By Julie BUTCHER

On Tuesday night, the Glendale City Council voted 3-2 to move forward on plans to rehabilitate La Crescenta Avenue as it previously discussed, eliminating travel lanes and adding bike lanes aimed at slowing traffic and enhancing the safety of the street.

Councilmember Ara Najarian voted against the project.

“La Crescenta Avenue is deemed a major arterial in Glendale’s general plan – it’s just not the right street for this,” he said.

Joining Councilmember Najarian in voting against the plans was Councilmember Vartan Gharpetian who noted that the project was approved while he was out of office.

Mayor Elen Asatryan attempted to keep the discussion on topic, questioning whether or not to include a “quick-build demonstration project” and financing options while not having an overall discussion of the previously approved project.

Public comments nonetheless centered on the project.

“I am not a cyclist. I do not own a bicycle, a skateboard, a scooter,” Melissa Church told the Council. “I am a driver and I love my car. And I’m still in favor of the La Crescenta Avenue project.” Church noted that she lives near one of the dangerous intersections “this project will address.” Her daughter attends Fremont Elementary; staff that works the areas of drop off and pick up share stories of cars that “fly up La Crescenta – a caution sign was put in the road but had to be removed because it was hit so many times.”

“This project is about improving the safety of a residential street near an elementary school, but the conversation has been hijacked by a group of people who have time to attend these meetings that the parents of the young children at Fremont do not have,” she said.

Curtis Brown agreed, “Coming out of my driveway is nothing less than a nightmare and I can only imagine what it’s like for the kids and cyclists. I have a preteen who enjoys riding her bike and every time she leaves I’m terrified for her safety. I urge you to put in the bike lanes and slow traffic down. Turn our street into a street instead of the speedway it is now.”

Several children spoke in favor of the street reconfiguration.

“I fully support efforts to slow down traffic and I’m in favor of bicycle safety,” local realtor Susan Broussalian addressed the Council. “However, I’m opposed to removing traffic lanes.”

The Council was told there had been no outreach “above Honolulu Avenue.”

“I respectfully disagree with the Fremont mother,” said one speaker. “It’s a 100-year-old road.” The speaker also indicated that he would support the plans without the removal of traffic lanes.

At a special council meeting held earlier on Tuesday, members heard a briefing on the impact on the Supreme Court’s ruling on homeless people “camping” in the area. City attorney Aaron Israel detailed the history and context of the ruling.

Martin v. City of Boise was decided by the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2018 and ruled that “punishing the unhoused for sleeping in public when they have no alternatives effectively criminalizes homelessness and is a violation of cruel and unusual punishment (the 8^th amendment to the U.S. Constitution).” That decision invalidated Glendale’s ordinance prohibiting “public camping.”

Johnson v. City of Grants Pass (9^th Circuit, 2023) reaffirmed Martin until the Supreme Court reversed it on a vote of 6-3 earlier this year making GMC §9.28.030 enforceable.

In July 2024, California governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing state authorities to develop policies for the removal of encampments from state property and also “encouraged” local authorities to develop consistent policies.

City staff detailed the extensive services the city provides to address homelessness through three private agencies.

Responding to questions from the Council, senior city attorney Aaron Israel reiterated that “Johnson v. Grants Pass did away with that requirement – the city need not provide shelter before enforcing its unlawful camping ordinance.”

Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian emphasized the importance of reclaiming public spaces, noting that homelessness is a regional crisis.

Councilmember Najarian wants to enforce the existing ordinance, perhaps adding a prohibition against daytime camping.

Also at the special council meeting staff provided an update of sidewalk vending regulations and enforcement efforts.

In 2018, SB 946 was passed by the state legislature. Called the “Safe Sidewalk Vending Act,” the measure decriminalized violations of local sidewalk vending regulations and severely limited the way cities enforce these rules.

“Community animus or economic competition is not an objective health, safety or welfare concern,” the state law dictates. Local agencies may limit vending, but violations are punishable only by administrative fines. Failure to pay fines is not punishable as an infraction or a misdemeanor. Fine amounts are capped by the legislation and vendors are entitled to ability-to-pay determinations as well.

So far in 2024, 41 locations have been checked for illegal or improper street vending, resulting in enforcement actions in 15 instances. There are currently five active licenses issued for street vending in Glendale.

“There seems to be a double standard between rules for brick-and-mortar establishments and sidewalk vendors,” Councilmember Kassakhian said, questioning practices such as using a cooler for meat. “I’m okay with food pods like they have in Portland or the 626 night markets. What I am not fine with is the absolute chaos and bedlam of having vendors all over the city selling all sorts of things, whether it be produce out of the back of a pickup truck or taking up the street and not allowing free passage.”

Councilmember Najarian bemoaned the law.

“It’s a terrible law and it is written in a very detailed manner which gives cities very little room to maneuver,” he said. He expressed concern that the city’s “Sacramento lobbyists” failed to highlight the law as it was pending. “I don’t think we can take property – we’re limited to administrative remedies. Unless there is some legislation involved, I think we’re stuck.”

At the beginning of the Council’s evening meeting, Valley View Elementary School student Christopher Ratavousian was recognized and commended for placing second in the first round of the prestigious international music competition, Music Through the Centuries. Next July Ratavousian will go to France to compete in the next round of the competition.

On Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. the Glendale Police Dept. will share its annual report on the use of specialized equipment at a meeting in the Rick Reyes Community Room of the Glendale Police Station, 131 N. Isabel St.