The first Crescenta Valley Community Association meeting of 2018 was lightly attended. We were expecting some of those who have been commenting on social media about the Welcome to Glendale monument signs to attend but only one newcomer came. Glendale has added a Facts vs. Rumors entry to its website regarding the project, http://www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/management-services/communications-community-relations/rumor-page.

Tom Lorenz, Glendale’s director of Communications & Community Relations, attended our meeting and answered questions. He confirmed that certified traffic engineers approved the design prior to installation. He explained the contractor failures detailed in the Facts vs. Rumors page noted above and reiterated the city’s plan to get the signs properly installed as soon as possible per the original specifications. He also mentioned that the city may consider adding neighborhood identification and maybe some landscaping as had been originally requested.

Speeding on Foothill Boulevard has been a problem for a long time, at least 70 years as evidenced by an 1948 article reprinted in this month’s Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley newsletter. Authorities and residents have been trying to find solutions to save lives for all that time, yet we still have collisions. A makeshift memorial still stands at New York and Foothill from the most recent tragic death. The blue retaining wall on the northwest corner of Boston and Foothill has been damaged once again. My personal hope is the monument signs, in addition to beautifying the boulevard and bringing more customers to Foothill businesses, will help people drive no faster than the speed limit.

Additional bollards have been installed along the southern edge of the Foothill and Pennsylvania Wells Fargo bank parking lot, making the backyards of Mary Ann Street safer. The city’s sign for the planning hearing officer meeting back in June of 2017 has been removed. This longstanding issue has been resolved with a compromise that shouldn’t have been so long in the making.

Discussion of the Grayson Power Plant issue is scheduled for the Feb. 6 Glendale City Council meeting. The aging facility is reaching the end of its life span and the city must provide reliable energy while meeting air quality standards. The city’s plan is detailed at http://graysonrepowering.com/#.

Critics of the plan point out it has taken several years to prepare environmental documents and clean energy technologies are rapidly improving. Area residents, including a group called Glendale Environmental Coalition, https://actionnetwork.org/groups/glendale-environmental-coalition, have been lobbying the council to find a more sustainable solution than fossil fuel energy generation. Councilmember Zareh Sinanyan requested a halt of the current process to look at less polluting alternatives. Around 200 residents and stakeholders came to the Jan. 23 council meeting to express their concerns. If you want to get a better understanding, please review the video of that meeting.

Now is the time for those with expertise and interest to step up to help find the best power generation and storage methods to achieve reliable, safe power with the least negative environmental impact.

Matt Gangi provided an update on the Rockhaven negotiations with the city. The Gangi company has investigated the utilities and found that electric and gas lines throughout the campus need replacement. Some of the roofs need replacement and the need to preserve the historic tiles adds greatly to the anticipated cost. He shared preliminary plans for the ADA-compliant access routes to the buildings illustrating how a historic park with commercial and non-profit occupants of the buildings could be developed. Unfortunately locating funding remains difficult. See friendsofrockhaven.org for how you can help.

Tonight, Thursday, Feb. 1 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. is the final Glendale Public Art Master Plan community presentation at the Downtown Central Library Auditorium, 201 E. Colorado St. Free and open to all. Light refreshments will be provided. Free parking validation provided for the Marketplace Parking Structure (120 S Maryland Ave.). Help the city spend the $6 million and growing Urban Art Fund generated by the development in the city over the past few years! You don’t need to be a Glendale resident; input from neighbors is welcome. More info: http://www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/library-arts-culture/glendale-public-art-master-plan.

The next Crescenta Valley Community Association meeting will be Feb. 22 starting at 7 p.m. in the community room at the La Crescenta Library, 2809 Foothill Blvd.

  SHARON WEISMAN