Compass Needed

What direction should the Glendale City Council take on a new view protection ordinance? The simple answer is, a positive direction for the homeowners and residents of Glendale seeking to preserve their neighborhoods.

The results of the View Protection study session at last Tuesday's council meeting exposed the complete lack of direction of the Glendale City Council. They conducted a study session that was like a rudderless ship drifting without direction. The Planning Department prepared a potpourri of ideas, problems, options, etc. and constantly asked for direction from the city council throughout their presentation. Even the city manager expressed confusion as to what the council really was looking for. It was revealed that the two Design Review Boards (DRBs) were also operating without direction from the City Council, the Planning Department, and the Planning Commission. The DRBs were created some fifteen years ago to control mansionization. It was learned that they don't even follow published city construction guidelines to insure compatibility of new and remodel projects to existing development within neighborhoods throughout Glendale.

Most disturbing was the lack of direction between themselves that the city council demonstrated before all the homeowners and residents who again appeared before them to begin in earnest, the development and passage of a View Protection Ordinance. The council members, excluding Councilman Quintero, continually expressed confusion and disagreement as to what view protection and compatibility really meant. The Glendale Homeowners Coordinating Council submitted a resolution supporting the Verdugo Woodlands West Homeowners Association in their effort to get a View Protection and Privacy Ordinance passed. This resolution was re-submitted last Tuesday evening. It clearly defines what the homeowners and residents of Glendale are requesting from their city government.

Unfortunately, the City Council's rudder dropped off early, and the direction that the study session took veered off from what all the homeowners and residents in attendance were hoping for. We all thought that the city council would keep with the spirit of their decision to move the View Protection Ordinance on a fast track at the January 30th council meeting. The Mayor's opening comments to the study session item was to notify us all that they process would not be fast, and considerable time would be required to get an ordinance approved. As the meeting progressed, the council members were disagreeing amongst themselves as they each tried to set a course for the floundering ship. Planning Department members were trying to help, the City Manager was trying to help, and those in attendance just stared at one another in utter disbelief of the completely unprofessional conduct of the city council members, and their apparent disdain for the requests made at the podium by homeowners and residents.

As we all anguished in our seats as to what was going on, the ultimate blow came during the comment period for the city councilmen. Councilman Yousefian immediately stated that he was entirely opposed to a moratorium, which we all asked for until an ordinance gets passed. He followed that with a warning to us all that if we were successful in getting a view protection ordinance passed, all the developers and property owners who want to ruin our city with mansions and over development, would be able to get sufficient signatures to get a referendum on the ballot for a city vote. Councilman Yousefian closed his remarks by saying that the homeowners would lose such an election, and that mansions would go up around the city like we have never seen before. The councilman's statements were made with such enthusiasm that we can only conclude that he will lead the effort to get the referendum on the ballot. If Councilman Yousefian was trying to take the wind out of our sails, he is sorely mistaken. Our ship's sails will have all the air needed to keep fighting for what we believe in, and that is to preserve the neighborhoods that we all cherish. The advantage our ship has, it does have a rudder.

Albert Hofmann

Resident of Glendale