EXTREME NEIGHBORHOOD MAKEOVER:
Improving Santa Clarita Neighborhoods and Your Quality of Life!
by Mayor Bob Kellar
Neighborhoods. They are the fabric of our society. Who can’t remember their neighborhood growing up and most likely, the names of the families who lived in houses on that block. Ask any kid how far a walk it is to their friend’s house or where’s a great place to ride their bikes, and chances are, they can tell you. The houses we call home are usually our largest single expenditure each month and our biggest investment.
In Santa Clarita, long known as a “bedroom community,” homes are integral to our lifestyle and we aren’t alone! Channel surfing today reveals a plethora of home improvement shows, cooking at home shows and even reality shows, many of which are filmed, guess where, in the home! Homespun, heart of the home, Home Alone, Home, Home on the Range, be it ever so humble, there’s a reason why “there’s no place like home!”
As our City enters its third decade of existence, we continue to address many different issues relating to our homes. Some of these issues are long-standing and inherited from the booming growth of the early and mid 1980’s. Some issues, like traffic and congestion, are regional in nature and we find our City participating in solutions that involve a variety of entities. A recurring issue we have heard quite a lot about at City Hall is one that involves neighborhoods.
Residents have let their local government know that they are deeply concerned with issues in their neighborhoods that impact their property values and their quality of life. They have told us that they would like to see their neighbors embrace a strong sense of pride in their neighborhoods and have that reflected in how they care for their property. Issues including lack of landscaping, trash and clutter in plain sight, multiple, graffiti, inoperable vehicles on the front lawn, abandoned shopping carts in the neighborhood, illegal dumping and poor maintenance of houses have a cumulative, negative impact on the entire neighborhood.
Over the past two decades, the City’s “reactive code enforcement” policies have slowly grown to encompass a more “proactive approach,” enabling the City to better interact with individual neighbors at an early stage in the process. The City’s dedicated Community Preservation Officers work diligently with homeowners to help bring them into compliance with City codes and most importantly, improve their properties. Many homeowners are actually surprised to learn that their practices, such as storing inoperable vehicles on the front lawn, paving the entire front yard with asphalt or concrete, or converting a garage without a permit are illegal in the City of Santa Clarita. During any given month, it is not unusual for the Community Preservation Office to have several hundred active files on-going! In fact, this small team responds to over 1,700 cases per year City-wide.
In an effort to better assist neighborhoods with these issues, improve property values and clean up neighborhoods, the City is beginning the new “Extreme Neighborhood Makeover” program, starting in the Canyon Country area. The program involves a unique and bold step by the City and the community working together to help resolve neighborhood beautification and safety issues proactively. The goal is to help maximize property values throughout our neighborhoods and best assist individual property owners with challenges they face in complying with the law.
The program will begin with an invitation-only Neighborhood Block Party for all residents of nearly 130 homes in the first Extreme Neighborhood Makeover area, plus the Santa Clarita City Council, the Canyon Country advisory committee and volunteers. While not all of the homes have these types of issues, it will take the combined efforts of the entire neighborhood to succeed in transforming the area through the Extreme Neighborhood Makeover program. At the Block Party, members of the City Council, City staff, the Sheriff and Fire Departments, non profit organizations, along with volunteers and vendors will gather to discuss how the new program can best benefit the entire neighborhood.
The City has also invited local, licensed contractors, willing to provide residents with discounts for goods and services that will assist them in improving their individual properties as part of the new program. At the same time, the City will be doing whatever it can to provide improvements to the neighborhood in the public rights of way, including tree planting, graffiti removal, working with other agencies, and even helping secure volunteers who can provide help to individual residents who need it.
We see the Extreme Neighborhood Makeover program as a clearing house of resources that the City will help to bring to the neighborhood. We have access to licensed contractors and vendors, we regularly receive calls from church groups and scout troops, seeking meaningful volunteer work in the community and we all have a desire to improve our neighborhoods. This is an idea that has been cooking for awhile and it is a good time to bring it together for our residents.\
If you are interested in learning more about the City’s Extreme Neighborhood Makeover, please contact Cruz Caldera at 661-255-4322 or email him at ccaldera@santa-clarita.com.
