As we move into the fall season, the Crescenta Valley Town Council is hard at work in the community.

We are proud to announce that our annual pancake breakfast will be held this Saturday, Oct. 14 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at St. Luke’s of the Mountains church located at the corner of Rosemont Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. This is a great opportunity for the community to gather at a very special local landmark. Tickets are $11 and all proceeds go towards the CVTC youth scholarship and outreach efforts. All tickets are sold at the door.

As a way of showing our support and appreciation, we invite all first responders to eat for free. This year, our brave law enforcement officers, firefighters and medical personnel have been there for the community and we look forward to building this partnership.

As many are aware, the La Crescenta Motel property located at the corner of Foothill and Briggs Avenue is in the early application phase for the construction of a five-story apartment building. Through building a certain number of affordable housing units, the developer has obtained waivers that allow for reduced parking, the ability to exceed the height limit and for reduced landscaping and ground floor transparency. These waivers are mandated by the State of California and leave very little discretion to the local building departments (in this case, Los Angeles County Planning).

Last week at its monthly meeting the CVTC Land Use Committee hosted a representative for the developer as well as the project architect. About 50 residents attended and many voiced concerns about the project. Also in attendance was LA County Planning and representatives from the county supervisor. Major concerns voiced by residents included the height, project design and safety concerns related to the proposed driveway location on Briggs.

CVTC and the Land Use Committee are reviewing the facts from the presentation and resident concerns voiced at the meeting. Members are also in contact with the developer and LA County Planning. Since this project is “by right” (meaning the owner has the right to build what s/he is proposing), venues for addressing all concerns are limited. However, we will do our very best to ensure that the community has a voice in the matter.

There has been significant concern among residents regarding a proposed “holistic detox and wellness center” slated to open on Frances Avenue in La Crescenta.

The CVTC will be host a community forum on Nov. 1 at 5:30 p.m. in the La Crescenta Library Community Room, 2809 Foothill Blvd. We have invited a representative from U Matter Luxury Resort and s/he has confirmed that s/he will attend. There will also be a representative from the Los Angeles County departments that regulate such facilities (Planning, Health and Building and Safety). We encourage all interested residents to attend.

The next CVTC general election will be held on Nov. 10 and Nov. 11. Up for election will be three regular positions (each for a three-year term) and three alternate positions (each for a one-year term). Information regarding the candidates and voting location as well as absentee ballots will be available on the CVTC website (https://thecvcouncil.com/) and social media. We encourage everyone to participate.

With the school year underway, safe driving has never been more important. Please remember to slow down and obey all rules of the road. The life you save might be yours or that of your neighbor or a child.

Our next general meeting will be held on Oct. 19 at the La Crescenta Library. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

Chris Kilpatrick, President
CV Town Council