Happenings: How Much is Newhall Gateway Worth?

This evening was Mayor Laurene Weste’s birthday[1]. When Councilmember Frank Ferry began singing in recognition of the occasion, she demurred, having hoped no one would notice. Weste admitted to sending her husband away earlier in the evening. Apparently, he had come with a homemade card, but she told him to go back home where, she expected, he was probably throwing socks at the TV.

Much time was devoted to general councilmember comments (did you know Councilmember Marsha McLean uses the train? She does!) and to public acknowledgments of the Downed Officer Ride and a Rose Parade float commemorating 9/11.

By 6:54, the business of governing the city called Santa Clarita began.

The first item discussed was what to (re)name Golden Valley Bridge. Everyone agreed that the name should honor those who died while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, but it was tricky finding consensus for any particular name. “Soldiers Bridge”, the name proposed on the agenda, was deemed non-inclusive. Councilmember Marsha McLean mentioned speaking to her son, a retired major from the US Marine Corps, who made it clear that Marines were Marines, not soldiers[2]. Councilmember Laurie Ender came to a similar conclusion after speaking with her father, also a veteran.

A number of Claritan veterans came forward to express their support for the concept in general and offered alternative names for the bridge: Gold Star, Fallen Warriors, Patriots, Warriors Freedom, and Gold Star Military among them. It seemed more discussion of the name was needed. The City Council approved the dedication of $50,000 to working on a memorial monument for the bridge and directed staff to consult local Gold Star Families in deciding on what it will ultimately be named.

Item 5, the second reading and adoption of an ordinance to prezone parts of the Tesoro del Valle area, was continued to a subsequent meeting.

Public hearings included a revisiting of the Newhall Gateway project (the “Sierra Crossing” half of the area immediately next to Sierra Highway). In 2008, SFSX Partners submitted plans for the development of the property located by Newhall Avenue, Sierra Highway, and the 14. The Planning Commission ultimately approved the project, but this displeased city staff. They wanted to see an integrated project in which both properties that comprise the Newhall Gateway area—one owned by SFSX, the other property immediately behind it owned by USC—were developed in concert. To meet their ends, hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent hiring the Poliquin Kellogg Design Group to create a conceptual design for how the area could be most fully developed. The City Council hoped that SFSX would buy USC’s parcel (USC claims it has no interest in the property other than selling it), pay for the conceptual design and economic analysis, and make a grand entrance into Newhall.

That didn’t happen.

The two property owners couldn’t decide on a price, and Paul Brotzman said that neither the originally proposed project nor the one proposed by Poliquin Kellogg were viable in the present economy. Thus, it was recommended that the City Council overturn the approval granted by the Planning Commission and essentially force the process to start over.

Hunt Braly (blech), representing the applicant, waddled up to the microphone and asked that the matter to be continued instead. He said that USC was being uncooperative, asking far too much for their weirdly shaped and situated piece of property abutting the one his clients wished to develop.

Like Braly, Councilmember Bob Kellar didn’t like the idea of completely overturning approval of the SFSX development plans. He said that “it is a very challenged piece of property for a variety of reasons,” and believed that the City Council had infringed on the owners’ property rights by making so many extraordinary and expensive demands. “We kill jobs,” he said, speculating that a faster approval would lead to construction work and more space for businesses—this despite the fact that much of Santa Clarita’s office space has been vacant for the past couple of years. Frank Ferry sympathized, asking whether the City could force USC to sell by invoking eminent domain or if they could at least get an appraisal for the property. USC wanted more than what SFSX believed was a fair price, and Ferry said that only an appraisal would set things straight: “Then we can call BS on somebody in the room.”

Marsha McLean liked the plan for an appraisal, but she completely disagreed with the idea that they were infringing on the property owners’ development rights by dragging out approval for their plans. She remembered being “amazed and aghast” at the project when it was presented before the Planning Commission, which went on to approve it. “The developer is not interested or willing to do anything but what he proposed, which is a bad project,” she began, concluding “We’re not infringing upon his rights in any way, shape or form…don’t play that game with me!”

Brotzman did all he could to get the City Council to overturn the Planning Commission’s approval of the project, but the council ultimately decided to continue the matter to January 2011. City Manager Ken Pulskamp said an estimated $4,000-$8,000 of redevelopment agency funds will be spent to get an appraisal by that date.

Up next was approval for altering a ridgeline and removing oak trees so that Grace Baptist Church could add three new parking decks. They had worked with the community and no one voiced opposition to the project—the parking decks would be relatively unobtrusive and the oaks being removed were relatively small ones that the church had planted itself some years ago. Just before approving the project, Laurie Ender smiled and said “What a nice thing to see a church that needs more parking.”

There was similarly speedy approval for outdoor dining in downtown Newhall. Everyone was delighted at the idea of dining al fresco amongst the trees and passersby and flies. Ender made a point to acknowledge that “It’s not Bourbon Street, it’s Main Street!” as they briefly discussed alcohol-serving regulations.

During Public Participation, Deanna Hanashiro approached the dais yet again to discuss the library takeover. It has become an almost religious act of devotion, her fortnightly pilgrimage to speak before a mostly indifferent higher power. Hanashiro was still concerned about how the City would fund library operations and whether teens could legally volunteer for the for-profit LSSI. City Manager Ken Pulskamp replied that “LSSI says they regularly have volunteers at other libraries.” I believe this is what Bruce McFarland might call Pulskampery, something that looks like a response but doesn’t address the real, underlying issue (i.e., whether it’s legal for teens to volunteer for LSSI, not whether it happens). The only other speaker during PP complained about the City using an ordinance relating to highway access to demand that he remove the basketball hoop he placed in the street near his Bridgeport home. Ferry said that it wasn’t the City that was anti-basketball—they were probably just responding to a complaint made by one of his neighbors.

With that, the meeting adjourned.

