Solicitor in The Meadows

This morning, a 20-something, Caucasian, blond-haired guy showed up at my front door soliciting me for a contest to send him to UCLA. He claimed to be the son of a renter on Hollygrove. When I asked him where he lived, he gave me bogus information about Hollygrove. (Little did he know that as a Realtor I pretty much know all the houses in our neighborhood!)

When I asked him to leave my property, he became indignant and called me rude!

I called the sheriffs who stated they had another call about him yesterday. They were going to head into the neighborhood as we spoke.

Soliciting is not allowed in Altadena and these UCLA contests are a scam to get money.

His description: approximately 5'9", 20-something, bleach-blonde longish hair, wearing a blue t-shirt and blue jeans, carrying a skateboard.

Owen Brown Gravesite Monument

Save the Altadena Trails (STAT) has acquired the right to create an appropriate monument to Owen Brown on the top of Little Round Top. A committee will be formed to consider the options and come up with a plan. Input and visions of a memorial are welcomed.

STAT has also been granted the right to create a safe trail up to the top of Little Round Top from the Fire Road. If you can volunteer as a trail builder, please let us know.

STAT can be contacted at:
P.O. Box 6322
Altadena, CA 91101-6322
savethetrails@sbcglobal.net

Hike to Little Round Top - January 14

The organization, Save the Altadena Trails (STAT), will again host a hike to Little Round Top to honor the memory of Martin Luther King and Owen Brown and celebrate their 2006 victories.

They will lead a hike to Little Round Top, the burial site of Owen Brown, Sunday, January 14, starting at 1:00 pm. Michele Zack and others will give brief talks about the history and significance of this site.

Cars may park at the trail head on El Prieto Road and on the paved portion on Risinghill Road. Please do not drive beyond the cul de sac of Risinghill as parking is not available at the top which is private property.

Last Night's Neighborhood Meeting

We had a nice turnout for our first 2007 Meadows neighborhood meeting that is now the first Tuesday of every month, 7:00 p.m., at 4416 El Prieto Rd.

Items of discussion:

• The sighting of the mountain lions in the backyard of a Canyon Crest home. (See previous post.)
• A discussion of the break-ins in the neighborhood in November and December. The meeting attendees felt it might be someone in or very familiar with our neighborhood. Everyone is encouraged to keep a close watch on any suspicious activity and to not hesitate calling the sheriffs.
• A neighbor on Aralia stated that his house had been "egged" as recently as last month.
• A reminder that upkeep of the Meadows sign costs money. (Please see previous post.)
• We'll discontinue advertising in The Meadows Newsletter as it is not generating any funds to help defray costs of the Meadows sign garden. All are encouraged to donate funds through Linda.
• Ann Dougherty, a Meadows neighbor on lower Canyon Crest and Boardmember for San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity, told everyone about the Habitat for Humanity used building materials store located at 770 N. Fair Oaks. It's a great place to purchase and donate unused or used building materials. Proceeds from the store help fund local projects. It's open Tuesday through Saturday from 9-5.
• An update on The Meadows Firesafe Council's progress in assessing trees and vegetation at each home in The Meadows. We've assessed approximately 70 so far.
• J. Lopex, from L.A. County Fire Department, talked about the efforts that are being made with CA FairPlan Insurance. Please see separate post for more information.
• Jane, from Save the Altadena Trails, told the group about the upcoming walk to Brown Mountain. Please see separate post.

Next meeting is Tuesday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m. See you there.

Current Real Estate in and Near The Meadows

The real estate market has been moving through its normal seasonal slowndown. It will be interesting to see if the market picks up as it normally does in mid-January. All indications are good that it will as employment, stock market, and CA economy are in good shape.

Also, Altadena continues to gain double-digit appreciation, year-over-year. The latest numbers were for November 2006. Compared to November 2005, Altadena saw a 14.6% appreciation with the average median home price at $703,000. That's up from $616,000 in January 2006. Amazing progress!

It's my belief that much of this appreciation is being driven by the affordability of West Altadena and that many folks are discovering the beauty of our community.

Here's a current list of available properties available in and near The Meadows. These are not listed by me or my broker. I offer this as information only.

If you or your friends or family are interested in seeing any of these homes, please contact me and I'd be happy to take them on a tour! (Greg Stanton, Dilbeck Realtors. 626-431-2205 or greg.stanton@dilbeck.com)

• 4455 Risinghill Road. Custom remodeled interior updated for the modern lifestyle. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, integrated interior/exterior audio system. 1640 sq. ft. (per flyer), 6300 sq. ft. lot (per flyer). Offered at $789,000.
• 4219 Aralia Road. A three bedroom, 2 bath, 1649 sq. ft. home on a 8250 sq. ft. lot. Offered at $659,000

And a little further down the road:

• 3369 Canyon Crest Road. Major improvements underway for this 4 bedroom, 3 bath home. 2653 sq. ft. (per assessor) on a 22,220 sq. ft. lot (per assessor). Offered at $975,000.
• 3181-3197 Lincoln Ave. Being sold for land value only and currently zoned as a triplex. 29,538 sq. ft. lot offered for $700,000.