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CCAC Members and Friends
The next Canyon Country Advisory Committee meeting will be held Wednesday, June 18, 2008, from 7PM to 9PM,
in the George A. Caravalho Activity Center Banquet Room, 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway, Santa Clarita.
This should be another exciting meeting.
- Susan Tae from the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning will be putting on a presentation showing the projects currently proposed in the county around the east side of the City of Santa Clarita.
- Dave Peterson will be providing information on the new Proactive Code Enforcement practices to be put in place in Lower North Oaks next Month. This round of enforcement activities will be kicked off with a "Block Party" in Canyon Country. CCAC members are invited to attend. Be at the meeting to get your "Special Invitation".
- Learn about the NEW PROPOSED PEDDLER Ordinance.
- We need your input on a CCAC Proposed Ordinance to help manage City Requirements/Ordinances in mature neighborhoods.
- Find out what is happening with traffic problems on Benz Road and Canvas/Linda Vista.
- A briefing will be provided on the "Summit at the Summit". The Santa Clarita Neighborhood Coalition is a group of community groups coming together to make a positive difference in Santa Clarita.
- Who is doing what on the Smizer Ave of Santa Clarita project.
- And much much more.
Please remember to pass this announcement along to all your friends.
Let's continue to make a difference.
See you there.
Alan J. Ferdman
661 713-9344
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Media Advisory
Contact: Roger Gitlin (661) 713-3850
EMAIL: ragitlin@aol.com
Antelope Valley Independent Minutemen and Santa Clarita Valley Independent Minutemen will host Honor America / Secure our Border Rally / Fundraiser for imprisoned Border Agents Ramos and Compean
Who: Antelope Valley Independent Minutemen
Santa Clarita Valley Independent Minutemen
Americans Who Love this Country
What: Honor America / Secure Our Border Rally
Proceeds raised will directly help imprisoned border agents, IGNACIO RAMOS and JOSE COMPEAN
When: Saturday, June 28, 2008 from 11:00am-1:00PM
Where: Santa Clarita Civic Center Open Amphitheatre
23740 Magic Mountain Parkway (Adjacent to Library)
Valencia, CA. 91355
On the threshold of America’s 232nd Birthday, the AVIMM and the SCVIMM will pay tribute to America’s greatness, acknowledge her unique and special status, and ask our elected officials to heed the call and enforce immigration law.
The event will feature many esteemed speakers including Chris Simcox, founder of the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, John and Barbara March parents of slain Deputy Dave March, Lupe Moreno of Latino Americans for Immigration Reform, Chelene Nightingale, Save Our State, and Sam Szislman, No More Invasion, , plus more.
Bring your friends, American flags, placards, and American patriotic spirit to this event... Those who wish to help, your contributions will be greatly appreciated.
Ignacio Ramos Minutemen Civil Defense Corps
Box 972925 7558 W. Thunderbird Lane
El Paso, Texas 79997 Suite 1 PMB 622
Peoria, AZ 95381
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CCAC Members and Friends
Thanks to all of your efforts the Material Recovery Facility and Transfer Station WILL NOT BE LOCATED on Sierra Highway South of Golden Valley Road.
It shows that when we all pull together WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Alan J. Ferdman
Chair, Canyon Country Advisory Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2008
Contact: Gail Ortiz
661-255-4314
BURRTEC TO WITHDRAW APPLICATION FOR MATERIALS
RECOVERY FACILITY AT SIERRA HIGHWAY SITE
Mayor Bob Kellar and City Manager Ken Pulskamp met this week with Cole Burr, president of Burrtec to discuss the trash company's pending application with the City for a materials recovery facility (MRF) east of Sierra Highway near State Route 14. Following the meeting, Burrtec agreed to withdraw its application for a MRF on that site.
"The meeting went very well and I think that we are heading in the right direction. Burrtec will no longer be pursuing a MRF on their 75 acre site, east of Sierra Highway, between Placerita Canyon and Golden Valley Road, and has agreed to meet with the community to discuss any potential new MRF sites prior to applying for City permits," explained Mayor Bob Kellar.
