"Eagle Rock: Where land use and
planning is a contact sport"
THE EAGLE ROCK ASSOCIATION
TERA
-- e.letter --
December 13, 2001
In this
issue:
1. WALGREENS -- THE PLOT THICKENS
2. YOSEMITE GYM HEARING -- TODAY -- DECEMBER 12
3. NEW EAGLE ROCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OFFICERS
4. ROCKIN' THIS SATURDAY AT TOPPER'S TAVERN --
DECEMBER 15
5. LETTERS AND E.MAILS
6. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
----------
1. WALGREENS -- THE PLOT THICKENS
Council
member Nick Pacheco wrote us a letter, dated December 4, 2001, in response to
our letter to him posted in our last e.letter.
Following are his specific statements in his letter supporting the
proposal (although he has stated publicly it is not his place to support or
oppose a development proposal) and our rebuttal to them in another letter to
him dated December 10, 2001. We have
also listed our demands of him on behalf of the Eagle Rock community. For the full text of both these letters,
please see the attachments to this e.letter below.
Council
member Pacheco's statement:
A. Pedestrian-Friendly Design: The layout of the
buildings involved truly promotes a pedestrian-friendly environment. The retail stores fronting both Eagle Rock
and Colorado, with the added outdoor patios and their significant landscaping,
will make the shopping experience at this location enjoyable. Also, the current design eliminates one
driveway on the Colorado and therefore is more friendly to pedestrians than
using the old building, which would leave two driveways on the boulevard.
Our
rebuttal:
A. Pedestrian-Friendly Design: The Project absolutely DOES NOT promote a pedestrian-friendly
environment. This Project as it stands patently violates the Specific Plan at
the very least because of the lack of a proper Street Wall at all three street
frontages. The whole reason the Street
Wall provision was included in the Specific Plan was to create an environment
in which an active pedestrian-oriented street life would be encouraged and
could flourish, as well as so that pedestrians WOULD NOT have to stare at a
parking lot! This Project as it is
provides little in the way of such pedestrian-oriented enhancements and offers
little more than just a view of a parking lot.
Council
member Pacheco's statement:
B. Shared Parking: The project includes
additional parking spots and this will help the surrounding businesses who lack
sufficient parking. This especially
benefits the Eagle Rock Cultural Center to have this additional parking
directly across the street.
Our
rebuttal:
B. Shared Parking: The entire site as it currently stands with the Shopping Bag
building in place provides just as much, if not more, parking than the Project
would provide. No matter where the
Walgreens structure would be situated on the property, or in what form, it would
be almost the exact square footage of the existing Shopping Bag building. The Walgreens Project would not produce more
parking than is already provided at present.
This is therefore not an added benefit that the Project would bring to
the community.
Council
member Pacheco's statement:
C. Reduction of Auto-Related Business: One of the stated goals of
the Colorado Boulevard Specific Plan was to reduce the density of auto-related
businesses. Completing this project
would eliminate the possibility that the current building will continue as an
auto-related business.
Our
rebuttal:
C. Reduction of Auto-Related Business: The previous auto-related business, operating under a Conditional
Use Permit and Variance that expired, vacated the premises. The reduction in auto-related business has
already taken place. A new auto-related
business would require an Exception to the Specific Plan, which is not likely
to be granted. Therefore, the proposed
Project contributes nothing to reducing auto-related businesses in the Specific
Plan area.
Council
member Pacheco's statement:
D. Commercial Revitalization on Colorado
Boulevard: The Plan specifically welcomes commercial development in Sub Area
I. In this instance, the Plan will
serve as a tool for revitalization, not as a barrier. Also, this project may act as a catalyst for additional
revitalization ideas along the boulevard, including projects for the targeted
pedestrian friendly blocks in Sub Area II.
Our
rebuttal:
D. Commercial Revitalization on Colorado
Boulevard: Of course the Plan welcomes commercial development in Subarea 1, and
it indeed serves as a tool for revitalization -- it exists to support and
ensure the implementation of the goals and objectives of the wider-reaching
Northeast Community Plan. The Project
directly violates the Specific Plan, and it directly contravenes the Northeast
Community Plan.
What
would act as more of a catalyst for additional revitalization would be to
restore the existing building and build positively on that restoration. When you show people how it's done, and done
correctly, then they, too, want to strive to achieve similar results. How many times do we need to refer to the
overwhelming commercial success of the excellent example of restoration and
adaptive reuse of business districts like Old Pasadena to prove this point?
. . .
Therefore,
we demand that you use your power and authority and do the following:
a.
Get the Eagle Rock community involved in this process NOW, as we are entitled
to be;
b.
