Sidewalks

Glendale is reconsidering a steep permit fee increase for sidewalk dining areas after City Council members said they were unaware it would be applied across the board, regardless of the number of outdoor tables covered by each permit. Earlier this year, the council approved raising the annual fee from $50 to $650 - a major hit to small restaurants that have just a couple sidewalk tables. “To me, that's the flaw,” said Mayor Laura Friedman at the City Council meeting on Tuesday.

Glendale plans to spend $1.2 million through next year on new sidewalks in the northwest part of the city. The project also includes addition of handicap access ramps at Brand Library in an ongoing effort to comply with federal disability laws. The City Council approved the project on Tuesday. Each year, the city installs new handicap access equipment to comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. This year, new curb ramps will be placed at the main entrance to Brand Library.

Planning commissioners this week recommended lifting a 50-year ban on sidewalk signs for businesses, but not before attaching size restrictions, a $100-fee and a requirement for $1 million in liability insurance. The Planning Commission voted 3-0 Wednesday to recommend that the City Council lift the ban that has been unpopular with many business owners who argue that during tough economic times, they need the signs to advertise more than ever. The signs have been banned for years, as they were considered “visual clutter that would not benefit the look of the city,” according to a city staff report.

Planning commissioners this week recommended lifting a 50-year ban on sidewalk signs for businesses, but not before attaching size restrictions, a $100-fee and a requirement for $1 million in liability insurance. The Planning Commission voted 3-0 Wednesday to recommend that the City Council lift the ban, which has been unpopular with many business owners. They contend that during tough economic times, they need the signs and their advertising value more than ever. The signs were banned because they were considered “visual clutter that would not benefit the look of the city,” according to a city staff report.

I am responding to the proposal to further cut — if not kill — our Chevy Chase Library, a branch that has already hemorrhaged hours, books and services (“Libraries could shoulder brunt of budget cuts,” May 12”). Glendale public library officials have presented the City Council with a proposal to transfer management of the Chevy Chase branch to Community Services and Parks, to develop it as a community center and rental venue, and continue a “minimal library presence.” Read “minimal” as the library’s death knell.

Have you seen or stumbled on one of those black rubber domes in the Glendale sidewalks? For 100 years, American cities have constructed flat, non-skid sidewalks. Glendale has expended and continues to expend millions of dollars repairing and replacing uneven sidewalks. So why is Glendale Water & Power being permitted to install domed "smart grid meter" lids in our sidewalks? A meter program official assured me that the meters can be read just as efficiently if a lid is flat.

This week I’d like to explain how just a handful of people can make a difference in La Crescenta and Glendale. My first example came last week, when local home builder Mark Anderson came last Thursday evening to the Crescenta Valley Town Council’s Land Use Committee meeting to explain some requirements that the L.A. County Department of Public Works is trying to place on a housing project he’s planning for the corner of Briggs and...

Montrose Shopping Park merchants have been fuming after city officials cracked down on the use of sidewalk signs outside their storefronts. The business owners say the clampdown will only compound the effects of the down economy. "They need to wake up," said Jade Houston, owner of J. Lauren Hair Studio. "People need to do specials, and not all of us can afford major advertising. " A Glendale code enforcement officer late last week directed business owners in the Montrose Shopping Park to remove temporary banners, sandwich boards and other items from their entrances or risk being fined, business owners said.

Visitors were treated to an artists' view Saturday at the Montrose Shopping Park, where the sidewalks were lined with paintings, pottery and vintage black-and-white photographs as part of the quarterly Montrose Art Walk. The event serves to stimulate the local art community, said Mike Perry, president of the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber, which sponsors the event. Artists get the opportunity to display and sell their work, while residents are exposed to high-quality art. In addition, it helps drive traffic on Honolulu Avenue, he said, which suffered during the 2008 economic recession.

Every week, I get letters from readers. While I may not respond to all of them, I do read them, and for the most part enjoy every differing opinion. OK, so maybe the ones that wish my demise aren't at the top of my bestseller list. Nevertheless, as a writer, I can respect the ingenuity and originality of my haters when they describe in precise detail how they would dispatch me from this world. Good or bad, writing a letter to someone or something you've never met is a great way to let go of an emotion — to cast it from your own soul out into the universe.