[1]Though her birthday wasn't on the agenda, everything else was. Here it is.
[2]I know, it looks weird to capitalize "Marines" and not "soldiers", but that's how it seems to be done. See the NYTimes discussion.

Qs: $75/Year for The Signal online? 30,000 readers every day?

I realize this is "old news", but it's old news I haven't seen discussed anywhere, so forgive me if you have.

The Signal will soon be replacing its online free edition with an online not-free edition. At least that was the plan on September 21st, the date publisher Ian Lamont spoke at the Valley Industrial Association's monthly luncheon. He was introducing The Signal's editorial board and addressed the matter of paying to read the paper online[1].

It began with a question from Andy Pattantyus: "In the last two or three years, uh, The Signal has moved aggressively into the electronic world. Uh, how has that changed the nature and complexion of the editorial, um, reporting and opinion page?”

Ian Lamont replied:

Um, hopefully i-it it here’s the, here’s the deal. We have 30,000 readers of the printed Signal every day. Um, We have, um, thousands more of the e-Edition, we have a digital edition of The Signal that is exactly like The Signal that on the computer you can read flipping pages just like you had the printed version. We get about three-quarters of a million doll-uh-page views, a month, on the uh, website,about 125,000 uniques. So The Signal’s audience has never been bigger. Um, and one of the things and I uh I happen to be talkin’ with somebody, The Signal very soon—right now, you pay to subscribe to the print and to the e-Edition; you don’t pay to subscribe to the website. So you get virtually most of our news content for free. That’s gotta change. We can’t have half of our audience paying for a hundred percent of our audience. So pretty soon that website’s gonna go behind a pay wall. It’ll still only be about 20 cents a day, it’s not gonna break anybody’s wallet, but I’m sure we’re gonna have people screeeam-ing about the fact you’re taking away my free content. Well, that’s what’s coming.

So, um, uh, that’s one change and in terms of changing our opinion, hopefully whether we have an audience of 10 or an audience of 10,000, it doesn’t change how we go about doing our business.”


Eloquence, thy voice is Lamont's.

I won't get into the publisher's questionable numbers (but for one example, Verified Audit Circulation shows about 11,000 readers on a given weekday--more on weekends--while Lamont claims to have "30,000 readers of the printed Signal every day."[3]) The real issue is the "pay wall." Lamont addressed the subject all but unprompted, which suggests it's at the forefront of his mind. It will be the same price as the current e-Edition, that nicer-looking, more complete way to read TMS online.

There's no question that the local news junkies will pay to read the paper online. But what about the rest of Clarita, the residents who only care about a few issues or whose interests in Claritan politics are desultory? When these Claritans have to weigh whether to pay six bucks a month and whether to go through the hassle of signing-up and logging-in, will they decide that The Signal, that bastion of mediocrity, is worth it?

[1] Here's that board.
[2] You can watch the clip by clicking on the screen-capture below, which will take you to the SCVTV website. Start watching at the half-hour mark (30 minutes, 18 seconds, to be precise).

[CLICK TO WATCH AT SCVTV]

[3]Verified Audit Circulation numbers

Happenings: Elsmere Saved, Tesoro to Annex, the "Turd" Word

In keeping with the long-standing tradition, tonight’s City Council meeting began late because of a closed session[1]. City Attorney Carl Newton explained that the City Council had discussed the lawsuit recently filed by Save Our Library, the group that hopes to prevent the City from contracting with LSSI, LLC. Attorney Don Ricketts argues that giving a private company access to library records would violate privacy rights[2]. Claritans, who stood all but unanimously against a rush to privatize library operations, will now see their tax dollars spent trying to defend the very action they would prefer to see attacked.

Mayor Pro-tem Marsha McLean delivered the invocation. She asked that people help out Santa Clarita’s homeless shelter, which is trying to add another 15 beds as winter approaches. McLean also spoke of the need to support the SCV Food Pantry. This can be done by buying a ticket (and bringing canned food) to a concert put on by the band Humboldt Squad[3]. Several other bands—all of which consist of high school students—will also perform. If listening to aspiring musicians loudly aspiring isn’t your thing, you could also just make a donation.

Cub Scout pack 577 led the flag salute—a detail included for reasons soon to become apparent. Mayor Laurene Weste then called Brad Berens forward to receive a key to the city. “We don’t do this often” noted Weste, as she handed Berens what some might describe as a giant novelty key[4]. Between tears, she explained how Berens had done an immense amount of work all in service of Santa Clarita’s senior community and said, “We will miss you just so much I can’t tell you!” McLean could barely hold back tears herself.

In the middle of Brad Berens’ recognition, just as a photo was about to be taken, City Attorney Carl Newton interrupted everything to point out that the flag-saluting scouts had not yet had their picture taken. Looking a bit perplexed by Newton’s horrible timing, Mayor Weste pointed out that the appropriate time for the scouts' photo would be after they were through fussing over champion-to-seniors Brad Berens. When he had a chance to speak, Berens fussed over the City Council as well. Of Ender, he recalled “looking into her heart” and remarked that “We are so damn lucky to have you here.” To the Mayor Pro-tem, he said “Marsha, your heart is as big as this valley.” Finally, he recalled how he had spent a day helping out seniors with former boss Laurene Weste. He went into the house and spoke with the elderly resident while Weste crawled under the home to pull out feral cats with her bare hands. Both still remember the scratches Laurene suffered in her feline battles.

A proclamation in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness month followed. Mayor Weste remarked that “In this century, it [domestic violence] needs to stop.” Others seemed to agree. Members of the Board of Directors of the Domestic Violence Center stood wearing purple ribbons while Mary Ree, President, praised the City for making the proclamation, gave some domestic violence statistics, and described what the center does[5].

With yet another recognition—this time highlighting a group that unites a community with art, the NOMAD LAB Youth Art Program—it wasn’t until 6:42 that the City Council got onto its real business.

