Driving range ext to be considered by council, 4/18

Wanted to pass along information on a Public Hearing Notice from the city regarding the environmental review of the golf course driving range extension proposal (extending the driving range and a reconsideration of the lease agreement that was not approved previously) on April 18, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard in the City Council Chambers at 1424 Mission Street, South Pasadena.

The proposal to extend the driving range is as follows, according to the public hearing notice:

As proposed, the project would include screening the boundaries of the expansion area, as well as replacing the screening along the northem and southern boundaries of the existing driving range. The screening at the western boundary of the existing driving range would be removed. The new screening would be supported by poles approximately 75 feet in height. The proposed project would also involve the removal of 16 trees within the expansion area, of which 12 are considered mature. Of those 12 mature trees, one is a coast live oak, two are "Significant Trees" (as defined by the City of South Pasadena Tree Ordinance): one is an American black elderberry; and one is a sycamore. 

Environ. Review, p. 3-4:

The project applicant is proposing a 0.59-acre expansion of the existing 4.56-acre driving range at the Arroyo Seco Golf Course. The current driving range is irregular in shape, and is approximately 660 feet (220 yards) in length and 300 feet (100 yards) in width (refer to Figure 2, Project Site). The proposed expansion would extend the length of the existing driving range by approximately 97 feet (32 yards) to the west. The golf course property (which is not included as part of the land leased by the City) extends an additional 39 (13 yards) feet to the west beyond the proposed expansion area's western limits. This area will remain undeveloped and the existing chain link fence will remain in place. Currently, a protective screen is located along the northern, southern and western boundaries of the existing golf course driving range. This screen is supported by poles approximately 40 to 50 feet in height. As proposed, the project would include screening the boundaries of the expansion area, as well as replacing the screening along the northern and southern boundaries of the existing driving range. The screening at the western boundary of the existing driving range would be removed. The new screening would be supported by poles approximately 75 feet in height……

The proposed project would involve the removal of 16 trees within the expansion area, of which 12 are considered mature… Prior to removal of any tress a "Tree Removal Permit" would be obtained, consistent with South Pasadena Municipal Code (Chapter 34 Trees and Shrubs). The ordinance does not have a specific or numerically defined replacement policy on trees removed as a result of development or construction. Tree replacement criteria are discussed within the Private Property Tree Removal/Replacement Permit Application (City of South Pasadena, Public Works Department, Engineering Department) and the City of South Pasadena Guide to the City's Tree Ordinance...

[blah, blah, blah.... the bold, red type was added by me. So how does this go? Residents get slammed for removing trees, whether it is justified or not, but for development, no prob!]

It came as no surprise to me that the draft of the review issued the following finding (p. 12)

X - I find that although the proposed project could not have a significant effect on the environment, there will not be a significant effect in this case because the mitigation measures described on an attached sheet have been added to the project. A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared. 

The riveting, 160 page report can be found at this link: http://www.ci.south-pasadena.ca.us/whatsnew/PDFs/golflease/ArroyoSecoGolfCourseLeaseAgmt.pdf. It takes a while to download. All relevant info can be gotten at:

Copies of all relevant materials, including the project specifications, and the MND, are on file at these locations:
• City of South Pasadena City Hall, Planning and Building Department (first floor), City Clerk's Office (second floor) located at 1414 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030, hours are from 7:30a.m. to 5:00p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 7:30a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
• City of South Pasadena Library, Reference Desk, 1100 Oxley Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030, hours are from Monday- Wednesday 11:00 a.m. - 9:00p.m., Thursday & Friday 10:00 a.m.-6:00p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:00p.m., and Sunday 1:00 p.m.-5:00p.m.
• City of South Pasadena Website http://www.ci.south-pasadena.ca.us/whatsnew/index.html If you have any questions regarding the MND, please contact Senior Planner, John Mayer, at (626) 403-7220, or via e-mail at jmaver@ci.south-pasadena.ca.us.

Have a read and let me know what you think. I have tried hard not to say too much until I read everything more carefully, but some of it is kind of hard to take. One of the most annoying aspects is the amount of money spent so far, just on this proposal, that may be ultimately be cost prohibitive and financially crazy. Ask the city how much the Environmental Review cost, particularly the amount spent on the driving range extension portion. To see this happening at a time when we are being asked to pay more for water, schools, police, fire, and all of the other essential city services, is truly galling.

