PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WRITINGS CITY COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 14, 2021
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PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WRITINGS
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
APRIL 14, 2021
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WRITINGS
AGENDA ITEM 2
CERTIFIED MAIL PROOFS FROM APPELLANT
PUBLIC COMMENTS
From: Joanna G To: City Clerk"s Office Subject: [EXTERNAL] Asian TV Project - comment in SUPPORT of their appeal Date: Friday, April 2, 2021 5:07:08 PM As a long term (20+ year) resident of San Marino I’d like to express my disappointment, embarrassment and disgust at the treatment of the Asian filmmakers. Their project should have been approved and given the same treatment as any project shooting in the area. I live in the immediate radius of one of the participants and gave my approval when approached. I’m appalled at the treatment by the City (and some hopefully not representative bigoted community members) to reject a project that would not have disturbed anyone including a close neighbor such as myself. I’m horrified that the city I’ve raised my children in would behave in such a biased way against community members who’ve done nothing but support our city. Denying this project and the treatment of the filmmakers is appalling and an embarrassment to our city. I’ll be in attendance on the zoom appeal and will hope for a successful outcome and an apology to the women involved with this project, Sincerely, Joanna Gardner San Marino
From: To: City Clerk"s Office; City Council Subject: [EXTERNAL] 4/16 Filming Permit Agenda Item - Public Comment Date: Tuesday, April 13, 2021 9:41:55 AM Good morning, City Clerk and City Council members. I thank you for your service to our city and appreciate having the opportunity to submit a public comment. I would like to request that this be part of the public record for the recent film permit request. If time permits, I wish that the following text be read in its entirety at the meeting so it can be part of the audio record for the meeting. The City’s Municipal Code Section 11.08.04 states that the City Council shall grant the permit to film only if it finds the proposed filming will not adversely affect the public health, safety or general welfare. The City’s nuisance, noise and parking regulations fully protect adjacent neighbors, and applicants agreed to abide by all of those regulations. Granting the permit will not result in an adverse effect on public health, safety or general welfare as a result of weekend filming. Assumptions and opinions should not impact the City Council’s decision on this matter. The proposal involves private citizens in the privacy of their homes. As long as they’re willing to work within city regulations, their first amendment rights should not be curtailed, nor should our City Council refuse a project that fulfills all necessary permit requirements. I urge our City Council to base its decision on the facts and be fair. We’re all entitled to our opinions, but permits should not be granted based on them. Sincerely, Marisa Kelly
From: To: City Clerk"s Office Subject: [EXTERNAL] 4/14 City Council Meeting Public Hearing Agenda Item 2 Date: Tuesday, April 13, 2021 3:55:06 PM Dear Ms. Baker- I have reviewed the report from City Staff included in the agenda for this hearing as well as the documentation filed by counsel for the Appellant. I found the relevant material submitted by all parties both well written and well documented. I support Staff’s recommendation to deny the Appellant’s request to film a commercial production at four homes within the City. In addition, I would like to use this forum to express my outrage with a relevant YouTube Video which the Appellants posted approximately three weeks ago. While I appreciate their disappointment with the City’s decision to deny their request for a filming permit, it does not excuse the fact that the video alleged anyone who opposed the Appellant’s request was discriminating against them based on their ethnicity. I have attached my letter to counsel for the Appellants, which was sent on 4/2/21, requesting the 18 seconds in the 7 minute and 41 second video which contained my name and a portion of my original email be deleted. Though Appellant’s Counsel confirmed he shared my letter with the Appellants, they did not give me the courtesy of a response. Respectfully- Timothy J. Sloan San Marino, CA 91108 From: Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 4:58 AM To: rmmcdonald@carlsonnicholas.com Cc: 'Elise Sloan' Subject: YouTube Video Richard A. McDonald, Esq. CARLSON & NICHOLAS LLP 301 E. California Boulevard, Suite 320 Pasadena, California 91101 Email: RMcDonald@carlsonnicholas.com Dear Mr. McDonald, It is with great disappointment that I am compelled to write this letter in response to the video that your clients posted on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=SvSq_mFgSFI).