Deanna Hanshiro, who has become the face of opposition to Santa Clarita’s library takeover, spoke on Item 2. This item recommended the rejection of bids for construction of the Old Town Newhall Library—all 26 of them. Apparently, the low bids didn’t include some of the requisite documents, and the next lowest bids were considerably higher. The City Council voted to take the recommended action.

Hanashiro, however, did not have questions about this particular action so much as about the takeover in general. She asked City Manager Ken Pulskamp: why had Calabasas ended their contract with LSSI?; why did the City write in 1999 that it wouldn’t get the special property tax for libraries, but it now believes that it will get that tax?; would library staff be employees of LSSI or the City?; and can teens volunteer at the library since it benefits a privately-held, for-profit company?

Shockingly, Pulskamp actually answered some of the questions. He said that Calabasas had had city employees assume LSSI’s role in operating libraries because it had been their plan all along, “not because they had any negative feelings towards LSSI.” Extensive review by City Attorney Carl Newton led him to believe that the City could indeed collect the tax for library services. Library staff would be LSSI employees and not City ones—thus the cost savings. Finally, Pulskamp admitted that “we do not know definitively” whether it will be legal for students to volunteer at the library when it is run by LSSI.

The rest of the Consent Calendar passed with the recommended actions.

Next, there was a Public Hearing about the annexation of Tesoro del Valle and West Creek. People were uneasy and inconsistent in their pronunciation of “Valle”—even people who lived there. It was, variously, “val-EE”, “VAL-aey”, or “val”, but only rarely “VIE-yae”. Regardless, it was clear that residents of the northerly neighborhoods want to annex and that the Tesoro HOA’s Board of Directors and developer Montalvo (roughly synonymous) don’t in order to maximize the developer’s potential gain. Of course, they said their opposition arose from a desire to be annexed as one community, not in the piecemeal fashion the City was proposing wherein developed parts of the community were annexed while others were not (presumably as a favor to the developer, noted McLean). Many residents said they were tired of waiting and of being misrepresented by the HOA, and the City Council ultimately sided with them. There will now be a second reading of an ordinance pre-zoning nearly 3,000 acres of West Creek/Tesoro del Valle, and an application for annexation will be filed with LAFCO.

Under the heading of New Business, the City approved creation of a Citizens Public Library Committee. After their utter failure to build any actual community support for the library takeover, the City Council is looking to give the impression of community support and involvement by creating a committee. It goes without saying that the committee will be diverse and inclusive in its membership, that it will comprise well-respected community members, and that its mere existence will be used as evidence that LSSI-run libraries are better and more responsive to the unique needs of Santa Clarita’s readers. “Credibility is a huge issue for this community,” said Councilmember Frank Ferry. One hopes that there will be no applicants to serve on this committee, or perhaps only applicants who demand a return to the County of Los Angeles and discuss nothing else at their meetings.

Finally, Laurene and Marsha were all giggles and smiles as they got to the item acquiring 842 acres of Elsmere Canyon. As a little joke, McLean moved the recommended action before it had even been discussed. (Since she has worked to preserve the area for a couple of decades, she was entitled to take ownership of the item’s passage). Rick Gould showed some photos of the site including a California Condor like the one he said flew over his head on a visit with Ken Pulskamp. (Laurie Ender joked that condors are attracted to shiny objects and advised the bald Pulskamp to wear a hat next time he goes hiking).

With obvious pride, McLean formally moved the recommended action—but wait! There was a public speaker. As Cam Noltemeyer walked forward, Ferry said “C’mon, you can’t be opposed to this one!” But she was. She spoke about the questionable legality of the Open Space District that is funding the acquisition, questioned the appraisal of the property (City Manager Pulskamp said that it was being acquired for half of what was a $12M appraised value). It was something of a buzzkill. This was one of those times when one should bite one’s tongue. While Noltemeyer had some valid points, Elsmere has huge symbolic importance, especially for those who have lived in Santa Clarita long enough to remember when Elsmere Canyon almost became one of the world’s biggest landfills. Obviously, the City Council gave its unanimous support to getting the property.

The meeting closed with Public Participation. Recently, Councilmember Frank Ferry sent a letter to Associated Builders and Contractors, a group represented by Castaic Lake Water Agency candidate Kevin Korenthal[6]. In the letter—printed on the City’s letterhead—Frank made ludicrous claims about the supposedly incendiary rhetoric that Korenthal used when talking about opponent Ed Colley and the City Council. It was all bluster.

David Gauny and Kevin Korenthal both spoke about the letter. Gauny called what Frank Ferry did “despicable on multiple fronts.” He was particularly upset that Frank was trying to get a man fired from his job just because he was running to serve on the water board against Ferry’s wishes. Gauny identified a pattern. Anytime someone opposes Frank politically, he tries to destroy them professionally and personally. After Gauny ran for City Counil, Ferry released a “45-page dossier of information” on Gauny aimed to destroy him. TimBen Boydston was also attacked by Ferry for his run for City Council, and Kevin Korenthal was just the most recent victim of this “political sport” with a letter apparently aimed at getting him fired. The quotable Gauny closed his remarks by saying “My grandmother told me a long time ago: you can’t polish a turd.” This, of course, was a continuation of Gauny’s brownout motif[7].

When Kevin Korenthal spoke out against Frank Ferry, he came off as very much the bigger man. There was no anger in his voice. He simply observed that he had tried his best to keep Associated Builders and Contractors out of the race but that Ferry and Colley had forced them in. Korenthal correctly identified the tactics used against him as another example of Ferry’s not-so-subtle attempts to keep people from being politically active. He requested that, in the future, Ferry contact people directly when he has questions about their words or conduct instead of trying to get them fired.

The meeting ended at 8:38.

