DRAFT: Sierra Madre Citizens for Community Preservation
Too often residents of this City find themselves left on their own to fight against seemingly insurmountable odds in small groups against pro-development moneyed interests. Often it seems that our City staff supports the pro-development interests instead of protecting the interests of the folks that live in our City. Oftentimes paying for things that work against their own interests.
Sierra Madreans have made it clear that:
1. They want the town to remain the same: charming, small and not overdeveloped.
2. They are worried about scarce resources, i.e. water.
3. They are not happy about outside interests telling them how to run their town and
what kind of development is built in their neighborhoods.
4. They are tired of City Staff colluding with outside interests to bring unwanted development to town.
5. They are sickened by elected officials who claim they are for community and tax control, yet become advocates for things that are entirely different once elected.
Mission
Assemble a group of Sierra Madre residents from all parts of town to band together and say no to more unreasonable, unsustainable development.
Guiding Principles
Since Sierra Madreans are a diverse group with differing local concerns, the group must adhere to one guiding principle: Support local Sierra Madreans fighting to limit unreasonable development (whether large or small).
For example:
1. Support the residents around the Congregational Church to limit further expansion into their neighborhood and review the upcoming master plan.
2. Support the new Residential Canyon Zone’s reasonable and sensible limitations of development that preserve the unique Canyon, a true Treasure of Sierra Madre.
3. Support the residents around the Alverno High School as they address Alverno’s CUP violations and the proposed master plan expansion and adaptive reuse of the Villa.
4. Support the residents around the 1 Carter, Stonehouse and Mater Dolorosa development projects to address protections of the HMZ ordinance and other conditions of development.
5. Support the ongoing goals of Measure V against over-development.
Key Goals
1. Eliminate theDepartment of Development Services. Why does Sierra Madre, a 3- square mile town of primarily built out space, need a full time Director of Development Services? Why are residents tax dollars being spent to pay the salaries of staff that help developers cook up ways to bring unwanted development to Sierra Madre?
The Director of Development Services position has been routinely used by staff holding the position to build a resume' and move on to another town and a higher paying job. In order to build a resume, new Directors launch disastrous projects such as the infamous proposed Downtown Specific Plan. The needs and goals of the majority of Sierra Madreans do not seem to matter. The directors move on leaving a legacy of time-consuming, divisive community fights in their wake. We should eliminate Development Services in favor of sensible planning and a solid building department.
2. Work For A Moratorium On Water Hook Ups. If you believe in sustainable growth that will not outpace our resources, then we must act to eliminate new construction that will over tax our scarce water resources. Don Watts stated at the September 22, 2009 City Council meeting that another 200 housing units in Sierra Madre would overtax our dwindling water supply. New housing and institutional uses must be controlled through a moratorium on water hook ups and development that significantly increases water usage in our town.
3. Work To Elect Slow And No Growth City Council Candidates Who Will Commit To This Platform.
(Mod: That is what we got. It is a draft after all. Add whatever you like.)
Another point that I would like to share with you today
Redfin recently identified the hottest real estate markets in Los Angeles County for 2014. And in the Top 5 of that list is Sierra Madre's Canyon area. This is, of course, the neighborhood that was recently saved from the developer wrecking crew by the Canyon Zone Committee. This despite a torrent of wailing from the usual ingrates, most of whom now stand to personally profit from the efforts of that Committee.
Wouldn't it be great if we did something like that for the rest of the town? Everyone would get to share in the prosperity.
Congratulations to Pat and De Alcorn! -This from Pat and De's Facebook page:
I guess the word is out. De and I have been chosen to be the Grand Marshalls of the 4th of July Parade this year. I am truly excited. This is a great honor. We expect some of our family will join us in the parade, what fun.
Well, the word is now out everywhere. Certainly there have never been two people more deserving of this honor than Pat and De Alcorn. Dedication to the ideal of community has never had two more hard working and selfless advocates.
Congratulations to the 4th of July Committee as well. They just hit one out of the park.
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