Community Corner

Monrovia City Manager's Update - November 13, 2020

This update has been prepared to share with you everything that is taking place in Monrovia.

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Press Release Desk, News Partner

Press release from the City of Monrovia:

November 13, 2020

Hello Monrovians,

Find out what's happening in Monroviafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

This update has been prepared to share with you everything that is taking place in Monrovia. If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend!

Find out what's happening in Monroviafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Sincerely,
Dylan

Highlights in this Issue

  • Hillside Wilderness Preserve to Reopen on November 16
  • Relocation of the Monrovia Street Fair & Market - Effective Friday, November 20
  • Traffic Signal Timing Improvements in the Works for Gold Line Intersections
  • Water Quality Testing and Monitoring: PER and POLYFLUORALKY Substances
  • Monrovia Public Library Donates New Books to Foothill Unity Center
  • Monrovia Chamber of Commerce 55th Annual Community Prayer Breakfast
  • Office of the Assessor's 2020 Annual Report

Hillside Wilderness Preserve to Reopen on November 16

Following the Bobcat Fire, both Canyon Park and the Monrovia Hillside Wilderness Preserve were closed due to safety concerns. While Canyon Park will be closed for some time, we are happy to report that Monrovia’s 4.5 miles of trails in the Hillside Wilderness Preserve are now safe and accessible to the community.

Beginning, Monday, November 16, the access points to the Preserve will be open to the public daily from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. To learn more, please call 626-256-8246.

Relocation of the Monrovia Street Fair & Market - Effective Friday, November 20

Over the last several weeks, staff has been working with the Monrovia Old Town Advisory Board, Old Town business owners, and the Street Fair Operator – Raw Inspiration, related to the possible relocation of the Monrovia Street Fair & Market to the 500 block on Myrtle Avenue. Currently, the Street Fair is staged in the 700 and 800 blocks of Myrtle Avenue from Olive Avenue to Chestnut Avenue. This location has worked well; however, the proposed relocation to the north, could prove to be better for everyone. The City is currently closing Myrtle Avenue every Friday and Saturday nights for expanded outdoor dining. By extending the closure to the south one block to host the Street Fair, creates a continuity between the two programs and may generate more foot traffic for all businesses in Old Town. MOTAB reviewed the proposed relocation at its November 10 Board meeting, and approved the plan for a trial period through January 2021. At that time the Board will evaluated the move to determine how things are working for the community and Raw Inspiration. The relocation will go into effect on November 20, 2020.

Traffic Signal Timing Improvements in the Works for Gold Line Intersections

Recently, City staff has been engaged with the cities of Arcadia, Duarte, Pasadena, as well as LA County Public Works, Metro and Caltrans to study traffic signal improvements at intersections adjacent to the Metro L Line (formerly known as the Gold Line). The agencies are working to coordinate improvements in response to the complaints and concerns that they all have received related to the traffic signals along the railroad. In Monrovia, the intersections of Myrtle Avenue and Duarte Road, California Avenue and Duarte Road and Mountain Avenue and Duarte Road are set to receive software upgrades in the coming weeks. The enhanced software will enable more advanced traffic signal programming to improve traffic flow and congestion at these three intersections.

Beginning the week of November 16, City staff, LA County Public Works, Metro and Caltrans will be testing out the proposed traffic signal timing at these locations with the goal of having the improvements implemented at all three intersections by the end 2020. We will be sure to provide additional information in future updates. Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Public Works at (626) 932-5575 or PWcomments@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

Water Quality Testing and Monitoring: PER and POLYFLUORALKY Substances

In September 2020, the City of Monrovia received notice from the State of California to begin testing its water source for the presence of per and polyfluoralky substances. These substances, known as PFAS, are manmade chemicals that have been used in varying manufacturing processes across the United States and the world since the 1940s. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) cites that PFAS have been associated with certain health risks, including reproductive, development, and immunological concerns including low infant birthweight, increased cholesterol levels, and cancer.

Over the past several years, many states and water regulators across the Country have begun to require the testing and monitoring of PFAS. The testing for California water purveyors is required under Assembly Bill 756, approved in July 2019. The City was required to begin testing for these substances in October 2020.

The samples for the required tests were taken at each of the City’s water wells prior to the water reaching our water treatment system. The testing from October 2020 found the presence of PFAS in three (3) of the City’s five (5) active water wells. The State provides for varying levels of detection of these substances, ranging from No Detection, Notification Level, and Response Level. The samples that showed the presence of PFAS were all within the Notification Level, meaning that that Public Works Department, Utilities Division, is required to provide notice to the governing body (City Council) within thirty days. The samples were well below the Response Level, which is the highest level of PFAS concentration. If a sample were to be found in the response level, the City would be required to provide additional water treatment to alleviate the level of PFAS in our drinking water.

