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View Winners → Dear Editor: Monrovia Residents “misled” by Council on Wilderness Preserve Access
Monrovia Weekly Mar 05, 2015
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Dear Editor:
Several of us approached Oliver Chi about access to the Wilderness Preserve Property off of Madison, behind a locked gate controlled by Steve Pokrajac.
Previously citizens had been misled, and actually lied to by some staff members, that there were “access issues.”
A check of the property deeds showed this was NOT the case. The easements traveled with the Titles to the property, along the paved road.
In our last meeting with Oliver, the Mayor was present.
At NO time was it ever mentioned that perhaps Steve Pokrajac should be given the option to buy his property back, instead of allowing the legal access to the property he sold to be zoned Wilderness Preserve.
Steve has kept this property to himself, never paying a penny of property taxes on it since he “sold” it to the City.
We were told that talks were taking place with the previous owner of that WP property about allowing access to the Public WP Property. We were told that there was another owner to contact … but that was never explained?
We were told that by February 28th there would be some resolution. I agreed to that.
Why would you, the Mayor and the Council, give your staff direction to deceive us, the citizens requesting our legal right to property we are paying for?
You did this by directing City Manager Oliver Chi to introduce to Mr. Pokrajac the option of changing his mind about selling property that he eagerly prepared for sale to be included with the first Grant from the WCB of the State.
There is very little doubt that Steve now wants to develop this prime gnatcatcher habitat property.
The Citizens voted overwhelmingly to tax themselves to prevent development of our foothills.
This does indeed seem to speak huge volumes to the NEED for a CHANGE!
I am not at all sure we have enough options….
Sincerely,
-Dorothy Kelty
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