Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Happenings: Not Happenings...
The City Council Meeting tonight did not come through; I saw nothing but a black screen. Thus, I can offer no recap. :(
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Happenings: Fourth of July Parade
NOTE: July 5th is the first birthday of the IHeartSCV blog, though not the blogger. While not the only blog in or about Santa Clarita, I take solace in the fact that it is the very best one, at least according to a City Councilmember whose compromising pictures I have in my possession. [Is he kidding? Gosh, I hope so!] Thanks to the people who take time to read this site's sundry ramblings, alert me to stories, and link here. I have some new stuff planned (a version of a Tour de SCV and an SCV eBook Club) that I'll be getting around to later on this month. But for now, let's turn to the part of the Claritan Calendar I heart most.
...
When it comes to the Santa Clarita Fourth of July Parade, I refuse to sit anywhere but the sidewalk of Lyons Avenue. It’s never crowded, the few people around are much more tolerable than the McBean masses, and should Armageddon come, I’m just a block away from Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
The Lyons locale is also close to Egg Plantation. And by my reckoning, if one is going to force oneself to endure the stomach-turning sights of the parade, the least one can do is enjoy a stomach-pleasing omelet first. Almost incomprehensibly, though, Egg Plantation[1] was serving an entirely eggless menu on the Fourth. No Benedicts or scrambles or sunny side-ups were to be had—just muffins, potatoes, and waffles. I was so jarred by the experience that I didn’t even have the presence of mind to ask why there were no eggs. I just ate my waffle and trembled, contemplating feelings of loss and betrayal.
After breakfasting, we walked to a shady spot from which to spectate. This is the other good part of watching the parade on Lyons: you experience a mild sense of camaraderie with your neighbors without having to be so close as to smell their sunscreen or partake in forced conversation. I was with four parade virgins (and one parade veteran) who were largely oblivious of the care I had taken in selecting our spot on the sidewalk. Still, I was happy they came to watch the parade. Some of them had never attended despite more than two decades in the SCV.
After a mere 50 minutes of agonizing anticipation, the parade began.
This year’s theme was “sights and sounds of Santa Clarita”[2]. The first of these sights and sounds were fire trucks blaring their horns and sirens. Given our valley’s proclivity for burning, I’d say it was a pretty accurate start. I trust that the procession of fire trucks and firefighters went straight to one of the many nearby blazes after driving by the adoring public.
Deafening toddlers with 120-decibel sirens never felt so patriotic. But perhaps there were ear plugs…
Next came John Boston, a man who has never been reluctant to offer clauses as complete sentences in his quest to write that which is Santa Clarita. As Grand Marshall, he wore a red and white-checked shirt (think picnic cloth writ small) and a vest sporting stars, bison, and Indian-inspired diamonds in black, red, and blue on white. It was western, patriotic, and Claritan all at once; we expected nothing less of our G.M.
Both of these men claim to be Mr. SCV, one for years of residence, observation, and writing and the other for winning a beauty pageant. So who is the real Mr. SCV, John Boston or Paul de la Cerda?[3]
After that, I believe I blacked out. Leon Worden's (who has many job titles and feathers in his cap, none as important as enthusiastic-over-estimator of parade attendance) website promised Kellar and Pulskamp after Boston[4]. I just didn’t see them. I did get to see the she-councilmembers, however, who were pulled in a white carriage like a trio of Disney Princesses some decades into “ever after”. Prince Ferry, however, was nowhere to be found.
After the Claritans of Consequence puttered by, the rest of the parade followed. There were flatbed trucks masquerading as floats, ponies, and old cars punctuated by a few memorable groups. The largest by far was, again, NorthPark Community Church[5]—which I have rechristened NorthPark Community Empire. Literally hundreds of members of the congregation marched on the streets, pulled mini-floats, kept massive helium stars from floating to the heavens, and promoted their church and school like none other. All the while, they danced to “We’re All in This Together” from High School Musical[6]. The only thing missing was...religion. The other main religious float (by The Village Church) paled in comparison. Their mere dozens sang “I am a Friend of God” and waved.
After the Claritans of Consequence puttered by, the rest of the parade followed. There were flatbed trucks masquerading as floats, ponies, and old cars punctuated by a few memorable groups. The largest by far was, again, NorthPark Community Church[5]—which I have rechristened NorthPark Community Empire. Literally hundreds of members of the congregation marched on the streets, pulled mini-floats, kept massive helium stars from floating to the heavens, and promoted their church and school like none other. All the while, they danced to “We’re All in This Together” from High School Musical[6]. The only thing missing was...religion. The other main religious float (by The Village Church) paled in comparison. Their mere dozens sang “I am a Friend of God” and waved.
