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.

In a step hailed as important by Glendale residents who loathe the noise of train horns, the City Council this week approved putting $9.8-million worth of railway crossing improvements out for bid. The improvements, slated for the Grandview and Sonora rail crossings along the San Fernando Road industrial corridor, will include improved traffic signals, wider roads and better lighting. The bid is set to be advertised in May with construction beginning in October, according to a city report.

Glendale officials took the final steps this week to move ahead with upgrading another railroad crossing in the San Fernando Road Corridor - a project that could eventually make the area quieter for nearby residents. The $2-million project at Broadway Avenue/Brazil Street is one of many railroad crossing improvements on the city's radar. Construction work has already begun on crossings at Glendale and Sonora avenues. “I know we have been looking forward to getting those improvements,” said Councilman Ara Najarian, who with his colleagues on Tuesday voted to give the final go-ahead on the project.

A fixture in local politics has been appointed to lead the Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition as its new executive director to help strengthen community partnerships. Suzy Jacobs, who worked for state Sen. Jack Scott and Assembly members Paul Krekorian and Mike Gatto in their district offices, joined the coalition on Jan. 1 after a month-long hiring process. “I want to make a difference in the community,” she said, adding that she hoped to build on the coalition's goal of building a safe, drug-free community for kids and teens.

A Filipino-American who once held one of the most powerful decision-making positions in the city regarding zoning is fighting her demotion, claiming the move was discriminatory and based on insider politics. Edith Fuentes' demotion last month sparked a backlash from local Filipino and women's groups who packed Glendale City Council chambers Wednesday night to support her appeal against the title change, which city officials say is due to poor job performance. It was the first of what could end up being a dozen hearings on the case before the Civil Service Commission, which will ultimately rule on her appeal.

Drivers can expect to see new and improved traffic signals, wider roads and better lighting at two Glendale railroad crossings by next year as part of a $9.8-million project that could pave the way for a quieter train corridor. City officials on Wednesday briefed residents who live near the San Fernando Road corridor on the construction plans, which many hope could eventually lead to designating the corridor a so-called “quiet zone” - a section of railway where trains aren't required to blare their horns.

COMPTON — Before the start of Tuesday night's Palomino West Zone Tournament title game, Arroyo Seco Saints Coach Aaron Milam paired one important qualifier with a compliment. "When our guys show up," he said, "it's tough to beat us. " The pivotal part, of course, required the Saints to show up, which they did not. At least not through seven innings. Arroyo Seco gave up three runs in the fifth inning, and the Los Gatos Legends pulled away with a 5-2 win in the MLB Urban Youth Academy.

COMPTON — Defense had been a concern, and rightfully so. After collecting four errors in a Palomino Southern California Regional game earlier this week, the Arroyo Seco Saints were intent on cleaning up their defense for the start of the Palomino West Zone Tournament. And by the outcome of Friday afternoon's opening-round game, one could hardly tell it had been an issue at all. The Saints committed only one error as they came away with a 7-0 win against the top-seeded Colton Nighthawks at the MLB Youth Academy.

GLENDALE — For the Arroyo Seco Saints to taste any kind of success at the Southern California Regional in the Palomino West Zone Tournament, Coach Aaron Milam knows precisely what needs to be done. "We are going to have to pick up the pace on defense because it's been a major issue," said Milam, whose team will begin the tournament against the Colton Nighthawks at 1:30 p.m. today at Major League Baseball's Youth Academy in Compton. "It's something that's going to have to be cleaned up. " The Saints finished third in the Palomino Southern California Regional Baseball Tournament at Jackie Robinson Field and were one of four teams from the tournament to advance.

PASADENA — Thirty-six games into the season and Arroyo Seco Saints Coach Aaron Milam still can't get an accurate read on his team. Milam might have gotten a better read after the Saints suffered a 6-5 loss to the Playa Vista Orioles in an elimination game of the Palomino Southern California Regional Baseball Tournament on Monday night at Jackie Robinson Field. "We are very bipolar when it comes to playing defense," said Milam, whose team committed four errors and will be the third seed from the Southern California Regional in the Palomino West Zone Tournament in Compton beginning Friday.

LA CRESCENTA — Awkward, out of rhythm and way off the mark were assessments that could be made not only about the Crescenta Valley High boys' basketball team's final two shot attempts with the game on the line Wednesday night, but also much of the Falcons' overall performance against visiting Quartz Hill in a CIF Southern Section Division 1-A first-round playoff game. And while seventh-seeded Crescenta Valley's 49-46 loss to the at-large Rebels will certainly go down as an upset, it wasn't hard for Falcons Coach Shawn Zargarian to explain the outcome.