I want to report, on a happier note, South Pas girl scout troop 1371 has been working in the nature park on their Silver Award and are just finishing up. They created an interpretive sign for the kiosk on Pasadena Ave (a temporary sign is in place until the permanent one is completed), brochures and an attractive brochure holder, and plant id signs in the park. They also participated in the MLK Service Day in January. All in all they worked very hard and did a truly amazing job. Hats off to Troop 1371!

NEXT PARK CLEANUP: APRIL 21 

PARK CLEANUP - Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012

The Planting Party on January 28th went extremely well - and now with rain in the forecast (please, please, please rain....) the plants should be happy. Have a look at my other blog to see some pictures taken during the event.

On Saturday, Feb. 11,  we will water any plants that look thirsty, especially if the rain is insufficient. We will yell at the gophers to go elsewhere, and sing to the new plants, but mostly, as always, we will hunt down every last weed we can find. Yes, there is also trash to remove and junk to pull out of the gully. If you were unable to come to the Planting Party, stop by to see all that we were able to do. Hope to see some of you on Saturday.


View Larger Map

Meet at the park info sign on Pasadena Ave and then head down into the park. The group will pull weeds, pick up litter, and enjoy the park. Come for the whole time, for an hour, or just stop by to say hello.

Nature Park entrance on Pasadena Ave., east of the York St. Bridge

Remember to:
- wear sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- bring water
- bring gardening gloves and tools (weeders, trowels, whatever you use in your own garden)
- comfortable work clothes, including work shoes (sneakers or boots)
- binoculars for bird watching (optional)

Children must be under adult supervision at all times. There is poison oak in the park, which we will point out before we start.

Please pass this info along to anyone else you think might be interested in the park. If you know of anyone who doesn't use the internet, let me know so we can be sure they are kept in the loop.

Planting Party, January 28th

Planting Party at the Nature Park - SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2012, 9 am – 3:30 pm
(Note: the event will take place all day as part of the Occidental MLK Service Day activity)

With money allocated from city council discretionary funds (special thanks to Council Member Rick Schneider!) we have purchased nearly 300 native plants for the Nature Park. On Saturday, January 28th students from Occidental College and South Pasadena Girl Scouts will spend the day at the park planting, weeding, and cleaning up. Join us for this exciting event! (See Volunteers at the Park in my other blog, Wild Suburbia, for a description of the 2010 MLK Service Day Planting Party.)

If you know of any groups - scouts, students, clubs - that would like to participate please give them my contact information. Also, if you have any extra trowels, garden gloves and garden shovels, please bring them to the park to share with those who don't. It would be helpful if you labeled them with your name so they don't get lost.

Meet at the park info sign on Pasadena Ave and then head down into the park. You can park on Pasadena Ave. on the north side of the street. There is a bus stop to the left of the park entrance. Email me (barbara.eisenstein@gmail.com) if you have any questions about location. As always, come by for the whole time, for an hour, or just stop by to say hello.




Remember to:
- wear sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- bring water
- bring shovels, trowels, and gardening gloves
- comfortable work clothes, including work shoes (sneakers or boots)
- binoculars for bird watching (optional)

Children must be under adult supervision at all times. There is poison oak in the park, which we will point out before we start.

Please pass this info along to anyone who might be interested in the park.

PARK CLEANUP - Saturday, December 10, 2011

Hope everyone is doing okay after the big storm. I know some of you (including my neighbors) are still without power. If I can do anything to help, please email or call.

Anyway, still planning to have a park cleanup this Saturday. It will be interesting to see how the non-irrigated Nature Park did. It would also be nice to plan for the January planting (January 28, 2012). I did call the city before the storm to see if we could get the rocks back. Can't bother them with any of this right now, so we will go with what we have.

Hope to see some of you on Saturday.


View Larger Map

Meet at the park info sign on Pasadena Ave and then head down into the park. The group will pull weeds, pick up litter, and enjoy the park. Come for the whole time, for an hour, or just stop by to say hello.

Nature Park entrance on Pasadena Ave., east of the York St. Bridge

Remember to:
- wear sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- bring water
- bring gardening gloves and tools (weeders, trowels, whatever you use in your own garden)
- comfortable work clothes, including work shoes (sneakers or boots)
- binoculars for bird watching (optional)

Children must be under adult supervision at all times. There is poison oak in the park, which we will point out before we start.