Advocate very strongly to the developers and Walgreens that they restore the
existing building and adaptively reuse it, with input from the community,
because this is what our community wants (and we know what many benefits Walgreens
could receive if it were to pursue this course);
c.
Strongly encourage the developers and Walgreens to hire local architects
to handle the Project (what does an architectural firm from Orange County know
about Eagle Rock? Absolutely
nothing!!); and,
d. In
the future, involve the community early on in the process to avoid needless
conflict and wasted time on the part of City staff, your office, and the
community. Please remember that your
constituents come first in this and all other planning matters.
----------
2. YOSEMITE GYM HEARING -- TODAY -- DECEMBER
12
The
East Los Angeles Area Planning Commission will hear the appeal on the Yosemite
Park Gymnasium Project TODAY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2001 AT 4:30 P.M. AT
RAMONA HALL, MAIN HALL, 4580 N. FIGUEROA STREET.
The
appeal was filed by two area residents who oppose the Zoning Administrator's
finding that the gym can be built in spite of inadequate parking, the loss of
prime greenspace, and the traffic and safety issues raised at the original
hearing. We must have a strong
community presence at this meeting in order to convince the Commission that
building the gymnasium on this picnic area would be a grave mistake.
Please
visit http://www.traiger.net/yosemite for more information, or contact
Saul Traiger at saul@traiger.net or 323-254-9620 if you need directions
to Ramona Hall, a ride, or if you have any questions whatsoever.
----------
3. NEW EAGLE ROCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OFFICERS
At
the November Board meeting, the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce Board members
elected new officers.
George
Shapiro has been elected President for
2002 year. He is a chiropractor in
Pasadena. First Vice President is Anne
Wolfe, who manages the wonderful Occidental College bookstore. Elected as Second Vice President is Vic
Parrino, Manager of Colombo's Restaurant and nephew of owner Ann
Colombo. Eagle Rock resident and real
estate investor Erica Grubert has been elected Treasurer. Resident and Paine Webber investment broker Peter
Chaitkin has been elected Recording Secretary, and resident Brandon
Smith, financial advisor for Morgan Stanley Dean Whitter, has been elected
Corresponding Secretary.
Congratulations to all!
We
are very proud to say that four of the six new officers elected by the Chamber
are also TERA members.
----------
4. ROCKIN' THIS SATURDAY AT TOPPER'S TAVERN
-- DECEMBER 15
Hello
Eagle Rock and All the Ships at Sea -- Don't miss Eddie Rivera's band, ANN
LIKES RED, as they help usher in the Christmas season, THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER
15, at Topper's Tavern, 1630 Colorado Boulevard, in Eagle Rock. Show begins at 9 p.m., and goes
until--------.
We
know when you are sleeping, we know when you're awake, so....
----------
5. LETTERS AND E.MAILS
"Very
clever. I don't know what BS is, but it
certainly makes R. Rodriguez's negative opinion of all your hard work seem less
valid! KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT!
If R.
Rodriguez thinks that Walgreen's represents 'new' and desirable business for
Eagle Rock -- well, there's always one, isn't there? I have no idea why, for R., Cafe Beaujolais, Fatty's, Beaujolais
Boulangerie., etc., don't merit the title of 'desirable eatery'...
ALL I
WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A BOOK STORE OR A GELSON'S OR A WHOLE FOODS, OR A BRISTOL
FARMS in the old Shopping Bag Building."
--
Nancy King, Glassell Park resident
"Great
newsletter! nelalist is a mailing list
server with about 300 subscribers, many of whom would be interested in hearing
about the developments discussed in the e.letter. Would you consider adding nelalist to your mailing list? Thanks, and keep up the good work!"
--
Chris Howard, moderator, nelalist
"I
just saw the TERA e-letter, and was pleased, as usual. Most pleasing were the
kudos for your work in the quotations section. Clearly you made a fine and
convincing case on behalf of TERA, Eagle Rock, and rationality! You must be
gratified by not only the warm comments about your presentation at the meeting,
but also, in many of the responses, the sensitivity to and recognition of your
extraordinary effort and personal dedication and sacrifice. I add my appreciation to theirs, even though
I wasn't present at the now-famous meeting, except in spirit."
--
Tim Sanders, Professor Emeritus of Physics, Occidental College; former TERA
president; former member, Community Plan Advisory Committee; wonderful human
being; and mentor to yours truly
----------
6. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"To
be great is to be misunderstood."
--
Ralph Waldo Emerson
----------
We
welcome your comments. Please include
your name.
Please
encourage interested friends to send their Email addresses to us at artburn@earthlink.net
so we can keep them informed, too.
If
you have changed your Email address or would like to be removed from this list,
please contact artburn@earthlink.net.
