It's Almost That Time Again!

Things have been looking scarier and scarier out there... 

No, we're not talking about the Halloween ghosts and ghouls. With all the fires...and COVID-19 and...well, it's been a year like no other...we're actually looking forward to fighting off vampires and werewolves in a few days! Not to mention, the election is just around the corner... EEK! (If you haven't already, VOTE!)

But the scariest thing of all is that National Community Planning Month is almost over! 

That's right, this past month of Planning insights will be coming to an end. (We can practically hear the screams, "NOOOOO!" echoing off the foothills.) But fear not! We at the City will bravely continue to keep you informed of new and exciting things to come.

As a way to send you off and celebrate the last days of National Planning Month, we want to sing you a merry song, ready? 1...2...3...

We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish... 

Oh, too soon? Did the reminder that Christmas is right around the corner scare you even more? Not to mention Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice...Ok, ok. We can skip the song...for now.

Instead, let's look back on some of the spotlights of this month and recap what we are planning for the future! First, we highlighted some different ways COVID and the fires have inspired us to communicate with each other. Sometimes using futuristic technologies like Zoom, while other times using more classic methods like painted rocks, chalk drawings, and signs. We have really come together as a community to keep connected in more ways than ever!

Then we gave you a sneak peak into the new Environmental Justice Element for the General Plan. This new chapter, *ahem* Element, will feature new goals the City will be working towards for a more equitable Monrovia. Stay tuned for upcoming community meetings... this will be a great opportunity for you and your friends to put on a Planner's cap and make a big impact for the City! You didn't know Planners were known for their hats? Well, they are! Just check out this picture of the "Father of Urban Planning," Daniel Burnham. 

Get a load of his sweet haberdashery fashion sense! (For a refresher on the General Plan update, you can click here.)

We then gave some shout outs (or is it shouts out? we can never figure that one out) to new developments going up throughout the City. These are exciting new projects that took a lot of work and collaboration from City staff and applicants, the Planning Commission and City Council and most importantly from you (collectively and affectionately known as our community!)  We are so excited to see them come to life. You can keep an eye out for these and other projects at the City's Development Spotlight Page.

Finally we couldn't forget about a truly important part of Monrovia, its historic landmarks! Specifically, the two new landmarks at 742 E. Lime Avenue and 512 W. Maple Avenue. These are two period revival (remember those words?) homes that have a lot of character. Having so many landmarks (153 to be exact) helps make Monrovia the Gem of the Foothills. The City's Historic Preservation Commission also celebrated its 25 year jubilee! A big part of planning for resilience is the protection of historic resources by landmarking structures and designating historic districts. With your help we can continue to protect the historic gems of Monrovia for future enjoyment.

We've really enjoyed celebrating National Community Planning Month with you, dear Reader, and we hope that you've enjoyed it too. Now go out, take a look at the built environment with (hopefully) new appreciation and don't forget the next time you see a Planner - complement them on their hat!

The annual E-1 post

Is all this COVID-19 stuff getting to you?  We hear you!  That's why with all the uncertainty in the world, it's nice that we can still count on a few things...Cinco de Mayo comes the day after May the 4th (be with you), which is a few days after May Day.  Consistency, normality, reliability...these are all things that we can use more of right now.  

So with May Day comes the big reveal...and no, we're not talking about the new American Idol...it's all about how many people live in Monrovia!  It is that time of year when our demographer friends with the state Department of Finance release an annual--no, the infamous "E-1 report".

And in the name of consistency, we bring you our annual blog post to document the occasion. (OK, we missed 2017 and 2018, but who's counting?)  We're sort of consistent...oh and that link you passed right by is another shameless attempt to boost our viewership statistics...so in preparing this offering, we went back an reread some of the previous posts (and so can you, hence the link).  Some are quite clever, we really do crack ourselves up sometimes...

There we go on one of those tangents. 

But even if we've missed a year here and there, lets give it up for all those wild and crazy (not!) state demographers.  They are consistent.  Year in and year out, they are busy counting people coming and going from California...

39,782,868...39,782,869...39,782,870...

OK, so we're pretty sure they're not standing at the state border with an abacus, are they?

