Zoning

Buck Wargo CITY HALL -- The Glendale zoning administrator will review two requests today for variances to allow two homes on Valley View Road. Charles Rendler from Manhattan Beach has requested the variances, which are needed because the project wouldn't have required driveways. Permits are also needed to grade dirt. The homes would be built at 1642 and 1650 Valley View Road. Also today, Thomas Ortiz is requesting a variance to allow a building to be converted into a fast-food restaurant at 469 Burchett St. The hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. in Room 105 of the Municipal Services Building, 633 E. Broadway.

Tim Willert DOWNTOWN -- Glendale Zoning Administrator Edith Fuentes will consider the merits of four zoning cases at the monthly Board of Zoning Adjustments hearing. The meeting begins at 1 p.m. Wednesday in room 105 of the Municipal Services Building, 633 E. Broadway. The zoning administrator hears cases that are denied by the city's design review board. Among the cases Fuentes will hear: a conditional-use permit to build a single-family home, a variance for an addition to an existing residence, and a variance for a 6-foot wood fence.

Tim Willert CITY HALL -- Glendale Zoning Administrator Edith Fuentes will consider the merits of four zoning cases at the administrator's monthly hearing. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Room 105 of the Municipal Services Building, 633 E. Broadway. The zoning administrator hears cases that are denied by the city's design review board. Among the cases Fuentes will hear: an application for a setback variance for construction of a fence on top of an existing retaining wall, a conditional-use permit to build a single-family residence , and a conditional-use permit for alcoholic beverages and dancing.

Joshua Pelzer The City Council will consider the next step in revising Glendale's multifamily zoning and development standards Tuesday. Changes would protect single-family units in multifamily areas, limit nonconforming land use and keep developments consistent with surrounding neighborhoods. "We've found blocks where the homes are built at a higher density than the zoning [indicates] so the zoning isn't representing reality," Planning Director Elaine Wilkerson said.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors continued a discussion on zoning issues in Montrose until its next meeting, which will be Tuesday morning. Supervisor Michael Antonovich proposed directing the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning to initiate a zoning study that would address zoning and development concerns community members voiced at last month's Crescenta Valley Town Council meeting. The Board continued the discussion this week to determine whether development applications already filed with the county would be grandfathered in before making any decisions on the proposal.

Buck Wargo CITY HALL -- A Glendale service station is requesting a permit to expand. The Glendale zoning administrator will consider a request from Sam's Pacific station, 1000 N. Pacific Ave. The service station owners want to add about 600 square feet, but it does not meet development standards in that area. The zoning administrator will also consider a request for The New Light Church, 1020 W. Kenneth Road, to renew a permit allowing the building to be used as a church.

CITY HALL — The future of zoning variances in most residential areas comes down to a City Council vote tonight on two competing ordinances. On one end is an ordinance that would ban property owners from applying to build something other than what is allowed in single-family and low-density residential zones. On the other is a proposal to maintain the current policy of allowing exemptions, with the exception of diverting applications straight to the Planning Commission rather than the city zoning administrator.

CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday postponed a final vote on banning all future zoning variances in single-family residential neighborhoods, instructing city planners to return with a compromise ordinance that would make allowances for those properties that, under the proposed ban, could find themselves shuttered. The stricter version proposed Tuesday would have thrown a handful of properties that host schools or community youth centers into doubt once their zoning use variances expired.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has cobbled together $40 million to build either an underpass or overpass that would improve safety conditions at one of the most dangerous railroad crossings along the Glendale-Los Angeles border. Although the money is available now, it may be at least two years before officials complete environmental and engineering documents. And it may be longer still before construction begins on the Doran Street crossing in the San Fernando Corridor.

The Hoop Heroes Basketball Championship Game has played a major part in helping youngsters in the Salvation Army's Zone Academy improve their literacy. This annual event raises funds for the academy, which provides homework tutoring for youths ages 8 to 13. Included in the program is a Diagnostic Online Reading Assessment component that helps youngsters work on improving their literacy. The program was so successful during the first quarter of 2011 that 70% of the youths in the program went up a grade level in their literacy, said Hoop Heroes Chairman Rick Dinger.

