Pasadena, California Celebrating 51 years of community service Summer 2013 LAND USE / PLANNING EDUCATION OPEN SPACE / CONSERVATION NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY GOVERNMENT PARKS / RECREATION How will a 710 tunnel impact Pasadena? MORE: Traffic. Congestion. Noise. Pollution. Dirt. Trucks. By Mic Hansen Opinion Construction, says Metro, will require the Mayor’s appointee to the removal of about 200 million cubic feet Stakeholder Outreach of dirt. This translates into at least 138 Advisory Committee How would the tunnel project likely affect us truckloads of dirt (assuming large-volume A Metro and Caltrans are moving ahead in Pasadena? In a word, MORE: more traffic trucks) transported through Pasadena with the Environmental Impact Report/ more dirt and more trucks. seven days a week for 10 years. The excavation of the portal alone, says Metro, LStudies (EIR/EIS) for the tunnel option The proposed twin 4.5 mile tunnels will will generate 45 million cubic feet of dirt; of the North SR-710 Freeway extension. Many have an approximately 4% uphill grade the haul destination has not yet been believe that after more than five decades with the only three exit/entry points, as identified. We can only imagine what this this controversial highway project will never indicated by Metro, at San Rafael and Lake may mean in terms of collateral noise, dirt, be completed. (See accompanying story, “A avenues, and Mountain Street. The tunnel pollution, neighborhood disruption, street time to awaken”) But Metro, encouraged will have no interchange or connection closures, traffic congestion and trucks. by the Southern California Association of with The 110 Freeway (Arroyo Seco Governments (SCAG) and the San Gabriel Parkway). Caltrans reports that 66,000 cars now exit the Del Mar/CA-710 stub each day. Metro Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG), The project calls for a 40-50 foot covered is projecting up to 200,000 cars and trucks continues to aggressively pursue this project. trench — what Metro calls “cut and for the tunnel — a 300% increase from (For more information, see the Alternatives cover” — from approximately 200-300 current traffic flow. Analysis Report at dot.ca.gov/dist07/resources/ feet north of California Boulevard to the envdocs/docs/710study.) Ambassador Auditorium. Eight lanes of If you think the 210 is congested now, tunnel freeway traffic will surface adjacent imagine a projected threefold increase to Old Pasadena. in traffic and additional pollution these Continued on page 12 Think the 710 freeway extension won’t be completed? A time to awaken By Thomas Seifert Opinion Former WPRA president “It will never ever happen, at least not within our lifetime.” For so long, with all the twists and turns, false starts and proposals going nowhere, hat has been my standard and my complacency was, in my opinion, very consistent retort whenever the subject well founded. But complacent we can no Tof the 710 Freeway extension came up. longer be. So when Claire (Bogaard) and Mic (Hansen) began their presentations at (District 6 LA Metro and Caltrans, who are proposing Councilmember) Steve Madison’s Town Hall the tunnel option, are serious, well organized meeting in May, I was, once again, ready to and may well view the tunnel as their last tune it out. great hurrah. They are pulling out all the stops and if you, like me, have been tuning it out, But I started to listen a little bit, and then a please, join the awakening. little bit more. And pretty soon they had my attention. I started thinking to myself….”my Let’s collectively do whatever is necessary to A sign for the times? Found on the 710 God, this could actually happen.” STOP the 710 … within our lifetimes. Freeway stub at the Del Mar exit. (Photo by Chuck Hudson) WPRA IN MOTION Local update from Sacramento By Chris Holden light-rail relieves 710 Freeway update Assemblymember traffic congestion, I want to make it perfectly clear that I do not 41st District is environmentally support a surface option for the 710 Freeway friendly and is an s we head into the half-way mark closure. That option is dead. I also want to economic booster for of the Legislative session, I am emphasize that while I think studying the the San Gabriel Valley. A happy to bring you this update from environmental feasibility of a tunnel makes a Sacramento. Hahamongna lot of sense to me, I am opposed to any tunnel Watershed Park option that includes truck traffic. Gold Line extension Chris Holden As a former Pasadena I think that asking questions about smoke Even prior to my election to the State Councilmember, I realized early on that if stacks or some kind of exhaust stacks is fair, Assembly, I was committed to seeing the what’s bad for Hahamongna Watershed Park and that’s where an Environmental Impact Metro Gold light-rail extended east to the could be good for the residents in northwest Report comes in. If environmental issues Ontario Airport. That’s why earlier this Pasadena. Just recently I wrote to Pasadena