In his weekly report (https://goo.gl/tvTGGe) City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...
~ The home at 311 E. Lemon Ave. - which is a historical landmark - has had its front porch removed. Chi writes: "Unfortunately, the owner of 311 E. Lemon Ave. decided to demolish the entire front porch of the house without City approval and without permits." The city is considering what to do about it.
~ The former Market Grill site at 525 S. Shamrock Ave. is going to be turned into a furniture store.
~ Two churches are renting two parks for Easter - Library Park and Station Square Park. Calvary Chapel is renting Library Park and plans to set up 700 chairs with tents. The service will be held Easter Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon. Also, Bridgetown Church is renting Station Square Park and plans to set up 200 chairs and provide canopies for refreshments. The Easter Sunday service will be from 9 a.m. to noon.
~ The State of California has approved $5.2 billion in new taxes and fees to fund transportation and road improvements. Monrovia expects to get $800,000 per year. One interesting aspect of the new taxes is that "zero-emission vehicles will be required to pay an additional $100 / year vehicle registration fee, to make-up for the fact that owners of zero-emission vehicles do not pay any gas tax." Comment: So, they encourage you to use less gas, then charge you more because you do.
~ As part of the citywide streets, water and sewer renewal project work will begin on Myrtle between Huntington Drive and Central Avenue beginning on the evening of Sunday, April 16. Work will be done at night to minimize inconvenience to daytime traffic.
~ Last week the Monrovia Fire Department and the Red Cross installed 76 fire alarms in 30 mobile homes at the Monrovia Mobile Home Park Estates located on Huntington Drive.
~ The art piece to honor former Mayor Bob Bartlett is almost done, but the city wants to hold off installing it until Station Square renovations are finished, which should be in mid-to late-summer.
~ Foothill Unity Center is considering buying the World Vision property located at 790 W. Chestnut Ave.. The Planning Commission will consider the matter at its April 12 meeting.
- Brad Haugaard
A furniture store at the old Market Grill site? That is going to fail so quickly.....sigh.
ReplyDeleteI wish them all the luck in the world but I do agree with you!!!
DeleteBoy, how I miss the Market Grill.
DeleteThat place could barely fit enough tables and chairs for people to eat. Just how much "furniture" will it be able to fit in there? Also, who in their right mind would open so close to Living Spaces?
ReplyDeleteassuming they will be using the whole building but still--that location---not exactly a hub for shopping for anything, let alone furniture.
DeleteWith the new gas/car tax $$ coming in, I would hope that Monrovia would now stop the additional water tax to pay for the Renew Monrovia improvements. I think I will have to live with disappointment.
ReplyDeleteMajor penalty for demolishing the front of a historic landmark home. The city should not cave in on that one. You reap the massive tax benefits of the Mills Act, you have to follow the rules.
ReplyDeleteElectric vehicles use roads. Owners of same should be required to contribute to their upkeep.
ReplyDeleteThe torn up porch is criminal. Any Mills Act benefits should be forfeited.
There is an extra fee on the registration of electric vehicles for just this reason. It won't cost as much as the gas tax on a normal car driven regularly, but they aren't polluting as much, so that seems fair.
Delete