[1]Here’s the agenda.
[2]More on the library lawsuit here.
[3] Details.
[4]A la J-to-the-Wilson of SCVTalk, who has identified the City's love of giant novelty scissors, checks, spades, etc. for various events and ceremonies. This key is probably more accurately "very large" than "giant," however. I
[5]Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita
[6]From The Signal
[7]From his opinion piece in The Signal

Happenings: Behold, OVOV's Time is Now

Paul Brotzman has been wary of the myths and misinformation being spread about OVOV.

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Tonight’s Planning Commission meeting was the first for Lisa Eichman, appointed by Mayor Pro-Tem Marsha McLean. McLean chose Eichman over reappointing Diane Trautman, arguably the hardest-working, most capable commissioner we had. It was a petty political grudge that led McLean to make the switch[1]. It was swell timing, too, as the Planning Commission is just now beginning work on the complex, all-important General Plan.
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In any case, the first major task for the Planning Commission was to determine who would serve as chair and vice-chair[2]. Bill Kennedy immediately nominated Tim Burkhart to lead the PC. All supported the nomination without further discussion. When it came time for Burkhart to vote in favor of his own chair-hood, he paused and quipped, “That’s a trick question!” but eventually gave himself a “yes” vote. Ingratiating chuckles followed.
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Dee Dee Jacobson was elevated from commissioner to vice-chair with the same efficiency and unanimity, but without the chuckles.
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By 7:04, it was time for Senior Planner Jason Smisko to formally introduce the draft General Plan for One Valley One Vision. (The comma that once halved “One Valley One Vision” is gone; the Orwellian connotation remains). Smisko expressed a mix of anticipation and anxiousness over OVOV, its corpus comprising draft general plan elements and land use maps complemented by a draft EIR[3]. He emphasized that this was just the beginning of meetings focused on OVOV. Staff recommended that the Planning Commission continue the public hearing to November 16th, again to December 7th, and finally to January 18th. At each of these subsequent meetings, specific portions of the plan will be discussed in more detail and the City will respond to public feedback.
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Planning Manager Lisa Webber spoke next. Her face was wan and her voice quivered a little, but she was otherwise composed as ever. She spoke about how the planning process started long ago, hearkening back to the “Flapjack Forum Kick Off” held on January 28, 2001. If people can't unite over pancakes, what can they unite over? Since then, she noted that LA County has adopted more progressive planning philosophies; greenhouse gas emissions have gone from a peripheral to central consideration for planners; and trends towards walkability, mixed-use communities, and sustainable developments have firmly taken root. In short, Santa Clarita’s General Plan has evolved a lot over the past decade.
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Jason Smisko took to the microphone again and tried to give an over-arching idea of what OVOV is. In his words, it is a collection of over 800 “goals, policies, and objectives.” The land use map is the other major component. Four themes unify the plan:
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1. Valley of Villages. Santa Clarita will be developed in a way that preserves the character of its neighborhoods. “We want these communities to maintain their distinctive community character,” said Smisko. I presume their are limits to the acceptable degree of distinctiveness.

2. Valley Center. There will be an effort to bring more “regional shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities” that also generate more tax revenue and create local jobs.

3. Jobs-Housing Balance. Smisko said that about 50% of the workforce leaves Santa Clarita every day (is that all?), a trend the City hopes to counter by creating 1.5 jobs per residence. Number of good-jobs-per-residence will be somewhat less.

4. Preservation of Open Space/Valley Greenbelt. Claritans value open space, so there will be an effort to expand the greenbelt around Santa Clarita and to protect sensitive habitats like riparian areas.

OVOV tries to balance the four themes, some of which go hand-in-hand (2 & 3) and others of which work in direct opposition (4 vs. everything else). Determining the pattern of land use that best supported the themes involved visits to literally every property in the planning area.
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Compared to the existing general plan, the new one emphasizes mixed use developments, increases commercial densities, and features a climate action plan. Indeed, there was a certain amount of paranoia over AB-32 and SB-375, the acts that compel the City of Santa Clarita to aggressively address greenhouse gas emissions towards meeting California’s climate change goals. Assistant Planner Dave Peterson said that he and his colleagues have been meeting with the State Attorney General’s office to ensure that the City’s plan for dealing with greenhouse gases is acceptable. The most recent of these meetings took place last month, and things seem to be looking OK.
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Jason Smisko next moved, with some trepidation, to the topic of population growth. He showed a slide with some staggering numbers. For example, within the planning area, there are 80,500 existing units. OVOV anticipates 155,000 total potential units (40,500 units are “entitled unbuilt units," meaning they could be coming very soon). That’s double the number of homes currently found in the Santa Clarita Valley. It was stressed that the 155,000 figure represented capacity only--what might happen if demand is high, etc. The next alarming number was the projected population. Smisko placed the value as somewhere between 459,000 and 483,000 Claritans. [Insert gasp of horror here.]

Watch Clarita grow.

Mitch Glaser, Principal Planner for the County of Los Angeles, spoke next. He said “we’re a little bit behind the City” in terms of revisions and circulating documents. Glaser predicted that the Board of Supervisors might be considering the plan for county lands “sometime in the middle of next year.” There was, of course, much reciprocal back-patting between planners from the City of Santa Clarita and those from the County of Los Angeles.

Glaser was followed by Susan Tebo of Impact Sciences, Inc., Project Director for the EIR. She remarked, “If the OVOV plan were [sic] implemented, there would be significant and unavoidable impacts associated with implementation of this plan.” (Few minded the redundancy as her presentation style was clear and methodical—though perhaps a bit slow.) Among the significant, unavoidable impacts is diminished air quality with regard to certain, but not all, pollutants. 200 acres of prime farmland would be lost to other uses. Landfill space is filling up fast, and there would be problems as landfill capacity is reached around 2021. Greenhouse gas emissions would increase even with mitigating actions. Some special status plants and animals and the habitats on which they depend would be lost. Water services outside of the Castaic Lake Water Agency’s service area would face significant impacts.

Here's how the air you breathe is expected to change under OVOV.

