[ACT] Park/Arboretum/Botanical Gardens/Open Space Opportunity in Altadena, Huge Vacant Parcel at El Molino and Calaveras

Fri Feb 27 19:03:11 PST 2009

Well, in that case if there is hope that we can do something to make a
library/park happen then what do we need to do, how are we going to organize
this, etc.? What do we need to do? My neighbors and I gathered signatures
and voiced our opposition to regional planning and we were ignored. I'm open
to new ideas but we won't do it again for nothing.

Lisa

On Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 6:54 PM, dale trader <dtrader_91104 at yahoo.com>wrote:

> Regional Planning wants you to believe it is a done deal.  It is most
> likely not a done deal with enough neighborhood and community opposition.
>
> Dale
>
> --- On *Fri, 2/27/09, Lisa Hastings <rumberalisa at gmail.com>* wrote:
>
> From: Lisa Hastings <rumberalisa at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [ACT] Park/Arboretum/Botanical Gardens/Open Space Opportunity
> in Altadena, Huge Vacant Parcel at El Molino and Calaveras
> To: steve_lamb57 at sbcglobal.net
> Cc: "Michele Zack" <michelez at sbcglobal.net>, "Mark Goldschmidt" <
> mgdesign at sbcglobal.net>, "Steve Haussler" <steve at haussler.com>,
> lawren at altadenafoothills.org, "Altadena Crest Trail Working Group" <
> act at fourpalms.org>, "ken" <kbalder at coldwellbanker.com>, "Emily Stork" <
> emilystork at yahoo.com>, dtrader_91104 at yahoo.com, "Gino Sund" <
> eugene.sund at altadenatowncouncil.org>, "Greg McPhee" <grgmcphee at yahoo.com>,
> "camille" <areyasun at earthlink.net>
> Date: Friday, February 27, 2009, 6:48 PM
>
>
> My neighbors and I opposed this project on the grounds that a densely
> populated country-club type complex catering to the wealthy ($400k - $900k
> deposit to move in) was inconsistent with the character of the residential
> neighborhood and the Altadena General Plan. The 3-4 story buildings would
> dwarf our homes, block views of the mountains, and create traffic and noise.
> No one listened to us and we were belittled even though we were the ones who
> would live across the street from the project. We gathered signatures,
> e-mailed and phoned the commission, and attended the hearing where we were
> told by the commission that they had wished that the project were planned
> for 5 stories. We're all just going to plant more trees around our homes so
> we won't have to look at that monstrosity once it is built.
>
> It is my understanding that it is too late for this and it is a done deal.
> Regional planning is pro-developer so they will approve anything with the
> proper permits as long as the project does not attract drugs, prostitution,
> or sex offenders.  The final approval is set to go before the County Board
> of Supervisors in April.
>
> 2009/2/27 SSL <steve_lamb57 at sbcglobal.net>
>
>>
>> I think we should each write to the County Department of Regional Planning
>> and request they NOT approve the entitlements to the land, since the project
>> is not presently viable and is unlikely to become viable before the
>> entitlements expire. Granting the entitlements could end up with allowing a
>> un forseen (by the public) and undesirable extremely dense housing project.
>> Fore example the present project application would be approved for something
>> like 220 units total. Were a savvy developer to put in 15% "affordable
>> housing" said developer could get a 30% increase in units, something like
>> 291 units total.......Does Altadena want a LaVina sized project in the
>> middle of town with no public debate on this issue?
>>
>> SSL
>>
>> --- On *Fri, 2/27/09, dale trader <dtrader_91104 at yahoo.com>* wrote:
>>
>> From: dale trader <dtrader_91104 at yahoo.com>
>> Subject: Park/Arboretum/Botanical Gardens/Open Space Opportunity in
>> Altadena, Huge Vacant Parcel at El Molino and Calaveras
>> To: "Michele Zack" <michelez at sbcglobal.net>, "Mark Goldschmidt" <
>> mgdesign at sbcglobal.net>, "Steve Haussler" <steve at haussler.com>, "Steve
>> Lamb" <steve_lamb57 at sbcglobal.net>, "Timothy Rutt" <
>> altadenablog at gmail.com>, lawren at altadenafoothills.org, "Altadena Crest
>> Trail Working Group" <act at fourpalms.org>, "ken" <
