Week in review

In June, the committee voted unanimously to uphold its original recommendations to allocate $660,934 to New Horizons Family Center and Homenetmen — and a city capital improvement project to be determined. The committee at the time voted against a request from community development officials to reallocate the funds to upgrades for South Glendale Avenue, which has not undergone major improvement since 1992.

But since then, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development apparently narrowed its definition of eligible projects to exclude those related to recreation, a potential deal breaker for Homenetmen, which provides after-school youth sports programming.

Interim Director of Community Development and Housing Jess Duran said the constantly morphing federal guidelines have proved frustrating for city staff and committee members.

EDUCATION

In an effort to improve pedestrian safety for about 4,500 students, the City Council on Tuesday approved the construction of a solid median on the block of Glenwood Road that is home to Keppel Elementary School, Toll Middle School and Hoover High School.

With Councilman Dave Weaver absent, the council voted 4 to 0 to approve the construction of a closed median, which will stretch from Virginia Avenue to Concord Street, with the only opening at the mid-block crosswalk.

The 4-foot-wide median, topped with a 36-inch-high railing, would prevent illegal U-turns and jaywalking, city officials said, addressing the long-standing concerns of pedestrian safety that have lingered in the wake of Meri Nalbandyan’s death.

The 11-year-old was struck and killed by a distracted driver in the crosswalk in front of Toll Middle School in October. The driver had just dropped off her own child for school.

In December, the City Council and Glendale Unified School District Board voted in a joint meeting to continue with the implementation of a host of traffic safety enhancements, including the median, which was set to be built this summer at a cost of about $230,000.

The two Glenwood households that will be affected by the median have protested its construction because it would cause left turns into their driveways. They also argued the median would further constrain limited street parking.