Paul Brotzman, Director of Community Development, was the final staff member to speak. He began his remarks by bracing for criticism. “I would anticipate that we would have quite a few people who would have concerns,” he said. Brotzman tried to allay concerns over population growth in particular. He said that it would be about 50 years before 46,000 more residents are added to the City of Santa Clarita’s population—just 1,000 or so per year. However, he observed that vastly more population growth would take place outside of City boundaries. Potentially 170,000 may join the 80,000 now dwelling in unincorporated areas. He also observed that density was being increased in the City of Santa Clarita to allow for lower density land uses around the periphery of the planning area.
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With the introductory presentation of OVOV concluded, Commissioner Bill Kennedy asked why there was no cap on maximum population or the maximum extent of development. He wanted to know which operational constraint would limit growth first, whether greenhouse gas emissions, solid waste disposal, or water. Lisa Webber said that she would provide more specifics at the next meeting, but assured Kennedy that they had taken a conservative approach in estimating limits to growth.
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Commissioner Dennis Ostrom rambled nonsensically about his many years of service on the Planning Commission; the right- and left-handed sides of his brain being in conflict with one another; questions regarding the ability to amend the General Plan; and some ambivalence towards public “inputs.” He seemed a bit befuddled throughout the meeting, a quality I would find charming were he my grandfather, but one that's less endearing given his seat on the Planning Commission.
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Vice-chair Dee Dee Jacobson requested that Susan Tebo “dummy it up for us” when it came to the draft Environmental Impact Report. Jacobson was seemingly overwhelmed by the list of environmental thresholds being exceeded and impacts that were unavoidable.
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It was time for public comments next. Sandra Cattell, representing the Sierra Club, voiced opposition to allowing development in floodplains. As a Placerita Canyon resident, she said that she was also upset that the General Plan would permit denser development in parts of Placerita. Valerie Thomas shared Cattell’s concerns about Placerita and the Casden property in particular. She said that the people of Santa Clarita needed more time to review the thousands of pages of OVOV documents and that it was silly to let the EIR review period end on December 22, when everyone is busy with the holidays.
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Diane Trautman, saying more in her three-minute comment period than her replacement would say the whole night, echoed calls for more time to review the plans. She also wanted to know how proportionally greater reliance on public transit, bike lanes, etc. in future communities would be paid for.
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Lynne Plambeck found little to like about the City’s vision. She lamented urban sprawl in “the hinterlands” (i.e., Newhall Ranch). She pointed out that the City was accommodating high-density projects and trusting the County to keep the periphery of Santa Clarita green and open, something that couldn’t be assured without direct control. Plambeck was also troubled by the City’s use of Impact Sciences to prepare the EIR, a choice she found “extremely concerning.” They prepare EIRs for Newhall Ranch, too, so how could they be truly critical of and fairly evaluate their own previous work? Cam Noltemeyer continued the OVOV attack by ridiculing the City’s tendency to use General Plan amendments to do what it wanted, essentially ignoring the current General Plan. She feared the same thing would continue to happen in the future. Finally, a lawyer from the Natural Resources Defense Council said that he was optimistic about the City's commitment to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, but that his group was not yet prepared to issue comprehensive statements about the General Plan.
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In response to these comments, Jacobson asked what NRDC stands for (Natural Resources Defense Council), Ostrom ventured “I see maybe water as a big issue”, and Chair Burkhart recommended a “see how it goes” approach before affording the public more time to review OVOV documents. After some updates from Lisa Webber, the meeting ended at 9:20.

Previously, I haven’t really bothered watching Planning Commission meetings. Since OVOV is rather important to Santa Clarita’s future, though, I think these meetings may be worthwhile. And there’s certainly plenty that requires additional examination (the antics of Dennis Ostrom; the fast-talking ways of Dee Dee Jacobson; the incomprehensible hair of Jason Smisko, etc.). Thus, I’ll make an effort to watch the next few OVOV-centric meetings.
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[1]I find her quotations in this article from The Signal to be petty.
[2]Here's the agenda.
[3]I’m going to drop the “draft” hereafter, but assume all documents are still drafts unless otherwise stated.

Happenings: The Council Learns to Stay Quiet

Frank Ferry’s strategy of day-dreaming (and texting) his way through City Council meetings has caught on[1]. Perhaps chastened by their negative reception of late, the councilmembers were, for the most part, mum. Maybe it was just the oppressive heat. Regardless, only Mayor Pro-Tem Marsha McLean—never afraid to snipe and snap—had much to say this evening. Despite many lingering questions about the library takeover, silence prevailed.

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Councilmember Bob Kellar began the meeting with a call for Claritans to be politically engaged. He and a friend had spent the morning commiserating over state and national politics, he told the audience. They found much about which to be unhappy. But all is not lost. He explained: “November second. [long, dramatic pause] We owe it as Americans to exercise our right to vote.” Kellar then recommended the Official Voter Information Guide and the Internet as sources of information and dismissed television and the radio as media propagating “muck.”

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Each councilmember spoke briefly during the period reserved for committee reports and general comments. Councilmember Laurie Ender applauded local convenience stores for reaffirming their commitment to keeping cigarettes out of the hands of minors. Frank Ferry, his shirt unbuttoned as if he was at a weekend barbecue, spoke out against the proposition to legalize marijuana. “It’s so different from the marijuana of the 60s” he remarked, wistfully. Kellar echoed the sentiment. He said that in his law enforcement experience, 95% of serious drug-users got started with weed. Dealing with alcohol-related problems, he assured the audience, was more than enough to keep our deputies occupied.

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Frank seems to have gotten a memo about casual Tuesdays; McLean pairs scoop-neck shirt with light jacket.

