Politics
GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WRAP-UP
TRESPASSING ORDINANCE
The council introduced an ordinance Tuesday clarifying the authority of Glendale police officers to arrest anyone who trespasses onto the 2-acre public park at the Americana at Brand.
The ordinance will go back to the council for official adoption next week so that it can take effect days before the May 2 grand opening of the mixed-use megaplex.
If adopted, existing trespassing and public disruption laws would be amended to include properties owned by the city’s Redevelopment Agency and Housing Authority, which the state considers to be legally autonomous from the city in their financial contracts and land holdings.
Including the specific language in the municipal code is expected to clear up any ambiguity in the ability of Glendale police to enforce trespassing laws at the two-acre, Redevelopment Agency-owned park at the Americana, to be called “The Greens.”
The ordinance would apply to all properties owned by the two city agencies, including the Alex Theatre, which has been beset with intrusions and thefts by homeless people, and vacant Housing Authority-owned lots awaiting development.
WHAT IT MEANS
The ordinance is expected to be adopted next week so that the amended code language will be in place prior to the Americana’s opening weekend, when Glendale police expect tens of thousands of people to pass through the development on the opening weekend.
NO VOTE
WINDOW CLEANING
The City Council on Tuesday authorized Public Works officials to solicit bids on a five-year contract to clean the windows of 15 city-owned facilities.
State regulations, combined with the risks to in-house staff cleaning people if they clean exterior windows higher than one story, prompted the Public Works Department in 2005 to hire a specialized private firm to do the work.
That contract expired in October 2007.
City officials expect the contract to cost about $55,000 a year, or $275,000 for the length of the five-year term.
The buildings to be cleaned would be the Municipal Services Building, City Hall, the police building, libraries and several other multi-story buildings.
WHAT IT MEANS
The City Council will still need to approve the actual contract based on a recommendation from Public Works officials after the competitive bidding process is closed.
VOTE: 5-0
REFUSE COLLECTION FEES
Residents will get a chance to weigh in on a proposed 5% increase in the rates charged to Glendale residents and businesses for trash collection on June 24. The City Council set a public hearing for that day.
The hearing is required under state law before such an increase can take effect.
The proposal comes as the Public Works Department’s Integrated Waste Management Division continues to experience a steady increase in operational and capital expenses including a 14% increase in vehicle maintenance costs and an 8.5% uptick in landfill costs, totaling $467,484 over the course of the past year, according to city officials.
The division is also preparing to absorb an additional $150,000 in salary costs stemming from planned raises as part of the city’s contract with the employees union, city officials said.
If approved, the rate change would take effect July 1.
The increased revenue would also help pay for $3.6 million in capital improvements to upgrade the slope, drainage and irrigation systems at the city-owned Scholl Canyon Landfill in order to maintain compliance with environmental regulations.
WHAT IT MEANS
Single-family households charged a monthly fee of $16.96 would see their bills increase 85 cents to $17.81 under the new rate structure.
The new rates would still put Glendale among the cheapest cities in the county. The average monthly rate among similarly-sized cities is $23.30 per month.
VOTE: 5-0
NEIGHBORHOOD SIGNAGE
The City Council postponed a vote to authorize $12,000 to make up 120 street signs designating various neighborhoods so that city planners could come back with options on what the signs will look like.
The signs would be installed at entry points to the neighborhood boundaries developed by a citizen committee several years ago.
Several historic residential areas, including Chevy Chase Estates, Glenoaks Canyon, Camino San Rafael and Montecito Park, have already installed similar “identifiers.”
The committee, which included input and expertise from the Glendale Historical Society, the real estate community and Planning Department, identified 33 separate neighborhoods. City planners have suggested the program as a way to increase community pride and “sense of place.” The move would hark back to signage that was once prominent throughout the city in the 1950s and ’70s.
WHAT IT MEANS
City planners will develop graphic options for the proposed signs and bring those back to the City Council for consideration, at which time they will also take input from residents.
VOTE: 5-0
BLEACHER ACCESS
Bleachers at five parks facilities will be replaced to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act after the City Council on Tuesday appropriated $60,000 for the project.
The bleachers at the city’s Skate Park, Babe Herman Little League Field, and at Glorietta, Pelanconi and Verdugo parks do not meet existing safety regulations because they lack guard and hand rails. Funds for the project were used out of savings the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department incurred this year through vacant staff positions.
WHAT IT MEANS
Parks officials have already received estimates from three manufacturers and expect to complete the replacements by fall 2008.