At this time, staff is working with technical consultants to develop a response plan to the presence of PFAS, including conceptual plans for future water treatment and other steps to maintain compliance with drinking water standards. As required by AB 756, the City will continue mandatory quarterly testing for PFAS and analyze the data to ensure the overall safety of our water system.

It is important to note that the City’s drinking water remains safe to use and consume. The water, which is sampled and tested weekly, continues to be compliant with all standards set forth by the Department of Drinking Water.

On Tuesday, November 17, staff and technical consultants will provide the City Council with an overview of the PFAS Testing Program. In addition, updated information is available on the City’s website. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact the Public Works Department at (626) 932-5575.

Monrovia Public Library Donates New Books to Foothill Unity Center

This year the library’s Summer Reading Program was postponed due to COVID-19, but we were able to hold an online Fall Reading Program in October with the theme “Read to Give!” Thanks to our amazing community members, who logged their reading throughout the month, we were able to donate 100 brand new books to the Foothill Unity Center for families in need. Foothill Unity Center provides services to those most in need.

Monrovia Chamber of Commerce 55th Annual Community Prayer Breakfast

The Monrovia Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend the 55th Annual Community Prayer Breakfast, on November 20, at 8 a.m. This year's event will be virtual and there is no cost to attend.

Office of the Assessor's 2020 Annual Report

The Office of the Assessor's 2020 Annual Report details the 2020 Assessment Roll, which reflected a 5.97% Countywide growth in assessed value of taxable property (pre-COVID-19). The Annual Report also shows city-by-city data for LA County's 88 cities, as well as countywide trends and resources for property owners.

City Tree Planting Program

The City of Monrovia maintains more than 8,500 city-owned trees and in 1987 was recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA in recognition of our commitment to tree stewardship. In recent years, the City has had to remove several tree due, primarily, to trees lost due to the drought and trees that were removed due to construction activity. In the spirit of our commitment to tree stewardship, staff committed to replacing the removed trees on a 2 for 1 basis in order to maintain and expand our urban forest.

This fall, we will be launching an initiative to begin replanting trees throughout the community. The plantings will take place in parkways and public spaces with a focus on replacing trees that were previously removed. While we are working off of our existing inventory and records, we are also using this as an opportunity to consider planting trees within parkways where one may not have previously existed.

If you are interested in a City tree being planted in the parkway in front of your residence or business, please fill out the interest form. The ability to plant a tree will be determined by the available space in the parkway, the presence of overhead or underground utilities, and a site review conducted by the City Arborist. The tree will be planted and maintained by the City at our expense, however, we do ask for the resident or business owner to provide for watering of the tree. We will review interest on a first come first served basis and the number of trees planted this year will be determined by the level of interest and available resources. The City will be planting trees on an annual basis and this list will serve as a basis for a planting plan. Trees will be planted as the budget and conditions allow so the list will be a continually managed list with the hopes of satisfying all requests as quickly as we can.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Jaden Louie at (626) 932-5584 or jlouie@ci.monrovia.ca.us or Daniel Lee at (626) 932-8216 or dlee@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

Monrovia Association of Fine Arts presents ChalksGiving

From November 26 to November 29, amateurs, families, students and professionals are encouraged to help spread art all over from the driveway or sidewalk of your home and compete for prizes! The theme of the event is “What We’re Thankful For” but artists can choose their own theme as long as it is family friendly.

For more information on the ChalksGiving and to register, visit the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts website.

Questions? Contact Christine Geltz at christine@monroviafinearts.org or (626) 483-0560.

Annual Tree Trimming to Continue

Last week, West Coast Arborists (WCA) began annual tree trimming activities. During this period, work efforts are focused in the area of the City between Mayflower Avenue and Myrtle Avenue from Foothill Boulevard to the South City Limit. It is anticipated that trimming work in this area will last approximately 4 weeks. Please be mindful of all parking restrictions, traffic control and construction signage in the work area as work is taking place.

Staff Working with Southern California Edison to Launch LED Retrofitting of Street Lights

Over the past several months, staff has been in discussion and coordination with Southern California Edison (SCE) related to a proposed LED Retrofit Project for Streetlights. SCE owns and maintains approximately 1,700 street lights throughout the City and is proposing to upgrade all of their existing high-pressure sodium lights to LED. LED bulbs use less energy and last significantly longer than the existing high pressure sodium bulbs. In addition, the LED light is a cleaner light that shines clearer with less glare, reducing light pollution along local streets.

Under the SCE Program, known as Option E, the City would enter into an agreement with SCE that funds the retrofit of the lights with an Energy Efficiency Premium Charge (EEPC) that would be added to the existing City street lighting bill. Being that the LEDs will utilize less energy, the reduced electricity costs would fund the EEPC and provide an estimated additional $14,000 per year in street lighting electrical cost savings.