All of the photos above are from the same NorthPark entry. The glossy ad posters, matching shirts, and web-savvy approach clearly signal that we have entered the era of Worship 2.0.
Several less spectacular entries followed. Some SCValleyMommies[7] minivans drove by, pomising a website that is "Where all the cool moms go." They were decorated with hand-painted monstrosities by the mommies’ decidedly non-gifted children. Later on, a tractor pulled the senior float, invigorating 80-year old lungs with diesel particulate. The Signal[8], too, joined in the parade march. Just as some floats distributed flags and flyers, I thought The Signal could have given away papers. It's not as though anyone would have bought them, after all, but it was not to be. Later, all 22 (I counted) of Santa Clarita’s democrats came out to march for Obama and precede cars for the soon-to-be-failed campaigns of Carole Lutness and Bruce McFarland[9]. There were many other entries, but they had a mercifully brief stint in my short-term memory.
Daddy drives a Mommies Van (left), and a tractor pulls a group of seniors and the senior-friendly.
Somewhereabouts the middle of the parade, there were literally TEN convertibles for Santa Clarita pageant winners[10]. My invention of Little Miss Corner of McBean and Old Orchard had gone from mocking to prophetic! Indeed, there was a Little Miss Santa Clarita, Saugus princesses, even a Mrs. SCV and Mr. SCV. No, I'm being quite serious.
Per usual, the parade’s closing division included the Masons and other SCV social groups. If you have read anything along the lines of The Da Vinci Code or listened to Coast To Coast AM, you know that these are the people who run SCV...and the world. Mayor Kellar and City Manager Ken Pulskamp are little more than a puppets pulled by strings that are the whims and wishes of the Masonic Order. Let not their fringy hats and absurd ceremonies fool you; these are Clarita’s true power players.
Per usual, the parade’s closing division included the Masons and other SCV social groups. If you have read anything along the lines of The Da Vinci Code or listened to Coast To Coast AM, you know that these are the people who run SCV...and the world. Mayor Kellar and City Manager Ken Pulskamp are little more than a puppets pulled by strings that are the whims and wishes of the Masonic Order. Let not their fringy hats and absurd ceremonies fool you; these are Clarita’s true power players.
The Keepers of Clarita.
When the parade concluded, I turned to my first-time-parade-watcher friends and asked them what they thought. One said “I’ve never been more sure that I want to move.” I tried to sympathize. As always, the parade is about endurance, not enjoyment, and that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. There are some who would prefer to live in a city where participation isn’t so painful. But had we learned nothing from the suffering? Had we not caught a glimpse of the sights or heard a snippet of the sounds that typify life in Santa Clarita? I believe we had. We saw a community that is young and growing, the next generation being reared on a diet of extracurricular activities, Ritalin, and self-esteem. We saw an outward demonstration of our valley’s spiritual side. We realized that while the City is big, it’s still possible to find faces of people we know personally riding on a parade float. People everywhere in Santa Clarita were doing stuff--whether leading Boy Scouts, serving in the armed forces, or running a business--and it was stuff they felt proud enough of doing to put on display. Somewhere in this mélange, I think, lies Santa Clarita and, more importantly, something worth hearting. We may be just one small piece of the United States, whose independence we so joyously celebrated, but...well yeah, actually I'll stop there.
We really do.
[1]Their website claims that 6000 eggs are broken a week in-house. They failed to mention that none of these are broken on the Fourth. Last year, I had an omelet; this year, devastation.
[2]From Leon Worden's website (linked below), here is an FAQ on the parade theme:
Q: What is the theme — "Sights and Sounds of Santa Clarita" — supposed to mean?
A: It means that the parade celebrates everything that makes the Santa Clarita Valley a great place to live, work, shop and play. It also means the judges will be looking for you to incorporate MUSIC in your entry. In addition to the specific theme for 2008, there is a second and equally important "permanent" theme: Celebrating America's Independence. Ideally, your entry should reflect your own interpretation of one or both of these themes.
[4]The lineup. I understand they were on horseback, but I completely missed them. I am filled with shame and regret, in that order.
[5]Not that they need more advertising, but here is the NorthPark website.
[6]If you’re a good Claritan, you know that film co-starred Ashley Tisdale, who lived in SCV for some time and went to Valencia High. God bless NorthPark’s music director for the nod to SCV-based stardom!
[6]If you’re a good Claritan, you know that film co-starred Ashley Tisdale, who lived in SCV for some time and went to Valencia High. God bless NorthPark’s music director for the nod to SCV-based stardom!