No, of course not, these are scientists, scientists of demography.  Did you know that demography defined as the scientific study of human populations?  Neither did we, we just googled it.

So let's get down to the whole point of this...using a plethora of data from a myriad of sources: 

As of January 1, 2020, Monrovia's population was 37,935.  

So your reaction was probably the same as ours..."What?"  That's right, for two years straight, Monrovia's estimated population has decreased...ever so slightly (down 0.1%), but still a decrease.  The County population also decreased by the same percentage.  California as a whole grew, but it was very slow growth, a 0.2% increase.  

So a couple of things to keep in mind, these are projections, not an actual count of people (AKA The Census).  Also, these estimates are benchmarked to the 2010 Census data.  The decennial 2020 Census data will not impact these projections until 2022...it takes a long time to count 300,000,000 people.

Here's an interesting tidbit from all this...This is the first time since this data has been compiled that California has added more housing units than people.  Hmmm!  Not quite sure what to make of that, but there it is.  Looking for more interesting facts and deductions? Read all about it in their press release.

So before we bid you adieu, we need to ask you one question.

Did you fill out your Census?  

If not, do it now.  It's important.  You count!  Until next time, stay safe.  We need every reader we can get...and we like you too!

Are you a poet...and you just don't know it?

Making lemonade out of lemons is one of the great things that Monrovians do.  So while COVID-19 has certainly provided a bumper crop, it means more opportunities to seek out the sunny side of life.  

Our longtime readers may remember back to the time that we were excited about a new program: MCSTOSTPWFSITSP!  Thinking about it still gives us goosebumps!  The program now goes under the moniker Footnotes...perhaps that's a good thing.  We're here today to bring you some really, really exciting news.

But before we make the BIG announcement, we've developed a short quiz to see if you should continue reading: 

• Got some free time on your hands and want to put it to good use?
• Want to be immortalized in Monrovia’s walkways?
• Did this blog post pique your interest?
• Do you live in Monrovia?

Well if the answer to these questions is yes, then this is news you'll want to hear...The City of Monrovia is excited to announce the return of the annual Sidewalk Poetry Contest.  Ta-da!

OK, so this is not hot of the press news.  Think of it as a gentle reminder...

Regardless, we're back and we're looking for the next group of poets with a new Sidewalk Poetry Contest--The 2020 Edition.  

     

As you know (or do you???) Sidewalk Poetry combines a basic infrastructure repair program with the embedded poetic creations of Monrovia residents (talk about a win-win) that builds a collective creation and sustainable program generated by a collaboration of citizens with government. 

How’s that for a perfect paring... as good as wine and cheese?...PB and J?  William and Mary? (Monroe, that is)

Want the full 411 on this program? Of course you do, then click HERE

Whether you work in free-form, Haiku, Distich, or Cinquain, there’s a poet in us all – and there could be a world to be born under YOUR footsteps. 

Interested? Good! Here are the guidelines:

• Access the application HERE
• The contest is open to all residents of Monrovia
• Entries will be accepted through the end of the day on May 18, 2020
• Poems must be family-friendly and not exceed 250 characters including spaces and punctuation
• Poems must be original compositions written by the submitted poet (unless written by a minor, in which a parent and/or guardian may submit)
• Two poems per person may be submitted and poems will be judged on originality, creativity, and artist quality by the Art in Public Places Committee
• Winners will be selected from all qualified entries, and the winning poems will be stamped in concrete, listed on the City of Monrovia website and used on promotional materials
• Applications must be submitted by either emailing Kerri Zessau at kzessau@ci.monrovia.ca.us or mailed to Monrovia City Hall – Community Development Department, 415 S. Ivy Avenue, Monrovia CA 91016, attention Kerri Zessau

 Now, are you ready to make an impression (in concrete)? Yea!

 Get your creative juices flowing and let the words pour out of you!

Don't Come to City Hall (redux)

So we're usually not one to repeat ourselves...at least not on purpose, but this is a reminder that although the City Council will hold it's regular meeting on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at 7:30 PM, because of the Governor's Order to stay home...please stay home, but do participate!

How?  Well, glad you asked.  Instead of paraphrasing what we said before, we'll just cut and paste from last week's post. 

