We have a new reporter covering Sierra Madre's affairs for the Pasadena Star News. His name is James Figueroa, and if the paper's Top 10 Most Read feature kept on their PSN website is any indication, his very first article about our little place in God's greater glory was something of a hit. It had been up on that chart for about 48 hours (highest rank #3) before eventually giving way to newer stories. The article is entitled "Sierra Madre residents suspicious of planned development," and you can access it all by clicking here.When you read it you will see that this article is a succinct and balanced account of City Staff's efforts to re-write Measure V (the 2-30-13 initiative), and the Planning Commission's opposition to those clearly counterproductive efforts.
In particular the article describes how Danny Castro, Sierra Madre's Director of Development Services, requested that the Planning Commission find that Measure V's density limits did not apply to the proposed Assisted Living Facility (ALF). In his opinion, the rooms in the ALF are not "dwelling units" because they lack kitchens, and Measure V only applies to projects with dwelling units.
The article goes on to report that the Commission "rejected the alternative definition keeping language that would require Measure V (i.e. voter) approval."
But then it quotes Mr. Castro as stating that the Commission "never completed its deliberation in January holding its discussion until another meeting this month."
As anyone who attended that last meeting of the Planning Commission will gladly tell you, the Commissioners did complete deliberations on the meaning of the term "dwelling unit," and concluded that Measure V's density limits applied to the Alfington. What the Commissioners continued for a later meeting this month was the consideration of another term on the Planning Commissions agenda, that being the conditional use permit (CUP) for the ALF.
Accordingly, the Commissioners' decision to reject Mr. Castro's interpretation of Measure V was final and should not be subject to reconsideration at the next Planning Commission meeting.
This can also be looked at from another perspective. Danny Castro and City Attorney Scott Porter were both adamant that these two issues, the clarification of "dwelling unit" and the project itself, be treated as separate agenda items, each requiring separate discussions and separate public comments.
The "clarification," which Danny and Scott insisted be regarded as a unique issue, was voted on by the Planning Commission and therefore finished. And their ruling on the so-called "ambiguity" finding should have been included as such in the later Revision to the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the ALF. But it wasn't.
And now, in Saturday's Pasadena Star News article, Danny Castro gives the distinct impression of going back on all of that because he didn't like how things turned out. This despite everything he had said previously.
On the surface this all gives the appearance that Danny put his foot in his mouth when discussing the situation with James Figueroa. That he just couldn't keep his many increasingly complicated stories straight. But I am not certain this is the case. Danny Castro is an intelligent man, and I don't see him making mistakes like that.
Look at it this way, if you're going to try and circumvent a voter approved ordinance, in the process stealing the public's right to a vote on things such as the Alfington project, and then do it with little more than some very weak cooked up baloney, chances are good you will end up looking ridiculous. Which is what has happened to Danny in this instance. Obviously he has been sent out onto this battlefield by the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, and armed with little more than the flimsiest of arguments. With predictable results.
The Alfington needs to go to a vote. It is what the law says. None of the nonsense City Hall has cooked up makes the least difference. It is time for City Hall to stop all of the bizarre and frankly insulting fibbing and do what we pay it to do. Defend our interests.
Like I said in the PSN article, this really isn't about the ALF or the developer, Fountain Square Development West. It is quite frankly about an attempt to steal our Measure V guaranteed right to vote on oversized downtown projects.
Things would just be so much simpler in Sierra Madre if City Hall would just tell us the truth once in a while, and work instead on representing our interests. After all, we do pay their salaries.
http://sierramadretattler.blogspot.com
Castro must go the first chance a new city council is voted in.
ReplyDeleteWe are seeing an arrogance by the G-3, not ever seen in this town.
All candidates running should be willing to pledge irrevocably to force a measure V vote on the ALF, regardless of whether this scharade is forced thru.
This is important to do, otherwise this will open a flood gate of other mass housing projects in the downtown.
SCAG wants to have large projects such as a proposed mega homeless/drug rehab center built on Montecito.
If measure V is killed, we will have our right to vote taken from us.
Doyle Buchanan Moran will have won.
This will kill property values in this town.
Please explain to me exactly how any of this will destroy my property value..
DeletePlease explain to me why you would so easily give up your right to vote on downtown development.
DeleteIt is time that Billy Shields recognizes that the City's war against Measure V is harming his Kensignton interests. He needs to declare that he does not oppose a vote. Whatever the City has been telling him cannot be true.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the characterization of Castro as a pawn. Buchanan might be the king, but Castro is at least a knight.