[7]SCValleyMommies
[8]The Signal's coverage of the parade can be found here. It's by Tammy Marashlian.
[8]The Signal's coverage of the parade can be found here. It's by Tammy Marashlian.
[10]All about pageants! Is anyone else bothered by the fact that they write "Meet our girls on our Myspace page!"?
Only in SCV: 4th of July Photo Supplement
A single Blogger post can fit only so many photos. Thus, some additional pictures from the Santa Clarita Fourth of July Parade are included below.
The full narrative of the parade will be posted shortly with even more eye candy(or medicine, as the case may be).
The full narrative of the parade will be posted shortly with even more eye candy(or medicine, as the case may be).
Masses thronged the sidewalks of Lyons Avenue. (This picture was taken four minutes before the parade began.)
Councilmembers Laurie Ender and Laurene Weste. Of the two, it was clearly Weste that demonstrated mastery of the photo opp. Notice how effortlessly she found the camera, screened out Concilmember Marsha McLean, and flashed a sincere but practiced smile. Magnificent!
Congressman Buck McKeon and family. The expression on the grandson's face perfectly mirrored those worn by the crowd.
State Assemblyman Smyth, wife, and spawn.
Tragically, this entry made it only 6 blocks before needing to refuel.
Ditto above.
Republicans, large painted bear, and asphault.
Here is a flatbed trailer that actually looks like a float. I appreciate the effort, Friends of Hart Park.
An audible gasp of amazement escaped the crowd when this vision of patriotic spirit and artistic mastery passed by.
Fin. If you're feeling underwhelmed or annoyed, try sitting through 2 hours of every variation on these entries imaginable.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Happenings: Parade Grows Nigh
Hey Y'all--make sure you get out to the Santa Clarita Fourth of July Parade in Newhall. Appropriately enough, it's on July 4(!) at 9:45 am. By attending, you will be fulfilling your duty as a Santa Claritan and proving that you are worthy of living in our glorious valley.
If you don't know how to get there, just drive towards Lyons Avenue and park as close as you can manage. Look for annoyed adults and restless kids and you'll know you've arrived.
To review last year's parade, which happened to be the subject of my first ever IHeartSCV post--and a damn fine one at that, if I do say so myself--go HERE!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Happenings: Marsha, Marsha, Marsha! (Gets Her Library)
Forewarning: I'm not covering the Special Meeting that occurred before tonight's regular City Council Meeting.
“We are a poster child of success.”
At least that’s what Mayor Bob Kellar said during his invocation of tonight’s City Council meeting. He told us what a great community we are and how wonderful it is that Santa Clarita’s citizens are so involved and motivated and full of diverse opinions. After Kellar’s spirited pep-talk concluded, I felt more ready than ever to get out there and beat Team San Fernando Valley in the big game. Go us!
I was soon brought back into the dismal, gray world of City Council meetings with the obligatory presentations, public comments, and council spiels. Nadine Teter’s speech during public participation was notable. With quietly smoldering scorn, she addressed her frustrations with City Manager Ken Pulskamp over—what else?—the Benz Road cut-through traffic problem. Ensconced in his gated community, Teter said that Pulskamp could not understand what it’s like to have traffic speeding nosily by every hour of every day. (By the same token, I suppose Teter can't understand what it's like to have everyone in Santa Clarita bitch at you all the time.) On a more upbeat note, we learned that progress is being made on Buck McKeon’s CEMEX bill and that a third recent trip to D.C. made by some members of Council was a success.
Next we went on to awarding a contract for design of Old Town Newhall’s library project. Unfortunately, someone from LPA, Inc. (the architectural firm awarded the project) was present to discuss his firm’s many merits. He sported a bald head, an oddly shaved soul patch, and pseudo-hipster glasses like that guy wears in the LensCrafters commercials. I agree with Councilmember Laurie Ender on his one redemptive quality: he spoke very quickly.
He gave a pitch laden with nebulous, feel-good crap like “Every community has a story to tell.” He made the daring promise to focus on “function, context, and the environment” when designing the new library. It was all straight out of a Meaningless Principles of Architecture That Sound Good if You Don’t Think About Them Too Hard textbook. Councilmember Laurene Weste took the bait. In typically quiet-but-fervent fashion, she praised the plan to incorporate city history into the design and make it a centerpiece of the community. Councilmember Marsha McLean, too, was positively tickled to see this step forward on one of her pet projects.
