Large Building Projects Planned for Monrovia; Public Safety Initiative; Santa Fe Depot/Bartlet Mosaic Dedication; Etc.

In his weekly report, City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ City staff anticipates there will likely be three large-scale projects planned for Monrovia. They are:

1. Marriott TownePlace Suites - A 113 room hotel at the southwest corner of Huntington and Myrtle.

2. Richman Residential - A 294 unit multi-family project located at the northest corner of Duarte Road and Magnolia, just south of the Gold Line Station.

3. AvalonBay Residential - A 154 unit multi-family project located at the northwest corner of Myrtle and Chestnut.

~ The California Public Safety Partnership Issues Committee has begun circulating a proposed initiative called the Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act. (Monrovia has been a leader in trying to get modifications in state law to reduce crime.)

The initiative would reclassify currently "non-violent" crimes - like rape of an unconscious person, sex trafficking of a child and 14 other serious crimes - as "violent" to prevent the early release of inmates convicted of these crimes. It would also stop the early release of violent felons, expand parolee oversight, strengthen penalties for parole violations, reform theft laws to restore accountability for serial thieves and organized theft gangs, expand DNA collection to include those convicted of drug, theft, domestic violence and other serious crimes to help solve rape, murder and other violent crimes - and to exonerate those wrongly accused.

Assemblymember Chris Holden will host a public safety meeting to discuss these issues  at the Monrovia Community Center on Thursday, March 1, starting at 5:30 p.m.

~ The city is planning  a dual dedication event for the unveiling of the Mayor Bob Bartlett Mosaic and the Historic Santa Fe Depot on Sunday, Feb. 25. A light lunch will be served h at noon, with the formal program set to begin at 1 p.m. Details to come.

~ Monrovia Area Partnership will host a block party on March 10, from  11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Second Baptist Church (925  S. Shamrock Ave.).

~ In January, 290 Monrovians participating in the Winter Reading Challenge surpassed their goal, reading 144,237 minutes in the month of January.

~  Assemblymember Chris Holden is looking for women to honor whose service have made a positive impact in the 41st Assembly District. Nomination deadline is Feb. 16. One woman will be honored from each city, and one woman will  be selected as the 41st Assembly District Woman of the Year Nomination form here: https://goo.gl/zxB788

- Brad Haugaard