Art on MonteCedro Property Ruled Violation by County Officials

Hundreds of paintings done by local school kids and seniors that are hanging on a vacant property on North  El Molino Avenue have been ruled as a violation of a county ordinance that forbids banners on commercial and residential property.

The vacant lot, which formerly housed the William A. Scripps Home for Aged People,  is slated to one day hold the more modern senior development called MonteCedro, which has been opposed by some in the community.

County officials  about the art from a local resident last month, and this week a permit officer was dispatched to inspect the property.  He found the property to be in violation of county code, according to Oscar Gomez, of the County Regional Planning Department.

The banners will now have to be removed within 30 days of the ruling, which was issued this week, Gomez said.

The complaint was received just days after an  where the banners were hung and the public was invited to view them.

Martha Tamburrano, the president of Episcopal Home Communities, the company working on the MonteCedro development, said the group has not figured out how to respond to the notice that they are in violation.

She said the company will "not remain in violation of county ordinance," and will have to decide if there is any way to get into code compliance other than removing the banners.

Some people in the area have voiced general opposition to the MonteCedro project because of its size and scope. 

There have also been concerns over the relocation of seniors who lived at the former home, and concerns that the new development will not have enough low-income units to make it affordable to Altadena seniors. 

The Scripps home was closed in 2007 and the new retirement home is scheduled to break ground in 2012.