This N That & Eeew!

In previous articles, I promised to keep readers updated on certain parts of my personal and community lives. For example, like most people in the country at the new year, I resolved to get myself in better shape and drop a few pounds. I did lose 10 pounds right away by making better food choices, reducing portions and by increasing my activity level. It wasn’t hard to do but soon I found my momentum waning and backslid to old habits. To date, I have managed to keep nine of the 10 pounds from coming back but made little forward progress. I remain “well-rounded” for now.

In March, our first grandchild was born and we couldn’t be more delighted. She is healthy, sweet and loves to show off her newly acquired motor skills. Her parents are both proud and exhausted.

In July, I wrote that our homeowner policies were being non-renewed by our insurance company. We have found replacement policies for the vacation home and are working on coverage for the La Crescenta house. Recent inspections may change our status, but we continue to make repairs and clear brush to get ahead of problems.

A couple of years ago, I had eye surgery to replace the near-sighted lenses I was born with with artificial ones. Following the procedure, I could see very well and had 3D vision like never before. It was a big adjustment especially when walking downstairs or catching something mid-air.  I recently had a laser procedure to clear the cloudiness that developed on a lens since surgery. It left me with a gigantic floater that looks like a dark spider hanging in front of my face. I’ve been told this is a temporary situation, but I keep getting jump-scared every couple of minutes. But that is not the worst of it. The doctor explained that my long-term irritation in the other eye is being caused by an overabundance of mites. Say, what now? Ew! Apparently it is a common condition that is easily treated. I never heard of it.

On the community front, there have been a number of projects that have surfaced this summer. A long-dormant project that was approved back in 2021 has moved forward to the demolition stage. This is the property at 3037-3043 Foothill Blvd., across from the Shell gas station in unincorporated La Crescenta. The brick building and cottages behind it will be replaced by six separate buildings with commercial units and 46 market-rate condos.

Another project that is in its third design is 2817 Montrose Ave. The City of Glendale has approved the current version which will be 42 apartments. The Design Review Board will review the project today, Thursday, Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. Also on the hearing agenda is a four-story project at 2760 Hermosa with 12 units. The public can weigh in on both projects on matters of design.

The Western Prelacy (Baghdassarian) preschool has been approved by the City of Los Angeles for 4459 Lowell Ave. No hearing is planned for the Glendale portion of the project, which will include two very large, out-of-scale improvements to the church, a 420-sq. ft. altar and a 729-sq. ft. monument with new bathrooms, and a reconfigured parking lot with its entrance/exit just south of the Wells Fargo driveway. Somehow, the project has been designated as an “administrative exception.” The history of traffic and safety issues on Lowell Avenue is well-documented and the addition of another school will surely exacerbate the situation. Stay tuned to see if Glendale Public Works will approve the lighted crosswalk that the owners have requested for families to move back and forth between the two schools.

The five-story project at 3411-3437 Foothill Blvd. has been challenged by the Crescenta Highlands Neighborhood Association and the second appeal will be heard by the Glendale City Council sometime in September. This is the lot where Dollar King/Hi-Star Auto are currently located. Eighty-seven apartments are planned. CHNA contends the project will narrow fire evacuation routes, uncover soil contamination and breach an underground reservoir, causing specific adverse threats to public health and safety of residents.

Interested in learning more about these and other projects in the works? Contact crescentavalleycommunityassn@gmail.com.

Susan Bolan
susanbolan710@gmail.com