None of the businesses in Old Town Newhall, however, were at all pleased. Several shop owners came forward to say that they felt it would be better for the City to pay for streetscape improvements first and then move on to library construction. TimBen Boydston reminded the City Council that a consultant to whom they had given about $1M recommended that redevelopment begin with the streetscape, move on to parking structures, and finish with the library around 2020—if there was money for it. He said no one would walk from a lovely new building into slum-like streets, so fixing up the businesses first should be the priority. Sensing (quite correctly) that the Council was going to act against his, the business owners’, and the consultant’s recommendations, he closed “I am telling you, you are making a mistake.”
This greatly upset McLean. She admonished Boydston with a “You should be ashamed of yourself [for accurately pointing out the slum-like qualities of Old Town Newhall]!”[1] and countered his arguments by saying that “A fantastic library with the amenities that will be around the library … is going to bring more business to the business-owners than trees.” If her argument had stopped there, it would have been better. Instead, she continued by saying that some people (i.e., everybody) want the streetscape done first while other people (i.e., she herself) want the library first. And guess whose opinion counts more? Essentially, it’s a matter of we’d like to listen to you but instead we’re going to build our precious library first--so deal with it.
Mayor Kellar lamented not being able to spend more time on this issue as it was moved and seconded to a vote. Kellar’s four council comrades gave their yeses to awarding the $340,000 design contract (well, Weste always gives an “aye” instead of a “yes”, which speaks volumes). Kellar ended the voting with an ironic/snarky “It would seem appropriate to make it unanimous. Yes.” [2] Thus, the soul patch guy will now design us a building that tells a story about the community while helping shape the future story of the community in its own little way at the same time. Yippee.
After the 8pm potty break, there were several bland issues presented for consideration—continuations of changes in ordinances, specific plan updates, other stuff that wasn’t terribly riveting...[3] I used this time to delete old emails from my inbox, cut my fingernails, play a game of solitaire, link paperclips together, and sigh.
The evening ended on an eco-friendly topic. The Item, “Non-motorized Transportation Plan and Negative Declaration Adoption," basically threw City support behind efforts to make Santa Clarita a good place to use walking and biking as alternatives to driving. This signals a shift from looking at biking only as a recreational activity to an intelligent, positive form of transporation. J-to-the-Wilson of SCVTalk will surely be delighted by this development. I suppose I should be too, but I almost ran over a bicyclist today (his fault, really—and it wasn’t J.W., incidentally), so I’ll just feel kind of weird and guilty about it instead.
[1]Didn’t you see the bedraggled, falling apart “Labor Ready” business ?
[2]Yes, I’m going to stick by calling it ironic because his little quip made that the most profoundly un-unanimous unanimous vote I’ve ever seen.
[3]Tonight’s agenda, in case you’d like to read it.
“We are a poster child of success.”
At least that’s what Mayor Bob Kellar said during his invocation of tonight’s City Council meeting. He told us what a great community we are and how wonderful it is that Santa Clarita’s citizens are so involved and motivated and full of diverse opinions. After Kellar’s spirited pep-talk concluded, I felt more ready than ever to get out there and beat Team San Fernando Valley in the big game. Go us!
I was soon brought back into the dismal, gray world of City Council meetings with the obligatory presentations, public comments, and council spiels. Nadine Teter’s speech during public participation was notable. With quietly smoldering scorn, she addressed her frustrations with City Manager Ken Pulskamp over—what else?—the Benz Road cut-through traffic problem. Ensconced in his gated community, Teter said that Pulskamp could not understand what it’s like to have traffic speeding nosily by every hour of every day. (By the same token, I suppose Teter can't understand what it's like to have everyone in Santa Clarita bitch at you all the time.) On a more upbeat note, we learned that progress is being made on Buck McKeon’s CEMEX bill and that a third recent trip to D.C. made by some members of Council was a success.
Next we went on to awarding a contract for design of Old Town Newhall’s library project. Unfortunately, someone from LPA, Inc. (the architectural firm awarded the project) was present to discuss his firm’s many merits. He sported a bald head, an oddly shaved soul patch, and pseudo-hipster glasses like that guy wears in the LensCrafters commercials. I agree with Councilmember Laurie Ender on his one redemptive quality: he spoke very quickly.
He gave a pitch laden with nebulous, feel-good crap like “Every community has a story to tell.” He made the daring promise to focus on “function, context, and the environment” when designing the new library. It was all straight out of a Meaningless Principles of Architecture That Sound Good if You Don’t Think About Them Too Hard textbook. Councilmember Laurene Weste took the bait. In typically quiet-but-fervent fashion, she praised the plan to incorporate city history into the design and make it a centerpiece of the community. Councilmember Marsha McLean, too, was positively tickled to see this step forward on one of her pet projects.