At timestamp 4:19-4:24 in the video, your clients prominently display my name and a
portion of a March 9, 2021 one-paragraph email I wrote to the City of San Marino. Given
the overall purpose of and accusations expressed in the video concerning their views as to
why they did not receive approval to film a pitch or pilot for a television show at their homes,
the prominent inclusion of a portion of my email and my name, taken out of context and
placed in an overall piece that expresses your clients’ belief that they have been treated
unfairly and for racist reasons, labels me as a racist.
Here is the totality of my email:
Dear Ms. Baker-
I am writing in opposition of the request for a permit to film a reality TV
show at four residences in our beautiful city. The use of homes for a
business purpose is fundamentally contrary to our current residential zoning
regulations, especially one, as in this case, which would include a large staff
and multiple vehicles and equipment. I am concerned that allowing this
filming to occur would open a floodgate of other requests given the unique
character of San Marino.
Best-
Tim Sloan
Prior to writing this short email, I can assure you that I had no knowledge who your clients
were, their addresses, their gender, their ethnicity or nationality. All I knew was that they
were San Marino residents. The concerns I expressed about their request for a commercial
filming permit from the City were based entirely on my opposition, as a City resident, to any
commercial filming in or at residences in the City.
My wife Lisa and I have been privileged to live in San Marino for over 30 years. We raised
three children who all attended our public schools and were involved in sports and other
extracurricular activities and closely interacted with persons and friends of all ethnicities in
our City, as we all still do and enjoy today. Lisa and I have generously supported the San
Marino Schools Foundation, the San Marino Library, and many capital expenditure projects
at the elementary, middle and high schools that benefited all of our diverse student and
resident population.
In addition, Lisa serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Union Rescue Mission of Los
Angeles, which serves the homeless, regardless of race, creed, color, or any other
individual characteristic other than the fact that they find themselves without any place to
call home. We have also established scholarships for under-represented minorities at the
University of Michigan and Caltech.
I could go on, but only use these examples to illustrate that we support our diverse
community and any inference that we are racist is abhorrent to us.
Our request of your clients is simple. While we do not object in any way to your clients
expressing their views and opinions in their video or in any other manner they might desire,
we ask that they please edit the video to remove my name and email, found at 2:02-2:09,
3:49-3:52, and 4:19-4:24—a total of just 18 seconds out of the 7 minute, 41 seconds video.
Respectfully-Timothy J. Sloan
From: Dr. Marcella Marlowe, ICMA-CM
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL] Comment Regarding Filming Project
Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 8:05:50 AM
Please note for the record that this was received by all Council Members.
City of San Marino | Dr. Marcella Marlowe, ICMA-CM
City Manager
2200 Huntington Drive
San Marino, CA 91108
mmarlowe@cityofsanmarino.org
P: (626) 300-0788
CityofSanMarino.org
Please note: the City is currently limiting public access to City buildings. More information about our services and how to get
in contact with staff is available at http://www.cityofsanmarino.org/coronavirus. Thank you for your patience and
understanding.
From: Bumbee Picks
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2021 9:36 PM
To: City Council
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Comment Regarding Filming Project
Dear San Marino City Council,
As a long-time resident of San Marino, I would like to voice a short comment regarding the
filming permit issue that is on the agenda for tomorrow's city council meeting. I am aware that
the city's initial denial of permit has been both slandered and libeled a racist act. The film crew
is seeking an appeal under presumably an equal protection argument, pointing out in their
Youtube video that SMCC church's filming permission is a racially charged preferential
treatment.
I just want to point out one area that I am not sure if other residents have already voiced, and
that is the issue of Constitutional Levels of Scrutiny when it comes to freedom of speech
argument. Currently, from what the public knows about this film is that it is a reality TV show
that documents these four women's lives. Neither its content nor manner seems to rise to the
level of strict scrutiny, whereas SMCC's filming on its own church property is a
constitutionally protected exercise of religious freedom.
Furthermore, the city's initial denial of permit is based on San Marino city code. The code
itself, both the face and intent, does not discriminate against race. Please do not make
exceptions just because of a small group of people's use of social media. I am of Asian
descent; my family and many others in San Marino immigrated to the United States because it
is a country governed by the rule of law. Even if a decision is unpopular, it is only when we
uphold the highest standard of the rule of law can equality truly be achieved.