TERA
-- The Eagle Rock Association -- YOUR COMMUNITY IN ACTION -- http://www.TERA90041.org --
P. O.
Box 41453, Eagle Rock, CA 90041 -- (323) 259-TERA -- a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
public benefit corporation
----------
Joanne
Turner <artburn@earthlink.net>
President,
The Eagle Rock Association (TERA)
===========================
Ms. Joanne
Turner
President,
The Eagle Rock Association
P.O. Box
41453
Eagle Rock,
CA 90041
Dear Ms.
Turner:
I received a
copy of your letter to Luis Rodriguez, Jr. from the Planning Department
regarding the proposed development on 2222 Colorado Boulevard. I anticipate that they will respond to your
letter in a timely manner.
At this
point, I would like to share with you my assessment as to why the proposed
development would be an asset to the Eagle Rock Community:
A. Pedestrian-Friendly Design: The layout of the buildings involved truly promotes a
pedestrian-friendly environment. The
retail stores fronting both Eagle Rock and Colorado, with the added outdoor
patios and their significant landscaping, will make the shopping experience at
this location enjoyable. Also, the
current design eliminates one driveway on the Colorado and therefore is more
friendly to pedestrians than using the old building, which would leave two
driveways on the boulevard.
B. Shared Parking: The project includes additional parking spots and this will help
the surrounding businesses who lack sufficient parking. This especially benefits the Eagle Rock
Cultural Center to have this additional parking directly across the street.
C. Reduction of Auto-Related Business: One of the stated goals of the Colorado Boulevard Specific Plan
was to reduce the density of auto-related businesses. Completing this project would eliminate the possibility that the
current building will continue as an auto-related business.
D. Commercial Revitalization on Colorado
Boulevard: The Plan specifically welcomes commercial
development in Sub Area I. In this
instance, the Plan will serve as a tool for revitalization, not as a barrier. Also, this project may act as a catalyst for
additional revitalization ideas along the boulevard, including projects for the
targeted pedestrian friendly blocks in Sub Area II.
Finally, I
want to assure you and your members that I will advocate to Walgreens and the
developers that they incorporate design features that compliment those of the
Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center.
Sincerely,
Nick Pacheco
Councilmember,
14th District
City of Los
Angeles
Honorable Nick Pacheco
Council Member, 14th District
City of Los Angeles
200 North Main Street, Room 504
Los Angeles, CA
90012-4878
Re: Walgreens/Case No. DIR 2001-3476-SSP,
Project Permit
Compliance;
ENV-2001-3478-CE.Location 2222 Colorado
Boulevard
and 5041-5051 EagleRock Boulevard________
Dear Council member Pacheco:
Thank you
for your letter of December 4, 2001. It is notable that you have repeatedly stated that it is not your place
to support or not support any commercial project, and yet your letter is a clear
statement of support for the Walgreens proposal (the Project). It is important
that you understand that the point of TERA's opposition to the Project is that it violates both the letter
and the spirit of the Colorado Boulevard Specific Plan (the Specific Plan) and
the Northeast Community Plan, which are the law.
By the message Luis Rodriguez of the
Planning Department left on Friday, he now acknowledges that the Project
violates the Specific Plan, indicating that the developer might convert the low
wall into "kiosks" to satisfy the Street Wall requirement, or that
the developer could otherwise "modify it or seek a Specific Plan
Exception." This statement clearly shows the Planning Department is aware that
it has erred in issuing its initial determination approving the proposed
Project and is now scrambling to somehow make it "fit." This serves to satisfy neither the intent
nor the letter of the adopted Northeast Community Plan or the Specific Plan.
Regarding the timely response we could
expect, Mr. Rodriguez has had over a week, and he now says it will be another
week or two. This is unacceptable. This entire process
has been carried out in violation of the Specific Plan and has breached faith
with the community it was meant to serve, and it must be resolved immediately.
The Specific Plan was unanimously passed by
the City Council in August of 1992, and the Northeast Community Plan was
unanimously passed by the City Council in June of 1999. These laws
were both developed and passed for the express purpose of protecting our
communities and benefiting the public.
If our City Council representative and the representatives in the City
Planning Department don’t have the will to enforce the Specific Plan and the
Northeast Community Plan, which is clearly their job, then how much protection
and benefit do these ordinances give?
We also strongly disagree with
your assessment about the Project's being an "asset" to the Eagle
Rock community for the following reasons:
1)
Pedestrian-Friendly
Design: The Project absolutely DOES NOT promote a
pedestrian-friendly environment. This Project as it stands patently violates
the Specific Plan at the very least because of the lack of a proper Street Wall
at all three street frontages. The
whole reason the Street Wall provision was included in the Specific Plan was to create an environment in which an active
pedestrian-oriented street life would be encouraged and could flourish, as well
as so that pedestrians WOULD NOT have to stare at a parking lot! This Project as it is provides little in the way of such pedestrian-oriented enhancements
and offers little more than just a view of a parking lot.
