Monrovia Renewal, Bike Paths, the new entrance to Canyon Park, Library Strategic Plan and Parking in Old Town reviewed
The Monrovia City Council was given updates on several diverse projects the City has undertaken. Under the Community Improvement Projects and Grants update, Brittany Mello announced the completion of Phase I of Monrovia Renewal and the beginning of Phase II. Construction will begin on the Northwest Section this month according to her remarks to the council. A complete schedule of the work in the portion of the city north of Colorado Blvd and West of Myrtle Avenue is available at the city’s website at www.cityofmonrovia.org/your-government/monrovia-renewal
Later in the meeting, Sean Sullivan, the Public Works Division Manager, gave the council the staff report with the details on the conclusion of Phase I. The work included improvements to more than 25 lane miles of roadway, the removal and replacement of more than 24,000 square feet of sidewalk, 26,000 linear feet of curbs and gutters, and approximately 3,500 square feet of concrete curbs ramps.
Mello also reported on the plans for implementation of the city’s Bike Master Plan/ Work has already begun on marking the pavement and posting roadway signs indicating the bike routes throughout town. The work has already been done on parts of Magnolia Avenue. For a map of the routes go to: http://www.cityofmonrovia.org/home/showdocument?id=7132
Photos of the reworked entrance to Canyon Park were also presented as a park of the CIP/grants update. Earlier in the day in his City Manager’s update, Oliver Chi had included an invitation to the Dedication of the Entrance Trail next Tuesday, August 8th at 4 pm at the entrance to the park at 1200 North Canyon Blvd.
Later in the meeting, Librarian Carrie Vance presented the Library Strategic Plan to the Council. She explained that when the new Library was opened in 2009, there was an Operation Plan that included several specific goals. She said that these had been completed by 2015. At that time, work began on a new strategic plan for the Library. She then laid out the plan.
The five year plan includes six strategic directives. These include enhancing six different areas: the experience patrons have, access to the library, establishing strategic partnerships and increasing community engagement, improving community access to the state of the art technology tools and services, improving the Library’s image in the community, and developing ways to invest in staff development. A full copy of the Strategic Plan is available on the city’s website at: www.cityofmonrovia.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=8869
Two separate items on the agenda Tuesday related to parking in Old Town. The first was an action to vacate a portion of the alley north of Chestnut between Myrtle and Primrose Avenues. Plans are being developed to put a parking structure at the location. Council Member Becky Shevlin verified that the work of moving the utilities located in the alley would not be done until the plans were finalized and that moving the utilities would not impact recently repaved streets. The measure passed unanimously.
The other unanimously passed parking related issue was the agreement to enter into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with the Robhana Group to build a project between Lime and Lemon, west of Myrtle Avenue. The project would include an office building and a parking structure. There was concern expressed by some council members that building the project would negatively impact parking in the Old Town as this location is currently a large parking lot.