Thank you.From: Amanda Fowler
To: City Clerk"s Office; Christina Baker
Cc: Dr. Marcella Marlowe, ICMA-CM
Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL] Film Permits in San Marino
Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 5:17:10 PM
From: Sophie Hsu 劉淳宇
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 5:09 PM
To: Amanda Fowler
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Film Permits in San Marino
To City of San Marino
I am Sophie Hsu, a 22-year resident on Mirasol Drive of San
Marino. This email is showing my support to the city's
requirement for a proper application for filming in the city
limit. It is my support to keep least disturbance and best living
quality in the San Marino community.
Regards,
Sophie Hsu
City of San Marino | Amanda Fowler
Community Engagement Manager
2200 Huntington Drive
San Marino, CA 91108
afowler@cityofsanmarino.org
P: (626) 300-0781
CityofSanMarino.org
Please note: the City is currently limiting public access to City buildings. More information about our services and how to get
in contact with staff is available at http://www.cityofsanmarino.org/coronavirus. Thank you for your patience and
understanding.From: Dr. Marcella Marlowe, ICMA-CM
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Letter to City Council
Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 5:50:09 PM
Attachments: Letter to City Council - filming.docx
Please see below.
City of San Marino | Dr. Marcella Marlowe, ICMA-CM
City Manager
2200 Huntington Drive
San Marino, CA 91108
mmarlowe@cityofsanmarino.org
P: (626) 300-0788
CityofSanMarino.org
Please note: the City is currently limiting public access to City buildings. More information about our services and how to get
in contact with staff is available at http://www.cityofsanmarino.org/coronavirus. Thank you for your patience and
understanding.
Begin forwarded message:
From: Jennifer Kurumada Chuang
Date: April 14, 2021 at 5:47:03 PM PDT
To: "Dr. Marcella Marlowe, ICMA-CM" ,
City Council
Cc: Al Chuang
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Letter to City Council
Jennifer Kurumada Chuang
home:
cell:
Dr. Marlowe and Esteemed Members of City Council,
I apologize for the late submission, but I understand that this issue will be discussed
tonight and wanted to submit some thoughts for your consideration.
Thank you,
Jennifer and Alan ChuangApril 14, 2021 Dear San Marino City Council Members, We know that you have a hard decision in front of you tonight. We can only imagine the immense pressure and weight of deliberation that you have had to endure these past months, and appreciate the tremendous service you give to our community by being council members. Because of this we want to urge you to vote on this issue based on the facts of the case, with thoughts of the precedents that you potentially set – we are not actually advocating for approval or denial of the permit, but ask you to make your decision without fear of public reprisal. As Asian Americans, one with a degree in Ethnic Studies and the other with a minor in Asian American studies, we want to state that we do not believe that this case is about race, and are saddened that members of the community have made it so. The residents that voiced their concerns over the exposure, disruption, and unwanted attention such a project would bring to our city were labeled racist, simply because the applicants are of Asian descent. When we inquired about the accusation that no other permit had been denied, we discovered that this was actually true, but not because all the other permits for similar projects by white people had been approved – it’s only true because when the City worked with the previous applicants, they realized that the requirements for obtaining a permit were outside their ability with which to comply and never actually filed the application. The previous applicants understood that our community does not desire commercial filming in our city. They respected that and dropped their projects rather than try to pressure the City Council into getting their way. Alternatively, tonight’s petitioners circulated a video on YouTube. The YouTube video accused staff and residents who voiced their concerns of being racist. We were dismayed to see that residents in opposition were attacked, despite having demonstrated decades of commitment to improving the community through volunteerism, financial support, and simple neighborly behavior regardless of the ethnic group their service benefitted. They do not oppose this project because the applicants happen to be of Asian descent or because of its desire to promote Asian American lifestyles; they oppose the project because they believe it would invite unwanted attention to San Marino, a destination city that craves a quiet life. The content of the material and the race of the applicants is not the basis upon which the decision ought to be made. The matter should be ruled on the basis of written laws and codes regarding consent for commercial filming projects. That was the reason for denial of the original application; if the scope of the project has changed, a new application should be filed, else the basis of the appeal no longer applies. All applicants for permits, Design Review Committee, etc. are required to meet the consent threshold for approval. If a law is believed to be too strict, then the law itself should be reevaluated. The appeal to circumvent the law on a case-by-case basis is unfair and inequitable. It sets the dangerous precedent that no future projects will have to meet city requirements for a permit and unfairly burdens the City Manager and City Council with the subjective task of granting exceptions based on public approval. Moreover, ruling on a matter simply to appease a small group of the public is also unfair.
