendation in front of the  Commission for consideration.  If approved, the recommendation will then be brought to City Council, who will then consider it as well.

 The current DOZ is  decidedly unfriendly to business, and the Planning Commission recognizes that and is working to ensure that the revisions, if/when they are approved, are more friendly to business and a better solution for our downtown district.

Most of the discussion at the last meeting centered around what uses are to be allowed, and which of those are to be "permitted" and which will require a Conditional Use Permit."  It is expected that most of the discussion at this week's meeting will revolve around design criteria for the "C" (Commercial) Zone.

Here's a direct link to the staff report

Here's a direct link to the "Redline" draft of the revised Chapter 17.36 

Here's a direct link to the "Undecided List" which explains the modifications to some of the uses that have changed or been removed.

This issue will directly effect the downtown district, including new and (some) existing businesses and I encourage all business and property owners to get involved.  If you are unable to make it to the meeting, please feel free to call or e-mail the Chamber and let us know your thoughts.
If you are able to make the meeting, I encourage you to do so, and look forward to seeing you there.

Bill Coburn, Exec. Director