None of the businesses in Old Town Newhall, however, were at all pleased. Several shop owners came forward to say that they felt it would be better for the City to pay for streetscape improvements first and then move on to library construction. TimBen Boydston reminded the City Council that a consultant to whom they had given about $1M recommended that redevelopment begin with the streetscape, move on to parking structures, and finish with the library around 2020—if there was money for it. He said no one would walk from a lovely new building into slum-like streets, so fixing up the businesses first should be the priority. Sensing (quite correctly) that the Council was going to act against his, the business owners’, and the consultant’s recommendations, he closed “I am telling you, you are making a mistake.”
This greatly upset McLean. She admonished Boydston with a “You should be ashamed of yourself [for accurately pointing out the slum-like qualities of Old Town Newhall]!”[1] and countered his arguments by saying that “A fantastic library with the amenities that will be around the library … is going to bring more business to the business-owners than trees.” If her argument had stopped there, it would have been better. Instead, she continued by saying that some people (i.e., everybody) want the streetscape done first while other people (i.e., she herself) want the library first. And guess whose opinion counts more? Essentially, it’s a matter of we’d like to listen to you but instead we’re going to build our precious library first--so deal with it.
Mayor Kellar lamented not being able to spend more time on this issue as it was moved and seconded to a vote. Kellar’s four council comrades gave their yeses to awarding the $340,000 design contract (well, Weste always gives an “aye” instead of a “yes”, which speaks volumes). Kellar ended the voting with an ironic/snarky “It would seem appropriate to make it unanimous. Yes.” [2] Thus, the soul patch guy will now design us a building that tells a story about the community while helping shape the future story of the community in its own little way at the same time. Yippee.
After the 8pm potty break, there were several bland issues presented for consideration—continuations of changes in ordinances, specific plan updates, other stuff that wasn’t terribly riveting...[3] I used this time to delete old emails from my inbox, cut my fingernails, play a game of solitaire, link paperclips together, and sigh.
The evening ended on an eco-friendly topic. The Item, “Non-motorized Transportation Plan and Negative Declaration Adoption," basically threw City support behind efforts to make Santa Clarita a good place to use walking and biking as alternatives to driving. This signals a shift from looking at biking only as a recreational activity to an intelligent, positive form of transporation. J-to-the-Wilson of SCVTalk will surely be delighted by this development. I suppose I should be too, but I almost ran over a bicyclist today (his fault, really—and it wasn’t J.W., incidentally), so I’ll just feel kind of weird and guilty about it instead.
[1]Didn’t you see the bedraggled, falling apart “Labor Ready” business ?
[2]Yes, I’m going to stick by calling it ironic because his little quip made that the most profoundly un-unanimous unanimous vote I’ve ever seen.
[3]Tonight’s agenda, in case you’d like to read it.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
OMG It's Nature: Im in Ur Valley, Killin Ur Bearz
I’m disappointed. SCV Bear Watch 2008: The Invasion is over. After a certain Ashley Harrison killed the bear in a collision on Monday night, all of my plans are ruined. There’s no longer any point guessing which household’s pet will be the first one devoured by the wayward ursid. It’s moot to even speculate about whether a group called Santa Claritans Against Black Bears In Our Neighborhoods (SCABBION) will materialize. The bear is gone.
*Friday morning, the bear was reported at Placerview Trail/North High Ridge Drive.
*Friday night, the bear was seen near Kathleen Avenue.
*Early Sunday morning, the bear was at Park Woodland Place.
*Late Monday night, a bear (if not the bear) was run over north of Sand Canyon/Highway 14.
The circumstances surrounding its death are still rather vague. Based on The Signal's coverage, we know:
Ashley Harris was driving northbound in the carpool lane of Highway 14 at 11:59 on a Monday night[2]. She struck a black bear and thought it was a dog.
She’s also from Palmdale [insert knowing nod here].
Oh, I know, that’s not fair. Don’t worry. I’m delighted that Harris is OK and I know that it’s easy for even the most alert drivers to hit an animal that goes bounding across a dark road at night. Still, it would be only fair for us to go run over one of Palmdale’s black bears—you know, an eye for an eye. Any volunteers?
The only thing left to speculate about is what drove the bear to visit the 'burbs. Predictably, we heard Ian Swift's take on things. When not describing new species of beetles, Swifty runs Placerita Canyon Park[3] and fields calls from reporters who have questions about Mother Nature. This time, he chalked the transgression up to the need to hydrate. The bear simply wanted an easy source of water.