There are several ways to participate:

• If you have cable, watch on KGEM (Spectrum Channel 99 or Giggle Fiber Channel 87-2)  
• Live stream online at the Foothill Media website.
• Participate by sending an email to the City Clerk at cityclerk@ci.monrovia.ca.us before 7 PM tonight.  (Sorry, the blog wouldn't allow a direct link).

Want to read the previous post in its entirety?  Click here.

How in the World am I Supposed to Submit Plans during this time of Covid-19?

It’s Monday morning, you spent months of preparation and countless hours having development plans drawn up and printed. You are finally ready to submit them for the CIty’s review. You walk up to the front steps of City Hall only to find multiple signs that say:

 City Hall is Closed to the Public due to COVID-19 

Your heart sinks, now what do you do? 

Don’t fret! Your City staff have been working tirelessly on innovative technology to keep in touch with you (at a safe distance, of course) and to keep your projects moving forward! Introducing… drum roll please… the PDF aka the Portable Document Format. 

Now, how many of you actually knew what PDF stood for? 

You can upload it, you can download it, you can even side load it (uh-um...we mean attach it to an email)! 

Innovative right? 

Ok, all jokes aside, your City staff have truly transformed the way of interacting with you so that we can all stay home and stay safe while still creating a premier quality of life. 

It’s not the same as just taking a quick drive to City Hall, we realize that this whole virtual thing takes some getting used to, we get it! But for the time being, there’s a new way to talk to us and submit your plans. 

The Community Development Department created this nifty easy-to-use guide so you can still submit plans and pay any fees for the review.  It's as simple as 1-2-3...4:  

1. Consult the Planning Team by phone or email. This will give us a chance to learn about your project. It also gives us an opportunity to guide you with the information you need to know early on.
2. Prepare Your Application for Review along with the application form. 
3. Submit Application for Review via PDF (remember that innovative technology?) or you can mail it in. 
4. Pay Invoice over the phone with a card or by mail / deposit box with a check.

Most of us may not be physically in the office but we are all still working remotely and monitoring our phones (and voicemails) as well as our emails. So rest assured, we are here for you even through these tough times. 

So if you have plans that you think are ready to submit, or you just have land use questions about a property, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (626) 932-5565 (leave a message, we promise to call you back as soon as possible!) or send us an email planning@ci.monrovia.ca.us.   

Remember, Stay Healthy, Stay Safe, and most importantly Stay at Home. 

Monrovia's Founding Father...or Fathers?

So, yes COVID-19 is serious and your City staff continue to be focused on providing the best service possible to the community that we deeply cherish. But we thought, heck, (yes, that's right, heck!) let's take a quick break to highlight that other aspects of community life continue. A little art and a little history, perhaps...

Without further ado, let's talk about our founders. Yes, while many people are well aware of William Monroe (heck, the town was named after him!). But a lone wolf he was not! 

It took many men to help create this awesome city. But imagine if women had been allowed to vote, hold office...[fill in the blank here]...etc. Well, we all know that behind every great man...

So back to our founders...yes, that's plural. How many were there?

Well, we are sooo glad you asked? There were five, can you name them all?

Can you name any of them? 

We gave you one already...William Monroe.

But we would be remiss not to include Edward Spence, John Bicknell, James Crank and Jeremiah Falvey alongside him. We're so pleased that local artist, Eric Watkins, chose four of them as the subject for his utility box masterpiece, appropriately entitled, The Founding Fathers as part of the Art on the Box Program. Seriously, it's a terrific addition to our growing collection.

We hear you, so many questions...

Art on the Box?

Why are only four featured?

Aliens, do they really exist? 

(We'll save this one for another day!)

Let's take the easy one first, Art on the Box. You may have noticed that there are a number of utility boxes around town with decorated with art. This program was put into place by the Art in Public Places Committee and the City Council about a decade ago to encourage artists to dress up these blank canvases scattered around town. It's open to local artists of all ages. Click here for more details, and if so inspired, get ready, we take applications every winter (the next round will be from January through March 2021).

