October 28, 2009 – Daily Brief

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

Arrest made in homeless man slaying in Canyon Country SIGNAL
City Council says yes to purchase of Old Town Newhall land and “wait, hold up a minute” to $10,000 convention center study I HEART (with a Halloween bonus), KHTS
100 “angry residents” from Bonelli tract confront city at Monday meeting, city backs off code enforcement for neighbhorhood. Money quote: But tract inhabitants reserved the bulk of their applause for their neighbors, who yelled at city officials to “Leave us alone!” and “Go away!” SIGNAL
Santa Clarita commuters among the the highest in the nation for commute times says the US Census Bureau (30-40 minutes) LA TIMES
High winds cause tree to fall on truck, no injuries SIGNAL
LA County has only 300,000 H1N1 Vaccine shots but 5.5 million county residents are in high risk group. The County has halted the program for now SIGNAL
Crazy plan to build a floating airport off the coast of San Diego INFRASTRUCTURIST
McKeon, no surprise, doesn’t like Harry Reid health bill WRB
Any readers go to the Hugh Hewitt talk/dinner at Robinson Ranch last night? Report!

Comments (12)

FredOctober 28, 2009 at 9:55 am

Crazy plan to build a floating airport off the coast of San Diego Hopefully it will be documented for a future Extreme Engineering episode.

JeffOctober 28, 2009 at 9:59 am

Finally we agree on something. Love that show.

Timothy MyersOctober 28, 2009 at 11:21 am

I love IHEART’s stuff! It is always a scream.

Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2009 at 11:59 am

Again, I say it is not fair to make special rules for one older tract. Special Standard Districts are set up to maintain and protect the character (i.e. rural, historic buildings, etc) of a particular community. Not to circumvent building codes and ordinances. I believe there were 139 homes within the makeover project area of Bonelli. Of those, only 19 homes had issues/violations. Seems to me the other 120 homes now are stuck with less than desirable looking neighboring homes unless they stick their neck out and complain. Some of the violations had nothing to do with driveways which did have standards in place when those homes were built. I personally worked with the City, Grace Baptist Church (I am not a member), and local businesses to fix a home in my neighborhood which had Code Violations the owner could not afford to fix himself. The City found companies and volunteers to donate goods and services. In Bonelli’s situation, I guess if you throw a tantrum you get your way. One Valley One Vision. We can’t seem to get to One City One Vision during an election year.

Timothy MyersOctober 28, 2009 at 1:05 pm

Where is the Bonelli tract exactly? I just have a very vague idea. I need to take a look at it to draw my own conclusions.

Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2009 at 1:40 pm

Tim, the Bonelli Tract is off of Bouquet on Seco Canyon Road across the street from the elementary school and park area. There are some very nice homes and there are some that look like another word for fertilizer. Enough said.

Timothy MyersOctober 28, 2009 at 1:48 pm

Berta: So they are accross from Santa Clarita Elementary and Santa Clarita Park?

Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2009 at 2:32 pm

Yes Tim. I believe that is correct. The tract kind of goes up in the hills there until they blend with some newer homes. I think the feeder streets are Guadilamar and also Pamplico. I am most familiar with the area closer to Pamplico but have driven and walked that area several times though not in the past couple of months.

JaneOctober 28, 2009 at 2:52 pm

I think it is funny that Canyon Country – you know, the step-sister portion of the city, managed to get through the makeover process with nary a peep of complaint. What a bunch of whiners these Bonelli folks are. To the city – please send these extra code enforcement folks over to our end of town, we still have people parking their commercial vehicles and RVs in front of their homes. If you can afford a $100k RV, you can afford $100/month to park it in a RV lot. And there is no excuse for commercial vehicles to be parked overnight on the street. Code enforcement – GSF Truck Driving School is back on Camp Plenty near Delight as is API Leak Detection. The Gothic Landscaping truck and Ceva delivery truck are further North on Camp Plenty above Nadal.

Timothy MyersOctober 28, 2009 at 5:43 pm

Jane: There is something to be said for humility.

spineflower2October 28, 2009 at 8:28 pm

Use Google Maps to find Santa Clarita Road. Ironic, isn’t it? And yes, it’s the same Bonellis that owned the contentious Saugus Speedway property. Doesn’t ANYone read John Boston anymore?

Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2009 at 8:29 pm

Jane, see but here is the problem. The City cracks down and someone takes offense, starts throwing a fit, and all the good work stops. If the Sheriff cracks down on the homeless encampment, someone starts screaming about their rights and we are left with dealing with the problems. That is why so many decent people who believe in being good neighbors just give up and move away. I live in Canyon Country too but I am not giving up on my neighborhood. I feel sorry for the good people in the Bonelli Tract who maintain their properties, didn’t make illegal alterations, and want to be good neighbors. The wants of the few outweigh the needs of the many.

FredOctober 28, 2009 at 9:55 am
Crazy plan to build a floating airport off the coast of San Diego Hopefully it will be documented for a future Extreme Engineering episode.
JeffOctober 28, 2009 at 9:59 am
Finally we agree on something. Love that show.
Timothy MyersOctober 28, 2009 at 11:21 am
I love IHEART’s stuff! It is always a scream.
Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2009 at 11:59 am
Again, I say it is not fair to make special rules for one older tract. Special Standard Districts are set up to maintain and protect the character (i.e. rural, historic buildings, etc) of a particular community. Not to circumvent building codes and ordinances. I believe there were 139 homes within the makeover project area of Bonelli. Of those, only 19 homes had issues/violations. Seems to me the other 120 homes now are stuck with less than desirable looking neighboring homes unless they stick their neck out and complain. Some of the violations had nothing to do with driveways which did have standards in place when those homes were built. I personally worked with the City, Grace Baptist Church (I am not a member), and local businesses to fix a home in my neighborhood which had Code Violations the owner could not afford to fix himself. The City found companies and volunteers to donate goods and services. In Bonelli’s situation, I guess if you throw a tantrum you get your way. One Valley One Vision. We can’t seem to get to One City One Vision during an election year.
Timothy MyersOctober 28, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Where is the Bonelli tract exactly? I just have a very vague idea. I need to take a look at it to draw my own conclusions.
Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Tim, the Bonelli Tract is off of Bouquet on Seco Canyon Road across the street from the elementary school and park area. There are some very nice homes and there are some that look like another word for fertilizer. Enough said.
Timothy MyersOctober 28, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Berta: So they are accross from Santa Clarita Elementary and Santa Clarita Park?
Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Yes Tim. I believe that is correct. The tract kind of goes up in the hills there until they blend with some newer homes. I think the feeder streets are Guadilamar and also Pamplico. I am most familiar with the area closer to Pamplico but have driven and walked that area several times though not in the past couple of months.
JaneOctober 28, 2009 at 2:52 pm
I think it is funny that Canyon Country – you know, the step-sister portion of the city, managed to get through the makeover process with nary a peep of complaint. What a bunch of whiners these Bonelli folks are. To the city – please send these extra code enforcement folks over to our end of town, we still have people parking their commercial vehicles and RVs in front of their homes. If you can afford a $100k RV, you can afford $100/month to park it in a RV lot. And there is no excuse for commercial vehicles to be parked overnight on the street. Code enforcement – GSF Truck Driving School is back on Camp Plenty near Delight as is API Leak Detection. The Gothic Landscaping truck and Ceva delivery truck are further North on Camp Plenty above Nadal.
Timothy MyersOctober 28, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Jane: There is something to be said for humility.
spineflower2October 28, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Use Google Maps to find Santa Clarita Road. Ironic, isn’t it? And yes, it’s the same Bonellis that owned the contentious Saugus Speedway property. Doesn’t ANYone read John Boston anymore?
Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Jane, see but here is the problem. The City cracks down and someone takes offense, starts throwing a fit, and all the good work stops. If the Sheriff cracks down on the homeless encampment, someone starts screaming about their rights and we are left with dealing with the problems. That is why so many decent people who believe in being good neighbors just give up and move away. I live in Canyon Country too but I am not giving up on my neighborhood. I feel sorry for the good people in the Bonelli Tract who maintain their properties, didn’t make illegal alterations, and want to be good neighbors. The wants of the few outweigh the needs of the many.