Residents tired of honking trains called on Glendale officials to shrink a proposed “quiet zone” in the San Fernando Corridor from six railroad crossings to three this week at a community meeting about upcoming construction. “Even though it's tiny, it'll make a big difference to all of us,” said resident Kathy Drummond. “When you have 85 trains honking three times a day, you do the math.” But city officials said that while reducing the number of crossings would speed up their application to the federal government for a zone free of honking, it would be too small to be worth it. About 20 people attended the meeting Thursday evening at the Environmental Management Center on Flower Street.

Re: “ Private Armenian school wins Glendale suit ,” July 25. The article states: “Judge finds that officials acted improperly when they closed Scholars Academic Foundation….” My involvement with the case was confirming two requirements: they need permits and a conditional-use permit. Other code issues were beyond my control and authority. This case was decided, and I respect that judge's decision. My administrative appeal case with the city was legally settled, details were reported in the News-Press, and I have no further comments.

COMPTON - For the first time all tournament long, the Arroyo Seco Saints baseball team appeared vulnerable and perhaps even beatable. Yet, that didn't matter. The Saints proved themselves untouchable and clinched a berth in Thursday's opening round of the Palomino League World Series by topping the San Jose Giants, 5-2, in Tuesday evening's West Zone championship at the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy. The victory was the first for Arroyo Seco (32-4-1) in the West Zone finals since 2004 and proved especially satisfying since the Saints were turned away in back-to-back West Zone Finals the last two years.

COMPTON - As runs piled up, it appeared the Arroyo Seco Saints baseball team was on its way to coasting to another victory. They've done that to the tune of a 31-4-1 season, and Sunday's performance seemed to be going that way again. But the Saints found themselves in a bind when they relinquished a five-run lead and trailed by one in the fifth inning of the West Zone Palomino Tournament. So, with its back against the wall and its season on the brink, Arroyo Seco found inspiration and used it to rally to a 9-7 win in the semifinals of the tournament against Team Urban Youth Academy.

COMPTON - Faced with their first challenge within the West Zone Palomino Tournament, the Arroyo Seco Saints baseball team responded with force. The Pasadena-based squad broke a tie heading into the bottom of the fourth with a three-run inning and never looked back en route to a 10-4 victory over Team Urban Youth Academy in Saturday afternoon's action. With the victory, Arroyo Seco (30-4-1) clinched a berth into Sunday's tournament quarterfinal at 4:30 p.m. back at the Urban Youth Academy.

COMPTON - With offense and pitching in their favor, the Arroyo Seco Saints baseball team kick-started the Palomino West Zone Tournament with a nearly flawless 9-0 victory Friday afternoon versus the Lacey Rainiers at the Urban Youth Academy. "We've been playing good baseball and we've played so many games that these kids have grown used to playing with each other," said Arroyo Seco Coach Aaron Milam, the newly named head coach at St. Francis. "We pitched pretty strongly and our bats showed up today.

PASADENA - Elliot Surrey patiently defused a potentially explosive situation on the mound for the Arroyo Seco Saints before teammate Tei Vanderford dropped a bomb on the Arcadia Astros in Tuesday night's Palomino League Southern California Region championship game at Jackie Robinson Field. The UC Irvine-bound Surrey, a recent Crescenta Valley High graduate, doubled and scored a run and nailed down a two-inning save in the 4-0 win that included a key two-run triple from St. Francis' Vanderford in the sixth inning.

City officials have floated a $150 annual fee to track company types and spot zoning code violations, but the proposal received push-back this week from some City Council members. “This, to me, looks, smells like a business license tax,” said Councilman Rafi Manoukian at a City Hall meeting Tuesday. “If we want to help our businesses, I think we should stay out of their business.” But City Manager Scott Ochoa said the fee wasn't a tax because the money gained would only cover the cost of processing the new fee. It would not be used to cover other city expenditures, he said.