Now on to the really big mystery, who was Jeremiah Falvey? That's a great question. What we do know is that we don't know much. There is minimal information and no known images in existence (for some reason, we imagine him to look like a young Danny DeVito). But when the City Historian tells us he's one of "The Five", who are we to argue? So what do know about him is that he had been the foreman at Lucky Baldwin's Rancho Santa Anita...

That's it.

Luckily, there is considerably more information on our other four founders. We're going to give you just a few tidbits to whet your appetite. Want to know more? Check out the Library website to learn about all the resources available to educate yourself on Monrovia's rich history. So here we go...

Presenting, Art in the Box, featuring Our Founding Fathers

William Monroe – The big daddy of them all! Born June 4, 1841 in Indiana. With his growing family he decided to move to California in 1875. In 1882 he purchased 120 acres of land from Lucky Baldwin and the following year purchased another 90 acres (image the price of that land now???) Throughout his life, Mr. Monroe was a very successful businessman and pursued many carriers including school superintendent, banker, real estate broker and railroad supervisor (can you say Jack of all trades?)

John Bicknell – Born in Vermont with his exact birthday unknown (so does that mean that everyday is potentially his birthday?) He studied and practiced law in Wisconsin until 1866. His asthmatic condition forced him to move to California and join the law firm that represented Southern Pacific Railroads. Later he became President of the First National Bank. 

Still with us? Just checking...

James Crank – Here's another figure instrumental in the early development of our city. Born in New York in 1842, he moved to California in 1874. In 1881 he became a Member of the State Legislature. Mr. Crank considered one of his greatest ventures to be the construction of a steam railroad through the northern half of the San Gabriel Valley.

Edward Spence – Came to California in 1822 to engage in mining. In 1869 he became a bank manager. A few years later, he moved to Los Angeles (do you think it was called "LA" back then?) to help organize the First National Bank. While he was Mayor of Los Angeles, he organized the first salaried fire department. It is said that Mr. Spence was the one who suggested Monrovia be named after Mr. Monroe. (Thank goodness because Spenceville, Bicknelltown and Crankadena just don’t roll off the tongue like Monrovia.) 

These men, and Monroe, all knew each other from business and society connections in Los Angeles (did you catch that?)

Click this link to see the original track of homes and land owned by the founding fathers here.

Until next time…stay thirsty (for knowledge) friends…oh, and heck, we should probably let you know where to see this gem in person...its in front of the Aztec Hotel! If there's a crowd, please keep 6 feet apart. We need you dear reader.

What makes special, special? or Don't come to City Hall tonight!

Hello Dear Readers!

Do you know what today is?  Yes, March 31 is the anniversary of the Eiffel Tower as well as Cesar Chavez Day and also National Tater Day (baked, fried, mashed and of course, tots!)

Well those are all special in their own way, but its also very special here in Monrovia because there is a Special Meeting of the Monrovia City Council tonight!  So what makes it "special"?  Truly, any time our elected leaders come together to make decisions regarding the future of our town is special and important!  

Not to get too deep into the weeds (as our long time readers know all too well we could), but most public agencies in California are governed by the Brown Act.  Essentially, the main point of the Brown Act is that public agencies exist to conduct public business and that the public has the right to know when and how these decisions are being made...where were we going with this?...oh yes...

So the Brown Act requires that City Councils across California hold "regular meetings" at a regularly established time.  The Monrovia City Council holds its regular meetings on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month.  But sometimes there is a need to hold a meeting in the interim...hence the term, "special meeting".  The meetings still have to be open to the public.  And so finally we come to the point of this whole blog post.

Tonight, the Monrovia City Council will be holding a Special Meeting (same link as above) to receive an update and to discuss potential future response to the COVID-19 crisis.  The Governor's Executive Order has made some emergency modifications to the Brown Act and how public meetings are conducted.

What makes this meeting even more special and certainly unique is that all public participation will be electronic.  The City Council be participating remotely and City Hall will be closed.  We don't recall this ever happening, but drastic times call for drastic measures.  