If the applicants have met all of the requirements, then you should approve their request for a permit. If they have not, then you should deny it. Please determine the answer to this question and make your decision based on the answers and facts, not out of fear for our city’s reputation. We have loved being a part of this close-knit community for the past 15 years and have utmost respect and gratitude for the community members that helped make it that way and the ordinances that protect our gem of a city. Respectfully, Jennifer and Alan Chuang San Marino, CA 91108
From: Steven Huang, D.D.S.
To: Christina Baker
Cc: Dr. Marcella Marlowe, ICMA-CM
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Opposed TV Show Filming Permit
Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 9:55:05 PM
City of San Marino | Steven Huang, D.D.S.
Council Member
2200 Huntington Drive
San Marino, CA 91108
shuang@cityofsanmarino.org
P: (626) 300-0700
CityofSanMarino.org
Please note: the City is currently limiting public access to City buildings. More information about our services and how to get
in contact with staff is available at http://www.cityofsanmarino.org/coronavirus. Thank you for your patience and
understanding.
Begin forwarded message:
From: cgblauvelt
Date: April 14, 2021 at 5:42:43 PM PDT
To: Ken Ude , Susan Jakubowski
, "Steven Huang, D.D.S."
, Gretchen Shepherd Romey
, Steve Talt
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Opposed TV Show Filming Permit
We oppose the proposed San Marino TV Show Filming Permit. San Marino is a small, safe and
wonderful community. We do not want publicity, especially considering the current pandemic and
attacks on Asians. Sincerely, Carol and Hank BlauveltPUBLIC COMMENTS AND WRITINGS
AGENDA ITEM 3LETTER FROM APPELLANT
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Giles Design 2290 Lorain Road
San Marino, Calif. 91108
Jennifer Giles, Architect O: 626.458.5577
C:
F: 626.458.5577
giles.design@att.net
October 28, 2020
Members of the City of San Marino Planning Commission:
The mixed use project proposed at 2404 Mission Street to be heard during tonight’s planning commission
hearing MUST BE DENIED for the following reasons listed below:
1. This project does not meet the current guidelines of the City of San Marino’s General Plan established in
2003. Though this parcel is zoned for commercial use, the owner is proposing only 7% of the overall
square footage be used for that purpose. The remaining 93% is proposed as a mansionized, residential
monstrosity in a low-scale commercial neighborhood.
2. This project introduces a new layer of density not found anywhere else in the 4 commercial districts of
our city.
3. If the intent is to propose a commercial project, why not create just that. With only 550SF of
commercial space charging on average $3/SF, income from this miniscule space will only provide
$1,650/month in rent. How can that be a viable commercial asset?
4. This project creates a negative impact on the neighboring area by not being respectful of the transition
between residential and commercial zones entering San Marino from the west along Mission Street. Its
large 30’ height, though within the maximum commercial height guidelines, looms over the pedestrian
sidewalk and the single-story neighborhood feel of the streetscape. Its large 25’ tall blank eastern face
towers over the adjacent front yard of the modest craftsman home located directly east…I ask you, how
neighborly is that?
5. This is NOT a project for low income housing when one of the two units is almost 6,000SF in size! The
4 en-suite bedrooms and 3 massive living room spaces are grossly out of scale to any residence in the
immediate area. This project is a ruse and is deceitful with its intent!
6. The owners have increased the buildable area on the site by narrowing an existing easement from 14’ to
12’ to allow an even larger footprint area for development. This allows for a building with an even
greater presence along the street frontage of Mission Street.