>> kbalder at coldwellbanker.com>, "Emily Stork" <emilystork at yahoo.com>
>> Date: Friday, February 27, 2009, 10:34 AM
>>
>>    Thursday, February 26, 2009 MonteCedro retirement community is the
>> economy's latest victim  *MonteCedro,* the $200 million retirement
>> community complex that was to occupy the site of the former Scripps Home,
>> has been put on hold indefinitely, according to the owners, the Episcopal
>> Home Communities.
>> Last week, this letter went out to potential residents of the complex:
>> February 12, 2009
>>
>> Dear Friends of MonteCedro,
>>
>> For the past thirty months The Episcopal Home Communities has been moving
>> forward to bring a new continuing care retirement community, MonteCedro, to
>> the San Gabriel Valley.  At the time we began, the housing market was strong
>> and financing was readily available at good interest rates.  As you all
>> know, both of those circumstances have changed dramatically. Housing prices,
>> upon which we based the project’s financial and marketing feasibility, have
>> fallen at least twenty-five percent in our area.  Financing is virtually
>> frozen and, if we could even obtain it, is at rates that make the project
>> unaffordable.  Consequently, and with great regret, we must share the news
>> with you that management, in consultation with our Board of Directors, has
>> decided to postpone the MonteCedro project indefinitely.
>>
>> We have the privilege of owning three great retirement communities and our
>> first obligation is to keep the overall organization strong.  To proceed
>> with the MonteCedro project in these uncertain economic times would not be
>> an exercise of good financial stewardship.
>>
>> A number of you have given us a priority reservation deposit.  We have
>> already requested our escrow agent, Union Bank of California, to release
>> them.  We will return them to you as soon as we receive them.
>>
>> We would like to remain a resource to you as you seek to plan for your
>> retirement.  Please call us if you would like to discuss opportunities at
>> any of our three communities, The Canterbury in Rancho Palos Verdes, The
>> Covington in Aliso Viejo, and Scripps Kensington in Alhambra.  We have
>> enjoyed the opportunity to meet you and have so appreciated your enthusiasm
>> and support during the pre-marketing of MonteCedro.  We know it would have
>> been a tremendous community, had the time been right for its development.
>> We continue to wish you well and we will stay in touch if the situation
>> changes for MonteCedro.
>>
>> Sincerely yours,
>>
>> Martha L. Tamburrano
>> President & CEO
>>
>>
>> Episcopal Homes' director of sales Peggy Buchanan told Altadenablog, "I’m
>> very sad about it -- it was a fabulous project .. the folks who are
>> interested in it are very disappointed."  She said that the final
>> entitlements from the county to complete the project would probably come
>> through in March and that sprinklers had just been installed on the
>> property.  For now, she said, Episocpal Home Communities still owns the
>> vacant property and will continue to maintain it.
>>  Posted at 12:17 PM in MonteCedro<http://www.altadenablog.com/scripps_homemontecedro/>
>> | Permalink<http://www.altadenablog.com/2009/02/montecedro-retirement-community-is-the-economys-latest-victim.html>
>>  Comments [image: Feed]<http://www.altadenablog.com/2009/02/montecedro-retirement-community-is-the-economys-latest-victim/comments/atom.xml>You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment
>> feed<http://www.altadenablog.com/2009/02/montecedro-retirement-community-is-the-economys-latest-victim/comments/atom.xml>for this post.
>>   Thank God.
>> Posted by: Lisa | Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 01:36 PM<http://www.altadenablog.com/2009/02/montecedro-retirement-community-is-the-economys-latest-victim.html?cid=6a00d83455629c69e20111689b159f970c#comment-6a00d83455629c69e20111689b159f970c>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> ACT mailing list
>> ACT at fourpalms.org
>> http://www.fourpalms.org/mailman/listinfo/act
>>
>>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.fourpalms.org/pipermail/act/attachments/20090227/2756f36b/attachment-0001.html 