Burrtec owner Cole Burr requested that the City assist his company in pursuing an alternate use for the Sierra Highway property that would be more compatible with the desires of area residents, acknowledging that he would first meet with the community to discuss any potential development plans.
Currently, Burrtec's 75-acre site in the City of Santa Clarita is zoned RL (residential low density) and BP (business park).
Burrtec has been the City's commercial waste hauler since August 2004 and has a contract to provide waste and recycling collection services to businesses in the City through June 2013. As part of the contract, Burrtec is required to develop and operate a MRF to process the City's recyclables. Burrtec submitted an application to the City on September 25, 2007 for the development of a materials recovery facility/transfer station on a 75-acre site in the City of Santa Clarita. Previously, on March 17, 2008, Burrtec Waste Industries announced their desire to place a hold on the environmental review process (EIR) for the proposed MRF.
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CCAC Members and Friends
The next Canyon Country
Advisory Committee meeting will be held
Wednesday, April 16, 2008, from 7PM
to 9PM,
in the
George A. Caravalho Activity Center Banquet Room,
20880 Centre Pointe Parkway,
Santa Clarita.
2008 Santa Clarita City Council Elections
are now complete and for those who have been out of town the results show
Mayor Bob Kellar re-elected for another term and Laurie Ender elected
to fill the seat held by Tim Ben Boydston. Tim
Ben was appointed by the council to complete Cameron Smyth's term after he was
elected to the State Assembly.
At this April's meeting we will be discussing:
Status of the Canyon Country/Newhall MRF and Transfer
Station (better known as the DUMP).
1) What happening with the Burrtec proposal?
2) Did the city
schedule the meeting with Burrtec as requested by the Mayor and agreed to by the
City Manager? What are the results?
3) What we need to do next?
Remember, Our Job is Not
Done Until the Current Burrtec Proposal Has Been
Withdrawn!!
Also on a lighter side, COC representatives will be presenting information on
the new Canyon Country COC Campus. Time will be provided to
ask questions.
Discussion on proposed CCAC recognition for Tim Ben who is
leaving the council.
Did you know about the proposal to build a Community Center in Canyon
Country?
We will present some preliminary information and ask for
your opinion about where it will be built.
2008 CCAC Officer Elections. Current nominations for Chair
are Alan Ferdman and current nominations for co-Chair are Merle DeMartelaere.
Additional nominations can be emailed to me, or, raised at the April 16
meeting.
Plus much more………
Let's continue to make a difference.
See you
there.
Alan J. Ferdman
661 713-9344
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CCAC Members and
Friends
I would like to thank each and every one of you who
attended, spoke, and/or submitted comments at last nights City Council Meeting
(March 25). I would also like to thank
all of you that could not make the meeting but were with us in spirit.
The only way that we will make a difference and maintain the integrity
of our neighborhoods is for all of us to stay actively
involved.
Last night,
after all was said and done, our Mayor Bob Kellar asked the City Manager Ken
Pulskamp to set up a meeting with Burrtec and ask them to
abandon the proposed Sierra Highway and Golden Valley Road MRF location
officially, in writing. Mr. Pulskamp said that he would set up that
meeting.
The first April City Council meeting has been canceled due to the
election. The next City Council meeting
is set for April 22 and the next Canyon Country Advisory Committee meeting will
be held on April 16. Hopefully, by that
time Mr. Pulskamp will have successfully obtained Berrtec's commitment in
writing and we will be able to move on to other pressing issues. We will be periodically requesting status and
informing you of the results.
Neither the Signal nor the Daily News published articles that discussed
the MRF today. Articles were posted on
SCVTALK, the KHITS blog and I Heart SCV.
Links to those articles are included below.
