The Planning Commission meets tonight and the Watt project is on the agenda. The Watt Project ? Yes, indeed, that carefully sloped gravel pit was supposed to be only a temporary addition to our bustling downtown. So if you have an opinion about what should be done with our pit, please show up tonight (Wed 11/12) @ 7PM in the Council Chambers to express yourself. Also please write the Council Members and mayor-elect to let them in on the fun.
Several proposals about turning the space into a public park have been offered up. I'm not in the loop, but I've heard Watt doesn't want to put any money into and the city doesn't want to provide any insurance to cover it as a public space. If Pomona really has turned a corner for the better, perhaps this impasse will be remembered as another one of those moments when the city's residents finally spoke up to change Pomona. Who's to blame if we sit in silence?! I for one, would really like to know how much insurance would cost to cover that small parcel, considering the Thomas Street Plaza is right next to it. Anyone thinking Council Members might want to use some of their discretionary funds? Just a thought.Other News:
Larry of Metro Pomona broke the news that the Holiday Parade is cancelled for this year. Has my head been in the sand and I'm the last to know, or are many of you also a bit befuddled by this info? While you're writing an email to your elected representatives about the Watt project, would you mind including a few words about the Holiday Parade. In future years, if you'd like to see it make its way down 2nd
street then please make a comment on that as well. In all fairness to David Allen, do we really want to leave him with the legacy of being the Grand Marshall who killed the parade (just kidding folks!!!! Btw, he did a great piece on the Fox and preservation).Pictures came from MetroPomona and Pomona Valley Historical Society and Pomona Public Library.
25 comments:
well...the parade thing bugs me- the stretch between caswell and east end was never a pretty one.
i used to be in parades all the time, in all kinds of cities and pomona's always seemed so dim.
even montebello, bellflower, and san gabriel had better routes.
-as for the watt project- we should make it pomona's tent city; that'll push them to figure something else out.
There was no meeting about the lots on 2nd. st.:^(
Sorry, twice I posted, read what I'd posted, and realized it had mistakes. Very inconvenient that you can't edit your comments.
What I was saying is that Ren got it right. I was in a meeting with most of the senior planning staff and was informed that the planning commission meeting had been canceled. I'm sure that they will take up the issues on the agenda when they next meet on Nov. 26.
Beside the Watt project, the Black Knightz Motorcycle Club is asking for a CUP for a meeting hall at 273 S. Park. That appears to be the building next to the Fish Market at Park and 3rd. Very interesting.
wish i could have made the meeting. but i was at other meetings on campus
The agenda was still on the website as of this morning. According to the agenda, the next scheduled meeting isn't until 12/10.
The motocycle club use to be on Holt near White,then they moved between 2nd and 3rd. on Park next door to the fish market.
Hmmm, they must have decided not to have their second meeting in November. So I guess it's wait until Dec. 12. Nice way to get to spend our holidays.
So Black Knightz are using the facility currently without a CUP? Sounds like what happens in our city. People skirt the rules until they're caught. I wonder if it will be like HPC meetings and they'll claim illness (that one's for you Meg).
I took a picture which is on my blog. this guy working on the glass house he told me they were going to paint a mural then last night at city hall I just found out the glass house didn`t have permission to do that city said stop.
Why do you need to get a permit to paint a mural on a private building? I'm not being critical, just curious.
The City requires all to comply with sign ordinances and "Public Art Ordinances"
The City has a "public art ordinance"?.....I would love to read that, anybody got a link? Tried going to city website, but no success?
I can't find it. I didn't know the city had a shopping cart ordinance.
Historic he said
oh heres the guys name Brad Johson Planning Manger
Brad indicated a property owner could not paint the exterior of his property in a manner he chooses due to the Historic preservation ordinance?
that next meeting is in my calendar now. It sounds like it's a historic district ordinance and not a public art ordinance, from my research I only found that there were plans to make a public art ordinance in the mid 90's, because some people didn't like Graffiti inspired art on buildings. I've seen this article a bunch of times before. http://www.sparcmurals.org/html/project/grafitti/posh1.html
Thursday, 6PM, November 20, the Cultural Arts Commission is reviewing for approval and reccomendation to the City Council the new Public Art Ordinance. It outlines what public art is, where, who pays for it, maintains it, etc. The meeting is in the Council "sub" chamber meeting room, adjacent to the Council Chambers.
thats right something about the historic preservation ordinance.
What?! No holiday parade? I love the holiday parade. It passes by Garfield Park, so we gather our friends for brunch, then walk across the park to enjoy the community vibe. Grrr. Why was it canceled?
Shall we gather at dba after the December council meeting for a little debrief and community building?
I could use a drink. Thanks for the info about the Cultural Arts Commission. To find their agendas, follow the City Clerk's link. The agenda for the November meeting isn't available. I'll post a reminder on Tuesdayish if you're interested.
The downtown is NOT a city historic district. The Edison district (2nd St. the single block just to the west of Park, is a National Register district, but not covered under the city ordinance as no one has ever nominated it for local designation since the ordinance went in.
Downtown IS protected by the Downtown Specific Plan (part of the city's General Plan) which gives it some historic protection.
So if you're looking to the historic ordinance for something, you're not liable to find it there. I think I'd look at the zoning/sign ordinances. I'm sure that commercial property has to have approval to paint a mural as it's liable to be considered "signage."
If the mural does not advertise or identify the business, I suspect the City would have a difficult time enforcing a "sign" ordinance.
How do you know a sign is advertising until after it's painted unless the "artist" submitted it for review? There is a potential problem with illegal signage if commercial property is not regulated, which is why there are regulations in place.
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