Newsletter
of the
Northwest Glendale Homeowners Association
Largest Neighborhood Association in Glendale
Summer 2006 17th Year, Issue 2
President's Message-- 2006 Survey Results
2006 Annual Meeting Focuses on Downtown
Council Sets Study Session for Historic Districting
Your written comments on 2006 member survey
By Peter Fuad
Th
e results of our latest membership survey were announced at our 2006 Annual Meeting on June 7 and are available here. We have also published a sampling of your written comments from the survey below.We had a very high response rate, and we will use these results to guide us and give us credibility when appearing before Council and city boards to present the Association’s—your—positions.
Annual Meeting
Thanks to those of you who attended our Annual Meeting. Attendance was a bit lighter this year—we think reflecting the lack of burning issues. We were pleased that councilmen Manoukian and Yousefian attended. We welcome Suggestions for future meetings.
Highlights of Survey Findings
· DRB Appearances. 98% say we should continue appearing before DRB on specific projects.
· Exceeding FAR. 87% say the maximum FAR should never be exceeded absent extraordinary circumstances.
· Historic Districts. 79% favor neighbors being able to form historic districts with reasonable guidelines.
· Parcel Tax. 53% favor a parcel tax to buy undeveloped hillsides. Such a tax would require 66-2/3% vote to pass.
· Mega Homes on Hillside Lots. 82% say very large homes on large hillside lots should be downsized to be compatible with the neighborhood even if otherwise permitted by FAR.
· Speed Bumps. 49% favor, and 42% oppose, speed bumps on streets that regularly have speeding drivers.
2006 Annual Meeting Focuses on Downtown
At the Association’s 17th Annual Meeting held June 7 at Brand Library, city planner Alan Loomis gave a presentation on the City’s proposals for downtown development that is now being drafted.
The Downtown Strategic Plan recognizes distinct downtown neighborhoods. For instance, the North Brand area might allow for continued high-rise development. The mid-Brand area could encourage low-rise mixed use development. Other areas, such as along Orange Street, could see a residential emphasis. Developers could get height bonuses for providing such amenities as public plazas and parks. Converting alleys to pedestrian-friendly paseos for smaller-scale residential development could be encouraged.
The plan will include a “mobility” element that addresses strategies for parking, public transit and traffic. For instance, a Glendale streetcar might someday run up Brand Blvd. and connect with a regional rail line running between the Pasadena Gold Line and the Red Line at North Hollywood.
An advisory committee consisting of architects, property owners, homeowner groups and other stakeholders is participating in developing the plan. Peter Fuad of the NWGHA is a member. The process will continue into the fall.
Carl Moseley is New Director
C
arl Moseley was elected as a new director at the Annual Meeting. Carl is a retired traffic engineer. All other directors were reelected with the exception of Kathy Giachino who chose not to run. We thank Kathy for her years of service as treasurer. Tammi Relyea will now assume those duties.Council Sets Study Session for Historic Districting
At its June 13 meeting, the City Council decided to hold one or more study sessions with the Planning Commission and Historic Preservation Commission to discuss the recently proposed historic districting ordinance. Council scheduled the session for 9 am, July 5, at City Hall Council Chambers. The public is invited.
In addition to Council members using the session to familiarize themselves with the ordinance and the guidelines, Councilman Bob Yousefian in particular wants Council to consider the following changes:
· Having the Historic Preservation Commission review all projects in historic districts instead of DRB, as provided in the proposed
ordinance. The purpose of this change would be to avoid overburdening DRBs and to facilitate consistent decisions. The current code already allows Council to create an additional DRB with the sole authority to hear projects within historic district overlay zones.
· Having all sides of a home covered by the guidelines, not just the front façade.
· Combining the initial and subsequent votes to create a historic district to expedite the formation process.
· Including front yard landscaping in the guidelines to preserve the streetscape.
While historic districting proponents favor a strong, effective ordinance, they fear these changes, while ostensibly strengthening the ordinance and its scope, will in fact delay or prevent its adoption or the formation of any actual districts.