ReplyDeleteHe may be a knight, but he is being used like a pawn.
DeleteHe is in the thick of it. His is the puppet pawn of the city manager. The both of which our costing the taxpayers a hugh sum of money. In salaries, pensions, current and furthers lawsuits, but mostly corrupt political agendas and trouble leadership. Save our city no on uut, and fire the current city administration.
DeleteHe is no Pawn, he is no Knight. Danny Castro, Director of Development Services is a LIAR, no more no less.
DeleteNeuroblast Films
Excellent article today and kudos to the PSN for finally providing "balanced coverage."
ReplyDeleteI agree with Poster 7:37. Fish, Kale and Shields need to realize that if this doesn't go to a vote, the project will end up in litigation.
ReplyDeleteGood article today John. It's very disturbing to me that the Planning Commission can vote unanimously to reject Mr. Castro's misinterpretation of Measure V, only to have Mr. Castro claim that the Commission continued the issue to some future date.
ReplyDeleteWhat does Danny think a unanimous vote means?
Danny is no pawn. His name is on the Agenda Report that is the legal basis for trying to gut Measure V, and he's been talking to the press.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. These are standard Buchanan tactics. Use the help to do the dirty work that he himself is repsonsible for initiating. This is employee abuse.
DeleteThis is NOT employee abuse. Danny could have explained to Buchanan his views and just said no. He wants Measure V taken out just as bad as the city manager. They both need to be able to claim something they did to Sierra Madre to place on their resume. How else will they get their next job? I just cannot believe that they both still work for this city. The current city administration is a cancer to Sierra Madre. The only question is how long do we allow it to grow before we seek help to have it removed?
DeleteI attended the last Planning Commission meeting, where Zimmerman gave an eloquent speech in support of a Measure V vote on the ALF, but also said he supported the ALF.
ReplyDeleteHello, Mr. Shields, if Zimmerman supports your project, don't you think it will be approved by the voters?
You're a little naive 8:59. Danny is not the only staffer who stabbed Kurt and Don in the back while they were part of the majority on the Council. Danny didn't have to take Figueroa's call.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you 9:05. Danny is part of the problem.
ReplyDeleteThe ALF will be overwhelmingly approved by a public vote. But the reason that vote is being stonewalled is because Buchanan and Moran hate Measure V and the people who support it. If anyone is endangering the ALF, it is those two.
ReplyDeleteHere's some free and very good advice for Mssrs. Fish, Kale and Shields. Sit down with Crawford and Zimmerman over a cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteKale doesn't like Zimmerman. Remember he refused to shake Kurt's hand after the Measure V. vote results.
ReplyDeleteas he did back when the SM Weekly (tks to Katina Dunn) gave us a fair and balanced view of Measure V - I wonder if now the brilliant Josh Moran will call for a boycott of businesses that advertise in the Star-News?
ReplyDeletethat's what he did against the Weekly
cannot trust Moran at all - never have and never will
Good point. In that way Josh is not very different from the rest of the DIC. Demonize the messenger and push a big development agenda in secret.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteA couple of bad apples is no reason to attack respected Sierra Madre businesses like this. What are you proposing, bath check stations?
DeleteThat was weird.
DeleteThanks Mod, glad I missed 9:34.
ReplyDeleteAlso weird, how could Director Castro mush the two agenda items together like that? The dwelling unit stuff was NOT connected to the Alf according to the city attorney (and that remark earned him some "Booos" from the audience). If it was NOT connected, then what would the approval or denial of the project at a later date have to do with it?
People have said that Danny Castro and Attorney Porter were great about the canyon code.
ReplyDeleteI'm beginning to think that was their area to be nice and resident friendly about. Like a necessary sacrifice.
The bigger issue in the middle of town?
Not the area to be nice about.
So who was the genius who decided to get all the Measure V supporters into an uproar, rather than win, hands down, a city wide election?
ReplyDeleteThe same geniuses who thought they could lie about the reasons for a water rate hike and nobody would notice. They just do the same stupid stuff over and over agian.
DeleteThe political incorrect lying genius is a Troll, his Minions, Members of the Dirt Crowd and the Selective Few that help to spread the lies to the community.
DeleteDanny Castro is NOT qualified to run the department that he is in charge of. Danny does Not have the educational qualifications or experience to have the job he has been hired to perform. Danny was only hired to be the pawn puppet for City Manager Elaine. What Danny Pawn Puppet Boy is good for is jumping through whatever hoops he is told to jump through. He needs to be fired a long with the City Manager.