The light generated by LED lamps looks different, and we believe the best way to understand the difference in lighting is to see it. This week, staff installed a sample of LED light fixtures along the 400 block of South Ivy Avenue, directly across from Monrovia City Hall. For those who are interested in viewing the LED light fixtures, signage has been placed along the block to identify the sample LED light fixtures.

Staff anticipates presenting the program to the City Council for discussion and feedback at the City Council Meeting on November 17. During this time, the City Council may direct staff to prepare an agreement with SCE to be approved at a future Council Meeting, and should this agreement with SCE be approved, it is anticipated that work could begin on this project as early as February 2021. If you have any questions or concerns about this proposed project, please contact Chris Castruita at (626) 256-8224 or ccastruita@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

Report Bulky Items around Town and Be Entered to Win a Gift Card

Have you seen bulky items around town? If you report them into Public Works, you will be entered into a raffle and could win a $50 gift card to a Monrovia Business! If you are out and about around town and see furniture, boxes, or other items in the Right of Way (not on Private Property), please report them to Public Works. In turn, Athens Services will pick these items up within about 48 hours.

How to Report Bulky Items:

Raffle tickets will be pulled each Thursday and the winners will be notified by Public Works Staff. The winner for this week’s drawing is…Jorge Bosch! Since June 4, we have received 2,322 reports for abandoned bulky items! Thank you for reporting these items!

COVID-19 At a Glance

Latest Facts & Figures

Residential / Non-Residential Settings in Monrovia

  • Sierra Auto Cars, Inc. - 5 staff cases

Facilities that have no reported positive COVID-19 cases for 14 days are considered to no longer have an outbreak and removed from the list. Confirmed cases of employees from residential/non-residential settings get counted under their home city.

Additional details on cases and deaths were not provided by the County of Los Angeles. View the Public Health Statement Regarding COVID-19 and Patient Privacy.

Stay Informed

Monrovia Renewal Construction Updates

Work is underway in the Northeast Section of the Monrovia Renewal project. This represents the final section of work for Monrovia Renewal, which is the largest public works project in City history! The Northeast project section includes the area of the City that is bound by the City limit to the east, Myrtle Avenue to the west, Greystone Avenue and Hillcrest Boulevard to the north, Colorado Boulevard and Royal Oaks to the south.

  • Phase 1: May - September
  • Phase 2: July - September
  • Phase 3: September - November
  • Phase 4: October - December

We appreciate your patience and support while we work to execute these improvements throughout our community! Should you have any questions, please call the Public Works at (626) 932-5575 or email monroviarenewal@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

For the week of November 16, work will include:

  • Concrete restoration on the following streets:
    • Streets South of Greystone: Poinsettia Avenue, Grand Avenue, Aspen Drive, Pearl Avenue, Sierra Vista Avenue, Heliotrope Avenue, Poppy Avenue, Shamrock Avenue, Mountain View Avenue, Poppy Avenue, Valley View Avenue, Ocean View Avenue, and Madeline Drive.
  • Saw cutting, concrete removals, and root pruning will take place on the following streets:
    • Madison Avenue, Encinitas Avenue, Canyon Boulevard, Kirkwood Lane, Beechworth Avenue, Hill Street, Pine Tree, Ivy Avenue, and Greystone Avenue

We appreciate your patience and support while we work to execute these improvements throughout the community! If you have any questions regarding Monrovia Renewal, please feel free to contact Public Works at (626) 932-5575 or monroviarenewal@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

Monrovia Strong

The Monrovia Strong webpage was created to share with the community different resources to help you and your family get through these challenging times.

Visit Monrovia Strongto explore the many activities and resources. We're in this together, Monrovia!

Development Spotlight

Several significant projects are working their way through the review process and stages of construction here at the City. Among these are the Adaptive Reuse of the Monrovia Market Building (approved on Oct. 1), the Overton Moore Pacific Self Storage Project in the former Verizon Building in Old Town (approved on Nov. 19), 127 Pomona Multi-Family Development with 310 units at Station Square (approved on Jan. 21), the Alexan Multi-Family Development with 436 units at Station Square (approved on Feb. 4), and the Arroyo at Monrovia Station Multi-Family Development with 302 units (Planning Commission approved on Feb. 12). For more details, visit the Development Spotlight or Building Monrovia webpages.

Key Dates, Programs & Virtual Events

Job Opportunities with the City of Monrovia

  • Budget / Finance Administrator
  • Recreation Specialist
  • Office Aide
  • Police Officer (Lateral)

The City of Monrovia offers interested individuals a chance to keep themselves notified on our job openings through the job interest card. This card will help interested individuals receive notifications about positions that open within the city without having to continuously log on to view our employment opportunities page.

Neighborhood Watch Report

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 298 service events, resulting in 55 investigations. View the Neighborhood Watch Report.

This press release was produced by the City of Monrovia. The views expressed are the author's own.

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