I found the KHITS article most informative and the I
Heart SCV article most questionable. In
the I Heart SCV article I was called the MRF "Gang Leader". Thinking about it today, I came to the
realization that if I am indeed a "Gang Leader", I take pride in being Your Gang
Leader. Being out in front of a group of
community members with the goal of saving and improving our neighborhoods is the
place I want to be. Cornel Higgins, an
American UN commander, once said "If you are out in front, you will get shot
at". It didn't stop him. It won't stop
me either.
Alan J Ferdman
Chair, Canyon Country Advisory Committee
661 713-9344
http://www.hometownstation.com/clarita-materials-recovery-2008-03-25-11-55.html
http://scvtalk.com/2008/03/26/march-26-2008-daily-brief/
http://iheartscv.blogspot.com/
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CCAC Members and Friends
OUR WORK TO STOP THE
MRF (TRASH PROCESSING FACILITY) IN CANYON COUNTRY/NEWHALL
IS NOT
DONE.
Burrtec has asked the city to POSTPONE the current MRF process.
City staff has confirmed that Burrtec's request has been received and
that the EIR contractor has been contacted
and directed to STOP WORK FOR
NOW.
THAT MEANS THE PROPOSAL TO PLACE THE MRF
(DUMP) ON SIERRA HIGHWAY CAN BE RESURECTED
AT SOME FUTURE
DATE.
IF CITY STAFF AND/OR BURRTEC THINKS THAT
POSTPONING THE PROJECT WILL PUT OUR COMMUNITY TO SLEEP SO THAT THEY CAN
QUIELTY RESTART THE PROJECT AT SOME LATER DATE,
THEY ARE DEAD
WRONG!!
Based on discussions at the March 19 Canyon
Country Advisory Committee
PLEASE HELP SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AND BURRTEC.
ATTEND THE MARCH 25 CITY COUNCIL MEETING,
SPEAK IN PUBLIC PARTISIPATION AND TELL THE CITY COUNCIL THAT YOU WANT CLEAR
COUNCIL DIRECTION TO STAFF THAT SIERRA HIGHWAY IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED AS A
LOCATION FOR THE MRF (DUMP).
WRITE, EMAIL AND CALL BURRTEC AND LET THEM
KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS OPPOSED TO PLACING THE MRF (DUMP) ON SIERRA HIGHWAY.
Help save our community.
THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW!!!
Alan J. Ferdman
Chairman, Canyon County Advisory Committee
661 713-9344
Burrtec Contact Information:
Charles Tobin
Development Director, Burrtec Waste Industries
ctobin@burrtec.com
Mike Arrequin
Vice President, Burrtec Waste Industries
mikea@burrtec.com
Burrtec Telephone number is 909 429-4200 Fax 909 429-4290
Place City Council and Staff on distribution for your correspondence. Let
them know you care about this issue.
City council and staff email addresses are:
lweste@santa-clarita.com; mmclean@santa-clarita.com; fferry@santa-clarita.com; bkellar@santa-clarita.com; kpulskamp@santa-clarita.com; dseegmiller@santa-clarita.com;
Remember you can just "copy and paste" these address in
to your email CC block.
City Council Meetings are held in the City Council Chambers, 1st floor of City Hall, 23920
Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, CA. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday
March 25. The meetings start at
6PM. For more information, contact the City Clerk's office at
(661) 255-4391.
Burrtec Email
From:
Mike Arreguin [mailto:mikea@burrtec.com]
Sent: Monday, March
17, 2008 4:27 PM
To: ferdmana@dslextreme.com
Subject:
March CCAC Meeting
Mr.
Ferdman,
On
behalf of Burrtec Waste Industries I would like to thank you and the
Canyon Country Advisory Committee for inviting us to speak at
your March 19th meeting.
Burrtec is a strong advocate of open communication and
cooperation with all the communities we serve. We realize that the Santa Clarita
Material Recovery Facility project has raised concerns among local residents who
are not in favor of it's development and have expressed a need for clarity and
complete information.
Rest
assured, Burrtec does not want to operate in an area where we are not welcomed
by all concerned.
Our
decisions on this project will be based on compliance with State
mandates, local contract compliance and community
support.