This information was provided through the Itech Multiple Listing Service.
It has not been independently verified by the agent and does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage,
lot size or boundary lines provided by the seller or obtained from public records or other sources. Buyer is advised to independently
verify the accuracy of this information through personal inspection with appropriate professionals.
If your home is presently listed, this is not a solicitation of that listing.

Meadows Sign Garden Upkeep

The beautiful plants and flowers around the Welcome to the Meadows sign have been tended by a resident's gardener. (Anyone who wishes to volunteer on the upkeep is welcome and it would be greatly appreciated.)

The advertising dollars from the newsletter along with generous donations from neighbors has helped pay the water bills and maintenance. Our advertising revenues have been meager as of late and we owe money to the homeowner who has graciously kept the gardens in fine form.

So, if you'd like to make a donation to help with the upkeep or have any ideas about raising funds, we'd love to hear them.

First 2007 Neighborhood Meeting

As a reminder, our first neighborhood meeting of 2007 is Tuesday, January 2, 7:00 p.m. at 4416 El Prieto Road. Lots to talk about:

• Mountain lions
• Recent break-ins
• The Meadows Sign garden
• Advertising
• Meadows FireSafe Council Update
• and any other subjects

Lion in Winter

A resident in the 4300 block of Canyon Crest reported this morning that two mountain lions were sunning in his backyard! They spent approximately two hours there before heading back into the canyon.

Be sure to keep an eye on your pets!

Another Break-In and Auto Theft

Altadena - The Meadows:

Another break-in occurred at a home on El Prieto on Thursday, December 21 in the morning. Cash, jewelry and gift cards were stolen along with the house being “trashed”

Also, a car theft was reported today here in The Meadows, Saturday, December 23, 2006.

Time for all of us to be diligent in watching the neighborhood. Please call the sheriffs if you see anything suspicious.

Check-cashing Store a No-Go

A flurry of emails was received by our Town Councilman, Dennis Bridwell, regarding the possible opening of a check-cashing store at Altadena and Lincoln. The concern was that Altadena has experienced a higher crime rate at locations where check-cashing and liquor stores are close in proximity.

Bridwell spoke with the property owner’s leasing representative who promised that NO check cashing store is on the slate or even being considered for the location. The owner has authorized him to meet with Bridwell to begin reviewing the project and open discussions of options for tenants for the new building. The owner stated that she has felt harassed by certain members of the community but wants to bring quality tenants to the area and its residents.

Bridwell is asking that the West Altadena community trust that he has our best interest at heart and will work diligently to acquire the best tenants for our neighborhood. He is open to suggestions any of us may have for tenants. Please understand that the owner of the property is under no obligation to the community or to the County to abide by our wishes. She has passed the County's required standards for her building. Now it is a matter of friendly and open negotiations as to what we can achieve on that corner. Feel free to contact Bridwell at dennis.bridwell@altadenatowncouncil.org.

Meadows FireSafe Council Update

The Meadows, Altadena - Thirty-nine homes in the Meadows have been assessed for fire hazards as of December 19, and schedules are being prepared for further assessments to be made by J. Lopez of the L. A. County Fire Department, Forestry Division, accompanied by a member of the FireSafe Council. These assessments provide property owners with suggestions for abating fire hazards, the implementation of which might be covered, at least in part, by grants received by the FireSafe Council. The project is expected to be completed by January 31.

As of December 18, 65 postcards for indicating interest had been returned. In addition, some homes on El Prieto Road had been scheduled for assessment prior to the mailing to individual landowners.

An application for registration of the local FireSafe Council as a non-profit organization has been filed.

Quotes for insurance covering the grant and council members performing tasks relating to it have been obtained.

Progress on the Council’s Action Plan, as well as the mechanics of record-keeping, were discussed at the December meeting.

County Public Works, Lincoln Avenue Water Company and So Cal Edison are to be contacted regarding their areas of responsibility in the matter of brush clearance.

Mr. Lopez is scheduled to attend a meeting to discuss recent clearance requirements being implemented by the California Fair Plan that are not consistent with objectives of other statewide agencies.

FireSafe activities can enhance property values and hopefully decrease insurance premiums. Wendy VanDeWater stated that she has acquired home insurance from a firm other than the California Fair Plan. Anyone with similar experience is asked to call her at (626) 798-2149 to share their experience, so that others currently on the expensive Fair Plan can learn of alternate insurance providers that offer insurance at better rates..

