Are Your In Favor Of The Driving Range Extension?

The city has sent out a Public Hearing Notice regarding city council consideration of a new lease with Donovan Bros. for operation of the .

The public hearing is to take place on April 18, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., "or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard in the at 1424 Mission Street, South Pasadena."  

Last year, as the golf course lease was set to expire, Donovan Brothers refused to sign a new lease without an agreement to expand the driving range. Other capital improvements to the facility also required environmental review before action could be taken.

In particular, replacement of an old sewer system that included a septic tank and leach field had to be included. Because a new lease could not be signed, Donovan Bros. entered a temporary agreement with the city to manage the facility and have been doing this since the end of June 2011. 

This delay, to the benefit of South Pasadena, gave the city a chance to see the financials associated with running the golf course, numbers which had never been available before. Interestingly, during the City Council meeting of November 2, 2011, Sheila Pautsch, Community Services Director, noted that the city received $98,000 for operation of the golf course during a three-month period, as compared with $40,000 that it was receiving from their lease agreement with Lohman.

It is important to reconsider the entire lease agreement now that these numbers are known.

Returning to the environmental review, the draft, all 160-pages of it, can be found on the city website. On pages 3 and 4, the driving range extension portion of the project is summarized:

The project applicant is proposing a 0.59-acre expansion of the existing 4.56-acre driving range at the Arroyo Seco Golf Course. The current driving range is irregular in shape, and is approximately 660 feet (220 yards) in length and 300 feet (100 yards) in width (refer to Figure 2, Project Site). The proposed expansion would extend the length of the existing driving range by approximately 97 feet (32 yards) to the west. The golf course property (which is not included as part of the land leased by the City) extends an additional 39 (13 yards) feet to the west beyond the proposed expansion area's western limits. This area will remain undeveloped and the existing chain link fence will remain in place. Currently, a protective screen is located along the northern, southern and western boundaries of the existing golf course driving range. This screen is supported by poles approximately 40 to 50 feet in height. As proposed, the project would include screening the boundaries of the expansion area, as well as replacing the screening along the northern and southern boundaries of the existing driving range. The screening at the western boundary of the existing driving range would be removed. The new screening would be supported by poles approximately 75 feet in height. 

The proposed project would involve the removal of 16 trees within the expansion area, of which 12 are considered mature… Prior to removal of any tress a "Tree Removal Permit" would be obtained, consistent with South Pasadena Municipal Code (Chapter 34 Trees and Shrubs). The ordinance does not have a specific or numerically defined replacement policy on trees removed as a result of development or construction. Tree replacement criteria are discussed within the Private Property Tree Removal/Replacement Permit Application (City of South Pasadena, Public Works Department, Engineering Department) and the City of South Pasadena Guide to the City's Tree Ordinance... 

The CEQA findings (p. 12)  were:

 X - I find that although the proposed project could not have a significant effect on the environment, there will not be a significant effect in this case because the mitigation measures described on an attached sheet have been added to the project. A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared. 

According to the city:

Copies of all relevant materials, including the project specifications, and the MND, are on file at these locations:

• City of South Pasadena City Hall, Planning and Building Department (first floor), City Clerk's Office (second floor) located at 1414 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030, hours are from 7:30a.m. to 5:00p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 7:30a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday.

• City of South Pasadena Library, Reference Desk, 1100 Oxley Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030, hours are from Monday- Wednesday 11:00 a.m. - 9:00p.m., Thursday & Friday 10:00 a.m.-6:00p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:00p.m., and Sunday 1:00 p.m.-5:00p.m.

• City of South Pasadena Website http://www.ci.south-pasadena.ca.us/whatsnew/index.html If you have any questions regarding the MND, please contact Senior Planner, John Mayer, at (626) 403-7220, or via e-mail at jmaver@ci.south-pasadena.ca.us.

Have a read, and let your city councilmembers know what you think! Share your thoughts in comments below, too. 

The Next Nature Park Cleanup

On a happier note, South Pas Girl Scout Troop 1371 has been working in the on their Silver Award, and are just finishing up.

They created an interpretive sign for the kiosk on Pasadena Avenue (a temporary sign is in place until the permanent one is completed), brochures and an attractive brochure holder, and plant identification signs in the park. They also participated in the MLK Service Day Planting Party in January. They have worked very hard and have done a truly amazing job. Hats off to Troop 1371!

The next park cleanup with be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 21. E-mail me, barbara.eisenstein@gmail.com, if you would like to receive email reminders in the future.