Emulating Frank, Marsha McLean sported a plunging neckline affording unwelcome views of her mottled bosom. She began her comments with the “really really really good news” that Elsmere Canyon will be preserved forever as open space. This is a far cry from the landfill it was once slated to become. McLean then asked City Manager Ken Pulskamp about complaints she’s heard regarding the Canyon Country Library. Construction, it seems, has come to a complete stop! (She gave a trademark eyebrow flash for dramatic effect). Pulskamp confirmed the rumor, stating that he didn’t know when (or even if—gasp!) construction would resume. McLean shook her head in rehearsed indignation and wondered aloud whether the County of Los Angeles had halted work on the library because they were “mad” that Santa Clarita decided to leave the county system. Though she was going on nothing more than a hunch, McLean said “It’s just not right, and it’s not fair.” (She would later reprimand library critics for spreading rumors, apparently unaware of her hypocrisy). The whole exchange between Pulskamp and McLean came off as a poorly-delivered bit of theatrics to make the County look petty and underscore the need for Claritan control over library operations.

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Mayor Weste stepped in, bringing the show to the end. She opened discussion of items on the Consent Calendar. The Lutnesses were dismayed by an item to accept business-friendly principles proposed by the Southern California Association of Governments. The principles were: 1) Economic Development as a Priority, 2) Business Partnership, 3) Business Responsive Processes, and 4) Attractiveness to Business Investment. The principles were so general and vague as to mean nothing. However, the Lutnesses objected on the grounds that the City of Santa Clarita should prioritize service to its people over catering to business interests. But they really just wanted to complain about how the City Council handed control of public libraries over to for-profit LSSI. Carole Lutness made a gesture to show how the City was funneling money to the private corporation. It looked a lot like how one pantomimes s-e-x in grade school (a single finger thrust repeatedly into a fist; I blushed). She also brought up The New York Times’ story on the library takeover and said that the overwhelming majority of commenting readers disapproved of corporate control over public libraries[2]. Despite the rambling objections of the liberal couple, the City Council lent their support to the business-friendly principles.
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The Lutnesses and Cam Noltemeyer also spoke about awarding a parking enforcement contract to Data Ticket, Inc. Carole feared the City was on a trajectory to privatize everything—transportation, libraries, parking enforcement… Noltemeyer drew attention to “some very interesting numbers.” With Data Ticket on the case, the City projects generating some $425,000 in parking enforcement revenue. She said “that sounds like a quota to me.” But Pulskamp said the program would be revenue neutral: $300,000 goes to the vendor, $125,000 to state coffers. He also said that enforcement would be (mostly) complaint-driven.
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During Public Hearings, the City Council voted to prezone the Soledad Commons area as community commercial and submit an application to annex the area. Lynne Plambeck, representing SCOPE, was curious about why the council was making this (pre-)zoning change in the midst of the One Valley One Vision general plan review process, and she voiced concerns over the project’s proximity to the river. She’ll get a chance to bring up these concerns again at the ordinance’s second reading in October, and will again be ignored. (The City Council's silence extends to any questions they just don't feel like answering.)
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The last public hearing was held to extend the urgency ordinance that prevents any new car dealerships from opening up shop in Santa Clarita. City staff reports a need to identify appropriate areas for these business in order to protect the public. Marsha McLean went through the motions of questioning the absolutely ridiculous ordinance. She pointed out that staff had vastly exaggerated the “proliferation” of new car dealerships (there was a grand total of two, she was told, which does not a proliferation make). McLean also questioned the wisdom of putting the “kibosh on legitimate businesses.” Joe Montes, sitting as City Attorney, defended the action with a ridiculous hypothetical. He said that without specifying areas appropriate for auto sales, someone might theoretically put a car dealership in an office park, and the test drives and oil changes and such would get in the way of the other businesses. (With arguments like that, one wonders at his professional success). His argument was good enough for Mayor Weste, who agreed with a chuckle that we certainly don’t want car sales taking place in the middle of office parks! Of course, the urgency ordiance is really just the City’s way to look out for the guys on Creekside while offering the kind of control that no doubt appeals to staff with anal-retentive tendencies.
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Public Participation followed. Cam Noltemeyer kicked things off by handing out a public records request to find out where the City/Redevelopment Agency are getting $25M for the new library. She found it troubling that the City was already planning to reallocate library funds in anticipation of the LSSI takeover. Noltemeyer wanted the numbers in writing because “You can’t really rely on what is said up here.”
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Then, the live feed from SCVTV went berserk and cut from the meeting to some woman dressed in a flag-like blouse and singing about the US of A. Thus, I missed Lynne Plambeck’s comment, but returned in time to catch Valerie Thomas speaking about the library. She had dug into the public record to determine the timeline of dealings between the City and LSSI. There was serious cause for suspicion. LSSI had already prepared a full bid (down to the number of trashcans they would purchase, she said) in advance of the City making a formal request; planning and research meetings that were supposed to have happened didn’t; other meetings or dealings with LSSI may have happened without public notice. All in all, things were fishy. As many have surmised, LSSI and the City may have been getting cozy long before Claritans had any indication of what was in store for their libraries.
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Finally, Deanna Hanashiro, an ardent library supporter, questioned whether it would be legal for students to volunteer at LSSI-run libraries to the benefit of the private company[3]. She also questioned Frank’s anti-union sentiments in the NY Times piece that had been referenced earlier in the meeting—had he not been a member of the CTA when teaching?

When comments concluded, Marsha McLean asked Darren Hernandez about whether students could indeed volunteer at the libraries when LSSI is running the show. She said that some students had already emailed her and expressed the desire to volunteer once LSSI is in charge (f’reals, Marsha?). The typically clueless Darren Hernandez said this was the first he had heard of problems with volunteering and promised to investigate. McLean was a bit perturbed by the continuing negative reaction to the privatization of library operations, and instructed the audience to give their friends and neighbors only balanced opinions of what was in store for our libraries. The meeting ended at 7:47.
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[1]Here’s the agenda
[2]The popular The NY Times article
[3]Coastal Sage, SCVTalk commenter extraordinaire, weighed in on this the other day: “NYT Comment 185 by Oofa in Seattle. I do learn something new every day: ‘It’s illegal in California to volunteer for a for-profit company without fair pay. A simple complaint to NLRB will shut that down (as well as require back pay for the volunteers) and if they had to pay their volunteers even minimum wage let’s see how profitable libraries become. Additional liability for volunteers injuries should drive their insurance up as well. Can’t believe the union lawyers haven’t pushed this one.’ I wonder if that law applies to Friends of the Library type groups. Create a non-profit owned by the City, and then have people volunteer for the non-profit, and just happen to work on City property. Silly Legislators and unions. There’s always a way to structure a deal to get around any problem.”