Forest Access Upheld by Court

From the Star News, December 22, 2006

Altadena - The public's right to access the Angeles National Forest and the Own Brown gravesite using El Prieto Road was affirmed Wednesday by the California State Court of Appeals.

The appeals court upheld the ruling of a 2002 lawsuit brought by Save the Altadena Trails that sought to remove a gate that homeowners had erected to block the long-used roadway, which is on private property.

In July 2004, the court concluded that the public had a historical right to access the grave sight and the national forest using the road. It granted an easement for publich right-of-way and recreational purposes.

The defendants appealed the decision in June 2005, but the appeals court ruled Wednesday that the evidence amply supported the judgement.

El Prieto Trail

I was searching for a Winter scene picture of The Meadows to post to this blog. Something snowy, festive, etc. Well, my search didn't uncover much since we've been having mild, but chilly mornings.

So here's a picture of El Prieto Trail that was on the web. It's where I walk my dog, Boo, almost every day. A great reminder that we live in a wonderful environment.

Happy Holidays to all,
Greg

Sheriffs in The Meadows

Sheriffs were called to a home on Canyon Crest this past week. Seems the owner called to report an unwanted former tenant was at the property. When sheriffs arrived, the former tenant, who is on probation for drug-related offenses, had already left the property.

The owner was asked to continue cleaning up his property as it violated county codes regarding abandoned vehicles.

Check-cashing Business at Lincoln and Altadena

From the Star News, December 20, 2006

An article titled "Residents up in arms over check-cashing business" talks about the proposed check-cashing business that will be one of the tenants at the now under-construction retail and office space at the corner of Lincoln Ave and Altadena Drive.

A flurry of emails described it as "the kiss of death to any quality we expect," a lure of crime and blight and a dangerous legacy to the area's children.

The issue is that it will be located across the street from George's Liquor and that the combination of a liquor store and check-cashing business has driven up crime for similar combinations in Altadena.

Our own Meadows resident and Altadena Towncouncilperson, Dennis Bridwell, is quoted in the article and stated that he is confident that the owners could be convinced that the check-cashing business would not be a good investment.

One owner, Elizabeth Szkiba, was quoted by Towncouncilperson Michele Zack, as saying, "I've invested a lot of money, and when you people are paying my bills, then maybe I'll listen to your advice."

I'll post more news as it becomes available.

Fire Safe Update

The FireSafe Council will meet tonight, Monday, December 18th. We'll be reviewing the project plan and updates of our assessment.

So far, almost 60 homes have been assessed. We appreciate the response from the neighborhood and encourage all to return the postcards that were mailed at the beginning of the month.

Loma Alta Gym Update

The Loma Alta Gym is open and in full swing. Open basketball court time during the week is from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm then again from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The rest of the time is for leagues. Also, the computer room should be up and running in the next few weeks. They are just waiting on the computers to be installed.

Lincoln Corridor Update

The Farm Fresh Market will be opening without fan fair hopefully the week of November 27. The Grand Opening will be on December 16th.

ATC Update for December

Altadena Town Council (ATC) Land Use committee received the Proposed Hillside Ordinance from the Altadena Community Standards District, prepared by the Hillside Ordinance Committee. This ordinance deals with building in the Altadena foothills. It has been modeled after the Santa Monica Foothills model and works to preserve the surrounding foothills. The Altadena Land Use Committee meets the 1st Tuesday of every month and the public is encouraged to attend.

FireSafe December Meeting Review

An update from the December Meadows FireSafe Council Meeting:

An action plan for the preparatory phase of the Meadows’ fuel-reduction project was outlined by Greg Stanton and discussed at a meeting of the Fire Safe Council on December 21. The project’s purpose is to protect the Altadena Meadows as much as possible in the event of a brush fire, by reducing fuel in the vicinity of, and within, the Meadows Subdivision.

Each property owner in the Meadows will soon be receiving a letter inviting them to participate in an assessment program to determine which vegetation poses a danger in the event of a fire. Recommendations will be made to the property owners about which trees and/or other vegetation ought to be removed or trimmed. The final decision about action to be taken, however, rests with the property owner. Grant funds may be available to help them follow the recommendations.

The assessment will be conducted by J. Lopez of the L. A. County Fire Department, Forestry Division, accompanied by a member of the Fire Safe Council. It will take approximately 30 minutes for each parcel. It should not be confused with the inspection that is conducted annually by the Forest Service. Such inspections will continue, and property owners will be required, as usual, to mitigate fire danger according to their instructions.

The Meadows Fuel-Reduction Project is being funded by a grant received from the California State Fire Safe Council in the amount of $80,000. The first demand on these funds will be for goats and manual crews to clear brush on the hillsides in the immediate vicinity of the Meadows.

The Fire Safe Council meets on the third Tuesday every month.