With
this being said and in light of recent community input, we have
decided to postpone the current Santa Clarita MRF Project
until viable
options can be discussed with City Staff and the entire
community of Santa Clarita. Regrettably, we respectfully decline the opportunity
to address the CCAC at this time.
We
look forward to re-visiting the Santa Clarita MRF Project in the
future
and
value your input.
Sincerely,
Michael Arreguin
Vice
President
Burrtec Waste Industries, Inc.
Voice: (909) 429-4200
Fax: (909)
429-4290 |
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CCAC Members and Friends
The next Canyon Country Advisory meeting will be held
Wednesday, March 19, 2008,
from 7PM to 9PM,
in the
George A. Caravalho
Activity Center Banquet Room, 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway,
Santa
Clarita.
Regular meetings are back.
Want to know what is going on with City of
Santa Clarita planning to put a TRASH Facility in Canyon Country/Newhall
to process ALL of Santa Clarita's TRASH,
(It is called a MRF)
creating over 860 TRUCK TRIPS on Sierra Hwy?
Santa Clarita City Staff and Burrtec Waste
Managment personnel will be at the meeting to answer your
questions.
Want to know how to battle Graffiti in
your area with an on-line video camera?
The March CCAC agenda will include:
1) A presentation on the
Material Recovery Facility and Transfer Station by both City Staff and Burrtec
personnel. Meet Joe Thompson who is
spearheading the fight against the Trash facility being built in Canyon
Country/Newhall.
2) Reintroduction
of Proactive Code Enforcement in Canyon Country.
3) Sign status. What Ron Brown has been doing for us.
4) The Mrs. Kravitz club (or would you like to implement a camera
security system?)
5)
Nominations for 2008 CCAC Officers
and much more .........
Let's make
a difference.
See you there.
Alan J. Ferdman
661
713-9344
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I am posting this email because WE NEED TO
TAKE ACTION NOW to prevent Burrtec Waste Industries from shipping ALL
the TRASH collected in the City of Santa Clarita and Surrounding Areas
in, and out, of Canyon Country/ Newhall.
This TRASH FACILITY called a Material Recovery Facility
and Transfer Station will be located on Sierra Highway South of Golden Valley
Road generating over 860 TRUCK TRIPS PER DAY on Sierra
Highway. If that were not bad enough,
the facility is being sized at 75 ACRES allowing for FUTURE
EXPANSION as the valleys population and Burrtec's business grows. All this and it is proposed in an area zoned
RESIDENTIAL.
So let's listen to Joe and support this effort to keep CANYON
COUNTRY/NEWHALL from becoming the TRASH CENTER or the Santa Clarita
Valley.
Joe Thompson wrote:
We are off to a great start, but the battle
has just begun. We will win this thing, but we are going to have to make our
collective voices heard - loud and
clear.
The next step is to make a large presence at the next City Council Meeting on Tuesday, March 11 at 6 pm at the City
Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd, Santa Clarita, CA 91355, in the City
Council Chambers. It is very important that we have a large
group attend and as many as possible who are willing to speak about their
objections to this project for 3 minutes each (or as long as you like, up to 3
minutes). Once you speak, you can leave. Or, if you stay for everyone to speak,
we can leave as a group at the end of the 'Public Participation' portion of the
meeting.
Joe would like a head count of:
1.) Who will attend and
speak
2.) Who will attend and show our solidarity
3.) Who needs a ride
to and from the City Council Meeting
Please email Joe at stop.the.dump4@gmail.com to let him
know that you will be there, ASAP, especially if you need
transportation.
Again, this is very important. Please help us
on this most critical effort.
SEE YOU THERE.
Alan J. Ferdman
Chair, Canyon Country Advisory Committee
661 713-9344
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The following letter was submitted to the Signal by Bill Arens on 3/2/08. Bill is a Canyon Country Advisory Committee member and a resident of Canyon Country.
Comments on Bill's opinion and recommendations will be appreciated.
According to Bill
Materials Recovery Facility commonly known as MRF. What is
it and why do we need them?