I think we need to explore two alternative hypotheses. (1)Are we making Santa Clarita too attractive? Revitalizing Old Town Newhall and adding new bus stops and public art is fine, but not if it draws bears with a penchant for cultural appreciation into our neighborhoods. (2)Was this a grand stunt perpetrated by the City Council? The bear wandered all through the area near Benz Road and Kathleen Avenue. This is the site of a major traffic flow controversy (see last City Council meeting). Perhaps, thought some on C.C., releasing a bear would distract homeowners from traffic gripes and make them focus on more dire, immediate threats to safety.
Regardless of why it came and how it went, the bear reminded us that Santa Clarita has a wild side. As we move forward in preserving open space and expanding parkland, perhaps more of these big predators will find a hope near SCV. I hope they fare better than this bear.
[1]All of these in The Signal, of course. And Rohit seemed fond of using the word “bruin” as a synonym for bear in his article. As a UCLA Bruin (’06—woohoo!) myself, I take deep offense.
[2]A single person can drive in the carpool lane of the 14 during non-peak hours, right?
[3]Placerita aqui
*Friday morning, the bear was reported at Placerview Trail/North High Ridge Drive.
*Friday night, the bear was seen near Kathleen Avenue.
*Early Sunday morning, the bear was at Park Woodland Place.
*Late Monday night, a bear (if not the bear) was run over north of Sand Canyon/Highway 14.
The circumstances surrounding its death are still rather vague. Based on The Signal's coverage, we know:
Ashley Harris was driving northbound in the carpool lane of Highway 14 at 11:59 on a Monday night[2]. She struck a black bear and thought it was a dog.
She’s also from Palmdale [insert knowing nod here].
Oh, I know, that’s not fair. Don’t worry. I’m delighted that Harris is OK and I know that it’s easy for even the most alert drivers to hit an animal that goes bounding across a dark road at night. Still, it would be only fair for us to go run over one of Palmdale’s black bears—you know, an eye for an eye. Any volunteers?
The only thing left to speculate about is what drove the bear to visit the 'burbs. Predictably, we heard Ian Swift's take on things. When not describing new species of beetles, Swifty runs Placerita Canyon Park[3] and fields calls from reporters who have questions about Mother Nature. This time, he chalked the transgression up to the need to hydrate. The bear simply wanted an easy source of water.
I think we need to explore two alternative hypotheses. (1)Are we making Santa Clarita too attractive? Revitalizing Old Town Newhall and adding new bus stops and public art is fine, but not if it draws bears with a penchant for cultural appreciation into our neighborhoods. (2)Was this a grand stunt perpetrated by the City Council? The bear wandered all through the area near Benz Road and Kathleen Avenue. This is the site of a major traffic flow controversy (see last City Council meeting). Perhaps, thought some on C.C., releasing a bear would distract homeowners from traffic gripes and make them focus on more dire, immediate threats to safety.
Regardless of why it came and how it went, the bear reminded us that Santa Clarita has a wild side. As we move forward in preserving open space and expanding parkland, perhaps more of these big predators will find a hope near SCV. I hope they fare better than this bear.
[1]All of these in The Signal, of course. And Rohit seemed fond of using the word “bruin” as a synonym for bear in his article. As a UCLA Bruin (’06—woohoo!) myself, I take deep offense.
[2]A single person can drive in the carpool lane of the 14 during non-peak hours, right?
[3]Placerita aqui
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Happenings: A Resilient Budget and A Nightmare on Benz Road
Shortly after the meeting began, Mayor Kellar’s leaky water glass began to mar his notes and agenda. It was then that I fantasized about being able to write “Faulty cup brings City Council meeting to a premature close.” Alas, it was not to be.
After professing allegiance to our Motherland and recognition of some high school kids who are awfully good at sports, it was time for our monthly lesson in public safety. I trust I wasn’t the only one delighted to hear some super-helpful summer security tips. For instance, sleeping with an open window is unsafe, especially for females living alone! And don’t forget to lock your doors before you go to sleep, either. What clever ways to foil thieves and rapists--thanks, City of SC!
Public Participation came next, and perennial podium fixture Allen I-am-the-Chair-of-the-Canyon-Country-Advisory-Committee Ferdman defended the tactic of citizen bombardment of the Council over traffic concerns. He noted a lack of progress on the Benz Road problem—to be discussed later in the evening—and other local traffic problems as evidence. People involved in the Canvas/Linda Vista traffic headache expressed preemptive support for the Benz issue as well. Indeed, before the agenda item dealing with Benz Road had even been reached, people were already getting riled up and giving us a taste of what was to come.
