At last night’s Town Council meeting:
- The Town Council is considering an ordinance to restrict overnight parking of RVs and other vehicles on Altadena streets. According to council chair Gino Sund, ever since Pasadena stepped up enforcement, some out-of-town RV owners are storing their rigs on the streets of Altadena, moving them every three days to avoid getting ticketed -- and even if they do get a ticket, it’s cheaper than paying hundreds of dollars a month in storage fees. The council is exploring issuing overnight parking permits to residents only, giving law enforcement a tool to discourage residents of other communities from using Altadena streets as storage space.
- There was also discussion on the Foothill Municipal Water District’s plans for a parcel tax to pay for up to $65 million in improvements to local water supplies and delivery. The town council’s Water Task Force attended Foothill’s Monday public meeting in La Canada Flintridge, raising several questions about the vagueness of the plan and lack of public outreach. Sund said that owners of undeveloped foothill land could be on the hook for several thousand dollars a year if they don’t ask to opt out by the April 5 deadline.
- Incoming Altadena sheriff Capt. Steven McLean said that in the past two weeks the deputies have arrested eight burglary suspects, two of them known gang members, Investigation is continuing, but some of them may be tied into other thefts. McLean said that, compared to the first two weeks in February, burglaries are down 45%. He also introduced his replacement as lieutenant, Lt. Roosevelt Johnson (not to be confused with departing Capt. Roosevelt Blow).
- California Highway Patrol Officer Ming Hsu said that CHP officers dinged 20 drivers for violations during a sting operation at Lake and Morada last month, ticketing drivers who entered crosswalks while pedestrians were in them. Hsu said that CHP is also working with the Sheriff Dept. on a “Start Smart” class for teens and other first-time drivers, dealing with driving safely.
- There was also a presentation on proposed improvements to Charles White Park, which will include a new group picnic area and picnic tables, a new basketball court, walking path, onsite parking, and new walkways and pathways, all landscaped with water-saving native plants, trees, and hybrid bermuda grass. Congressman Adam Schiff is now looking for funding on the improvements, which are estimated at $4.74 million.
- Chairman Sund announced that the Altadena post office will do a survey on the blue postal drop boxes that have been removed from several corners to see if they should be reinstated. Sund said that postal carriers have seen an uptick in the amount of mail people are mailing out from home, which is usually an indicator that the boxes are needed.
- In census tract reports, Techumseh Shackelford (CT 4610) announced that the police helipad on Windsor will hold an open house on Saturday, March 20, from 11 AM-2 PM, to introduce their newer, quieter helicopter. And Gaurav Malhotra (CT 4611) said that the neighborhood is fighting an illegal recycling center set up at the Fair Oaks Burger parking lot.
- Sund said that the council is looking for one more community member to fill out the 2010 election committee.