According to State law we MUST recycle a minimum of 50% of
our trash or face a very costly fine up to $10,000 a day. Not meeting the
requirement is just not an option. According to Bob Kellar, at one of our
candidate debates and THE SIGNAL (March 1, 2008) we have just recently met that goal. Ok so
we don’t need a MRF right? Wrong, because the percentage is going up to 75% and
I know of no other way to accomplish that goal so, here comes the MRF! For the record I believe we need this type of
facility and soon. Meeting our requirement does buy us a little extra time but
not much.
It is at this point we need to look at how a MRF works and
why over 300 people (that I know of) are really upset over having this facility
close to there homes.
The proposed MRF off Sierra Hwy is to process ALL the trash in
the Santa Clarita Valley for recycling. That is what is called a DIRTY MRF as
opposed to a clean MRF. A so called Clean MRF is one that only processes
recyclables that we have already separated at our homes, you know, the stuff
you put into the recycle bucket as opposed to the trash bucket. The dirty MRF
will extract more recyclables because it removes more of the stuff from people
who don’t watch what they put in the trash which can be recycled. ALL the trash
is brought into this facility, dumped on the floor, pushed into hoppers,
separated and processed. That’s the good part but there is another side to all this.
First, EVERY
collection vehicle (trash truck) must come to this single location to dump its
load. All due respect to the Burrtec’s of the world but these trucks are
subjected to the most brutal driving conditions there is, stop & go all day
long. The result is they require continuous maintenance just too keep them
barely legal and on the road. It is estimated that currently over 800 of these
truck trips a day 6 days a week will be required. These trucks, because of
there weight, will cause additional vibrations to the homes in the area.
Realtors know that the area east of Sierra
Hwy across from friendly Valley is a slide area. Potential
buyers must be notified of this before they buy a house there. The additionally
vibration could cause a premature slide condition. Think that’s not possible,
look at Highway 1 the Coast Hwy. Caltrans has restricted big rig traffic for
years to reduce landslides.
Second, like it or not there is an odor that will be
present. At least in part that odor will be ringing a big old dinner bell to
all kinds of vermin and the creatures that eat some of the vermin. Just what
YOU want in YOUR back yard RIGHT? There will also be a large number of at “gross
weight”, (or close to it) trucks hauling the output of the plant down the freeway
and Sierra Hwy. Remember, this facility will be built and operated
by Burrtec, a private sector owned company which is in business to make a
profit. Ok, profit is not a dirty word so why does that matter? Well, you can
bet that they will be taking in trash from other areas because they make money
on the recyclables they extract. That means the facility will be processing
trash from outside the city as well. Exciting to look forward to, RIGHT?
I can easily understand why folks in Canyon Country are
upset at the prospect of all this suddenly popping up in there back yard and I
don’t know of anyone that would be in a hurry to live close to this kind of a
facility.
I think this facility should be located more remotely and
close to a rail line if possible. We could reduce some of the truck traffic if
the output were to be shipped by rail and a site close to Cemex might fill that
bill. I also believe we should consider having a second MRF facility on the
west side. The reasons this would be good is
1. Less cross town traffic from the collection trucks.
2. 50% less truck traffic at the MRF.
3. Expansion in this Valley.
As all the reports
are indicating that the population in this valley will double and surrounding
areas are expanding at almost the same speed we need to plan ahead. If we find
a suitable location on the west side NOW before the area is built up people
will know in advance of the plants existence prior to their moving in.
In my opinion, The City and Burrtec should abandon this
site, save the time and money you would spend on an EIR and put the MRF in a
more appropriate location / locations and win a lot of positive PR in doing so.
Judging from the reaction of the meetings I am aware of, the current site will
generate nothing but very bad feelings at best and bitter law suits and anger
at both the City and Burrtec at worst. Clearly,
the residence DO NOT want this facility at this location and I fear that an
attempt to force this on them could cause severe resentment on MRF’s at large
and make it even more difficult to find suitable locations and that would not be a good thing.
I’m sure, if the
City, Burrtec and the community work together we can come up with better
locations and improved feelings of cooperation trust and respect.
Bill Arens
Canyon Country
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