By Julie BUTCHER

“This has been in the works for decades. I think we need to get it done, move forward, open it up to the community,” said Glendale City councilmember Vartan Gharpetian at Tuesday night’s meeting expressing his support for an expansive renovation of Rockhaven. 

The plan adopted by the council will renovate Pines Cottage for use as a museum and will allow for accessibility improvements including off-site parking, “a comprehensive effort to enhance the site’s historical and functional value,” senior project manager Arthur Asaturyan told the council.

As detailed in the staff report, “[T]he Rockhaven Sanitarium is a 3.4-acre site with 15 buildings located at 2713 Honolulu Avenue. The former women’s sanitarium was acquired in April 2008 and listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 2016. There have been three attempts since 2014 to partner with private entities to renovate the site. The last effort ended in January 2020 when Avalon Investments terminated their boutique hotel proposal. In June 2021, State Senator Anthony Portantino announced an $8,000,000 state grant to preserve Rockhaven and provide for a museum. The grant agreement was executed in March 2023. Per the agreement the project must be completed by March 1, 2026.”

The council authorized the execution of a construction contract with ARC Construction, Inc. in the amount of $6,730,025 plus a 10% contingency. The city anticipates saving approximately $400,000 by doing the landscaping work in-house, allowing for the enhanced involvement of the community. 

The balance of the state grant is $6,928,066. The option adopted by the council will require an expenditure of up to $304,730 from the city’s general fund.

Councilmember Dan Brotman summed up the decision facing the council: spend $440,000 for limited access or spend $340,000 more and open up most of the grounds to the public. 

Local Glendale critic Mike Mohill spoke in support of the expanded project noting that he opposed the project in 2009. 

“But I’ve come around,” Mohill said. “It’s a gem to have it, a tribute to the history of the Crescenta Valley.” 

He questioned the missed presence of Friends of Rockhaven president Joanna Linkchorst, saying, “She should be here.”

Reached for comment following the meeting, Linkchorst said, “We are excited to see things finally get underway. We still wish less was being changed in the Pines Cottage but look forward to a time when more people can see Rockhaven again. We hope that the property will be opened to the public by next May.”

Mayor Ara Najarian voted against the motion, expressing his concerns about the finances.

In anticipation of the closing of the Scholl Canyon Landfill, the council approved a pledge to fund the closure for at least 30 years as required by state law. Rather than come up with an immediate infusion of $9 million, the pledge of financial agreement allows the city to contribute to maintaining the fund over time.

The projected closure of the landfill is expected between December 2028 and April 2029.

Glendale Water and Power (GWP) announced a new customer portal, anticipated to be live on July 22. The utility expects some disruption during the transition and will be accepting phone payments. Customers will be required to reset their passwords and to re-enroll in autopay but will see enhancements in customer service. More details on the new “my GWP portal” are available at https://mygwp.glendaleca.gov/.

City Attorney Mike Garcia summarized the new rules affecting the conduct of council meetings over the past months: there will now be three periods of public comment. The first is for community events and will be limited to announcements of community events. The second is a period of open communications: up to 30 minutes near the beginning of the meeting for comments of up to three minutes about topics on or off the agenda, provided they relate to areas within the jurisdiction of the city council. If a person speaks on an agenda item, they cannot speak again when the agenda item comes up; if a person speaks on a non-agenda item, they cannot then speak during the second oral communications period at the end of the council meeting. The mayor may reduce the amount of time allowed each speaker.

Regarding council debate, councilmembers must confine their remarks to items under debate and avoid personal remarks. The councilmember who has the floor may not be interrupted except for a point of order. During the first round of comments, councilmembers may speak for up to five minutes and all councilmembers will be allowed to speak before a member is allowed to comment for a second time. Subsequent rounds of comments will be limited to three minutes with no limit on the number of rounds of comments. Time limits do not apply to council questions, Garcia concluded.

Fire Chief Jeff Brooks explained the purpose of an ordinance updating the city’s fire maps, adding 7,410 properties to the highest hazard designation, bringing that total to 16,383 parcels citywide. 

Fire hazard severity zone areas are identified by the state’s fire marshal as moderate, high and very high based on statewide criteria and the severity of the fire hazard expected in those areas. 

Approximately 63% of Glendale is included in the high and highest hazard severity zones. Property owners in the very high fire severity zones are subject to annual inspections and will receive notices for the abatement if brush clearance or other fire safety requirements are not met, in accordance with state and local fire prevention standards. 

Regarding upcoming community events, Shane Lee of Glendale YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) issued an invitation to the group’s monthly happy hour on Thursday, July 31 from 6 – 8 p.m. at Porto’s Bakery, 315 N. Brand Blvd. to “talk about how much we love density and want more apartments in Glendale, especially in single-family neighborhoods. Come hang out with some cool people.”

July was proclaimed Disability Awareness Month. One recipient of the city’s recognition reported on his work, saying “the special needs are to be recognized for one’s essence, craved more than health or empathy.”

Finally, the council acknowledged July as “Parks Make Life Better” month, celebrating Glendale’s 47 parks, 5,000-plus acres of open space and the role recreation plays in health, wellness and community connection. Residents are encouraged to enjoy Glendale’s outdoor spaces, programs and community services. The city’s parks department invites everyone to participate in a “sticker mission” to celebrate the month: https://www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/community-services-parks/recreation-programs/glendale-sticker-quest.

Mayor Najarian shared a reminder of the upcoming Cruise Night on Saturday, July 19 from 5:30 – 10:30 p.m. More than 300 classic and vintage cars and more than 40,000 participants are expected at the 30^th annual event along five blocks of Brand Boulevard “in the heart of Glendale.” (See https://www.glendalecruisenight.com/)

At a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the Glendale City Council reviewed updates to the portions of the city’s general plan and reviewed a new draft environmental justice element.

In California, all cities and counties must have a general plan, an overarching plan that serves as a blueprint for future growth and development. By law, the general plan must include seven mandatory elements: land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, noise and safety. Glendale’s general plan has 10 elements.

The city notes that the new draft environmental justice element “includes policies to reflect efforts to ensure that all community members, regardless of race, ethnicity or income, have equal access to an inclusive, safe and healthy environment, including clean air and water, parks and other essential resources. Such policies are closely tied to ongoing updates to other General Plan Elements, including the Land Use, Circulation, and Safety Elements, as well as other citywide plans like the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, Pedestrian Plan, and Bicycle Transportation Plan.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice as, “The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.”

The draft will be reviewed until its final adoption, sometime after the comment period concludes on Aug. 19. The city encourages input through any of the following methods: Complete the form at https://tinyurl.com/GlendalePlanComment; send comments by email to GlendalePlan@GlendaleCA.gov or mail comments to Long Range Planning Section, General Plan Comments, 633 E. Broadway, Room 103 Glendale, CA 91206. Comments must be submitted by Aug. 19.

The city’s full general plan, proposed updates and more information on the planning process can be found at https://www.glendaleplan.com/.

The Glendale council will meet next on Tuesday, July 29.