Please pass this info along to anyone else you think might be interested in the park. If you know of anyone who doesn't use the internet, let me know so we can be sure they are kept in the loop.

Park Cleanup Report (11/19/2011)

Saturday's cleanup started with the appearance of a large, beige-colored praying mantis on the park sign holder on Pasadena Avenue. Walking down into the park, a blue dragon fly lit onto my finger. Neither insect was moving very fast in the cool, early morning weather.

With such a nice welcome, it turned into a very productive day. At this time of the year the weeds are just getting going. The ground is moist and the young weeds are easy to remove. We concentrated on castor bean, mustard and horehound in the central mound area and near the steep wooden steps. Removing them now is extremely efficient since not only are they small and easy to pull, but they have not flowered and spread seeds.

In addition to weed removal, some picked up litter, others worked on removing chain link in a drainage area on the southwest side of the park (below Pasadena Ave.), and others chopped away at some large, weedy trees (shamel ash and Chinese elm).

The park is improving and with plans to lay paths and plant in the bare central mound area, I foresee good things to come. And none of this would be possible without the help of community volunteers, including scouts, college students, landscape professionals, and just regular people who care about the park. 

The next cleanup is Saturday, December 10th. On January 28th, students from Occidental College and South Pasadena girl scouts will be laying paths and planting in the center of the park.

If you have a few minutes on one of our weekend cleanups, stop by to say hello, enjoy the park, or get down and dirty pulling weeds and picking up litter.

Volunteer removes graffiti from sign. (10/15/2011)

Oak tree in park

Path leading to sign in center of park. Plants include red willow (Salix laevigata), deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis).

Large boulders surround infiltration basin that collects rain water and runoff from Pasadena Avenue.

Beautiful cloudy day is perfect for working,walking or just sitting in the park.

Red toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) berries add color during the holiday season.

Monkeyflowers (Mimulus aurantiacus) have been blooming for months.

Meet Rick Schneider, Candidate for City Council

As you can guess by now, I am a big fan of city council member Rick Schneider. Rick has been a true friend of the nature park, involved since the days before it was even created. Since then he continues to work for it, removing trash and weeds in the park, and supporting it in city government.

If you have not met Rick and would like to talk to him, there are several upcoming opportunities. He has been going door-to-door, shaking hands, saying hello, and asking for support. Rick will also be at the nature park tomorrow, so if you'd like to see him wrestling with oversized trash and behemoth weeds, join us from 9 am to noon.

There will be a Sierra Club walk through the historic residential neighborhood in the northern part of South Pas (Buena Vista and Oaklawn Streets). This is a lovely part of town, worth walking or biking through. I will post new events as I get more information. Feel free to email me for information on ways to support Rick's candidacy - lawn signs, endorsements, donations, volunteer work.

OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET AND LEARN ABOUT  RICK SCHNEIDER:

• OCTOBER 15, 2011, 9 am - noon. South Pas Nature Park Cleanup
• OCTOBER 22, 2011, 9 am - 11 am, Sierra Club Walk with Candidate Schneider

• Website: Re-elect Dr. Richard Schneider for South Pasadena City Council
• Facebook page: Re-elect Rick Schneider for South Pasadena City Council
• Follow on Twitter: @reelectdrrick
• SouthPasadenaPatch
• South Pasadena Review 

Sierra Club Walk with Candidate Rick Schneider

Saturday, October 22, 9 am - 11 am
Meet at northeast corner of Meridian and Buena Vista, South Pasadena

Lovely Craftsman home in Oaklawn/Buena Vista historic neighborhood of South Pas

The Pasadena Group of Sierra Club will sponsor a 2-hour walk through historic Buena Vista and Oaklawn residential neighborhoods in South Pasadena on Saturday, October 22. South Pasadena City Council candidate Dr. Richard Schneider, whom the Sierra Club has endorsed for re-election, will join in the walk and provide information about historic homes in these neighborhoods and discuss how they would be impacted if the proposed 710 Freeway Extension is built through the city. Interested participants should meet at 9 am at the NE corner of Meridian and Buena Vista in South Pasadena. The walk is open to the public. Those who would like to meet and talk with Dr. Schneider are especially invited.

For further information contact David Czamanske at (626) 458-8646