Suggestion: Putting LSSI to the Test

There ought to be some quantification of how libraries change when LSSI takes over in the summer of 2011. Users have come to expect a certain level of service and a certain depth and breadth of material availability. It's only logical to suspect that changing who runs the libraries will lead to changes in what residents get out of those libraries.

Per usual, City Staff have supplied estimates only for changes that favor withdrawal from the County of Los Angeles Library System: there will be 19% more hours at local branches, and the budget for book purchases will increase by 22% once the County no longer runs the show.

But what about other indicators of library excellence?

*How many MLS (Master of Library Science) holders will work at libraries once LSSI takes over?
*How many materials will users have immediate access to once LSSI takes over?
*How long will it take to obtain a copy of obscure volumes available only via inter-library loan once LSSI takes over?
*What programs will be offered to library visitors once LSSI takes over?
*Will library staff be able to provide the same level of expertise and assistance once LSSI takes over?

These and many other questions were brought up at Tuesday's City Council Meeting, with most speakers fearing that their library-going experience would diminish in quality come July 2011. I think this hypothesis should be tested. For example, one could record how long it takes to receive a copy of The Lyrical Poems of Robert Herrick now and again in August 2011. Similarly, one could compare the wait time for a best-seller now and again in August 2011, or count the number of MLS degree holders now and again in August 2011. It wouldn't be hard, and it would provide some concrete measure of how things change, since the City seems to be unconcerned with demanding specific deliverables from LSSI.

I recognize this is an exercise in futility. It would be next to impossible to unring the bell of withdrawal from the County system, even if LSSI can't match the quality of its service. Still, it's important to know if any major changes have occurred so that those who have made promises may be held accountable and so that something more concrete than an anecdote may be offered in support of/against LSSI's way of doing things.

This is mostly just an idea, but if you'd like to help put libraries to the test so that those interested in City issues may lament/celebrate the change, email me at iheartscv with the usual @ and gmail.com suffix.

Happenings: City Council Breaks What Wasn't Broken

Note: "This evening" and similar refer to the night of the 24th, of course.

There was just one important choice for the City Council to make this evening: allow the County of Los Angeles to continue running our local libraries, or hand over operations to privately-owned, Maryland-based Library Services & Systems (LSSI)[1][2].


As the meeting approached, the room teemed with hundreds of Claritans, over seventy of which were clad in bright red “I [heart] LA County Libraries” t-shirts[3][4]. Even more library devotees were standing outside the crowded room. Lynne Plambeck and Carole Lutness circulated serenely through the masses, seemingly pleased with the turn-out. Comment cards were distributed and shy, bookish types were urged to speak up. There was a palpable sense of excitement and camaraderie at the back of the room where residents stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to cheer on their own and fight misleading claims with heckles, head-shakes, and hisses.

It was the type of crowd that should have given the City Councilmembers some pause before making a decision about changing a system that has ably served residents for decades. The vast majority of speakers weren’t City Council “regulars," but people motivated simply because they love the current library system. Speakers ranged from under ten to over eighty years of age. They used libraries for myriad personal purposes, whether checking out the latest untranslated Korean drama, getting books on CD for long commutes, or conducting research for school reports. They sat alert and engaged well past ten o’clock at night. They brought up valid point after valid point in defense of the status quo: there are no major complaints about the current system; inter-library loans are fast and free; it is hugely beneficial to have access to all of LA County's millions of volumes and online resources; the County has never cut local library hours; and, most importantly, the system isn't broken and needed no "fixing."[5] But ultimately, the crowd was ignored. They lost their plea to keep local branches connected to a vast, diverse, and responsive network of libraries scattered throughout LA County.

And it was the very worst sort of loss. No one on the City of Santa Clarita staff or from LSSI was able to successfully articulate what they would do better than LA County[6], and their presentations were filled with gaffes, insults, factual errors, and unconvincing arguments. This made their eventual victory over the people of Santa Clarita all the more astonishing and insulting.

It began with presentations from Darren Hernandez and LSSI. So much of his presentation demands derision that it's hard to pick out the worst bits. One memorable moment was when a speaker pointed out that Hernandez had no grasp of the current state of Santa Clarita's libraries--he doesn't even own a county library card![7] In response to many questions, he offered intentions and hunches in place of promises and facts. For example, he spoke about "access" to libraries for those living outside of the City (e.g. someone from Stevenson Ranch can walk into the library) but made no assurances as to how much they would have to pay for full library privileges. He couldn't name complaints against the current system when asked. And best of all, he twice bragged about how LSSI-run libraries have more copies of a single book, Sizzling Sixteen, than does the County of Los Angeles. So if you like literature about a sassy bail bondswoman from New Jersey who tries to track down her cousin, Vinny, while having various sexual trysts along the way, then you'll have plenty of copies at your disposal once LSSI takes over[8].