Residents Rally in Support of Historic Districting
Over 125 Glendale residents attended a rally at the home of Gerri Cragnotti on Saturday May 6 to demonstrate their support for historic districting in Glendale, which the City Council debated at a hearing at its May 9 meeting.Peter Fuad, NWGHA President, spoke to the group.
Over 50 speakers appeared at the May 9 hearing. Although Council voted to move the ordinance forward, Council deferred adoption at its June 13 meeting, pending the results of a study session to consider the ordinance and any changes, as described in the above article.
NWGHA Only as Strong as You
Excerpts from remarks by Philip Keller at the Annual Meeting:
This past year saw no less than 10 projects consisting of remodels or new construction go before the City’s DRBs that we felt a need to voice our concerns with.
The bottom line is that the voice of the NWGHA is only so strong. Real strength comes from the community. When homeowners, such as yourselves, take the time to become involved and raise their concerns in person or with letters and emails at city hearings, a positive outcome can be achieved. The city’s DRB and Zoning Administrator need to hear your voice.
We invited members to write comments when they returned their vote. Here is a sampling of those comments (some of which have been edited for clarity or abbreviated due to limited space):
Development
Any new construction in front should not extend beyond the frontage of either house next door. That is, you can’t build in front unless it equals the house presently closest to the street. Presently, they can build as close to the street as the closest on the block
1) Speeding and other traffic violations are a problem and need to be addressed other than by speed humps/bumps. 2) City Council is turning a “deaf ear” to homeowners concerns about bad development. They need to hear our “outrage.” 3) The Association needs a proactive effort to gain new members. Let me know how I can help. 4) Keep the great work in addressing issues.
There are enough building inspectors but there needs to be more attention to catching unpermitted work. There is some concern that the building inspectors are being “bought”. Regarding exemptions for front yard projects— Only if minimum frontage is not less than 60 ft on front house property. We are very thankful for all your efforts monitoring the DRB’s and Council actions. The leadership of NWGHA is singlehandly saving our neighborhoods. Keep up the good work.
An issue that needs to be address is single family homes that are converted into mini motels.
Keep up the good work!
The City should very carefully examine all building, design and remodeling plans before any approval (preliminary, final, etc). and suspend or reject the plan until the contractor and/or owner corrects the plan to be in compliance with both the letter and spirit of the code. Too many contractors have tried to slip in illegal variances hoping to get by with it assuming the city will accept it as a fiat accompli and not take further action. We don’t need anymore “El Tovars”!
If it is not too late I think we all need to protest the current vote to turn area 14 into a high density area. This patter nof letting three men decide and destroy a neighborhood without anyone being able to stop them is outrageous. This lovely town is being destroyed. Isn’t there anything we can do? Our turn will be next. So much for real estate values.
1) Maintaining and growing the viability of Kenneth Village; 2) the traffic and speeding on Kenneth Road; 3) what is happening on the Cumberland Heights Historic District Overlay – what are we waiting for? When is it going before the City Council again?
Area of major concerns, as I live on Cumberland Road: 1) speeding, 2) traffic patterns, 3) crime, 4) DRB ignoring taking a blind eye on many remodeling projects that overbuild on the lot.
Because the City Council represents local residents, it should vote to reflect the wishes of the residents, not the developers (the downsizing issue).
Thanks for the hard work and constant effort from the Northwest Glendale Homeowners Association members to maintain and improve this fine area of Glendale. P.S. This issue of the newsletter is especially attractive, easy-to-ready and much appreciated.
Thank you so much for all the hard work and hours you put into keeping our neighborhoods beautiful and safe!
Garages in front are a good idea if they are used for storage of cars. If someone wishes to place the garage in front, they should be required to use it only for parking cars, and not be allowed to convert it to a den, bedroom, apartment, etc. the more cars we can park off the streets the better!