2)
Shared
Parking: The entire site as it currently stands with the Shopping
Bag building in place provides just as much, if not more, parking than the
Project would provide. No matter where
the Walgreens structure would be situated on the property, or in what form, it
would be almost the exact square footage of the existing Shopping Bag
building. The Walgreens Project would
not produce more parking than is already provided at present. This is therefore
not an added benefit that the Project would bring to the community.
3)
Reduction
of Auto-Related Business: The previous auto-related business,
operating under a Conditional Use Permit and Variance that expired, vacated the
premises. The reduction in auto-related
business has already taken place. A new
auto-related business would require an Exception to the Specific Plan, which is
not likely to be granted. Therefore,
the proposed Project contributes nothing to reducing auto-related businesses in
the Specific Plan area.
4)
Commercial
Revitalization on Colorado Boulevard: Of course the Plan welcomes
commercial development in Subarea 1, and it indeed serves as a tool for
revitalization -- it exists to support and ensure the implementation of the
goals and objectives of the wider-reaching Northeast Community Plan. The Project directly violates the Specific
Plan, and it directly contravenes the Northeast Community Plan.
What would act as more of a
catalyst for additional revitalization would be to restore the existing
building and build positively on that restoration. When you show people how it's done, and done correctly, then
they, too, want to strive to achieve similar results. How many times do we need to refer to the overwhelming commercial
success of the excellent example of restoration and adaptive reuse of business
districts like Old Pasadena to prove this point?
TERA applauds your
commitment to your campaign promise to improve both Colorado and Eagle Rock
Boulevards in our community, but we insist that in doing so the developments
you support should, at a minimum, comply with the Specific Plan or bring extraordinary
benefits which meet the goals and intent of both the Specific Plan and the
Northeast Community Plan. TERA and the
rest of the community look forward to being included in this type of process
from the very beginning so that the developer(s) involved in future projects
can benefit from TERA's and the community's early input, which in this case
would have avoided the erroneous approval of this Project, which does not
comply with the Specific Plan.
TERA
presented a completely common-sense, win-win solution to this anomaly of a
Project at the community meeting on November 28, 2001. Restoration and adaptive reuse of the
Shopping Bag building would welcome Walgreens into the community while simply
asking that Walgreens meet the community halfway and give something back, which
is helping to save our history as well as honoring our laws. They respected adaptive reuse in Miami,
Florida, and they could easily do it here; and, with all the destruction of our
town's history that occurred throughout the past two decades, Eagle Rock is
more than worthy of this serious consideration.
This is called cooperation and
compromise, and it's the way all planning matters in Eagle Rock and in any
other Los Angeles community ought to be handled. It's also called vision.
Does this City truly have the wherewithal to see and do what's right for
its future and for the future of its individual neighborhoods? We certainly hope so, or all that we in
Northeast Los Angeles and in all other Los Angeles communities have worked so
hard for will have been wasted.
The Eagle Rock community was
completely ignored during the crucial beginning stages of this process. Our community at the very least deserves the
opportunity to demonstrate how to make this development project BETTER. With creativity and foresight, there are
many ways to accomplish this. You owe
us the chance to prove it.
Therefore, we demand that you
use your power and authority and do the following:
a.
Get the Eagle Rock community involved in this process
NOW, as we are entitled to be;
b.
Advocate very strongly to the developers and Walgreens
that they restore the existing building and adaptively reuse it, with input
from the community, because this is what our community wants (and we know what
many benefits Walgreens could receive if it were to pursue this course);
c.
Strongly encourage the developers and Walgreens to hire local
architects to handle the Project (what does an architectural firm from Orange
County know about Eagle Rock?
Absolutely nothing!!); and,
d.
In the future, involve the community early on
in the process to avoid needless conflict and wasted time on the part of City
staff, your office, and the community. Please
remember that your constituents come first in this and all other planning
matters.
Thank
you for your serious and immediate attention to this most serious matter.
Sincerely,
Joanne Turner, President
The Eagle Rock Association
jwt
cc: Con Howe,
Director of Planning
Luis
Rodriguez, Planning Department
Terry
Speth, Planning Department
Saul
Traiger, Community Plan Advisory Committee
L.
Daniel Jorndt, CEO, Walgreens
Robert
P. Roscoe, Walgreens
Michael
Marino, FCD Realty & Development
TERA
Board of Directors
Eagle
Rock/Northeast Los Angeles Community