VOTE: 5-0
The council introduced an ordinance Tuesday clarifying the authority of Glendale police officers to arrest anyone who trespasses onto the 2-acre public park at the Americana at Brand.
The ordinance will go back to the council for official adoption next week so that it can take effect days before the May 2 grand opening of the mixed-use megaplex.
If adopted, existing trespassing and public disruption laws would be amended to include properties owned by the city’s Redevelopment Agency and Housing Authority, which the state considers to be legally autonomous from the city in their financial contracts and land holdings.
Including the specific language in the municipal code is expected to clear up any ambiguity in the ability of Glendale police to enforce trespassing laws at the two-acre, Redevelopment Agency-owned park at the Americana, to be called “The Greens.”
The ordinance would apply to all properties owned by the two city agencies, including the Alex Theatre, which has been beset with intrusions and thefts by homeless people, and vacant Housing Authority-owned lots awaiting development.
WHAT IT MEANS
The ordinance is expected to be adopted next week so that the amended code language will be in place prior to the Americana’s opening weekend, when Glendale police expect tens of thousands of people to pass through the development on the opening weekend.
NO VOTE
WINDOW CLEANING
The City Council on Tuesday authorized Public Works officials to solicit bids on a five-year contract to clean the windows of 15 city-owned facilities.
State regulations, combined with the risks to in-house staff cleaning people if they clean exterior windows higher than one story, prompted the Public Works Department in 2005 to hire a specialized private firm to do the work.
That contract expired in October 2007.
City officials expect the contract to cost about $55,000 a year, or $275,000 for the length of the five-year term.
The buildings to be cleaned would be the Municipal Services Building, City Hall, the police building, libraries and several other multi-story buildings.
WHAT IT MEANS
The City Council will still need to approve the actual contract based on a recommendation from Public Works officials after the competitive bidding process is closed.
VOTE: 5-0
REFUSE COLLECTION FEES
Residents will get a chance to weigh in on a proposed 5% increase in the rates charged to Glendale residents and businesses for trash collection on June 24. The City Council set a public hearing for that day.
The hearing is required under state law before such an increase can take effect.
The proposal comes as the Public Works Department’s Integrated Waste Management Division continues to experience a steady increase in operational and capital expenses including a 14% increase in vehicle maintenance costs and an 8.5% uptick in landfill costs, totaling $467,484 over the course of the past year, according to city officials.
The division is also preparing to absorb an additional $150,000 in salary costs stemming from planned raises as part of the city’s contract with the employees union, city officials said.
If approved, the rate change would take effect July 1.
The increased revenue would also help pay for $3.6 million in capital improvements to upgrade the slope, drainage and irrigation systems at the city-owned Scholl Canyon Landfill in order to maintain compliance with environmental regulations.
WHAT IT MEANS
Single-family households charged a monthly fee of $16.96 would see their bills increase 85 cents to $17.81 under the new rate structure.
The new rates would still put Glendale among the cheapest cities in the county. The average monthly rate among similarly-sized cities is $23.30 per month.
VOTE: 5-0
NEIGHBORHOOD SIGNAGE
The City Council postponed a vote to authorize $12,000 to make up 120 street signs designating various neighborhoods so that city planners could come back with options on what the signs will look like.
The signs would be installed at entry points to the neighborhood boundaries developed by a citizen committee several years ago.
Several historic residential areas, including Chevy Chase Estates, Glenoaks Canyon, Camino San Rafael and Montecito Park, have already installed similar “identifiers.”
The committee, which included input and expertise from the Glendale Historical Society, the real estate community and Planning Department, identified 33 separate neighborhoods. City planners have suggested the program as a way to increase community pride and “sense of place.” The move would hark back to signage that was once prominent throughout the city in the 1950s and ’70s.
WHAT IT MEANS
City planners will develop graphic options for the proposed signs and bring those back to the City Council for consideration, at which time they will also take input from residents.
VOTE: 5-0
BLEACHER ACCESS
Bleachers at five parks facilities will be replaced to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act after the City Council on Tuesday appropriated $60,000 for the project.
The bleachers at the city’s Skate Park, Babe Herman Little League Field, and at Glorietta, Pelanconi and Verdugo parks do not meet existing safety regulations because they lack guard and hand rails. Funds for the project were used out of savings the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department incurred this year through vacant staff positions.
WHAT IT MEANS
Parks officials have already received estimates from three manufacturers and expect to complete the replacements by fall 2008.
VOTE: 5-0
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