can’t be mitigated, that will pretty much kill year I convened a meeting with the major officials to reaffirm my longstanding position the project. Caltrans and Metro are currently stakeholders in the Foothills region — in favor of moving the multi-use/multi-benefit analyzing a series of options to get traffic including Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard — field improvement project from Hahamongna moving in the region. I strongly support the to ensure that the Gold Line remains a to Muir High School. Early on in the process, community process and an environmental top priority. I pointed out that the State grant associated review to determine what options work best I also introduced AB 268 to serve as a vehicle, with the project development must be spent to protect the quality of our neighborhoods. should Metro and the Gold Line Authority in an area serving underprivileged children. come to an agreement on future Gold Line I also realized the project could adversely expansion. It’s always been my belief that impact the Hahamongna ecosystem. About us Mission: Founded in 1962, the West 2013 – 2014 board of directors Pasadena Residents’ Association is dedicated • Bill Crowfoot to maintaining the character of our • Sarah Gavit community and enhancing the quality of life • Joan Hearst in West Pasadena. The News is mailed each quarter to • Chuck Hudson ([email protected]) Area: nearly 7,000 homes in the 91105 and The WPRA service area is bounded on Communications Director the north by Colorado Boulevard, on the east 91103 ZIP codes. • Laura Kaufman by Fair Oaks Avenue and on the south and Editor: Chuck Hudson • Audrey O’Kelley, past president west by the city limits. ([email protected]), • Marilyn Randolph ([email protected]) Funding: All WPRA activities are funded Communications Director Education chair through membership dues and contributions. • Priscilla Taylor The WPRA is most grateful to Castle The WPRA receives no public funding and has Press for design and printing services. no paid employees. Since the WPRA is a • Michael Udell, past president 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit corporation, • John Van de Kamp P. O. Box 50252 Pasadena, CA 91115-0252 contributions and donations are fully • Fred Zepeda, past president deductible to the extent permitted by law. • Linda Zinn ([email protected]) Visit our website at wpra.net 2013 – 2014 officers Membership, Open Space & The West Pasadena Residents’ President: Bill Urban ([email protected]) Conservation chairs Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Vice Presiden: Catherine Stringer public benefit corporation. ([email protected]) Treasurer: Blaine Cavena ([email protected]) Secretary: Robert Holmes ([email protected]) The News 2 Summer 2013 The News 3 Summer 2013 CITY IN MOTION BRIEFS Update: San Rafael Elementary’s future Following the discovery last year of seismic faults beneath the San Rafael Elementary campus, concerned parents have been working with the Pasadena Unified School District and the Board of Education to explore options for the school’s future. These options include rebuilding the school on the Nithsdale Road site or relocating it, and its rapidly growing dual-language-immersion program, either to the nearby now- shuttered Linda Vista Elementary The City and the Rose Bowl Operating Company (RBOC) Board of Directors on June 8 invited campus or to another PUSD campus. the community to tour the new Rose Bowl Stadium Pavilion level, featuring 185,000 square feet The District has deferred any lease of premium space, and witness an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Pavilion includes 1,200 negations for the Nithsdale property Club seats, 48 four-person Loge boxes and 54 Luxury suites, as well as private lounges and until it reaches a decision, recently working press boxes. Participating in the ribbon-cutting were (from left) District 1 Councilmember announcing that San Rafael Elementary Jacque Robinson, District X and RBOC president Victor Gordo, Mayor Bill Bogaard, U.S. Rep, Judy Chu, and RBOC board member Chris Chahinian. (Photo by City of Pasadena) will remain open, at its current site, through at least the 2014-15 school year. — Catherine Stringer How does a pastry chef put a bridge on a cake? Ask the WPRA Q: “Having recently received a parking One arch at a time! ticket in an unmetered 2-hour parking zone, I moved my car back to the next vacant spot before two hours expired. I By Ann Erdman The celebration culminated in a formal program, emceed by Ann Erdman, that got a ticket anyway. Could you clarify/ ridging Pasadena” was the theme included remarks from local, state and validate the related rules?” on June 22 of our community’s federal elected officials, the singing of 127th birthday celebration, which A: Pasadena Parking Enforcement’s B “Happy Birthday” and the unveiling of coincided with the 100th anniversary of response: Relocating a parked vehicle a set of themed cakes designed by Vons’ the Colorado Street Bridge.