But this doesn't mean that you can't watch or participate.  There are several ways to participate:

• If you have cable, watch on KGEM (Spectrum Channel 99 or Giggle Fiber Channel 87-2)  
• Live stream online at the Foothill Media website.
• Participate by sending an email to the City Clerk at cityclerk@ci.monrovia.ca.us before 7 PM tonight.  (Sorry, the blog wouldn't allow a direct link).

So, all of that to let you know, don't come to City Hall tonight!  But please, watch your City government in action tonight at 7:30.

And the title?  Some of you old school cartoon fans may get the gentle nod to The Bullwinkle Show...until next time.

A Song and More Covid-19 Tips - Ah-ah, _Oh - oh.

Have you seen Disney’s Frozen 2?

***Advertisement: The movie is now available on Disney Plus and Prime!!***

You know the song Into the Unknown, Ah-ah, _oh – oh…?

I bet your kids do?!

Well, Your Monrovia Planners have a New Rendition!  

We beat you to it, Weird Al Yankovic!

Ah – ah, _ oh – oh.   Safer at Home.  __ Ah – ah,_ oh-oh.

Safer at HOmE. Safer at Home.  Safer at HoOOome

Ah-ah, _ oh-oh.

Happy Monday, Community of Monrovia! You may be thinking, what on earth has gotten into those Monrovia Planners…?  Well, it has been quite a week for us and undoubtedly for you too! 

Although this time of COVID-19 feels like we are all going Into the Unknown, we must persevere and remember, we are in this together!

Your Monrovia Planning team has been working remotely (also known as at home) for one entire week now...And, we are forging ahead into another work week. 

The initial thought of working from home sounded horribly lonely to us. But now that we have an entire week under our belt, we are feeling UNSTOPPABLE!! 

Although we are not physically at City Hall, we are still connected and available to you! We continue to exist to serve you, the people of Monrovia, to create a community that offers a premiere quality of life!   

So, you may be thinking…how are you doing this?

Well, since a many of us never learned how to whistle, we instead find joy in SINGING while we work!

Try singing with us!  

Safer at HOmE, Safer at Home, Safer at HoOome…. 

Ah-ah,_oh-oh.

We have also been singing:

Working from HOmE, Working from Home, Working from HoOOME… Ah-ah, _oh-oh.. Ah-ah,_oh-oh.

In all seriousness, we know that Covid-19 is a serious public health emergency. This time of unknown and uncertainty has created much anxiety – for all of us. 

Part of doing our best to create a community that offers a premiere quality of life is doing our best to lift you up!  This week, your planners want to share what we learned while working and just being at home…All… Day…Long! 

Here is this week’s top five list of creative things to do at home!

Stay Connected!  The planning team is using Zoom, Facetime, e-mail, text, and phone to stay connected. The technology we have at our fingertips is great! If there is a young-in in your household or a millennial in your office, they can help get you set-up. My tween has been invaluable during this time! 

Learn a new skill, like sewing! My daughter and I pulled out grandma’s sewing machine on Saturday and tried it out! Grandma showed us how to thread a bobbin! And after all that bobbin thread-in we managed to sew a few face masks under her supervision.  These masks are great to use when you go out to the grocery store. If you know how to sew, make a few masks for your neighbors. Leave them on their doorstep with a little note! 

Make Waffles!  This past Christmas my parents gave me a waffle maker. I will be honest…the first thought I had on December 25^th was…What on earth will I ever do with a waffle maker? My family always buys frozen waffles from Ralphs.  Well, now that grocery stores are out of frozen waffles, you can bet your bottom dollar that I am using that waffle maker!!  Did a loved one give you waffle maker for Christmas? Maybe it is time to send them a Thank You Card?

Pulling Weeds can be FUN! After this last week of rain, you may now have more weeds in your garden. With our gyms closed, pulling weeds is a creative way to build upper body strength. It will allow you to also work in some squats. If you have a lot of weeds, pulling them will help pass time…and once you get started, it may just become your new pastime!

Pulling weeds like the one on the far left are the type that build upper body strength.

Set-up Your Home Office! Home offices come in all different shapes and sizes. Find a place in your house that brings on creative energy! Here are some pics of your planners’ home offices! This is where we are working to continue to serve you with your planning needs.

We miss seeing you in person.

Be well, Stay Safe, and Stay Home!