7. This applicant previously submitted a residential proposal for a new home on this same commercial site
in 2019. At the time, the request included roughly a 4,000SF home with new detached garage. Today’s
proposal includes a residence that is 150% larger plus an additional 1-bedroom apartment!
This project is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is masking itself as a commercial development when it is actually a
residential mansion looming over its adjacent neighbors and streetscape. We need to be proud of development
projects in our City…this one truly is not!
I strongly urge you to DENY this project and send the owner and their design team back to the drawing board.
Hopefully, their next reiteration will not be an insult to our beautiful city.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Giles, Architect
, San Marino (20 year Resident)From: Tanja Reutimann
To: Ken Ude; Susan Jakubowski; Steven Huang, D.D.S.; Gretchen Shepherd Romey; Steve Talt; Dr. Marcella
Marlowe, ICMA-CM; Aldo Cervantes; City Clerk"s Office
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 2404 Mission St Public Comment Submission
Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 2:36:16 PM
Please let me know when I may share this information with the council after 6 pm this
evening, thank you.
Good evening members of the San Marino City Council,
My name is Tanja Reutimann and I'm speaking this evening on behalf of the owner
of 2410 Mission Street, the over 100 year old property adjacent to the east of the
proposed new construction at 2404 Mission St.
In September 2019, City staff underlined that the previously proposed project for 2404
Mission Street with 3,975 square feet of living area would constitute an increase of
more than twofold from the current structure and as such “is incompatible with
adjacent residential development in the neighborhood.” As a result, staff was “unable
to support the proposed dwelling size as it would set a precedent for future
applications to request for similar entitlement in turn would have a detrimental effect
on development of nearby uses and buildings.” Today, almost two years after being
directed by the City staff to address the massing and scale issues of the original
proposal, the applicant has almost doubled the size of their proposed project to over
7,000 sq feet, only 546 feet (or 7 percent) of which would be commercial.
By all appearances the applicant is seeking to work around the City's adopted
General Plan and design guidelines for residential uses. The proposed 6,500 sf
residential structure only includes a 2' setback to our property to the east, a 100 year
old one-story, 1,100 SF cottage. The applicant attempts to circumvent these
standards by making the project commercial / mixed-use in nature but with less than
10% of the entire footprint dedicated to commercial use, this is ancillary at best and
not consistent with commercial uses within the historic Mission District. In addition,
this development would negatively impact the financial viability of our property
reducing our available daylight, impacting our privacy and altering the charm of our
historic cottage.
We are afraid about the fire and life safety issues that this project imposes
upon our adjacent property. It is imperative that adequate access be maintained
for fire-fighting apparatus to access the landlocked properties behind our home aswell as at 2404 Mission Street. If a fire were to occur and trucks with fire hoses were unable to reach the fire, our property would be in jeopardy due to the nature of the close proximity and lack of adequate access to fight the fire. Overgrown vegetation, combustible materials and structures with non-conforming setbacks all would be at the mercy of a swift moving fire if it were to occur behind our home. The project also does not in good faith execute the intent of the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (Senate Bill 330), which is focused on addressing housing affordability by reducing barriers to developing housing for low- and moderate-income households and the unhoused. With over 6,500 sq feet set aside for just (2) units, the proposed project will be anything but affordable. According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the threshold for Moderate-Income is 80% - 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI), roughly $66,000 to $99,000 in San Marino. Even at the upper end of this spectrum the average cost of an existing, older, more modestly sized unit (e.g., 1,300 sq/ft) would exceed the threshold recommended for housing costs. When I checked Zillow today the cost of the most affordable rental unit in San Marino (a 1,720 sq ft property) was over $50,000 for one year (Source: https://www.zillow.com/san-marino-ca/rent-houses/) While we respect the rights of the owners of 2404 Mission Street to modernize their home, the proposed project is NOT consistent with the City's General Plan and will have a detrimental effect upon the nature, condition and development of nearby uses and buildings, including our 109 year old cottages. Most importantly, the proposed new construction fails to execute current fire and life safety standards, restricting access to the properties behind it. Thank you for your time and consideration of our concerns about this project. Tanja Reutimann (for the owners at 2410 Mission Street)
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