City Manager Ken Pulskamp fought back with a cool, logical (but ultimately unsatisfying) “I ask that everybody keep an open mind.” Pulskamp shone more brightly in his discussion of 08/09 Operating Budget draft. The good news was that the City will “maintain financial solvency” through this period. Still, he cautioned “This is not the year to be taking on new, significant expenditures”, citing growth in the general fund of a paltry 1%. The general financial picture painted, he offered us the chance to ruminate on some more specific budget highlights. Among these: $200,000 to work towards a resolution with CEMEX; $100,000 for Old Town Newhall professional services and marketing; two commuter buses; demolition in preparation for the (second) Newhall Library; and new positions like a tree specialist, commercial enforcement deputy, and community preservation officer. Budgeting for the expansion of Central Park and Phase IV of the Santa Clarita Sports Complex was also discussed. Pulskamp summarized his presentation by stating that because the City budget has been “conservative and balanced”, we will still be seeing improvements and expansions while many other cities cut back in the face of a less-than-ideal economy. The budget will be up for formal approval at the June 24th meeting.
The only speaker on the budget was TimBen Boydston. Miraculously, he resurrected the spectre of Big League Dreams, asking whether it’s the wisest investment in the current economy. Pulskamp responded by saying that the Big League Dream Feasibility Study is already underway but has been allotted no additional resources.
Before moving on, Councilmember Laurene Weste gave a plea that the City budget to help out the Senior Center. Apparently, a sum of $75,000 is urgently needed to help support the Meals-on-Wheels program so vital to the senior community. Said Weste “You cannot let grandmas and grandpas of America starve in their communities.” Everyone largely fell in line behind the need to ensure funding, and the City Manager promised to make sure this was reflected when the budget returned on the 24th.
Then it was time to deal with traffic on Benz Road. This is one of many instances in the valley where “residential streets carry major traffic flows” as A. Ferdman nicely summed it up. People looking for shortcuts drive on Benz Road at high rates of speed. This in turn threatens the safety of residents and diminishes the quality of life for homeowners. But if you block traffic flow through Benz, cut-through drivers will simply destroy the quality of life for people living on adjacent streets. Andrew Yi, City Traffic Engineer, made a presentation covering the results of a recent survey on this very dilemma.
T’would’st have been better for Mr. Yi if this survey had ne'er been sent out.
Indeed, it pitted neighbor against neighbor, was extraordinarily biased, and it delivered the predicted result: most people want the traffic patterns on Benz Road to stay the same because they like using it as a shortcut. There were plenty of Benz Road residents ready to give the survey the skewering it so richly deserved, and plenty of nearby residents ready to support it in hopes that the traffic headaches wouldn’t be diverted their way.
Here is a small sampling of what was said. I withhold credit for the quotations because I think I got the names mixed up along the way—so much for blogger credibility, eh?
“Andrew…you’re throwing us under the bus. There’ve been many times when…I don’t know what to say I’m so angry right now.”
“Convenience is never as important as safety.”
“I’m very disappointed in the City Council. You have not kept your word, nor do I believe you ever intended to.”
“The situation is going to go from nightmare to beyond belief.”
“Part of good government is good planning.”
“You do not throw an entire neighborhood to the sharks.”
“How much longer do they have to live like this?”
Some of these comments got really dramatic—even tearful. One woman claimed that as she crossed the street, a motorist accelerated from his pause at a stop sign and tried to hit her! We even heard the story of a man who brandished a gun after a Benz Street woman told him to slow down! The lives and safety of children were said to be riding on how the Benz Road issue was resolved.
Councilmember Marsha McLean demonstrated her frustration over all this. “What are the physical solutions? Period! That’s all. What are the solutions?”
Mayor Pro-Tem Frank Ferry took a different approach, urging thoughtful decision-making since any decision will make a policy statement. He brought up de facto policies of never cul-de-sac-ing public roads or adding speed bumps.
The discussion vollied back and forth from City Attorney to Yi to councilmembers to Pulskamp for a while, with the only conclusion being that enough direction has been given for the City to work on and Ken Pulskamp to report back shortly. In short, it is far from "over", and everyone will be trying to answer to the disparate demands of residents of Benz Road, their worried neighbors, and convenience-seeking commuters.
After professing allegiance to our Motherland and recognition of some high school kids who are awfully good at sports, it was time for our monthly lesson in public safety. I trust I wasn’t the only one delighted to hear some super-helpful summer security tips. For instance, sleeping with an open window is unsafe, especially for females living alone! And don’t forget to lock your doors before you go to sleep, either. What clever ways to foil thieves and rapists--thanks, City of SC!