Gaudy pillars and porch/balcony railings have to go! Why do people need homes of 4-5-6,000 square feet or more? Our neighborhoods are not fiefdoms to be look down upon from the manor house. The classic English Tudor, Spanish Colonial, and mid-century moderns at 2,000-3,000 square feet were and are grand and understated. Garish styling and grandiose size do not complement nor improve our city neighborhoods.
Question – 8 The City Council and Staff bear some of the blame for not protecting the neighborhood character by leaning more towards the builders and architects.
Speeding; Traffic
I have talked with various mechanics and it is hard on the car to drive on streets with speed bumps – no more!
We need actual traffic enforcement, NOT speed bumps, SUVS are not slowed down by speed bumps!
Speed bumps, speed bumps, speed bumps! A ridiculous idea! What in the world has it accomplished? It has encouraged drivers to drive down the middle of the street as well as encouraging many of them to increase traffic on quieter streets to avoid the bumps – let’s get rid of them.
Too many speeders on Mountain Street! Strongly suggest no front yard garages that go past house.
Police Department should be encouraged to more clearly monitor the speeding and racing on Glenoaks Blvd. The same vehicles are parked all day long behind Wells Fargo and Stewart Title in the alley.
Get a four-way stop at corner of Graynold and Glenwood. There are no stops from Highland to Grandview as compared to Olmstead, Kenneth & Mountain. Cars go too fast on Glenwood Road.
Do we really have City inspectors? They are rarely seen. Or perhaps we need a stronger agency/staff to enforce violations.
Our quiet street has been turned into a one-lane alley by all of the cars, trucks, and SUV’s that are using the streets for parking. Why even have garages if you aren’t going to use them. Stop overnight parking on the streets!
Thank you for consistently helping us guard our neighborhoods! Please take a bit of time to investigate the imminent curbs, ramp upgrades on Kenneth, Bel Aire, Mountain Street. These planned wide ramps and bright red painted curbs at every “T” intersection will give an industrial look on our tree-lined residential neighborhoods. It will be extremely dangerous for disabled people to cross mid-block.
Put speed bumps on Valley View North. This is a very narrow street, eastside parking only and lots of traffic going up and down at high speed - 30 – 50 miles per hour. Keep commercial vehicles from parking overnight on Kenneth day after day at the same place – same for Pacific and North of Glenoaks.
The neighbors need to know that they must be vigilant! Also, maybe you should publish the number of Neighborhood Services [it’s 548-3700, ed.] and encourage everyone to keep it on their speed dial. If they see something when they’ are driving they can immediately call.
Stop allowing people who purchase a property, and then a year or so later level said property and build a new larger structure on said property
DRB; Inspectors
Please keep appearing at DRB and fighting for historical preservation. I wish something else could be done for area 14. It should not be allowed. Fight for hillside preservation and 2nd story additions should not be allowed in single story area. I thought the questions asked [on the survey] were extremely important.
It appears that DRB is trying to address the concerns of the neighborhood. At least it is better than 10 years ago. NWGHA is doing an excellent job!
Keep houses same in neighborhoods – stop allowing big houses on small lots that dwarf other houses. No more big condos and apartments. Our traffic situation is terrible.
All projects involving the front and anything else viewed from the street, no matter how small (including plastic windows), should be reviewed! Would you put plastic rims on your BMW?
The notification practices of the City of Glendale relative to proposed construction/variances/zoning, etc hearings are terrible. ALL residents and property owners within a reasonable radius from a project/change must be promptly notified by formal (not just a flyer) letter from the City, well in advance of the hearings. I suggest the guidelines of the City of Los Angeles by adopted. Also, a detailed description of the proposals, must be prominently posted at the site.
General
It appears that there are a small number of representatives – voices of NWGHA. Can an effort be made to educate more of the neighbors about your efforts and mission and to recruit their participation?
Lack of police response or presence. We need to have a Council that is full time and paid well so that they must be accountable. If we don’t have money to hire more police and fire we must have a building moratorium for the safety and well being of everyone. Period.
Brand Park loitering is still an issue. The play yard needs new equipment – it has been 2 years since toddler play gym was taken down – we need a new toddler gym.