ReplyDeleteThey are trying to steal our right to vote on downtown development. Something we passed Measure V to get. Think of the sheer contempt they must have for the people of this City to try and do that.
ReplyDeleteThe General Plan Update Steering Committee is meeting tomorrow evening at 6 pm. Danny, Elaine, and Scott will be there. Come and make your feelings known. The meetings are now being televised...tell everyone you know! There is strength in numbers!
ReplyDeleteBy all means speak out about the Kensington project tomorrow night at the General Plan meeting.
DeleteSpeak out about a Measure V vote.
Speak out about the Dwelling unit definition.
12:15, huh? Are those things on the agenda for the General Plan meeting?
DeletePublic comment, 12:20.
DeleteTV time, regardless of the meeting?
DeleteThe ALF has many problems that need to be corrected before it gets out of the Planning Commission vote or no vote......it's toooooooo bigggggg. As it is right now, I would not vote to approve. Scale it back and I would vote YES.
ReplyDeleteMe too, 12:13. Not as tall would be a start.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do not think that the majority of the voters see much past beyond a well known eye sore, caused by the property owner, and people want to stop looking at that thrown away building.
I agree. Let's make them give us a project that will be an asset to the city instead of a white elephant on the blvd for the next 50 years. Remember Sierra Madreans do not like elephants of any kind on the Blvd.
DeleteThe same people that were NO on V are the people that brought us Taj the elephant and are the same people who are pushing the ALF.
DeleteHold the fort! Why is it a given that the alfington will pass of put to a vote...it violates Measure V on two of the three principals and only through slight of hand does it meet the height limit! I wouldn't vote for it in it's current configuration!
ReplyDeleteThe question is do the majority of the ever disengaged Sierra Madre voters feel that way?
DeleteThat is the point, of course. People who do not live and breathe this stuff will be happy to see the SNF replaced with something new and shiny.
DeleteA funny thought: what if all the politically active residents, on any and all sides, just sat out this election, except for casting their own votes? No signs, no phone trees, no mailings - maybe a couple of debates, but nothing else.
DeleteThen what would we get to gripe about on the Tattler?
DeleteOh, there is always something.
DeleteWell known Eye-sore is the result of the cities lack of responsibility resulting in "blight" where none existed.
ReplyDeleteOff topic, but hey.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if Brauderick gets elected, will he have to recuse himself from any decisions about the general plan because he was on the update committee?
I doubt it. Elaine Ag tried to convice candidates that if they spoke at public comment about Chez Alfie before the Planning Comm they would never be able to participate in any related conversation as a City Councilmember. Like most of what Eliane says, it was utter crap.
Deletethis weeks Pasadena Weekley (02.02.12) letter to editor, page 4, gives a scathing account of the failure of old town Pasadena in response to a previous guest opinion column saying it was a great success. Mod, see if you can get it linked to your Tattler. The writer is saying everything we are saying about redevelopment money gone awry.
ReplyDeleteDanny's attempt to have the Planning Commission do a "do over" is really disurbing. I sure hope the next Council hires a new Development Services Director.
ReplyDeleteIt is disturbing, and it does not make sense to me.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmmm, no ambiguity. No interpretation, here. Measure V stands for what's right. The only ambiguity I can see is from the city staff & g3. Fluster & bluster brothers trying to pull the wool over the residents so we can have an eyesore extrordinaire. Really, why not build on Goldman park...it is every definition of a "blight." So, if you order something and it is half baked, you can politely send it back because, after all, why pay good money for a bad dinner....well, it goes for an even higher big ticket item...g3 & a city staff that clearly wants high density & lackluster big box buildings & beige for S.M. Send it back, cook their gooses until it's right.If not, throw them out & start with fresh cc members & city staff that want what S.M. residents want. Quaintness, safety for all,(go somewhere else matheson) integrity, peace & quiet & fiscal audits that shows where the money goes & Honesty. Always hoping...
ReplyDeleteDanny Castro is not qualified for his position. Like much of the city staff, they are petty and unqualified for what they do. Danny sits in his office never really dealing with the people. He is simply another government employee that creates work to keep his job. In the past we had a very small city hall, now it is huge, expensive and inefficient.
ReplyDeleteI have dealt with Danny in the past and he is simply a pawn for the higher ups in this town. His interests are not for preserving the character of Sierra Madre, but in preserving a job for himself and the bloated office that he sits in.