Re: Appeal of Design Review Board decision PDR 1723012-B; 1633 S. Victory Blvd. 3-story, 64-room hotel with ingress and egress access to 2 level of underground parking from public alleyway — allowing for a single business monopolization of alleyway and burden of cumulative traffic congestion.
As the date approaches for our appeal case to be heard by City Council, we will be adding photos to our feature called “alley traffic of the day.” The point of this is so that our concerns about cumulative alley congestion, resident access, and potential of injury are not heard as typical generic cries of “traffic,” but are instead clearly demonstrated, over time, and shown to be a real condition, not merely an opinion based in projection, assumptions, or fear.
The traffic events below were all recorded in 6 minutes and 23 seconds.
Below: A tow truck parked across from the proposed hotel entrance site in the alley (time 11:59:41 a.m.). It appears to have clearance to proceed while still leaving clearance for traffic.
Above: The truck is actually blocked by crash poles that are protecting a ground-anchored telephone pole tension wire (time 11:59:54 p.m.). Access to the adjacent business’ trash area is also partially blocked. The truck will require area up to, and perhaps beyond the alley midpoint. Otherwise, the truck apparently has a hazard-free path on a clear day.
Below: The truck brakes for a resident leaving their garage (time: 12:01 p.m).
Below: (time: 12:02 p.m.) The truck encounters congestion at the Lake St. mouth of this alley, a half-block away from Benjamin Franklin Elementary School. Here it has to navigate along several parked or stopped vehicles. One of the vehicle owners in the left of the image helped guide the tow truck driver through the situation before returning to his own vehicle.
Above: The doors to the Chevron trash area are now fully opened, extending to the alleyway (time 12:05:45 p.m.).
Below: At 12:06:04 p.m., (19 seconds after taking the photo above) I turn around to see a car approaching. Note that it is one of the same cars that was pictured at the Lake St. mouth of the alleyway. Requiring only one available alley lane to pass, the driver uses the center of the alley for passage when available. Many local residents do this, leaving room for the many bicyclists, skateboarders, and pedestrians (many walking their dogs) that use the alleyway.
It is our sincere hope that the Glendale City Council will view these photographs and consider all of their implications; from issues regarding resident inconvenience and prevention of usage, to the potential for property damage, injury, or fatality.
Please email City Council at the addresses below and let them know that measures must be taken to mitigate the cumulative traffic congestion caused by allowing hotel patrons to occupy both lanes of alley traffic. The solution to this is to require incoming hotel traffic to approach the underground parking entrance while remaining on the hotel property exclusively, and only exiting into the public alleyway. This method of incoming traffic approach has been used by all businesses previously located at the same location.
Voice your opposition to PDR-1723012-B by emailing or speaking to CITY COUNCIL
- “Zareh Sinanyan” <zsinanyan@glendaleca.gov>
- “Paula Devine” <pdevine@glendaleca.gov>
- “Ara Najarian” <anajarian@glendaleca.gov>
- “Vartan Gharpetian” <vgharpetian@glendaleca.gov>
- “Vrej Agajanian” <vagajanian@glendaleca.gov>
The traffic on this alley is already, at different times of the day, a dangerous one with many residents of Winchester & Western Ave having their garage access in this alley. Add the various trash trucks that come multiple times a week due to the high number of apartment buildings on Western Ave and we are challenged. We are seeing an increased number of speeder zipping down the alley at unsafe speeds. Now, this proposed Project want to use the alley as an access. Not a good idea!
ALL former businesses at 1633 Victory have kept their ingress traffic on the property via driveway, and off of the alleyway. Creating cumulative congestion at the Victory Blvd. mouth of the alleyway is opposed by neighbors on Western Ave. and Winchester Ave. Employees who have been informed at the Chevron Extra-Mile store also find it very problematic and are opposed to the current design. We all look to City Council to correct this obvious problem.