The representatives from LSSI weren’t much better at making a case for the takeover. Their presentation stretched well beyond the allotted thirty minutes. (Rather insultingly, County Librarian Margaret Todd wasn’t afforded a similar amount of time to make the case for LA County control—Mayor Laurene Weste just gave her a last-minute allowance to exceed the normal three-minute comment period). We heard from LSSI employees like Barbara Wolfe of Moorpark, who chose to insult Santa Clarita's librarians by saying “I did not enter this profession for the promise of a government pension." Perhaps she was feeling defensive as she had unsuccessfully attempted to earn a Ph.D., which would make her less competitive an applicant for the expertly staffed County system[8] People from places like Shasta County (“one step away from Appalachia” as my friend put it) were flown in by LSSI to brag about how their company had brought about such sweeping changes as curbside book drop-offs, DVD collections, and weekend operating hours. It wasn’t long before residents became openly hostile to tools from LSSI bragging about how they delivered services that the County has long provided to the people Santa Clarita. Bob Kellar actually told the speakers that they were wasting time by being "repetitive", at which the crowd applauded uproariously.

I have already discussed the composition of the pro-County crowd and covered their main points, but I'll review them briefly. After LSSI spoke, Claritans delivered some two hours of testimony that was all but unanimously in favor of keeping local libraries a part of the Los Angeles County system. Despite their preference for County control, many were open to discussing LSSI or City control of library operations--they just wanted more time to become educated about the issue and to weigh all of the alternatives. County Librarian Margaret Todd said that she was "a little offended" at how the editorial staff of The Signal had disparaged her in their efforts to service the City. The City/Signal had done more to demonize her and the County as thieves than to discuss how to best operate libraries in upcoming years. There were a number of technical objections about whether the City could actually secure tax dollars it claims it can and about obligations to provide service to people in unincorporated areas. Most speakers didn't care that much about extended hours, the main perk that staff touted. There was even a cute little kid from Rio Vista whose parents wrote him a speech that made him sound like an old soul indeed: "We have enough things changing around us!" He knew his way around the library and didn't want it to change. Overall, there was no immediate need for such sweeping changes, and there were many legitimate reasons to continue discussing options for library management. Thus, there was no reasonable course of action to take other than continuing the item to a future meeting.

But who said the City Council is reasonable?

When it came time for the various members to discuss the matter, Laurie Ender went first. She was eager to dismiss the people who came to make comments at City Council meetings. She essentially said that the dozens of speakers at tonight's meeting didn't represent most of Santa Clarita, and that her discussions with disinterested, uninvolved school moms would play a larger role in shaping her decision than the testimony of passionate library users. Her main concern was opening a shiny new library that will appeal to moms like her simply because of its novelty.
Marsha McLean and Laurene Weste came off as even less astute than Laurie Ender, asking questions and uncritically accepting the responses of Darren Hernandez, even when he just offered guesses. (e.g., Would there be unduly lengthy delays of 3-5 weeks before loans from other libraries were received? The answer seemed to be maybe...hopefully not). Mayor Weste made infuriating remarks about how proud she was that people turned out in the interest of libraries and that they sat through the whole meeting, applauding them for "participation" rather than listening to the content of their words.

Frank Ferry gave a long and uninteresting speech about how all City money should stay in Santa Clarita and provide services to local residents. But prior to the last two years, Margaret Todd said that the County has given Santa Clarita libraries more than its residents paid in taxes. And even if Santa Clarita was "over-paying," it wasn't by much--about 6% of local dollars might be spent elsewhere in the County on libraries from which Claritans can freely borrow materials.

Finally, Bob Kellar said that his mind hadn't been made up and that he, like nearly all of the other speakers, wanted more time to think about the various alternatives.

But Bob's fellow councilmembers were in quite a hurry to fix a system that nobody complained about and that many loved dearly. Thus, 4-1, the agenda item was approved, and LSSI will take control of library operations in 2011.

It's clear that passage was all about the new library being built in Old Town Newhall. City seizure of the local libraries means formerly inaccessible tax dollars can be redirected to building the new library building, opening up other funds for various other uses in Old Town. Councilmembers eager for outward displays of their beneficence were worried that they might have to open a half-full library next year if the County stayed in control, which would make for a less than impressive ribbon-cutting ceremony. In short, the urge to make something new drove them to sacrifice one of the great, historic assets for those living in Los Angeles County.

After the City Council voted, the crowd started yelling "Recall, recall!" and then poured out of the room, defeated. Public opinion just no longer seems to interest the likes of Laurie Ender, Marsha McLean, Laurene Weste, or Frank Ferry.

More insults followed.

It was time to appoint new commissioners, and no one reappointed Diane Trautman to the Planning Commission, where she had been the sole voice of sanity.

Hunt Braly had been standing at the back of the room, fatly, before the final item, an "Urgency Ordinance", came up for discussion. Speaking on behalf of the large, established auto-dealers (FLEMWATCH alert!), he said he supported the City's moratorium on opening any new automobile retail sales businesses. The agenda item was truly ridiculous, citing potential health and safety dangers to the public as justification for the moratorium. In reality, it was protection for what many refer to as the good ol' boys network.

The meeting ended a little before midnight.


[1]Here is the agenda.
[2]There was actually a third possible choice: allow for a study/comment period of several months and THEN make a decision. This is what should have happened.
[3]I don't normally like attending meetings in person, but this is one I was glad to see first-hand. With all those t-shirts it was like disappearing into a red sea--I now know how Pharaoh's army felt.
[4]I've noticed that certain people have been writing the shirt motto as "I Love LA County Libraries." This is a mistake; it was a heart, not the word love, that appeared on the shirt. And there is a huge difference between hearting something and loving it. Take note, Christopher Glotfelty and Natalie Everett.
[5]Variants of the phrase "If it ain't broke don't fix it" (my favorite being "If it ain't broke, don't break it!") functioned as an oft-repeated rallying cry for pro-County forces.
[6]I'm not being completely fair. They said they would offer an additional nighttime hour of service and be open on Sundays for branches that currently aren't. Whoopee.
[7]His rebuttal was that he had several city library cards that worked outside of Santa Clarita, which brought only more laughs and ridicule from the crowd.
[8]Yes, that's an accurate plot summary of the book. Check Amazon.
[9]She apparently didn't complete her dissertation.