Over two years of effort is starting to pay off for Pat Van Houte. Mayor Manlove says he is tired of the divisive issue and is no longer going forward with the project. Immediately after this announcement he called for the purchase of more of the homes residents were forced to abandon due to the project.
Manlove is facing a recall campaign after a surprisingly close election last year.
In his prepared remarks, Manlove said that although a majority of the City Council members had reaffirmed their support for the project at a December workshop, the two who have emphatically opposed it - Councilmen Jack Douglass and Ralph Riggs - represent districts that would be most directly affected by the extension.I had spoken before the Pasadena City Council twice when I was a resident saying the Strawberry Extension would harm businesses along Pasadena Blvd. and only benefit two churches and a couple businesses on Strawberry. The Pasadena Blvd. improvements are needed with or without the Strawberry Extension. If the section near 225 is done it will have to be redone if the Strawberry Extension is later completed.
Rather than pursuing the Strawberry extension, Manlove said he will propose that the city's Capital Improvement Plan for next year include "adequate funding to support improvements to Pasadena Boulevard."
Some of the Pasadena Blvd. proposed improvements in the Capital Improvement Plan also call for the purchase and tear down of more houses at the bend.
Don Harrison, still on Pasadena City Council despite two court rulings he had lost the election last year, was harsh in his criticism of the mayor. This surprised those who felt he was in on a conspiracy to deny citizens their right to speak at city council about the recall Mayor Manlove effort.
"I think it's wholly irresponsible and a waste of taxpayers' money," Harrison said. "There are just a few more tracts to buy. I wish you had changed your mind 2 1/2 years ago."Pat Van Houte became active in her campaign to stop the project 2 1/2 years ago. She has presented many surveys of people along the route and the area supposedly benefiting. The strongest area of support was less than 10% of residents. She has also done time studies showing a less than one minute improvement in travel time for the over $20 million project.
Harrison said he would do everything he could to reinstate the project. In another story today it was reported that Harrison had filed another appeal to stay on City Council.
Pat Van Houte, a Pasadena resident who has strongly opposed the extension, said she was "very glad" to hear the mayor's announcement but still had some concerns.The Chronicle story adds a new figure for the Second Baptist Church buy out of part of their property - $4 million. This seems greatly overstated and does not count the value improvement to the remaining property. The Chronicle does not disclose that the largest church in Pasadena - First Baptist - is shown to own the Second Baptist property on tax rolls. I mention this because of the disbelief of Second Baptist Church members of this fact and earlier work I did on determining who mostly benefitted from this boondoggle. In hard to justify projects like this find out who are the strong supporters and determine their financial interests. The Manlove political contributions from contractors and developers are on file at City Hall. The membership of the development board and their businesses and affiliations are a matter of public record.
"What he said did have some qualifications," she said. "And they did go ahead tonight and buy three more houses, one of which is currently occupied. The houses they bought in December, a couple of those are occupied."
Land acquisition for the Strawberry extension began in November 2004 with the purchase of five houses on Scott Street.
As of Tuesday, the city has purchased 29 of 33 houses slated for demolition. Three purchases were approved on second reading at Tuesday's meeting. Just two houses have been demolished.
More discussion on what is Manlove up to here. Recall Manlove website here.
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