Public Participation came next, and perennial podium fixture Allen I-am-the-Chair-of-the-Canyon-Country-Advisory-Committee Ferdman defended the tactic of citizen bombardment of the Council over traffic concerns. He noted a lack of progress on the Benz Road problem—to be discussed later in the evening—and other local traffic problems as evidence. People involved in the Canvas/Linda Vista traffic headache expressed preemptive support for the Benz issue as well. Indeed, before the agenda item dealing with Benz Road had even been reached, people were already getting riled up and giving us a taste of what was to come.
City Manager Ken Pulskamp fought back with a cool, logical (but ultimately unsatisfying) “I ask that everybody keep an open mind.” Pulskamp shone more brightly in his discussion of 08/09 Operating Budget draft. The good news was that the City will “maintain financial solvency” through this period. Still, he cautioned “This is not the year to be taking on new, significant expenditures”, citing growth in the general fund of a paltry 1%. The general financial picture painted, he offered us the chance to ruminate on some more specific budget highlights. Among these: $200,000 to work towards a resolution with CEMEX; $100,000 for Old Town Newhall professional services and marketing; two commuter buses; demolition in preparation for the (second) Newhall Library; and new positions like a tree specialist, commercial enforcement deputy, and community preservation officer. Budgeting for the expansion of Central Park and Phase IV of the Santa Clarita Sports Complex was also discussed. Pulskamp summarized his presentation by stating that because the City budget has been “conservative and balanced”, we will still be seeing improvements and expansions while many other cities cut back in the face of a less-than-ideal economy. The budget will be up for formal approval at the June 24th meeting.
The only speaker on the budget was TimBen Boydston. Miraculously, he resurrected the spectre of Big League Dreams, asking whether it’s the wisest investment in the current economy. Pulskamp responded by saying that the Big League Dream Feasibility Study is already underway but has been allotted no additional resources.
Before moving on, Councilmember Laurene Weste gave a plea that the City budget to help out the Senior Center. Apparently, a sum of $75,000 is urgently needed to help support the Meals-on-Wheels program so vital to the senior community. Said Weste “You cannot let grandmas and grandpas of America starve in their communities.” Everyone largely fell in line behind the need to ensure funding, and the City Manager promised to make sure this was reflected when the budget returned on the 24th.
Then it was time to deal with traffic on Benz Road. This is one of many instances in the valley where “residential streets carry major traffic flows” as A. Ferdman nicely summed it up. People looking for shortcuts drive on Benz Road at high rates of speed. This in turn threatens the safety of residents and diminishes the quality of life for homeowners. But if you block traffic flow through Benz, cut-through drivers will simply destroy the quality of life for people living on adjacent streets. Andrew Yi, City Traffic Engineer, made a presentation covering the results of a recent survey on this very dilemma.
T’would’st have been better for Mr. Yi if this survey had ne'er been sent out.
Indeed, it pitted neighbor against neighbor, was extraordinarily biased, and it delivered the predicted result: most people want the traffic patterns on Benz Road to stay the same because they like using it as a shortcut. There were plenty of Benz Road residents ready to give the survey the skewering it so richly deserved, and plenty of nearby residents ready to support it in hopes that the traffic headaches wouldn’t be diverted their way.
Here is a small sampling of what was said. I withhold credit for the quotations because I think I got the names mixed up along the way—so much for blogger credibility, eh?
“Andrew…you’re throwing us under the bus. There’ve been many times when…I don’t know what to say I’m so angry right now.”
“Convenience is never as important as safety.”
“I’m very disappointed in the City Council. You have not kept your word, nor do I believe you ever intended to.”
“The situation is going to go from nightmare to beyond belief.”
“Part of good government is good planning.”
“You do not throw an entire neighborhood to the sharks.”
“How much longer do they have to live like this?”
Some of these comments got really dramatic—even tearful. One woman claimed that as she crossed the street, a motorist accelerated from his pause at a stop sign and tried to hit her! We even heard the story of a man who brandished a gun after a Benz Street woman told him to slow down! The lives and safety of children were said to be riding on how the Benz Road issue was resolved.
Councilmember Marsha McLean demonstrated her frustration over all this. “What are the physical solutions? Period! That’s all. What are the solutions?”
Mayor Pro-Tem Frank Ferry took a different approach, urging thoughtful decision-making since any decision will make a policy statement. He brought up de facto policies of never cul-de-sac-ing public roads or adding speed bumps.
The discussion vollied back and forth from City Attorney to Yi to councilmembers to Pulskamp for a while, with the only conclusion being that enough direction has been given for the City to work on and Ken Pulskamp to report back shortly. In short, it is far from "over", and everyone will be trying to answer to the disparate demands of residents of Benz Road, their worried neighbors, and convenience-seeking commuters.
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